Shadow Phase Initiative (2 Decklists + Ideas)

[idleninja]

I finally got some free time and looked through the Tower and King block decklists. One card that I haven't seen used is Mordor Fighter (7R286), a 2 twilight Orc from ROTK with some pretty sweet gametext: "While you can spot a threat and another Orc, the Shadow has initiative, regardless of the Free Peoples player's hand." Threats are easy enough to add in King/Movie Block, so as long as you have another Morc in play then you auto-gain initiative!

"So what?" you say, "Direct wounding makes this guy useless." Yes it does, which is why we get all our business done during the same phase (not turn, phase!) he gets played.


Here is my Initiative Corruption decklist! (Combo heavy, still tweaking, any suggestions welcome!)

1x Gollum, Plotting Deceiver
1x Gollum, Stinker
4x Gorgoroth Stormer
3x Grishnakh, Orc Captain
4x Mordor Fighter
4x Ulaire Attea, Wraith on Wings
3x Ulaire Enquea, Lieutenant of Morgul
3x Ulaire Toldea, Wraith on Wings
1x Ithil Stone
4x Captured by the Ring
4x The Ring is Mine!
3x Evil-smelling Fens
1x Fat One Wants It
1x Morgai

2nd Version, works better (especially with Enduring Evil for surprise overwhelms!)

1x Gollum, Plotting Deceiver
1x Gollum, Stinker
4x Gorgoroth Stormer
4x Mordor Fighter
3x Ulaire Attea, Wraith on Wings
3x Ulaire Enquea, Lieutenant of Morgul
3x Ulaire Toldea, Wraith on Wings
1x Gothmog's Warg
1x Ithil Stone
3x Captured by the Ring
2x Enduring Evil
4x The Ring is Mine!
2x Evil-smelling Fens
1x Fat One Wants It
1x Final Strike
2x Morgai

Short explanation: Mordor Fighter + Gorgoroth Stormer + x4 The Ring is Mine! = 5 burdens for 6 twilight in a single Shadow phase!
http://www.gempukku.com/gemp-lotr/game.html?replayId=idleninja$r85lrga64abemlzi Site 7, 4 burdens
http://www.gempukku.com/gemp-lotr/game.html?replayId=idleninja$428jtbkl9x0qsm1p Site 7, 5 burdens + Enquea kill!


Swarm Version

1x Gollum, Plotting Deceiver
4x Desert Sneak
2x Gorgoroth Assassin
4x Mordor Fighter
4x Orc Chaser
4x Orc Pursuer(2)
4x Orc Stalker
2x Ulaire Enquea, Lieutenant of Morgul
1x Ithil Stone
3x Captured by the Ring
2x Haradwaith
3x Under Foot
1x Flames Within
2x Morgai

1x Gollum, Plotting Deceiver
4x Corsair Lookout
4x Desert Sneak
2x Southron Chieftain
4x Mordor Fighter
4x Orc Chaser
4x Orc Pursuer(2)
1x Úlairë Enquëa, Lieutenant of Morgul
1x Ithil Stone
3x Captured by the Ring
1x Evil-smelling Fens
1x Final Strike
1x Haradwaith
3x Under Foot
1x Flames Within
1x Morgai

Use captured by the ring to get a threat out early for Mordor Fighter, then drop him (or Haradwaith/Morgai if at site 4/5) + all your cheap minions + Under Foot, reconcile, repeat until dry. Between Mordor Fighter and one of your initiative conditions you should be able to keep your superswarm pumped up to full stats. Flames Within goes nicely with the swarm, Final Strike helps prevent direct wounding and helps you pull one minion if you are at site 9, Evil-smelling Fens lets you get back Mordor Fighter or another raider man for Under Foot later in the game. Managed to get 11 minions at site 9 here: http://www.gempukku.com/gemp-lotr/game.html?replayId=idleninja$64307300sh3cxca9
http://i59.tinypic.com/c51ya.png


PART 2: Other uses for Mordor Fighter

There are so many different things you can do with this guy! Obviously not all of these are effective, but his combo potential is amazing. here is some of the stuff you can do with him:

Add Burdens!
Gorgoroth Stormer (8C101)
The Ring is Mine! (10U97)
Grishnakh, Orc Captain (5R100)
Ulaire Attea, WoW (7R210) + Ulaire Toldea, WoW (7R219)

Add Threats and Exert Companions!
Gorgoroth Stormer (8C101) + Morgul on the March (7U195)
There Came a Cry (7C208)
Gates of the Dead City (3R81)

Cycle!
Under Foot (10C52)
*Orc Seeker (7R306)

Recycle!
Gollum, Plotting Deceiver (7R58)
Evil Smelling Fens (5U22)
Let Her Deal With Them (7R63)
Undead Gollum can pull a key minion with Fens and make it Damage +1 with Let Her Deal With Them!
Ulaire Toldea, WoW (7R219) + Out of Sight and Shot (7R204)
Toldea, WoW is free if you can spot another Nazgul! Play him back from discard with Out of Sight and Shot!

Discard Allies!
Corsair Lookout (8U56)

All of these you can do during the Shadow phase!

Outside the safety of the Shadow phase, there are even more combo opportunities!

Maneuver Phase:
Gorgoroth Berserker (8R96) *Site Control*

Archery Phase:
Suzerain of Harad (7R170) *Block RB from taking wounds*
Morgul Lurker (8C76) *+2 to minion archery total*
Orc Archer Troop (7U294) *+1 to minion archery total*
Gothmog, Morgul Commander (8R72) *Every minion is an archer*

Assignment Phase:
Desert Runner (7C133) *Wound*
Desert Scout (7U134) *Wound*
Desert Sneak (7C135) *Wound*

Super-Swarm (credits to Floydor: http://lotrtcgwiki.com/forums/index.php/topic,8786.0.html)
Orc Pursuer (7C303)
Orc Chaser (7C298)
Orc Stalker (7U307)
Besieging Pike (7C265)
Flames Within (10C85)

Regroup phase:
Peril (6U105)/ Spied From Above (6U84)
Wisp of Pale Sheen (6C108) + Ulaire Nertea, Black-Mantled Wraith (7U217) *Burdens*
Ulaire Lemenya, Wraith on Wings (7U214) *Possession Hate*
Ulaire Nelya, Black-Mantled Wraith (7U216) + Ulaire Otsea, Black-Mantled Wraith (7U218) *RB Comp Hate*
Rout (7R158) *Grind*

Thanks for reading! Hope this gives you all some new ideas!

[idleninja]

Cleaned up post a bit, added the swarm decklist. Anyone have suggestions to improve either deck? I was thinking Gothmog's Warg (10R89) or Enduring Evil (1R246)