4 Player Decks

By zazoo, in Strategy and deck-building

Below are the 4 decks that I have created using my collection that are meant to he played together.

I would like some criticism and suggestions to improve them.

I am missing 3 expansions currently, The wastes of Eriador, The Treachery of Rhudaur and The battle of Carn Dum.

The First deck:

Heroes (starting threat: 29)
Beregond (Heirs of Númenor)
Gandalf (The Road Darkens)
Glorfindel (Foundations of Stone)
Attachments (33)
3x Gondorian Shield (The Steward's Fear)
3x Rivendell Bow (The Watcher in the Water)
3x Secret Vigil (The Lost Realm)
3x Light of Valinor (Foundations of Stone)
3x Unexpected Courage (Core Set)
3x A Burning Brand (Conflict at the Carrock)
2x Asfaloth (Foundations of Stone)
3x Expert Treasure-hunter (On the Doorstep)
2x Gandalf's Staff (The Road Darkens)
2x Shadowfax (The Treason of Saruman)
3x Song of Wisdom (Conflict at the Carrock)
3x Wizard Pipe (The Road Darkens)
Events (15)
3x Feint (Core Set)
3x A Test of Will (Core Set)
3x Hasty Stroke (Core Set)
3x Word of Command (The Long Dark)
3x Flame of Anor (The Road Darkens)
Quests (2)
1x Double Back (Escape from Mount Gram)
1x Gather Information (The Lost Realm)
The strategy behind this deck is to have it defend for the other decks Beregond is the best defensive hero and with a Gondorian Shield he can block most big hits without taking any damage and it does not take much to get a burning brand on him and then some Unexpected courages. Also Gandalf makes a great second defender with Shadowfax. Glorfindel adds a lot to the lineup with another great quester and/or attacker and once he has a Rivendell bow he can help out any of the other decks.
The deck lacks a little in resource generation early on but has great card draw.
The Second Deck:
Heroes (starting threat: 34)
Aragorn (The Lost Realm)
Mablung (The Nin-in-Eilph)
Théoden (The Morgul Vale)
Allies (23)
1x Bofur (Over Hill and Under Hill)
3x Dúnedain Hunter (The Lost Realm)
3x Eagles of the Misty Mountains (Return to Mirkwood)
2x Gwaihir (Trouble in Tharbad)
2x Landroval (A Journey to Rhosgobel)
2x Legolas (The Treason of Saruman)
1x Rúmil (The Three Trials)
3x Vassal of the Windlord (The Dead Marshes)
3x Westfold Outrider (The Voice of Isengard)
3x Winged Guardian (The Hunt for Gollum)
Attachments (12)
3x Blade of Gondolin (Core Set)
3x Book of Eldacar (Encounter at Amon Dîn)
3x Secret Vigil (The Lost Realm)
3x Support of the Eagles (Return to Mirkwood)
Events (15)
3x Feint (Core Set)
3x Foe-hammer (Over Hill and Under Hill)
3x Hour of Wrath (The Dread Realm)
3x The Eagles Are Coming! (The Hunt for Gollum)
3x Thicket of Spears (Core Set)
Quests (1)
1x Gather Information (The Lost Realm)
This deck is geared to getting expensive Tactics allies into play and kill as many of the enemy creatures as possible.
In a 4 player game most turns it generates 5 resources with Mablung's ability and that sets it up to play the expensive allies.
Also Thicket of Spears and Hour of Wrath are amazing to combo together to clear all enemies on the board.
One change I will make here once I get them is to replace the Westfold Outriders with Ranger of Cardolan.
The Third Deck:
Heroes (starting threat: 30)
Arwen Undómiel (The Dread Realm)
Elrond (Shadow and Flame)
Théodred (Core Set)
Allies (32)
3x Errand-rider (Heirs of Númenor)
2x Faramir (Core Set)
3x Booming Ent (The Antlered Crown)
3x Derndingle Warrior (Escape from Mount Gram)
2x Skinbark (The Land of Shadow)
3x Northern Tracker (Core Set)
3x West Road Traveller (Return to Mirkwood)
2x Gléowine (Core Set)
2x Quickbeam (The Treason of Saruman)
3x Wandering Ent (Celebrimbor's Secret)
3x Warden of Healing (The Long Dark)
3x Wellinghall Preserver (Across the Ettenmoors)
Attachments (5)
2x Celebrían's Stone (Core Set)
3x Steward of Gondor (Core Set)
Events (12)
3x A Test of Will (Core Set)
3x Elven-light (The Dread Realm)
3x The Galadhrim's Greeting (Core Set)
3x Entmoot (The Treason of Saruman)
Quests (2)
1x Double Back (Escape from Mount Gram)
1x Gather Information (The Lost Realm)
This is the Ent army deck, almost all the resources generated are funnelled into Elrond and he then pays for the allies.
The deck is capable of defending and attacking as well as Questing but in most games it ends up being the deck that covers all the questing with the other decks do the rest.
The Fourth Deck:
Heroes (starting threat: 31)
Damrod (The Land of Shadow)
Haldir of Lórien (Trouble in Tharbad)
Treebeard (The Treason of Saruman)
Allies (7)
2x Anborn (The Blood of Gondor)
1x Gildor Inglorion (The Hills of Emyn Muil)
2x Henamarth Riversong (Core Set)
2x Master of Lore (Heirs of Númenor)
Attachments (26)
3x Ambush (The Land of Shadow)
3x Ent Draught (The Treason of Saruman)
3x Forest Snare (Core Set)
3x Ithilien Pit (Encounter at Amon Dîn)
3x Lembas (Trouble in Tharbad)
3x Poisoned Stakes (The Blood of Gondor)
3x Ranger Spikes (Heirs of Númenor)
3x Self Preservation (Core Set)
2x Wingfoot (The Nin-in-Eilph)
Events (18)
3x Advance Warning (The Drúadan Forest)
3x Daeron's Runes (Foundations of Stone)
3x Deep Knowledge (The Voice of Isengard)
3x Mithrandir's Advice (The Steward's Fear)
3x Needful to Know (The Redhorn Gate)
3x None Return (Across the Ettenmoors)
Quests (1)
1x Gather Information (The Lost Realm)
This deck is the "support" deck. Treebeard is a great all round hero that can do it all, Haldir adds extra ranged attacks or kills enemies before they get to attack and the traps do a lot of work when you are drawing 4 cards a turn.

