I dont believe in combos. Sometimes the team lose the game cause of some player says 'i dont find the X card we need!'. I'd rather sinergies. A good deck is based in sinergy: the most modelic example is Dain + dwarves. You dont need any ally specific, each ally works good, you never need X card specific to make a good job, all your hand is good for it.

More instances about good sinergies:

- low threat + secrecy

- caldara + spirit + a lot of allies

- imrahil + eomer + chump blockers + sneak + long etc

- noldor + discard pile

- dunedains + hobbits (all of them get bonus about engagements)

- etc

I dont believe in combos. Sometimes the team lose the game cause of some player says 'i dont find the X card we need!'. I'd rather sinergies. A good deck is based in sinergy: the most modelic example is Dain + dwarves. You dont need any ally specific, each ally works good, you never need X card specific to make a good job, all your hand is good for it.

More instances about good sinergies:

- low threat + secrecy

- caldara + spirit + a lot of allies

- imrahil + eomer + chump blockers + sneak + long etc

- noldor + discard pile

- dunedains + hobbits (all of them get bonus about engagements)

- etc

While I personally prefer all around good synergies and cards that work well together like the decks you mention, I find that in the recent years the game has taken a ridiculously combo-focused approach to player cards, to the point that the best recent decks rely on very specific combos (thanks Seastan!). Prime examples are Gondorian Fire/Blood and Steward, as well as Harvest + Steward, two very specific 2/3 card combos.

So yeah, I actually disagree with you here mndela, but I wish you were right!

Just a clarification: I am aware of 2 card combos being important early on as well, like Háma + Feint and Elrond + Vilya. It's just that only today you could have stuff like Sword-thain + Wingfoot + Anborn. In short, what I'm trying to say is that the game has become increasingly and surprisingly janky in the recent years. Not particularly my cup of tea as I prefer straightforward ally mustering decks like Mono-Leadership Gondor or "attachment mustering" decks like Elladan and Elrohir, but to be fair I've come to appreciate stuff like Erestor and To the Sea! To the Sea! to drop some big ally first round or use Harvest and Steward first round.

I feel like what they could have done with Gondorian Fire and Blood and Numenor is: "Spend 1 resource from attached hero's resource pool to give attached hero +1 defense/+1 attack until the end of the phase.".

No need to impose a limit. Instead of a hero with say 6 resources spending 1 resource to gain 5 attack you would need to spend 5 of those 6 resources to gain that 5 attack. Both cards should still cost 0.

This wouldn't be useless but at the same time wouldn't be any near as overpowered or overused as they currently are.

You would need to spend large chunks of resources to get a similar effect and because you have spent those resources you need to wait for them to pool back up before you can use it again.

Late game when you have less allies and other effects that need resources these cards would become more useful.

You have to decide between keeping all your resources and spending them to get incredible boosts rather than getting insanely good boosts for one resource at a time and getting to keep the rest.

I feel like what they could have done with Gondorian Fire and Blood and Numenor is: "Spend 1 resource from attached hero's resource pool to give attached hero +1 defense/+1 attack until the end of the phase.".

No need to impose a limit. Instead of a hero with say 6 resources spending 1 resource to gain 5 attack you would need to spend 5 of those 6 resources to gain that 5 attack. Both cards should still cost 0.

This wouldn't be useless but at the same time wouldn't be any near as overpowered or overused as they currently are.

You would need to spend large chunks of resources to get a similar effect and because you have spent those resources you need to wait for them to pool back up before you can use it again.

Late game when you have less allies and other effects that need resources these cards would become more useful.

You have to decide between keeping all your resources and spending them to get incredible boosts rather than getting insanely good boosts for one resource at a time and getting to keep the rest.

Your post made me curious, so I went back in time and found out how my younger self dealt with this matter when he worked on a global LotR LCG update/rework:

Yeah those are spot on. Not sure about the limit of max +3 but honestly that probably makes it more balanced. This is definitely what both of these cards should have been and I honestly think that the designers in hindsight would have made them closer to this than their actual design if they had known how abusable they were going to be!

Edit: Turns out I didn't read those properly AT ALL. I still think each resource should only give the hero +1 attack or defense and not +1 attack or defense for EACH resource still in their pool. Just too powerful in my humble opinion. Each to their own though obviously. That being said your versions are still miles better than the actual ones!

As far as I can remember, my reasoning was to retain the main feel of the card - being able to hit/defend hard by holding loads of money, while not blowing it out of proportion, essentially eliminating the need in any kind of attack or defense force aside from these attachments. +3 is still a considerable amount, and to get +3 from those you need at least 4 resources on attached hero.

Dwalin-2xDwarrowdelf Axe-Song of Eärendil-Merry-3xFast Hitch-2xRohan Warhorse-Hammerstroke-Háma-Wandering Took-another guy with Boromir-Gondorian Shield-Arwen ally-4 player 7th level!

4 players + everyone packs Keen as Lances.

PsychoRoda:

- i know there are really powerfull combos (fex. Gondorian fire - Blood Gondro - stewards), when the player reachs to play them into game, the probability of the victory is almost sure. But, what if the player dont find the card? It happens, and more often than expectated.

