I've been playing the campaign in solo mode. All previous quests I've done have usually been completed in 2-4 attempts. But on Journey in the Dark (the 2nd quest in The Road Darkens), I just can't do it. I must have had about 20 tries now.

I've managed to tweak my deck so I can usually clear the first stage in 3 turns (losing only 3 damage tokens on Doom Doom Doom). However, it takes me too long to do the second stage - either I engage the enemies as they come out but then the staging area fills up with 2 cards per turn, or I leave 1 enemy in the staging area and no enemies come out. Either way it always takes too long to get enough progress tokens and kill 3 enemies (bad luck with encounter cards).

This then means that by the time I get to stage 3, I have maybe 1 or 2 turns before the Balrog comes out. And I'm usually dealing with a couple of enemies and a similar number of locations. The Balrog makes 2 attacks a turn (and there are always other enemies to deal with too) and even with lots of allies they soon get wiped out, making the questing phase increasingly more difficult.

I've had a few attempts where its been going well but badly timed Treachery card has screwed me over (e.g. that one that deals damage equal to the number of exhausted characters, and I've exhausted 10 of them!). It seems to luck dependent

The heroes in my deck are Gandalf (neutral), Pippin (lore), and Legolas (tactics). I also have a sprinkling of spirit cards which I pay for with Gandalf's ability and the Song of Travel.

Can anyone give me some general advice for this one please? Also, are there any must-have cards I should be using?

It's been a while since I played that scenario in campaign mode, so I can't think of advice, but I can encourage you that I ran into the exact same experience. It took me quite a while, but I eventually beat it. I think that is one legitimately difficult quest.

Maybe if shared a decklist that would help.

Deck list (I don't have many other expansions except those listed below):

1x Gandalf (The Road Darkens)

1x Pippin (The Black Riders)

1x Legolas (Core Set)

Ally: (27)

1x Landroval (A Journey to Rhosgobel)

3x Vassal of the Windlord (The Dead Marshes)

1x Henamarth Riversong (Core Set)

3x Rivendell Minstrel (The Hunt for Gollum)

2x Erebor Hammersmith (Core Set)

3x Gondorian Spearman (Core Set)

2x Northern Tracker (Core Set)

1x Beorn (Core Set)

3x Veteran Axehand (Core Set)

3x Booming Ent (The Antlered Crown)

3x Wandering Ent (Celebrimbor's Secret)

2x Miner of the Iron Hills (Core Set)

Attachment: (16)

1x Horn of Gondor (Core Set)

3x Gandalf Staff (The Road Darkens)

2x Wizard Pipe (The Road Darkens)

1x Song of Battle (The Dead Marshes)

1x Song of Wisdom (Conflict at the Carrock)

3x Elf-stone (The Black Riders)

1x Song of Travel (The Hills of Emyn Muil)

1x Unexpected Courage (Core Set)

1x Sting (The Road Darkens)

1x Glamdring (The Road Darkens)

1x Mithril Shirt (The Road Darkens)

E vent: (10)

2x Hasty Stroke (Core Set)

3x Don’t Be Hasty! (The Antlered Crown)

2x Feint (Core Set)

3x Ride Them Down (The Antlered Crown)

Add Treebeard ally?

I can say that I cannot wrap my mind atound your decklist or predict with confidence how it can work, so I hope my advice helps, but not sure.

The deck does not really function as a Gandalf deck. Gandalf thrives on 0 cost events because he can play one per phase, which generates huge card advantage. For instance, in my Gandalf decks I ussually always run Gathering Strength, because I can play it off the top of my deck during the resource phase to get a boost and there is no drawback. If I have it in hand I can't cast it (no purple), but that's what his pipe is for. Your deck doesn't seem to do anything like that.

So, I would cut Don't be Hasty and Ride them Down and replace them with Daeron's Runes to start (I don't know what sets you have, so obviously if you don't own the card you would have to find the closest thing.) and maybe Deep Knowledge (as long as you can handle the doom). Landroval and Beorn seem too expensive to ever get into play. If so, I would cut those and replace with cheaper allies. Again, Northern Tracker is a great card, but how do you get him into play? I see you have Elf-stone, so maybe you get expensive allies into play with that and then recycle with Hammersmith. It just seems very inconsistent, but I don't know. If it is too inconsistent I would replace with easier allies. Veteran Axhand is okay in a dwarf deck, but seems weak her, especially against this quest. I'm sure you can find a better attacker. Ents are good, but slow, and where is Quickbeam? If you go hard after Ents, like adding Treebeard ally, you can and Entmoot, another 0 cost event. Maybe add the Wizard's Voice as a second Feint that Gandalf can play off the top of the deck in combat (again, if you can handle the threat).

