Naith Elves and Isenmen, or Grima says no!

[jdizzy001]

Sounds good, I'd like to see your take on it

[dethwish07]

Ok, so I like the idea of using the Naith and the strength reduction of Flashing Steel but don't like having to exert.  This is the list I came up with to address that concern. It is a little larger than jdizzy's, but seems to be cycling well so far.

Ring-bearer: Gimli, Bearer of Grudges
Ring: The One Ring, Answer To All Riddles

Adventure deck:
Rohirrim Road
King's Tent
Hall of the Kings
Anduin Banks
City Gates
Minas Tirith First Circle
Ruined Capitol
Morgulduin
Haunted Pass

Free Peoples Draw Deck (36):
1x Erethon, Naith Lieutenant
1x Gil-galad, Elven High King
1x Legolas, Archer of Mirkwood (Start)
2x Pengedhel, Naith Warrior
1x Taurnil, Sharp-eyed Bowman
1x Thonnas, Naith Captain (Start)
1x Sam, Son of Hamfast
1x Elrond, Herald to Gil-galad
1x Galadriel, Lady of the Golden Wood
1x Axe of Erebor
1x Asfaloth, Elven Steed
1x Bow of the Galadhrim, Gift of Galadriel
4x Elven Sword
3x Naith Longbow
1x Ring of Fury
3x Company of Archers
4x Flashing Steel
4x Fleet-footed
2x Glimpse of Fate
1x Shadow Between
1x Shoulder to Shoulder

Shadow Draw Deck (36):
4x Agents of Orthanc
3x Grima, Son of Galmod
1x Grima, Wormtongue
4x Rohirrim Traitor
3x Saruman, Black Traitor
1x Saruman, Servant of the Eye
4x Unferth, Grima's Bodyguard
3x Saruman's Staff, Wizard's Device
4x Men Will Fall
2x Where Has Grima Stowed It?
4x Desertion
3x Wizard Storm

So, I'm running Gimli BoG and using Legolas, Archer of Mirkwood in my starting along with Thonnas. Gimli allows for use of Shoulder to Shoulder (as I said, I like the way Durin's Heir thinks!). Legolas is spotted to play Thonnas and has a nice healing ability (and maybe saves you from dealing with a snap-concession that would come along with trying to use Galadriel LR against some of the folks around here!). Coupled with his bow (Gift of Galadriel), he is a great candidate for the use of Flashing Steel while helping your other Elves, such as Thonnas, use it as well. I have removed a both Asfaloth, 2x That is No Orc Horn and Vilya. I prefer the RotK Asfaloth as you don't have to fear losing it to the occasional underground site 4. I've added Shadow Between and Lady of the Golden Wood for additional healing and a third Company of Archers as more condition removal that isn't reliant on getting out my singleton Elrond HtGG. I've also diversified the companions slightly. Additionally, I have swapped the 4x Defiance for 4x Fleet-Footed.  I like these because they are strength reduction events akin to Flashing Steel. And I as have removed the nombo with That is No Orc Horn for other healing, turning this into a -2 version of Still Needed, should my opponent control any sites. Threw in a couple items for Gimli to up his strength and resistance a bit.

As far as shadow, as Bib said, you have to have Men Will Fall in an men deck. Dropped 2x Where Has Grima Stowed It? and a copy of Wizard Storm. Added the 4 Men Will Fall and a copy of Saruman, Servant of the Eye (again I say, I like the way Durin's Heir thinks!).

It is not the most powerful movie block deck, but I agree with jdizzy: this kind of deck is a lot of fun.

[Cw0rk]

If you use fleet footed, I recommend that you use that site 5 that let an opponent take control of a site.

[Not a Zombie]

Looks like a fun list, however Morgulduin is probably the worst site 8 you could pick. You can't use it's text and it can be devastating if an opponent gets to.

[dethwish07]

If you use fleet footed, I recommend that you use that site 5 that let an opponent take control of a site.

Good call.

Looks like a fun list, however Morgulduin is probably the worst site 8 you could pick. You can't use it's text and it can be devastating if an opponent gets to.

Ah, good catch. In an earlier version I had a copy of Enquea LoM in there. Guess I forgot to swap the site. Without him in there, I'll go with Cross Roads.

So the adjusted list would be as follows:

-1 City Gates*
+1 Crashed Gate

And either

-1 Morgulduin
+1 Cross Roads

or

-1 Desertion
+1 Enquea LoM

Thanks for the comments!

[Durin's Heir]

Dethwish, I'm glad you like my way of thinking. I like yours, btw .

Archer of Mirkwood is awesome in Naith Elves or Shoulder to Shoulder decks. And (Oh! What a coincidence!) this is both.

I like to use Watchers of Cirith Ungol if I cannot get any profit of site 8 with my own Shadow. It's the safest site 8 in my opinion. Cross Roads is very powerful with Southrons or Corsairs (Gimli will be adding threats), while Orcs tend to get much better bonuses for each threat by themselves (Morgul Destroyer), and if things turn dangerous you can always control threats in skirmish by sacrificing a defender.

Thrarin, Dwarven Smith + Shoulder to Shoulder + Disquiet of Our People is an awesome combo if you face swarm or if you need to sweep the threat pool. A defender +1 or +2 cannon fodder out of the blue (very funny in FOTR against The Balrog and a Cave Troll). Even better with Gimli's Helm.


I like the combo of Flashing Steel + Bow of the Galadhrim, GoG. + Archer of Mirkwood, even better.
With so many healing tricks you might add 1 or 2 copies of Lend Us Your Aid.