...i really hate players that doesnt do nothing, while orcs are increasing around, and he says 'if i had vilya!', or 'where is my feint?', and a long etc.

- combo decks force the game between a bored victory or a ruined game. One or other, no more options.

- in fact, i dont like games that you are worried searching 1 specific card. It is not fun to me.

987654321: good combo! lol. Good luck!!!

PsychoRoda:

- i know there are really powerfull combos (fex. Gondorian fire - Blood Gondro - stewards), when the player reachs to play them into game, the probability of the victory is almost sure. But, what if the player dont find the card? It happens, and more often than expectated.

...i really hate players that doesnt do nothing, while orcs are increasing around, and he says 'if i had vilya!', or 'where is my feint?', and a long etc.

- combo decks force the game between a bored victory or a ruined game. One or other, no more options.

- in fact, i dont like games that you are worried searching 1 specific card. It is not fun to me.

987654321: good combo! lol. Good luck!!!

It was Gizlivadi and not me that responded to you in regards to Combo based decks and play VS Synergy/trait based decks and play.

Best cards for combos: Gather Information side quest and Heed the Dream.

Mirror of Galadriel + Silver Harp + ally Galdor

For repeatable card draw and healing for spirit resources.

Elrond Hero, Imladris Caregiver and Elven Light.

I dont believe in combos. Sometimes the team lose the game cause of some player says 'i dont find the X card we need!'. I'd rather sinergies. A good deck is based in sinergy: the most modelic example is Dain + dwarves. You dont need any ally specific, each ally works good, you never need X card specific to make a good job, all your hand is good for it.

More instances about good sinergies:

- low threat + secrecy

- caldara + spirit + a lot of allies

- imrahil + eomer + chump blockers + sneak + long etc

- noldor + discard pile

- dunedains + hobbits (all of them get bonus about engagements)

- etc

I think you make a very good distinction! I would also add the when you play nightmare mode, sometimes combos are more effective than synergies, just because certain nightmare quests are so brutal. if you don,t get your combo, you're dead, and even if you get your combo, you never know... I've tried a few synergetic decks with nightmare, like Noldor, Caladra or Eomer, but they are not strong enough. But the secrecy and Dunedains can work well with a lor of nightmare encounters.

Longbeard Sentry + Hama

PsychoRoda:

- i know there are really powerfull combos (fex. Gondorian fire - Blood Gondro - stewards), when the player reachs to play them into game, the probability of the victory is almost sure. But, what if the player dont find the card? It happens, and more often than expectated.

...i really hate players that doesnt do nothing, while orcs are increasing around, and he says 'if i had vilya!', or 'where is my feint?', and a long etc.

- combo decks force the game between a bored victory or a ruined game. One or other, no more options.

- in fact, i dont like games that you are worried searching 1 specific card. It is not fun to me.

987654321: good combo! lol. Good luck!!!

The problem you mention has been since the Core Set, when the Leadership player could not find his Steward or when the Spirit player could not find Test of Will. And yet, Elrond Vilya and Seastan's Boromir are two of the most consistently powerful decks in the whole game. Why? Because the card draw effects in the game are ridiculously good, especially when you add Master of the Forge, Mirror of Galadriel and Heed the Dream into the mix, all cards that really enable combo-based strategies, to the point they're taking over the game IMO.

Heed the Dream (with the other lore cards) has made a new age in the whole lotr-game. It can get 2 perspectives to watch the theme:

1. As a solution to the problem i display: the problem about combos sometimes are not avalaible in hand during the most time of the game.

2. As the dead of the difficulty of the game: as Gizlivadi says, combos are enabled since first round.

IMO must be funny to build some decks focused in to get 2 or 3 cards that make a strong combo. The 80% of the cards built to reach the other 20%. Then, you can change that 20% to play other strong combos...., but finally, always the same 80% will end to the most boring and annoying ..... (stop)

Here's what I'll say in regards to combos being hard to depend on: With this deck ( http://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/2304/turn-1-anborn-sword-thain-wingfoot-1.0 ) I got out Leadership Anborn ally, Sword Thain, and Wingfoot on turn one over twenty times in a row.

That pretty much settles it on the current metagame for me.

I'm very impressed by the reliability of Seastan's deck, but I suspect if you replaced either Galdor or Denethor with any other hero of the same sphere you'd get far less than 99% for Anborn/SwordThain/Wingfoot on turn one. The deck combo is powerful, but the reliability comes from a hero combo. That's really cool, but there's 77 pages of decks at ringsdb.com and seven decks total that have Galdor/Denethor.

Does "the current metagame" really exist, or matter if it does? Sure, cards like Heed the Dream are the best thing ever for a great combo. But it's also the best time ever to build any other kind of deck, and it seems to me the decks at ringsdb run the gamut from bonecrushingly powerful to tightly thematic to highly experimental. I just don't get the impression that players are collectively building only certain kinds of decks, and solo players in particular are completely unaffected by what other players are constructing and play with (one of the things I like a lot about the game).

