Why attack enemies in combat when you can shoot them with Ranger Bows in the staging area and then finish them off with Citadel Spears when defending? That's the main goal of this deck, but it takes a bit of set up, and starting and then trying to remain in secrecy is what makes it work.

Glorfindel's main job is to quest and lower threat. He should get the first copy of Resourceful. Dwarven Tomb should be used to recycle the threat reduction cards. His sphere also brings the Main source of questing power Etheir Swordsmen to the table, and treachery cancelation.

Pippin calls on the rangers of Ithilien, and equips them with bows to get the job done. He is also going to provide the main source of card draw in the deck with hobbit pipe and his ability. The deck is designed to deal enough damage to enemies in the staging area and then engage them to draw a card and finish them off with spears, so we'll be getting some decent card draw with him. There are also 2 Herdsmen in the deck to give the swordsmen a HP buff since losing them to a treachery would sink the ship. Risk Some Light can be a big game changer and help set up a good plan of action.

Thalin leads the direct damage charge and softens enemies up right away. He's also rallying the Gondorian spearmen equipped with Citadel Spears. Gondorian Discipline can keep damage of the Spearmen if need be, but since the responses of their ability and the spear trigger before the shadow card is revealed this acts as a great way of shadow card cancelation on every attack as long as the enemy is destroyed. Hail of stones can soften up enemies in the staging or take out a big baddy without ever engaging, looking at the Hill Troll.

The set up is the longest part and games can last 15 to 20+ rounds, but it is very cool to see a row of spearmen protecting a row of ranger with bows, and watching the enemies fall.

So far I've been playing this on Nightmare 7th level and NM Journey Along the Anduin, and it's been doing pretty good.

Questions, comments suggestions are welcomed.

Deck Created with CardGameDB.com The Lord of the Rings Deckbuilder

Total Cards: (50)

Starting threat 20

Hero: (3)

1x Glorfindel (Foundations of Stone)

1x Pippin (The Black Riders)

1x Thalin (Core Set)

Ally: (13)

3x Ithilien Lookout (The Dunland Trap)

2x Ithilien Tracker (Heirs of Numenor)

3x Gondorian Spearman (Core Set)

3x Ethir Swordsman (The Steward's Fear)

2x Anfalas Herdsman (The Steward's Fear)

Attachment: (15)

3x Light of Valinor (Foundations of Stone)

3x Ranger Bow (Assault on Osgiliath)

3x Resourceful (The Watcher in the Water)

3x Spear of the Citadel (Heirs of Numenor)

2x Hobbit Pipe (The Black Riders)

1x Asfaloth (Foundations of Stone)

Event: (22)

3x A Test of Will (Core Set)

3x Elrond's Counsel (The Watcher in the Water)

2x Gondorian Discipline (Encounter at Amon Dîn)

3x The Galadhrim's Greeting (Core Set)

3x Risk Some Light (Shadow and Flame)

3x Dwarven Tomb (Core Set)

2x Hail of Stones (Road to Rivendell)

3x Daeron's Runes (Foundations of Stone)

Nice, I thought about combining Tactics with the ranger bows, but never gave it a try. Do you have enough card draw without masters of the forge? I suppose Pippin is probably pretty busy. Are you able to stay in secrecy range pretty well?

Card draw is decent without Motf. I have considered putting him in, but just opted not. Early on his 2 cost could bring a Ranger instead, but there are plenty of times I've needed a bow or spear an wished he was around mid-late game. Mostly I just decided not to because I use him for too many decks, and had a hard time figuring out what to cut. Probably 2 hobbit pipe, but I'm liking that card in the deck.

A few games I ended at threat 0. Galadhrim's Greeting/ Dwarven Tomb for 4 resources is no problem for Glorfindel with resourceful. Having a threat reduction card in opening hand is important. Doomed in the setup can ruin a good opening hand when starting at threat 20.

Mostly, I could not figure out how to combine the 3 spheres and start in secrecy with another set of Heroes. I could use merry, but Thalin's 1 damage is essential to the deck. Starting with higher threat will not give the deck enough time to set up, and loose any secrecy advantage it has, so this was the best set up i found to have threat reduction along with the bows and spears.

This deck is a turtle setup deck. I'll quest with just enough WP each round. The swordsmen are precious, so I will not play the until they are needed, and usually with a Herdsmen in the same round.

Interesting deck. I suppose it doesn't work so well in VoI/RM quests since this relies heavily on card draw, but it seems well suited for Mirkwood Cycle. I also think Spirit ally Bilbo would work great in this deck to get the pipes, and since he has 2 WP he is a bit better than the Swordsmen without the Herdsmen. I will try this deck as soon as my Dunland Trap pack arrives.

Interesting deck. I suppose it doesn't work so well in VoI/RM quests since this relies heavily on card draw, but it seems well suited for Mirkwood Cycle. I also think Spirit ally Bilbo would work great in this deck to get the pipes, and since he has 2 WP he is a bit better than the Swordsmen without the Herdsmen. I will try this deck as soon as my Dunland Trap pack arrives.

I don't recommend it on Dunland trap. You'll never survive stage 3.

Interesting deck. I suppose it doesn't work so well in VoI/RM quests since this relies heavily on card draw, but it seems well suited for Mirkwood Cycle. I also think Spirit ally Bilbo would work great in this deck to get the pipes, and since he has 2 WP he is a bit better than the Swordsmen without the Herdsmen. I will try this deck as soon as my Dunland Trap pack arrives.

I don't recommend it on Dunland trap. You'll never survive stage 3.

I know, but I was referring to the fact that I will get my Ithilien Lookout with the pack.

Personally, I'd take out Hail of Stones and add in Poisoned Stakes. All of your direct damage effects rely on exhausting a character, so I think Poisoned Stakes would work better. It also does 2 damage per round rather than having a one-time effect (unless the enemy dies before it gets to be used a 2nd time).

Of course there are two things to consider if you would make this switch: sphere cost balance (it would shift a 1 Tactics resource card to a 2 Lore resources card) and the lack of targeting (unless you are able to scry, you can't choose who will get trapped). Also, Hail of Stones is potentially able to take out an enemy immediately following staging, so it'd allow you to quest better.

Eh, the more I reason "out loud" the more I can go either way. My only real issue is that you have a relatively small number of allies, so Hail of Stones may not be able to get very powerful.

I did not consider poisoned spikes. Hail of stones works pretty good. I've taken out the Hill Troll a few times with it, or it can add a few points of damage that can't be had with the ranger bows in the early game. So I like the versatility.

Like you say poisoned spikes would need a bit of scrying and the 2 lore resources are pretty much reserved for the rangers and bows, especially when I have not got a copy of resourceful on pippin yet. Thalin does not have much to pay for so, I thought it was a good fit.