Hobbits are like Roaches \ Moria Swarm

[NappyKorn]

This is one of the few deck areas I don't believe I have posted in. Out of Boredom I'll post one of my decks. Its fun to play, but I'm sure I'll eventually run into a very bad match-up and get wrecked with it. So far it is 2-0 on GccG. Without further delay here is the deck list.

Frodo and Ring:
*The One Ring, Isildur's Bane (1R1)
*Frodo, Old Bilbo's Heir (1R289)

Fellowship (35):
1x *Merry, Friend to Sam (1R302) (start)
1x *Pippin, Hobbit of Some Intelligence (1R307) (start)
1x *Sam, Son Of Hamfast (1C311) (start)
1x *Aragorn, Heir To The White City (3R38) (pulled with Prancing Pony)
2x *Farmer Maggot, Chaser of Rascals (1R288)
1x *Filibert Bolger, Wily Rascal (2C101)
1x *Rosie Cotton, Hobbiton Lass (1U309)
1x *The Gaffer, Sam's Father (1R291)
3x Bounder (1C286)
1x Hobbit Farmer (1C295)
3x Hobbit Party Guest (1C297)
1x Elrond, Herald to Gil-Galad (3R13)
1x *A Talent for Not Being Seen (1U316)
1x *O Elbereth! Gilthoniel!(2R108)
4x A Promise (2R112)
1x No Stranger to the Shadows (1U108)
1x Vilya (3R27)
1x *Aragorn's Bow (1R90)
1x *Bill The Pony (3U106)
1x *Ranger's Sword (1U112)
1x *Sting (1R313)
1x Armor (1C92)
1x Flaming Brand (2R32)
2x Frying Pan (3C108)
2x Hobbit Sword (1C299)

Strategy:

Fight and survive, wound and kill, then heal yourself back up each fellowship phase. I'm sure you can win the bid with starting Sam, SoH and Pippin, HoSI, but just in case you have 2x Hobbit Farmer to replace site 1 and get Aragorn that way. I was most worried about all the gondor stuff clogging your hand so decided just in case you are forced to go 2nd or want to go second you still have options to getting gorn faster. He isn't 100% neccessary, but I wanted a 5th companion (but can just toss him and his stuff if you fear StMTN). Frying pans on hobbits if you face orcs and swords if you need to fight. Sting, Aragorn, HttWC, Bill the Pony and ATFNBS choke quite nicely. Flaming Brand in case you face nazguls As stated Aragon is that important so if he gets lost don't sweat it he is just there to fill the 5th spot and do what he can.

Shadow (35):
4x Goblin Armory (1R173)
2x Goblin Swarms (1R183)
1x Relics of Moria (1R195)
2x They Are Coming (1C196)
1x *Cave Troll of Moria, Scourge of the Black Pit (1R165)
1x *The Balrog, Flame of Udun (2R52)
4x Goblin Runner (1U178)
4x Goblin Scavengers (1C179)
2x Goblin Scrabbler (2C64)
4x Goblin Sneak (1U181)
4x Goblin Wallcrawler (1C184)
2x Goblin Warrior (1C185)
4x Goblin Scimitar (1C180)

Strategy:

Not a huge fan of Moria Swarm (though I have one in real life), but I just through this together real fast to cycle for the fellowship and perhaps get lucky to swarm late game. First two games with it on GccG resulted in shadow kills while the fellowship didn't even get hurt.

Sites:
(1) The Prancing Pony (1U324)
(2) Buckleberry Ferry (1U330)
(3) Frodo's Bedroom (1U339)
(4) Eregion Hills (3U116)
(5) The Bridge of Khazad-dum (1C349)
(6) Dimrill Dale (1U350)
(7) Anduin Wilderland (1C354)
(8) Shores of Nen Hithoel (1U359)
(9) Summit of Amon Hen (1C362)


Deck cycles really well and gets set up really fast. You just drop everything you get your hands on during the fellowship phase and let Moria do its thing. ANy suggestions or advice is more than welcome since I am no real Moria expert and just wanted something other than Last Alliance Archery choke in FotR block .


Thanks,

NK

[Arcanite]

A site 5 Flame of Udun may cause some problems, other than that, it looks very solid. Possibly Thrarin DS?