I think you make a very good distinction! I would also add the when you play nightmare mode, sometimes combos are more effective than synergies, just because certain nightmare quests are so brutal. if you don,t get your combo, you're dead, and even if you get your combo, you never know... I've tried a few synergetic decks with nightmare, like Noldor, Caladra or Eomer, but they are not strong enough . But the secrecy and Dunedains can work well with a lor of nightmare encounters.

:blink:

Caldara is one of the stronger deck of the game. With the release of Prince Imrahil ally, my Caldara deck had successfully passed :

- NM cycle 1 (except Rhosgobel and Dol Guldur on the 50th attempt)

- NM cycle 2 (With side for Watcher in the water)

- NM cycle 3

- Ford of Isen NM, To catch an Orc NM, Into Fangorn NM, Trouble in Thalbard NM, Nin In Eilph NM, Secret of Celebrimbor NM, Antlered Crown NM

- We Must Away, Ere Break of Day NM, Dungeons Deep and Caverns Dim NM, Over the Misty Mountains Grim NM, Flies and Spiders NM

90% were passed at the first attempt, 9.9999999% at the second and Dol Guldur at the 50th (approximation ).

I will continue with the remaining NM (Dunland Trap, Three trials, Lost realm and the last sagas) ! But with these result, i can easily said that Caldara is very strong.

I agree with mndela

Edit : I have also beaten Battle of Carn Dum !

I think you make a very good distinction! I would also add the when you play nightmare mode, sometimes combos are more effective than synergies, just because certain nightmare quests are so brutal. if you don,t get your combo, you're dead, and even if you get your combo, you never know... I've tried a few synergetic decks with nightmare, like Noldor, Caladra or Eomer, but they are not strong enough . But the secrecy and Dunedains can work well with a lor of nightmare encounters.

:blink:

Caldara is one of the stronger deck of the game. With the release of Prince Imrahil ally, my Caldara deck had successfully passed :

- NM cycle 1 (except Rhosgobel and Dol Guldur on the 50th attempt)

- NM cycle 2 (With side for Watcher in the water)

- NM cycle 3

- Ford of Isen NM, To catch an Orc NM, Into Fangorn NM, Trouble in Thalbard NM, Nin In Eilph NM, Secret of Celebrimbor NM, Antlered Crown NM

- We Must Away, Ere Break of Day NM, Dungeons Deep and Caverns Dim NM, Over the Misty Mountains Grim NM, Flies and Spiders NM

90% were passed at the first attempt, 9.9999999% at the second and Dol Guldur at the 50th (approximation ).

I will continue with the remaining NM (Dunland Trap, Three trials, Lost realm and the last sagas) ! But with these result, i can easily said that Caldara is very strong.

I agree with mndela

Edit : I have also beaten Battle of Carn Dum !

You have done all this in the time since Prince Imrahil was spoiled???

P.S. Please share the deck!

I'm very impressed by the reliability of Seastan's deck, but I suspect if you replaced either Galdor or Denethor with any other hero of the same sphere you'd get far less than 99% for Anborn/SwordThain/Wingfoot on turn one. The deck combo is powerful, but the reliability comes from a hero combo. That's really cool, but there's 77 pages of decks at ringsdb.com and seven decks total that have Galdor/Denethor.

Does "the current metagame" really exist, or matter if it does? Sure, cards like Heed the Dream are the best thing ever for a great combo. But it's also the best time ever to build any other kind of deck, and it seems to me the decks at ringsdb run the gamut from bonecrushingly powerful to tightly thematic to highly experimental. I just don't get the impression that players are collectively building only certain kinds of decks, and solo players in particular are completely unaffected by what other players are constructing and play with (one of the things I like a lot about the game).

I'm not talking about powerful decks vs experimental decks. Of course you have both of them at any given time. I'mtalking about straightforward "synergy" army or attachment building decks (prime example, mono Leadership Gondor) vs janky combo-y decks like Anborn Sword-thain. Both of these types of decks has gotten more powerful recently (Rod of the Steward really helps Gondor or any army building deck with Leadership), BUT, my "thesis" if you will, is that on the designer end of things, they seems to be increasingly promoting a very janky, specific combo enviroment, at least way more than in the early cycles.

@Seastan

Yes

I play 2-3 games per day !

I will share it on ringsdb but later due to internet proxy at work which blocks.

Heroes : Caldara/Arwen Undomiel/Galadriel.

But my previous version without Prince Imrahil Ally works very well on many NM.

I have play it with mndela many times on NM and he can confirm.

And i have used sometimes a good combo with my Caldara deck especially with very long scenario.

First have an empty deck.

1) Play a map of earnil on a dwarven tomb to retrieve a spirit card

2) Dwarven tomb goes to the bottom of your empty deck

3) Draw a card (Galadriel, Planning phase, Elven Light etc ...) which is Dwarven tomb

4) Play Dwarven tomb on Map of Earnil

5) Play Map of Earnil (For free when 4 heroes which is common in Caldara deck)

6) Go back to one

When your deck is empty you can each turn retrieve a spirit card in your discard pile, it allows to use ressources even if deck is empty. The only limit is card draw and ressources. But with this combo, you can control the encounter deck for 25 turns (Yes, it's the number of turns i needed to beat Dol Guldur NM).