OK I want the game to be available for just me some times. Probably at least two people most of the time. And hopefully 4 players sometimes. So the product is confusing to me. I have a general idea of how the game works and I want decent decks to start with. So 2 Cores is must right? Plus I think the limited card pool with copies of good cards can get the deck to 50 with 2 cores. I do know that the decks will not be good in 4 player with just 2 cores. So what else should we get to build a good partnership in decks so we don't get destroyed off the bat. Deluxe Expansions, Saga sets, packs.

What should I get. I have a lot of experience with CCG's and deck building in those type of games. I understand the LCG system but have never player a LCG or a cooperative game. I am use to dropping 100's even 1,000's of dollars on CCG's so 2-3 hundred dollars would not be a problem for a fun gaming experience.

A single core is absolutely fine.

Everyone who wants to get into the game should check out the "new player buying guide" by tales from the cards: https://talesfromthecards.wordpress.com/2013/09/13/new-player-buying-guide/
If you only want to start out with the core set one is enough for 2 players (there won't be a huge difference in power once you got some expension), for 4 I would recommend 2 cores. All quest of the core set can be won in a two player game with no extra cards, that said the last quest is pretty hard no matter what.

Some personal experience so you maybe don't have to read the full linked guide (even though I would recommend it):
- the shadow of mirkwood cycle mostly is better for his playing cards than the quests, but they aren't very hard most of the time so it's good to get into the game post-CS.
- Khazad-Dum + Dwarrowdelf Cycle have awesome cards and good quests -> highly recommended
-Blood of Numenor is maybe the hardest box ever released -> wait until you got (in chronological order) most of the previous stuff - the following cycle is not as mad as the box, but that doesn't make it worth i my oppinion.
-wouldn't advice to go to later boxes, they don't feel as hard as BoN, but we had an other cycle of player cards and I'd say got used to upped difficulty.

Obvious but important: Don't get an adventure pack without the corresponding box or you can't play the quest and (temporarely) wasted half of the pack

I watch all those videos and it cleared up most of my questions. I think if we decide to play the game our first purchase should be 2 cores and then make our way forward, with the exception of a dwarf deck.

Will all the core set expansion packs help us improve our core set decks. Do I try and build mono sphere's for everyone? Do I need the next deluxe expansion and packs as well? When I jump, I jump deep. And I know I am going to want to build decks. That is one of the favorite things I like to do with any CCG, LCG, Deck Builder's game, ect......

Ahh, you're like me. Once you're in, you're all in.

In that case, I would go for 2 Cores + all 6 Shadows of Mirkwood Adventure Packs. That should give you enough cards for some interesting 2 sphere decks for 2 players and probably some decent 1 sphere decks for 4 players. If you want to optimize for the 4 player experience you might want some more cards.

From there, Khazad-Dum + both Hobbit Saga boxes would give you a good foundation for Dwarf decks. You might have trouble finding Khazad-Dum right now (it's awaiting reprint) but if you wait a few weeks we expect to see them coming back in stock soon.

4 hours ago, Authraw said:

Ahh, you're like me. Once you're in, you're all in.

In that case, I would go for 2 Cores + all 6 Shadows of Mirkwood Adventure Packs. That should give you enough cards for some interesting 2 sphere decks for 2 players and probably some decent 1 sphere decks for 4 players. If you want to optimize for the 4 player experience you might want some more cards.

From there, Khazad-Dum + both Hobbit Saga boxes would give you a good foundation for Dwarf decks. You might have trouble finding Khazad-Dum right now (it's awaiting reprint) but if you wait a few weeks we expect to see them coming back in stock soon.

Thank-you. Any other expansions to make some awesome 4 player single sphere decks. I wanna get my family interested by doing the leg work and presenting them with good decks.

You could try picking up Heirs of Numenor (Deluxe) + The Druadan Forest (Adventure Pack). Those are pretty tough quests for beginners (and that goes double in 4-player), but there are a bunch of good mono-sphere support cards in The Druadan Forest that might be nice to have.