Cool deck ideas. I have a few suggestions:

  • Westfold Horse Breeders would be good in the Gandalf deck. They are a 1-cost chump blocker and can help you fetch Asfaloth and Shadowfax.
  • Elrond's Council is great in the Gandalf deck. Odds are you can play it from the top of your deck, so it's a completely free card.
  • Unless you really need the willpower, I would suggest swapping out Theoden for Hama in your tactics deck. He can let you recycle Thicket or Feint (if you move them from deck 1). His best use it to recycle Foe-Hammers to give you crazy card draw. My Mablung-Aragorn-Hama deck has even successfully used Keeping Count because Aragorn and Hama are killing 2+ enemies per turn (via Rohan Warhorse), and Hama recycling Foe Hammer lets you draw into a 2nd or 3rd copy of Keeping Count (which could be amazing on Haldir when he suddenly gets +10 attack).
  • You'd probably want to add more weapons to make sure you can play Foe Hammer. Spears of the Mark work on Hama and you can include 1 or 2 Rivendell Bows to Aragorn. Also, if you are always playing all 4 decks, I would add some Noldor/silvan weapons for Haldir and Glorfindel. Maybe take out the Eagles to make room.
  • Knights of Minas Tirith are solid in mono tactics.
  • Straight shot can be useful in a Tactagorn deck because of his -1 defense. For quests with no 1 defense enemies, you can just discard them to fuel Hama.
  • Swap the Wardens of Healing (deck 3) with Ent Draught (deck 4). Elrond's resources are already in high demand, and Ent Draught synergizes with Entmoot.
  • Scroll of Isildur might be worthwhile in the support deck. Can give you extra plays of Mithrandir's Advice and Advance Warning.
  • Master of the Forge would be good in the support deck. You have a ton of attachments. Although between Damrod and Mithrandir's Advice, you might already have plenty of card draw.
  • You need Campfire Tales in the Theodred deck. 1 resource for 4 cards is bananas.
Edited by Teamjimby

Thanks for the suggestions.