Those are things that jump out right away, but not playing or seeing the deck in action I don't know what helps and what is off base. Hope it got you thinking. Keep me informed.

Add Treebeard ally?

Resources and getting allies out haven't really been a huge issue.

I can say that I cannot wrap my mind atound your decklist or predict with confidence how it can work, so I hope my advice helps, but not sure.

The deck does not really function as a Gandalf deck. Gandalf thrives on 0 cost events because he can play one per phase, which generates huge card advantage. For instance, in my Gandalf decks I ussually always run Gathering Strength, because I can play it off the top of my deck during the resource phase to get a boost and there is no drawback. If I have it in hand I can't cast it (no purple), but that's what his pipe is for. Your deck doesn't seem to do anything like that.

So, I would cut Don't be Hasty and Ride them Down and replace them with Daeron's Runes to start (I don't know what sets you have, so obviously if you don't own the card you would have to find the closest thing.) and maybe Deep Knowledge (as long as you can handle the doom). Landroval and Beorn seem too expensive to ever get into play. If so, I would cut those and replace with cheaper allies. Again, Northern Tracker is a great card, but how do you get him into play? I see you have Elf-stone, so maybe you get expensive allies into play with that and then recycle with Hammersmith. It just seems very inconsistent, but I don't know. If it is too inconsistent I would replace with easier allies. Veteran Axhand is okay in a dwarf deck, but seems weak her, especially against this quest. I'm sure you can find a better attacker. Ents are good, but slow, and where is Quickbeam? If you go hard after Ents, like adding Treebeard ally, you can and Entmoot, another 0 cost event. Maybe add the Wizard's Voice as a second Feint that Gandalf can play off the top of the deck in combat (again, if you can handle the threat).

Those are things that jump out right away, but not playing or seeing the deck in action I don't know what helps and what is off base. Hope it got you thinking. Keep me informed.

You've definitely given me a lot to think about, but I think my small card pool is hindering me a little. I had a couple more expansions arrive yesterday, so time to rethink the deck I'll post it here when I'm done.

Add Treebeard ally?

Resources and getting allies out haven't really been a huge issue.

I think he is worth it just for the stats.

Another way is to quest like hell and beat the quest before the Balrog attacks.

I'd recommend include both copies of A Test of Will. If you have it in hand, set it up with Wizard Pipe so Gandalf can play it during staging.

From the presence of Sting and Mithril Shirt, I assume you're using the ringbearer as a defender? In that case I think you really want Fast Hitch (Dead Marshes) so he can do it more than once, if necessary.

If a Vassal of the Windlord is out, a Support of the Eagles can give Legolas +3 attack. It's expensive (3 tactics), but there's also no limit to the number you can put on a single hero.

I second the recommendation for Treebeard. He's one of the best allies in the game.

Another way is to quest like hell and beat the quest before the Balrog attacks.

I think I tried that in my early attempts, but struggled with the enemies.

I'd recommend include both copies of A Test of Will. If you have it in hand, set it up with Wizard Pipe so Gandalf can play it during staging.

From the presence of Sting and Mithril Shirt, I assume you're using the ringbearer as a defender? In that case I think you really want Fast Hitch (Dead Marshes) so he can do it more than once, if necessary.

If a Vassal of the Windlord is out, a Support of the Eagles can give Legolas +3 attack. It's expensive (3 tactics), but there's also no limit to the number you can put on a single hero.

I second the recommendation for Treebeard. He's one of the best allies in the game.

I included Don't Be Hasty instead of Test of Will as it doesn't cost resources and has a better effect. Regarding Wizard Pipe, do people generally add all 3 copies? Obviously it improves chances of getting it but you end up with dead cards - I usually stick to just 2 copies of unique cards for this reason (I made an exception with the staff due to how powerful it is).

I replaced Fast Hitch with Unexpected Courage to give me more flexibility, but might be worth adding 1 or 2 back in.

Treebeard is in, as is Quickbeam

OK, following from everyone's suggestions, I've made the following changes (I don't have many 0 cost events, so I had to abandon that idea):

• Replaced Landroval and Beorn with Treebeard.
• Replaced Wandering Ents with Quickbeam.
• Removed the Hammersmith (not needed with Treebeard).
• Added Frodo's Intuition (for some questing oomph and card draw).
• Added a Fast Hitch.
• Removed Horn of Gondor.

