She wants Eowyn, Legolas and Gimli.

1. Which versions would you recommend?

2. What kind of deck should I play? I don't want my deck to either take over the game or be too tricksy. I think she should be able to understand what I'm doing too.

TIA

1) Spirit, Spirit, Leadership

2) How about a complimentary Tactics/Lore deck? Provide weapons, healing, and group card draw?

Disclaimer: I am (at best) a mediocre deck builder.

1) I really like the Harad versions of Legolas and Gimli. I think the synergy they offer is really thematic and action advantage is always nice. If not running a lore hero card draw might be a little tight to fuel Legolas' ability, but Elven light can help with that. For Eowyn, I really love the Tactics version, but for someone new it might be simpler to have a dual sphere deck rather than tri-sphere. That is really a pretty balanced deck to for handling questing and combat.

2) I think you instinct is right about staying away from anything too tricksy or complicated and that you probably don't want something so powerful that it doesn't feel like her deck is contributing a lot. Something like this ...

http://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/802/the-deck-you-want-your-friend-to-play-1.0

would be really good. It would lend a lot of support and be pretty straight forward and well balanced (and allow her deck to use many of the higher power uniques (aka Steward).

Hope it goes well!!

I don't know if my post will be helpful, as I respectfully disagree with Trialus in the choice of which Gimli / Legolas (except for the fun facto and cool synergy)

I would advise you use Eowyn, Gimli and Legolas from the core set. They have simplest abilities than the Sand of Harad Legolas/Gimli, who could be a bit head-scratching at first for your wife. Moreover, Sp Eowyn and Tactics Legolas in particular are really good at what they do: questing and killing enemies. Questing and fighting are the main part of the game, if you think about it, and I tend to give the "kill enemies" deck to any newbie I wish to introduce to the game.

Also, with a Sp Eowyn and Tac Gimli / Legolas, you can just include all the staples of spirit and tactics, barring theme, and always selecting the cards that have the most understandable/simple effects. I'm sure your wife is as clever as anyone, but as experienced players, it's easy to forget that this game requires massive text-conversion and a lot happens on the board. Just go x3 for each card (and don't mind for uniques as Eowyn can ditch them for willpower) the less different cards she has, the less time she will spend reading them and I think she will enjoy.

This lets you handle the more subtle parts of the game, and try giving her the most amazing tools: card draw, healing, etc. Still, you're right, keep it simple also for your deck so she can understand what you do.

I'd stick with Core Set heroes again, and go for Théodred (as Eowyn's brother), Lea Aragorn and Beravor.

I could come up with two decks if you want.

Finally, consider playing Easy Mode.

Hope this helps anyway!

I think banania is spot on.

Technically, Théodred is Éowyn's cousin. Éomer is her brother.

Yes, you're right, sorry about that !

I'd go with the core set team as well, all nice and clear to use and not at all weak. For your side, anything that isn't too all-powerful should work, maybe with a Sentinel defender somewhere in it. Avoid things that make your turns long and confusing, such as Gandalf or excessive encounter deck manipulation. I like the idea of Beravor because it makes sure that she can't get into a frustrating situation of running out of things to play.

I agree with core Gimli and Legolas, but what about Tactics Eowyn? More Tactics resources and can hit for that "I am no man!" moment. What do you think?

Tactics Eowyn is also easy to handle and fun, and Tactics even has some decent willpower cards like Grimbold these days so there will even be things to do during questing. I slightly prefer the idea of showing off two spheres at once, but I don't think you can go wrong either way.

My girlfriend plays Tactics and Leadership while I play Lore and Spirit, because she likes combat more than anything else lol

I vote Core Legolas & Gimli, they're straight forward and Legolas helps with progress, too.

I just introduced two friends to the game some month ago. At first I gave them some decks, which I considered easy to Play (like dwarfs or outlands), but I underestimated the amount of reading and keeping Things in mind. For me it's obvious that my dwarf gets buffed from an other Players dain, but for them it was not.

Long Story short: We went back and started a Progression style Play, starting with only 2 core-sets. It was a much better experience for them. Maybe because we already played some games before, but I find that the core-set and it's Cards are perfect for beginners and with am experienced Player you don't have to fear the Troubles of a hill troll or dol guldur so much.

So I'd advice you to follow banania's tips: Go with the core-set heroes (dual spheres teach from the get go how the ressource System works), as many core-set Cards as possible and start at least with mirkwood and anduin. If you dare bring out Dol Guldur you could even alter the rules that only one of your heroes can be captured an non of her.

After a lot of thinking I'm leaning towards Banania's original suggestion as well. If she likes the game (and isn't just humoring me) we will probably want to go progression style anyway, so "core only" is probably the place to go.

You might still want to include some cards that are not core in her deck. I'd go for the good questers (Ally Arwen, Escort from Edoras, Galadriel's Handmaidens, Ethir Swordsmen), a few key attachments and easy-themed one (Ancient Mathom, Unexpected Courage, Blades of Gondolin, Citadel Plate, Windfola, Arod), the Northern Trackers, and a few key events (Test of Will, Feint, Hasty stroke), alongside the Gandalfs, Defender of Rammas, Archer of Galadhon. It's already 17 cards x3 = 51 cards. All cards have simple effects. Just go all in for her deck! Maybe there's the spirit resource curve is a bit steep here but...

Throw the **** Steward of Gondor on Eowyn as soon as you grab it!! That way, she gets to do the questing, the killing, and play whatever she likes with her thousand resources.

Now that I think of it, you could swap the Mathom (as you'll surely get her the cards anyway) for Lays of Nimrodel. Nothing like power questing you partners to victory with the mountain of spirit resources you're sitting on.

Also, I don't know her experience with coop games, but it can be unsettling at first doing things for other people in a game. HOW COME DAT MATHOM CARDS AIN'T FOR MESELF.

You could ask her what kind of deck she wants to play? That might be a start. Explain the general nature of the spheres and ask her what style of play appeals to her.

With all respect, I've got to set the hook first here. That's why I went with the characters that she likes.

... I'm not sure what that means. It must be a phrasing I don't understand. I am a native english speaker so... might be a regional thing? Set the hook first?

I think what he means is that he wants to get his wife geniunly excited with the game first, and then get into "not so boring" details.

Also, when it happens - be sure to tell us how it went, Bullroarer Took.

Will do, but my expectations are low.

On 05/04/2017 at 6:55 PM, awp832 said:

... I'm not sure what that means. It must be a phrasing I don't understand. I am a native english speaker so... might be a regional thing? Set the hook first?

Its a fishing term. Basically set the hook with the correct bait so that you catch the best fish. BT wants to catch his wifes interest in the best way to let her enjoy the game to its best rather than experiencing un-fun play

I find progression style was best to learn the game and the first cycle is fantastic for that. Id say as long as you warn ahead about the difficulty of Anduin and Dol-Guldur so that losses at those does not discourage. Best of luck.