[Durin's Heir]

You might try to add Bill Ferny, SSF to the Shadow side. Unferth can exhaust their direct-wounding fellows, and then Ferny can make the difference between a loss and a kill. Besides, Saruman SotE is self assignable with Saruman's Staff, and gets much stronger with the aid of self-assignable Ferny: strength 14, damage +1.

And adding 1x Saruman's Power can destroy condition-intensive fellowships: Knights, The Shire Countryside, Shadowplay...

[dethwish07]

I like to use Watchers of Cirith Ungol if I cannot get any profit of site 8 with my own Shadow. It's the safest site 8 in my opinion. Cross Roads is very powerful with Southrons or Corsairs (Gimli will be adding threats), while Orcs tend to get much better bonuses for each threat by themselves (Morgul Destroyer), and if things turn dangerous you can always control threats in skirimish by sacrificing a defender.

Ah, makes sense. Good call.

Thrarin, Dwarven Smith + Shoulder to Shoulder + Disquiet of Our People is an awesome combo if you face swarm or if you need to sweep the threat pool. A defender +1 or +2 cannon fodder out of the blue (very funny in FOTR against The Balrog and a Cave Troll). Even better with Gimli's Helm.

...

With so many healing tricks you might add 1 or 2 copies of Lend Us Your Aid.

I like these ideas. Hard to fit though. I guess in the case of the former, if I have issues with swarm, I'd drop 1x Flashing Steel, 1x Fleet-Footed, and 1x Elven sword for Thrarin, Dwarven Speedbump and a copy of Disquiet of Our People as well as a second copy of Shoulder to Shoulder.

I love Lend Us Your Aid. If I add one, I'd take out a copy of Fleet-Footed... If I added a second, I guess I'd remove a Flashing Steel.

You might try to add Bill Ferny, SSF to the Shadow side. Unferth can exhaust their direct-wounding fellows, and then Ferny can make the difference between a loss and a kill. Besides, Saruman SotE is self assignable with Saruman's Staff, and gets much stronger with the aid of self-assignable Ferny: strength 14, damage +1.

And adding 1x Saruman's Power can destroy condition-intensive fellowships: Knights, The Shire Countryside, Shadowplay...

More good ideas... Harder to accommodate. I'll try and do some brewing and report back.

Thanks for the critique/comments, DH!

[Durin's Heir]

Watchers of Cirith Ungol: The best point about this site is its specificity. It's very unlikely to see Orcs splashed, most of the times they either are the main force or aren't present at all. The same cannot be said about Nazgul, Orcs, Gollum...

Thrarin + Disquiet: This combo isn't necessary at all if you have such strong companions as the Naith Elves and Gimli. Lend Us Your Aid covers all your companions and should be enough against swarm. And it almost ensures Legolas' victory, so you can reduce the total exertions of Gimli.
If you add 2 or more copies of Lend Us Your Aid, Grimir can be a much better investment for that slot than Thrarin, to recycle those events and to keep the Shoulder to Shoulder machine running (you can heal 2 wounds for the price of 1 card and 1 twilight).

Bill Ferny: A clear drawback of Men Will Fall is it only works against unbound comps. So Bill Ferny can help you against Ringbound guys, as far as they don't bear a Ranger's Bow with vitality to exert; Cliffs of Emyn Muil can nullify him too. And of course, against UB companions you can pile up both cards for a devastating effect.


Hope this helps sir. Both sides seem to cycle very fast, so adding a couple of new cards to both sides shouldn't be troublesome really. I'm waiting for your report.

[Cw0rk]

Bill Ferny is also quite annoying with alternate ring-bearers.

[Cw0rk]

I would like to point out that you can also pump your men with Library of Orthanc. Could also be a way to stack your multiple copies of Unferth, Grima, Saruman, and take them when you need them.

[Gil-Estel]

I love Isengard men, and i love to see some familar faces!

[jdizzy001]

I love Isengard men, and i love to see some familar faces!

We never left

Bill Ferny is also quite annoying with alternate ring-bearers.

bill ferny might be a great alternative to men will fall.

Also, replacing supporting fire with fleet foot was awesome. Between that and flashing steel you get a -5 for the cost of an exert and 1 twilight. -9 if it sets off glimpse of fate.

[Durin's Heir]

bill ferny might be a great alternative to men will fall.

That's right, but keep in mind Bill Ferny SSF has 2 clear drawbacks: it's predictable and may be killed before or during the skirmish. And while Men Will Fall cannot be played against RB companions, it keeps the surprise factor that, more often than not, will force your opponent to make mistakes. And if you happen to face a completely RB fellowship, you can always ditch those pumps with your Elven Swords .

My point is: don't replace one with the other. The idea is not to have those 4 card slots of Men Will Fall in Dethwish's list redistributed between Men Will Fall and Bill Ferny, but to have more than 4 pumps with those different 2 cards.

That way you can cover more possibilities (RB and UB; surprise and predictable; exploting alternative an RB), and very often pile up one on the other for much better chances of killing.

I would like to point out that you can also pump your men with Library of Orthanc. Could also be a way to stack your multiple copies of Unferth, Grima, Saruman, and take them when you need them.

That's true, Library of Orthanc can be very powerful with cheap minions like Men or Orcs (as it needs to play multiple minions and keep some spare twilight). But has the problem of forcing you to assemble the FP side to be able to work with (or from) the discard pile, using cards like Fireworks, Barliman, Greyhame, Dear Friends or stacking Dwarves.

And that would force this deck to depart too much from its original mechanics. Still possible, and very powerful.