Just my opinion, don't take me too serious, I am a new player and I was caught by surprise by how bad the core set is (at least to me).

Firstly I have to say I play solo, nobody seems to be interested in this game where I live, and the game apparently says it supports solo mode. I also don't want to cheat by using decks with less than 50 cards, and thus I am left with this very week pool of cards and a river to cry (Anduin in this case).

My objective is clear: complete this quest with a decent win/loss ratio (0.5 and above would be good, 1 win every 2 losses) with just what I paid for, which seems legit if you think about it. Doing this will basically mean that out of all the encounter cards, I used about 2/3 so it's not totally a waste of money (can still use EfDG cards to learn juggling and magic tricks).

What I found out is:

I don't really like how the game plays, it's mostly about luck, you draw two bosses in a row and you're done, huge waste of time shuffling decks for 10 minutes of game.

I have no real desire to squeeze out a cheap lucky victory out of 20 attempts because I draw that lucky encounter or whatever (it's not fun to me), I'd like consistency, or in other words a way to develop a strategy that could win sometimes.

I also get the feel that this is a pay to win game, every expansion challenges you but doesn't give you the meaning of winning the game: to win, just buy the next product (it seems to be the case considering the launch product), which is of course a very smart marketing move, but leaves people like me with very little value to squeeze out of a product, and not willing to continue. Of course I might be wrong because I haven't bought anything else yet, but guess what, to find out I have to spend more money on expansions (or ask in forums, better option).

Those are just impressions of course, just what a new player like me getting into the game thinks.

Now for concrete stuff, I'd like to know if anybody has beaten this game with just what he paid for (one core set) with decent consistency, or if I should either pay more money to get good cards or give up all together. If it's possible to achieve what decks do you suggest?

If game is too hard solo with 50 cards legit deck etc. and what I want can't be done, just be brutal and tell me. Thanks a lot for reading through this and take care.

tl;dr

1 core set only, can I only win because of luck?

First of all if you don't like how the game plays just get rid of it, no point to suggest you anything. Second, YES you can build a deck that has a very high winning ratio, if you know how to build a deck and how to play, with just one core set. Of course since this is a card game, the luck factor is there the moment you shuffle the cards, but after 3 years of playing this game, i can name very few that has less luck and more strategy (i own hundreds and i have played literally thousands of card, board, miniature and PnP RPG, games).

Second, YES you can build a deck that has a very high winning ratio, if you know how to build a deck and how to play, with just one core set.

Mind to be constructive and post such deck so I can try it out? thanks for the input!

There are 2 threads below this talking about using just the Core Set, check those out.

Also, what may increase the fun for you since you don't have any friends is playing two handed, where you use two decks simultaneously as if you were two people. This game really shines in multiplayer.

Second, YES you can build a deck that has a very high winning ratio, if you know how to build a deck and how to play, with just one core set.

Mind to be constructive and post such deck so I can try it out? thanks for the input!

Don't get me wrong, but like i said, if you don't like the game there is no point to be more constructive at anything. Like i have said many times (in many topics), it's all a matter of taste, if you don't like it there is no point for any one to try to convince you for anything, and for you to try to push your self to like it.

If you don't like how the game plays, the difficulty and the limited card options provided by the core set is not the issue. This is a game and it supposed to give you fun, so if it doesn't find one that does.

I am pretty sure I stated what I dislike about it, and also that I am trying to find out a way to fix those things in order to make my money worth and have fun.

No, I don't dislike the game because it's a card game and based on chance as you may think (given your first post), which is silly, I dislike that a single encounter draw is basically game over so many times, with little options for a comeback, secondly, I said that I only have the first set so it may improve with expansions (which is what I was trying to ask as well).

A card with the "you lose the game" title would be better in those occasions.

I am simply being realistic, I spent money on this thing, and I can only play the first quest consistently, so it feels like it's kind of a waste, thus my will to find out if it's possible to beat the others as well. So in the end, as far as I've played this game, the solo experience is frustrating because of what I said, but it might just be because I haven't yet built a proper deck.

Finally, if you would post that deck that could win with high win/loss ratio it would be very helpful, thanks.

Playing two handed is not really an option considering it's solo. But I'll check those thread that popped up, one of which I tried already 3 or 4 times.

i thought id give my input... im a gamer from core release, solo player, i have 2 core sets now, but played with 1 only for around 1 year, i played 1 handed only for around 1.5 years and now i go between 1 and 2 handed

to answer your question, in the most straight to the point way, i would say... that you need to invest the time and money in this game to enjoy it... i dont mean this is a pay to win game, i mean, that it really hits its stride as the packs progress

now i could say 'go straight to the pack where it hits its solo stride' and that is an option (dwarrowdelf cycle) however, you would be missing out one some great cards in the first cycle

are you are big Tolkien lore fan? i mean, that would influence your decision of where to go after core set

as for the difficulty, well, again it gets a lot more balance in the 2nd cycle, with cards such as glorfindel, elrond, and the likes, but 1 core set only gaming is possible with consistency... dont ask me to post my decks lol, as im what i call a lore player, and therefore devote more time to lore decks, that...in short, are crap

i do have 1 great solo deck though, but its (you guessed it) made with many cards from the 2nd cycle

Thanks a lot, that answered one of my main concerns and reasons to dislike the game, so for now I'll stick to the core set and try to find that consistency and then if I can find some money i'll push my luck with the expansions considering what you mentioned seems to be just the second expansion pack.

