Our play group tries to beat TWoE with four players.
On the first atempt we had problems to reach stage 2. That is why we focused on some more questing power (with Northern Trackers). On our next batch of runs, we had no problems with location control (no NT were needed), had a decent amount of questing power (either too much of questing, thus got smashed by stage 2 or had problems with encounter card side quests), but got steam rolled by treacheries and lost due to threat.
Roughly, we are using the following decks:
1. tactics/lore: a bit of healing, lots of fighting power with direct and indirect damage. (usualy TAragorn, Mabulung and Argalad)
2. spirit/tactics: Rohan-themed deck (also, with NTs)
3. lore/tactics: Ent-themed (with Elrond for an extra boost of healing)
4. spirit(/leadership): either Noldor or "just blue" to have enough questing power and A Test of Will and other cool stuff from that sphere.
We really could use any advice how to tweak our decks/style of play... thanks in advance