I swapped the Ent Draught and Wardens of Healing as you suggested.

I swopped Hama and Theoden, this will lower the willpower of the deck but I am hoping that it will not need it because Hama fits in so well with so many great Events to recycle.

I also removed the Westfold Outriders and added Dagger of Westernesse. Even with the high initial threat of the decks with all the threat reduction often the daggers will be getting the +2 Att also they are generic and can be used on any of the heroes in any of the decks.

I have tried the Knights of Minas Tirith in the deck before but because their ability is not optional I would often have them sit in my hand so I opted to swop them for other Allies.

I also had the Master of the forge in the Support Deck but found it was just too much card draw, you end up with almost your entire deck in your hand.

The Gandalf deck I did not make any changes because I don't have anything to remove, I really would like to add Elrond's Coucil and the breeders but because of the synergy I dont want to remove anything to put them in. I am contemplating removing Word of Command for the Horse Breeder though.

Again thanks for the suggestions I will be playing some games over the weekend and will see how these changes go.

I have tried the Knights of Minas Tirith in the deck before but because their ability is not optional I would often have them sit in my hand so I opted to swap them for other Allies.

Their ability is optional. Responses are always optional. If you want to play the Knight just for his 3 attack and not pull down an enemy you are free to do so.

I forgot to mention Dunedain Hunters. They are great in the tactics deck and give you a resource on Mablung. At this point I might as well just show you my whole version of the deck:

Heroes (starting threat: 31)
Aragorn (The Lost Realm)
Háma (The Long Dark)
Mablung (The Nin-in-Eilph)
Allies (13)
3x Defender of Rammas (Heirs of Númenor)
3x Dúnedain Hunter (The Lost Realm)
3x Knight of Minas Tirith (Assault on Osgiliath)
2x Legolas (The Treason of Saruman)
2x White Tower Watchman (The Drúadan Forest)
Attachments (21)
1x Captain of Gondor (The Antlered Crown)
3x Dagger of Westernesse (The Black Riders)
3x Gondorian Shield (The Steward's Fear)
3x Keeping Count (The Redhorn Gate)
3x Rivendell Bow (The Watcher in the Water)
3x Rohan Warhorse (The Voice of Isengard)
3x Secret Vigil (The Lost Realm)
2x Spear of the Mark (The Morgul Vale)
Events (16)
3x Feint (Core Set)
3x Foe-hammer (Over Hill and Under Hill)
3x Hands Upon the Bow (Shadow and Flame)
2x Quick Strike (Core Set)
2x Straight Shot (On the Doorstep)
3x Thicket of Spears (Core Set)

Edited by Teamjimby

I have tried the Knights of Minas Tirith in the deck before but because their ability is not optional I would often have them sit in my hand so I opted to swap them for other Allies.

Their ability is optional. Responses are always optional. If you want to play the Knight just for his 3 attack and not pull down an enemy you are free to do so.

That makes quite a difference. I might have to get them into the deck.

I forgot to mention Dunedain Hunters. They are great in the tactics deck and give you a resource on Mablung. At this point I might as well just show you my whole version of the deck:

Does this really work? i mean the enemy comes into play engaged with you. You are not engaging him and he is not engaging you after all.

I forgot to mention Dunedain Hunters. They are great in the tactics deck and give you a resource on Mablung. At this point I might as well just show you my whole version of the deck:

Does this really work? i mean the enemy comes into play engaged with you. You are not engaging him and he is not engaging you after all.