I don't know that it's particularly necessary to go cherry-picking like that though. You would probably do just as well to pick up whatever Deluxe boxes you can afford, those being the ones which get you the most cards for your money. When it comes to 4-player, you just need to make sure you have enough cards in your pool to have interesting deckbuilding options; I'm not sure it matters much which cards you get specifically. "Bad" packs are few and far between in this game.

Hello,

Speaking about how much does cost this game is pretty easy. It is not like a TCG where you can spend only a few or 50.000. Here there is a well-know number of pack existing and once you get all of them you can do whatever you want. My advice are the following:

- Don't be hurry to buy the second core set. There will be no new cards, no new scenario. Every single other adventure pack ou deluxe is more exciting in my opinion;

- Build your mono sphere deck. It is a cool thing that I have done during a very long time by myself. But as this is not fit very well with thematic aspect of the game you will also build two, three of even four-sphere deck after that.

- Think about proxy. You're a LCG player so you know how it work: can make more powerful deck if you can duplicate cards. Even if you build mono sphere there is a few neutral cards that you might want in multiple times (Gandalf, Pelargir envoy, seeing-stone). It is even more true if you build multiple thematic deck that share sphere.

- The game go better and better, especially the scenario. I don't see many people who share that opinion but I feel so bored when I play back at cycle 2 and have the feeling that everything look the same. We all enjoy them when they released because we were less experienced. But starting with cycle 3 we can see so many interesting mechanic. Train yourself with the two first cycle then you will discover a whole new game, which is hard like Calvadur says.

- Don't expect too much about the saga. They are my major disappointment about this game.

Have fun

10 hours ago, Authraw said:

You could try picking up Heirs of Numenor (Deluxe) + The Druadan Forest (Adventure Pack). Those are pretty tough quests for beginners (and that goes double in 4-player), but there are a bunch of good mono-sphere support cards in The Druadan Forest that might be nice to have.

I don't know that it's particularly necessary to go cherry-picking like that though. You would probably do just as well to pick up whatever Deluxe boxes you can afford, those being the ones which get you the most cards for your money. When it comes to 4-player, you just need to make sure you have enough cards in your pool to have interesting deckbuilding options; I'm not sure it matters much which cards you get specifically. "Bad" packs are few and far between in this game.

I never thought building that way. That is good to know after I learn the game better.

Quote

10 hours ago, Authraw said:

You could try picking up Heirs of Numenor (Deluxe) + The Druadan Forest (Adventure Pack). Those are pretty tough quests for beginners (and that goes double in 4-player), but there are a bunch of good mono-sphere support cards in The Druadan Forest that might be nice to have.

I don't know that it's particularly necessary to go cherry-picking like that though. You would probably do just as well to pick up whatever Deluxe boxes you can afford, those being the ones which get you the most cards for your money. When it comes to 4-player, you just need to make sure you have enough cards in your pool to have interesting deckbuilding options; I'm not sure it matters much which cards you get specifically. "Bad" packs are few and far between in this game.

17 hours ago, Authraw said:

Ahh, you're like me. Once you're in, you're all in.

In that case, I would go for 2 Cores + all 6 Shadows of Mirkwood Adventure Packs. That should give you enough cards for some interesting 2 sphere decks for 2 players and probably some decent 1 sphere decks for 4 players. If you want to optimize for the 4 player experience you might want some more cards.

From there, Khazad-Dum + both Hobbit Saga boxes would give you a good foundation for Dwarf decks. You might have trouble finding Khazad-Dum right now (it's awaiting reprint) but if you wait a few weeks we expect to see them coming back in stock soon.

Thank-you. Any other expansions to make some awesome 4 player single sphere decks. I wanna get my family interested by doing the leg work and presenting them with good decks.

Thanks guys. I really getting excited.