When to start playing Nightmare quests?

By Aiwendil, in The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game

Hello all,

I am playing this game 'progression style', so I'm only using the player cards from the scenarios I've played thus far. I also play chronologically by order of release. The nightmare quests are an exception to this, since I've skipped playing them until now.

The reason for this is that while I do enjoy a challenge, I don't enjoy losing over and over again (looking at you, Into Ithilien and Morgul Vale). Therefore I thought that by playing these quests later, once I've collected more cards from newer expansions, I'd be better able to handle the nightmare quests. The question then is: when do I start with them? I am currently in the Angmar Awakened cycle, so 2015 in year of release. Can I just play all the regular quests first, or will the oldest Nightmare quests then become too easy?

I enjoy fine-tuning my deck, but don't like to build a complete new deck specifically tailored for a certain scenario.

Thanks for all the help.

I think you can choose when you start playing nightmare. Remember that if ypu find them too easy with modern card pool you can always play them in progression order just using only the cards available when the nightmare decks were originally release.

Also, if you find something too easy with a powerful deck using the modern card pool, you have the option of building a less powerful deck. My decks using the full card pool are frequently less powerful than a vintage progression-style Vilya deck.

I personally would just start picking up all the Nightmare decks once you've caught up with the full current card pool. Of course, there are a few exceptions. There are some nightmare decks that are very high quality and you should go ahead and grab.

3 hours ago, Wandalf the Gizzard said:

There are some nightmare decks that are very high quality and you should go ahead and grab.

Any particular suggestions?

I haven't played them myself, but there are some held in high-regard by the community members who have. I know Passage through Mirkwood and the three Khazad-Dum quests are some.

If you are into Angmar then you can certainly dip into Mirkwood Cycle nightmare. The point about ‘vintage’ Vilya is a good one. Every cycle seems to produce some strong decks. Nightmare gives those decks an outlet.