What format do you play the most?

[sgtdraino]

What LOTR format do you play the most, and why?

[sgtdraino]

To answer my own question, I play Expanded the most, by far. Yes, there are some really irritating strategies/combinations present in that format, but I still find I prefer the larger card pool and the variable site path to formats that are more limiting in terms of my choices.

Fellowship format falls in to a distant 2nd place, for me. I quite enjoy it, it really feels like you're playing through the movie, and it's a good format for teaching new players.

[fenix]

I think movie is the best format and the one I enjoy the most. It has a variety of good strategies, only a few broken cards, and is still relatively close to the book. Sure, Galadriel, LR ruins things, but most people don't play her anymore. They realize she is a NPE and would rather have fun.

I prefer it to fellowship and TS because I've never enjoyed choke decks. I prefer it to expanded because it seems like there are only a few shadows that people play (i'm looking at you ninja gollum & evil men archery). I don't think anyone really plays standard, that format just kind of sucks. I really like multipath, but I think they went overboard with the x-list and no one seems to play it.

[bibfortuna25]

Movie block is clearly the best format the game has to offer. So that's the one I play when I am playing casually. I also play in each league as it becomes available. I refuse to play beyond set 10 for casual games.

[Cw0rk]

On GCCG I used to play Movie Block the most because Galadriel, LR was technically banned due to a gentlemen's agreement.

Now with GEMP, I almost only play FOTR Block because it is the least broken format and still gives a good quantity of deck-building options. The more I played FOTR Block, the more I learned to like it. Even if you would ban Galadriel LR, I would still play it.

[MonK]

I'm playing Fellowship block because for me it's easier to play. I see the image on a card and remember what it does. I don't need read the text all the time. Also I heard that this is one of the most balanced format. But I like to play all the first 10 sets and want to try the other ones to see all the game picture.
I also play in each league as it becomes available. But I found GEMP just few days ago, so I played only in two leagues.
Funny thing: I never played against Galadriel, LR because no one of my friends has that phisical card. And I have very little online game expirience for now.

[fenix]

I always thought it was odd that people consider fellowship to be the most balanced format while almost every card on the original x-list is from fellowship block

[MonK]

I always thought it was odd that people consider fellowship to be the most balanced format while almost every card on the original x-list is from fellowship block

I think it's because those x-listed cards disbalancing with the cards from next blocks, not with Fellowship ones.

[bibfortuna25]

Well, Saruman KOI was pretty #$&*@! broken in Tower Standard. I remember using him in the days before the X-list was created, and every player dreaded moving to Deep of Helm and facing the almighty fierce Uruk swarm.

[Cw0rk]

And then all the FOTR choke cards became too annoying with the introduction of Legolas, DH.

[jdizzy001]

I am all about movie block. However, having played TS, I really enjoy that too. I have a rather large post shadows collection but after playing with more people (the group I play with has but 3 people in it) I learned that the cards after set 10 are WAY OP. I prefer movie block. No troll swarm.

[sgtdraino]

I still feel like Expanded is really oddly under-represented on this poll. Gemp stats consistently put it at either 2nd or 3rd most popular, ranked very close with Movie, while Gemp stats usually have Fellowship at #1... while the Facebook Group poll has Expanded uncontested at #1.

[Prince_of_Ithilien]

My answer varies depending on whether we're talking face-to-face or online play.  Amongst my friends who get together and play, Fellowship and Towers Standard are favorites by far (this is in large part due to a house rule/gentlemen's agreement we have that bars x-listed cards from play in all games - idea for a new format anyone?  ;-)

As for online, I've been liking Towers lately.  Although I have a strong, ahem ...dislike... for Legolas DH, at least I stand a chance at cracking him when Merry Friend to Sam isn't in the picture.  Since I build my online decks based on my real-life decks, Towers and I get along great.

Though the combos in open/exp can be impressive, neither myself nor my circle of friends really bought any sets beyond the movie blocks.  So, any format that has a ring-bearer other than Frodo and a non-linear site path (I'm a sucker for movie themes) finds me a bit out of my playing depth.  That said, I'm always glad to see a vibrant playing community whether I play a given format or not :-)

[thetimewarptrio]

I'm going through each set in Movie right now with my friends, doing our variation of a sealed tournament. We take the main set's booster box, and each get 7 packs, and then one pack each of every expansion. Then, each using a starter deck, we go and make the best decks possible to bring to the table from our 9 packs (10 if it's King) and starter deck. We have our last "tournament" next weekend doing King Block, and then we'll combine everything for Movie, with certain house rules applying for overpowered cards (and because we play with five players, a ban on anyone using dedicated swarm).

Towers wasn't quite as much fun for this format, as the veteran players had to use the starters from BoHD and EoF, which contain standard rares and isn't quite as much fun. However, it did end up being way more helpful than Fellowship for me, because my MoM Gandalf starter contained Stricken Dumb, Beyond the Height of Men, and No Mere Ranger.  

 -___________-

All totally useless. Thankfully, my Realms pack had Boromir's Horn in it, and we played with no cards being banned.

[Prince_of_Ithilien]

Wow, that sounds like a fun tournament!  Oof, tough break on the Gandalf starter...