If no one yet suggested this, I'll do: Try easy mode. Check out the support page on the site for instructions.

Maybe i misunderstood you but when you say "I don't really like how the game plays" i understand that you don't like the whole gameplay of the game. Now if you mean that you like the game but you find it to be very hard and frustrating, i have 2 things to say.

First, i strongly suggest to play the game 2 player or 2 handed. There are many quest that are very hard and frustrating solo and getting easier the more players you add and many that are the exact opposite. With 2 all the quests play perfectly.
Second, one thing that is true (and you have to know) about the game, is that the player card progresion is really slow, so you will need many expansions to have a decent amount of deck building options.

Lastly i'd like to tell you that if you found the core set even a little interesting, fun and amusing, i assure you that it only gets better with the expansions.

One of the myths of the "Living Card Game" system is that because one can buy a relatively cheap box of 60 cards (with, in this game, typically half of them for the "encounter") that all the cards must be playable. This is far from the truth.

Each pack contains a power-level structure to the cards, and in terms of player cards some packs are more valuable than others for game play. I've actually considered skipping or at least delaying the purchase of some packs simply because none of the cards interacted with tier-1 game play as I have determined it in any significant way.

If you are wanting to play solo with just the core set, my advice is to mix your spirit and leadership cards and then toss in 2 daughters of Nimrodel. Set your heroes to Eowyn, Dunhere, and Aragon. Make sure to discard your daughters so you can use Stand and Fight to retrieve them.

This is deck building game. So to win you must to build up your deck properly. If you don't have fun to do that this game is not for you maybe?

Agree with Glaurung, because i think that deck building is almost as fun as playing (sometimes even more fun if you are playing Dol Guldur, what is worst quest in my opinion)

It is like: i don't like this game because you have to shuffle a lot of cards several times.

(PD: and anotther says: let's boicot! ^^)

This is deck building game. So to win you must to build up your deck properly. If you don't have fun to do that this game is not for you maybe?

Where did I say I dislike building decks? I said I dislike that the core set gives you very limited possibilities to properly complete its own missions, and that I fear (again it's not certain to me, thus why I asked for opinions, which some people kindly gave) the whole series might be made to tease you into buying the next expansion to beat what you already own (which seems legit to someone who just wants its product value).

It is like: i don't like this game because you have to shuffle a lot of cards several times.

(PD: and anotther says: let's boicot! ^^)

The shuffling line was merely irony, I know it's forbidden on the internet, I'll explain it for you, I said I dislike the fact that you set up your game and boom, you draw an impossible card combination and you're done, thus shuffling decks for nothing and having to shuffle them again, so the focus wasn't on the act of shuffling itself but on the fact that there are many "you lose the game cards".

I don't want to sound acid though, but the obvious "you dislike the game (which again was misunderstood) go away" line doesn't really add to the discussion in a constructive way.

And again to be clear: my point is basically on the value of the Core Set.

This is deck building game. So to win you must to build up your deck properly. If you don't have fun to do that this game is not for you maybe?

Where did I say I dislike building decks? I said I dislike that the core set gives you very limited possibilities to properly complete its own missions, and that I fear (again it's not certain to me, thus why I asked for opinions, which some people kindly gave) the whole series might be made to tease you into buying the next expansion to beat what you already own (which seems legit to someone who just wants its product value).

It is like: i don't like this game because you have to shuffle a lot of cards several times.

(PD: and anotther says: let's boicot! ^^)

The shuffling line was merely irony, I know it's forbidden on the internet, I'll explain it for you, I said I dislike the fact that you set up your game and boom, you draw an impossible card combination and you're done, thus shuffling decks for nothing and having to shuffle them again, so the focus wasn't on the act of shuffling itself but on the fact that there are many "you lose the game cards".

I don't want to sound acid though, but the obvious "you dislike the game (which again was misunderstood) go away" line doesn't really add to the discussion in a constructive way.

And again to be clear: my point is basically on the value of the Core Set.

Im sorry maybe i get you wrong.

My point is with mono decks which you have in core set you cannot play the game. You should to build up deck straight away to win the game.

So i suggest you build up Eowyn, Gimly, Theodred deck. Spirit, Tactic, Leadership deck. With this one you can make Down to Anduin and Passage trough Mirkwood.

About Dol-Guldor with only core set player cards is not possible solo. In 2 players game yes ok can make it.

So... have you checked Easy Mode yet?

Allright, I managed, with help from another user, to beat the first and the second quest consistently with a couple of 50 cards legit quest specific decks in standard solo mode(first quest isn't hard with different decks, second quest won 3 times with Spirit/Lore ally spam), so a lot of frustration has gone away, now, clearly the last quest isn't possible to win solo, and I kind of accept it since the game is also for multiplayer, I'll see if it's winnable in easy mode and then call myself partially satisfied with the game and purchase. Thanks to anyone that spent time in replying and following this discussion.

And regarding the value of the Core Set, probably I would have included more key cards and rebalanced it a bit with little possibility for set up to screw you up so badly. But overall, it's a product that really tests your tenacy! And, unfortunately, asking for help online is often required! But overall it's something I'd recommend, expecially after having heard that it's not that much pay to win with expansions.

Reminds me of my good ol' days of only core set... around 20 consecutive losses against Journey Down the Anduin...

I remember when i lose in DolGuldur in the second round, even in the first, and i return to read the rules to see if i played something wrong ^^