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Starter Packs were boxed ready-made simple decks that were intended to be easy enough for brand-new players to pick up and play. Each set typically had two starter decks, each one focusing on different cultures and strategies, so one could conceivably purchase both with a friend and get a good taste of what the game as a whole had to offer.
Unlike actual legal decks, starter decks had only about 50 cards, and the Shadows and Free Peoples sides did not always have the same number of cards. Combined with the fact that the starter rulebooks didn't explain all of the rules of the game (but only the rules you needed to play the decks provided) meant that while valuable from a learning perspective, the decks themselves were not very usable in a normal play environment.
To offset the fact that veteran players would not need the starter packs, Decipher packed in 3 random rares with each starter deck, giving collectors a reason to purchase them. In Battle of Helm's Deep and Ents of Fangorn, Decipher did away with the randomization of the rares and instead included 3 predetermined rares, with the idea being to make sure that included rares went according to the theme of the starter deck. This annoyed players, as it removed the incentive for veterans to purchase the decks, and it killed the value of the 6 rares affected in each set. With The Return of the King Decipher reverted to the original random rares.
To the right you can see each of the starter decks for the first 13 sets (The Hunters and Rise of Saruman are not shown).
For the The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers blocks, Decipher also released Deluxe starter sets, which besides including a starter deck also had booster packs from each set in that block as well as a card box and glass tokens. Due to the inclusion of boosters, a Deluxe Rulebook was included in lieu of the Starter Rulebook, to make sure that players would have access to all the rules if needed. No Deluxe Starter Set was released for any other block.
Below are lists of the contents of each starter deck, organized by set. Information is taken from gondorian.com and the Last Homely House forums, here and here, as well as from the decklists compiled for GCCG.
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (25 cards)
Shadow (24 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (25 cards)
Shadow (24 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Sites (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Sites (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Gondor / Dunlending [Dunlending]
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
(This deck contained no random rares)
Ring-bearer
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (25 cards)
Shadow (24 cards)
(This deck contained no random rares)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (25 cards)
Shadow (24 cards)
(This deck contained no random rares)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
(This deck contained no random rares)
Ring-bearer
Adventure Deck
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (23 cards)
Shadow (26 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Shire / Rohan
/ Ringwraith
/ Sauron
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24)
Shadow (25)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24)
Shadow (25)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)
(This deck incorrectly included 5 copies of White Hand Guard and failed to provide a 9th site)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (8 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (26 cards)
Ring-bearer (2 cards)
Adventure Deck (9 cards)
Free Peoples (24 cards)
Shadow (25 cards)