[NappyKorn]

Adjusted the deck. Figured since pippin removes a burden out the gate and sam can peel up to 3 I should be able to bid enough to go first. I dropped 1x Hobbit Farmer (left 1 just in case) and added 1x Elrond and 1x Vilya to the fellowship. That way in case I run into trouble with Blade Tip, DDotR or other annoying conditions I can somewhat avoid them with Vilya. If not then at least Aragorn has some healing no if I have to abuse his bow. I add another They Are Coming to the shadow to balance it out.

So far deck is 4-0, 2 wins vs Nazgul (one all twilight other a mix of twilight and normal) and 2 wins against Moria (one swarm the other archery). Im hoping that I can choke out enough (ATRNBS, NSttS, and Bill the Pony) to not have too much trouble with Uruk-hai, but not entirely sure. As for I think I can out heal the direct wounding/archery guys and I can survive the burden guys easy I believe, but only playing against it will tell. The most pool I've given at a site before shadow generates their own has been 12 (once at site 9 and once after playing Elrond and Vilya).

A site 5 Flame of Udun may cause some problems, other than that, it looks very solid. Possibly Thrarin DS?

I Have Aragorn with Armor to deal with that. All he would need is either sword and his Armor. Without a sword Merry can bump him for one fight and he can die in fierce if he has too. Not to mention I get setup up really fast (since i empty my hand each fellowship phase without giving too much twilight thus far and moria on the opposite side) and when I do Sam or Frodo can fight a Balrog if needed take the wounds and heal up on my next Fellowship phase thanks to ally power.

Biggest problem that I can think of right now asside from what I havent yet seen is going first not being able to bait the opponent into a double and moving to the site that tosses all my allies. If they do get ahead and don't play Moria I can easily stop a double from 7-9 with my site 8, save my allies and double myself .

This is probably one of my favorite FotR decks right now, I have tons of fun playing it cause it keeps you busy and thinking each turn. Not to mention it isn't the over played Last Alliance of Elves and Men Archery Choke.

NK

[Arcanite]

I really like it, but i think there and back again might be useful!

Just got screwed by the pale blade, as i hadn't got flaming brand in time...

I did get a nice kill on sit 8, 7 orcs, and the troll!

For you'r info, here's the game: http://www.gempukku.com/gemp-lotr/game.html?gameId=395

EDIT: Played two more, managed to lose to nazzies on site 5, after poor draws, and having conditions on everyone quickly. I won against Isengard orcs, Frying pans are nice, espescially when you can heal your entire fellowship up next turn.
Haven't played elrond yet, as i drew him too late every game, but is definitely worth keeping, as Vilya may save you against Nazzies.

[Anautikus]

Idk what you could cut, but I'd splash in a Boromir, SoD for fun

[NappyKorn]

Late to the replies it seems. I have thought about dropping gorn and all his goodies for Boromir, SoD and some stuff for him, but I think the best part about this deck is it gives the opponent very little pool. Dropping Aragorn would lead to having to drop NSttS as well and that gives them extra which could be just enough to doom me. I decided to remove elrond and vilya due to the fact the show up late most games or I get stuck holding vilya and waiting several sites to draw elrond. I added a few PAtHS (which have saved the game for me twice against moria lately . Nazguls can cause me a head ache if the get their conditions out before I can get setup. It pretty difficult to several nazguls out at one site with the choking unless it early thanks sites 2 and 3 and Aragorn can beat down the best one and Sam can get strong enough to handle a 2nd. Frodo can also get strong (or cancel with O Elbereth! Gilthoniel!). As for fierce fights Filibert can do his thing and they just heal back up next fellowship phase.

I have yet to face uruks with this free peoples, but I have a feeling they will be hard pressed as well with the choking abilities, mass healing and abilities to cancel whatever fierce fights they may get to use). I think I can postpone any kinda of corruption and those arrows, exerts, and direct wounding should be easily healed up.

I have lost a few games with this deck due to early draws (being horrible or too good and giving to much pool and my opponent being able to drop 2-3 nazguls on me in region 1). Nothing is flawless, but man is this deck fun to play whether it works or not, just not fun to have the worst setup early when the opponent gets the ideal draws early.

NK