So the deck now looks like this:

1x Gandalf (The Road Darkens)

1x Pippin (The Black Riders)

1x Legolas (Core Set)

Ally: (24)

3x Vassal of the Windlord (The Dead Marshes)

1x Henamarth Riversong (Core Set)

3x Rivendell Minstrel (The Hunt for Gollum)

3x Gondorian Spearman (Core Set)

2x Northern Tracker (Core Set)

3x Veteran Axehand (Core Set)

3x Booming Ent (The Antlered Crown)

2x Miner of the Iron Hills (Core Set)

2x Treebeard (The Antlered Crown)

2x Quickbeam (The Treason of Saruman)

Attachment: (13)

3x Gandalf Staff (The Road Darkens)

3x Wizard Pipe (The Road Darkens)

1x Song of Battle (The Dead Marshes)

1x Song of Wisdom (Conflict at the Carrock)

3x Elf-stone (The Black Riders)

1x Song of Travel (The Hills of Emyn Muil)

1x Unexpected Courage (Core Set)

1x Fast Hitch (The Dead Marshes)

(the 3 Boons are still in the deck too)

Event: (13)

2x Hasty Stroke (Core Set)

2x A Test of Will (Core Set)

2x Feint (Core Set)

3x Ride Them Down (The Antlered Crown)

3x Frodo's Intuition (The Black Riders)

I'll try and test it out later, and report back. Thanks for all the help so far.

I included Don't Be Hasty instead of Test of Will as it doesn't cost resources and has a better effect. Regarding Wizard Pipe, do people generally add all 3 copies? Obviously it improves chances of getting it but you end up with dead cards - I usually stick to just 2 copies of unique cards for this reason (I made an exception with the staff due to how powerful it is).

I replaced Fast Hitch with Unexpected Courage to give me more flexibility, but might be worth adding 1 or 2 back in.

Don't Be Hasty is cheaper and has a sphere match, but I don't think it has a better effect. All it does is ready and remove one character from the quest. For We Cannot Get Out, that will ready one character (while removing his willpower from the quest) and save you one damage. Test of Will would prevent *all* the damage. Test of Will could also be used to cancel They Are Coming or Deep Fissure or Fool of a Took or the "when revealed" effect on Moria Orc. It's one of the most powerful cards of the game -- if it's worth including Hasty Stroke in your deck despite the lack of a sphere match, it's worth including Test of Will.

Unexpected Courage is indeed more powerful than Fast Hitch, since readying Gandalf is likely to be more important than readying Frodo. But you only have one UC, and Fast Hitch is cheaper and a sphere match. You don't have to remove UC to add fast hitch. Even relying on Gandalf to play it, it's better to have a 51 card deck with UC than a 50 card deck without it.

I only had one Wizard Pipe in my last Gandalf deck, but I had plenty of search effects so getting my key cards wasn't a problem at all in practice. In your case you only *need* the pipe for the few spirit events and if UC is in hand, since the Trackers are intended for Elf-Stone use, so I don't think it's a vital card for you. I'd increase its importance if you added Test of Will or Flame of Anor to the deck.

OK, I've totally misread Don't Be Hasty, for some reason I thought it cancelled the effects (only recently got the card and added it to the deck). Its out, and Test of Will is back in. I think I'll add a third Pipe too since I have room for it. Interesting that you mention Flame of Anor - it was in the deck at one point, but I removed it to make room for other cards (although I'm not sure why the Pipe is important for it?).

I totally agree re: Fast Hitch. See my previous post - I have added one in

Flame of Anor discards the top card of your deck to ready an Istari and add +X to his attack, where X is the cost of the discarded card. Wizard Pipe can be useful to put the card you want to discard on top, preferably an expensive card you didn't have your heart set on playing. It's the one card that Brok Ironfist works well with....

Flame of Anor discards the top card of your deck to ready an Istari and add +X to his attack, where X is the cost of the discarded card. Wizard Pipe can be useful to put the card you want to discard on top, preferably an expensive card you didn't have your heart set on playing. It's the one card that Brok Ironfist works well with....

Oh I see. I have actually used it for that before, I just seem to be having a brain failure today.

Yay, finally completed it Took a couple more tries but managed it with a final score of 130. Unfortunately, the Balrog emerged on the penultimate turn so I ended up with all 4 burden cards.

Thanks for all your help, I think the main new cards that helped were Treebeard (he is awesome) and Quickbeam - gotta love those Ents.