I alway wanted to build effective trap decks. I usually build "all-purpose" decks, usable for most quest. And I am not satisfied with these.

So I summon community to help/improve/critise my decks.

Versatile trap decks. Like to keep threat low. Sam for emergency defense. Argalad with UE for Emergency attack. Direct damage to the max.

Only 47 cards in hobbit deck - waiting for Shirefolk card.

http://www.cardgamedb.com/index.php/thelordoftherings/the-lord-of-the-rings-decks/_/lord-of-the-rings-submitted-decks/trapshobbits-12-r642

Hero (3)
1x Argalad (The Drowned Ruins)
1x Damrod (The Land of Shadow)
1x Thalin (Core Set)

Ally (20)
3x Emyn Arnen Ranger (The Crossings of Poros)
3x Gondorian Spearman (Core Set)
3x Guardian of Ithilien (The City of Corsairs)
3x Ithilien Archer (Encounter at Amon Dîn)
3x Ithilien Lookout (The Dunland Trap)
3x Ithilien Tracker (Heirs of Numenor)
2x Mablung (The Land of Shadow)

Attachment (24)
3x Bow of the Galadhrim (The Nin-in-Eilph)
3x Dagger of Westernesse (The Black Riders)
3x Entangling Nets (Temple of the Deceived)
3x Ithilien Pit (Encounter at Amon Dîn)
3x Poisoned Stakes (The Blood of Gondor)
3x Ranger Bow (Assault on Osgiliath)
3x Ranger Spikes (Heirs of Numenor)
3x Secret Vigil (The Lost Realm)

Event (6)
3x Arrows from the Trees (Temple of the Deceived)
3x Forest Patrol (Assault on Osgiliath)

http://www.cardgamedb.com/index.php/thelordoftherings/the-lord-of-the-rings-decks/_/lord-of-the-rings-submitted-decks/trapshobbits-22-r643

Hero (3)
1x Sam Gamgee (The Black Riders)
1x Merry (The Wastes of Eriador)
1x Pippin (Encounter at Amon Dîn)

Ally (23)
3x Anborn (The Land of Shadow)
2x Bill the Pony (The Black Riders)
3x Celduin Traveler (The Nin-in-Eilph)
3x Dunedain Wanderer (Road to Rivendell)
2x Elfhelm (The Dead Marshes)
3x Gandalf (Core Set)
2x Glorfindel (Flight of the Stormcaller)
3x Rivendell Scout (The Three Trials)
2x Rosie Cotton (The Mountain of Fire)

Attachment (12)
3x Dunedain Mark (The Hunt for Gollum)
3x Hobbit Cloak (The Black Riders)
3x Resourceful (The Watcher in the Water)
3x Unexpected Courage (Core Set)

Event (12)
3x Fresh Tracks (The Long Dark)
3x O Elbereth! Gilthonial! (Shadow and Flame)
3x Sneak Attack (Core Set)
3x Timely Aid (The Redhorn Gate)

Fresh Tracks... is not a good card imo. I'd replace those cards and move the Ithilien Lookouts to the Hobbit deck due to Secrecy, which would leave 3 cards open for the trap deck.

Then I'd swap out Thalin and add Legolas, plus 3 Hands upon the bow. Maybe add Great Yew Bow. With Legolas you also have more targets for those 3 Bow of the Galadhrim.

-1 Glorfindel, +1 Firyal

I like Thalin a lot in a direct-damage deck. I would add Spear of the Citadel. Thalin/Argalad/Gondorian Spearman/Spear of the Citadel can take out a four hp enemy, shadow free. I'd throw in a Light of Valinor (one copy) for Argalad.

It doesn't fit the trap theme, but for sheer utility I'd make room for 3x A Test of Will in your hobbit deck.

If you're waiting for shirefolk, have you considered swapping LoPippin for TaBilbo? Thalin/Argalad/Bilbo is direct damage to the max. You'd want Hobbit Pony -- you should have that already, since it's so useful for Merry if no enemy comes out. And if you're running Bilbo, Sting would look excellent on Sam.

A 53-card deck with Daeron's Runes is better than a 50-card deck without it, IMO.

Rajam :
You are right about Fresh tracks. It seems good, but i use it a little less, then I thought I would. It goes away.
I was pondering if Thalin is better or Legolas with Yew Bow. But actually Thalin proved better and more consistent.
Fyrial is great Idea, thanks.

D alestephenson :

Yes, me too (without hashtag ). Thalin is consistent and works great.
I will add the spear. But it depends on spearman being in play.

The is actually Spirit Pippin (I always wanted to use the guy )
And Ta Bilbo would switch off secrecy. And if I would not draf Shirefolk in opening hand many cards wouhld be in vain.
Pony is great idea. Runes also, thanks :).

It's true TaBilbo would kill initial secrecy. But between SpMerry and Shirefolk, it's only a matter of time until you end up in secrecy. So unless it's important that you play secrecy cards *immediately*, I don't see TaBilbo's threat as a dealbreaker.

It's nice to look for a use for SpPippin, but I'm not sure what the use is with these two decks. Pippin's ability only prevents the enemy from engaging his own deck, so the enemy will just engage the trap deck -- meanwhile, your best defender is in the Hobbit deck, ready and useless.

One possibility with Spirit Pippin, though I haven't looked at it enough to see if it would actually work well, might be to engage an enemy and then push them back to land on a trap that you played into the staging area after they got revealed. Dunno if it's enough of a use case, but it seems intriguing.

Secrecy is actually importaant from the beginning. For Timely aid. And more importantelly for Resourcefull. Without it the Leadership/spirit deck lacks Le resources.

I use Spirit Pippin (SpiPippin? SPippin? sounds horrible :D) to engage and rise Sams defense for another 1. But it si marginal, I know. I mainly wanted first term secrecy and thematic all Hobbit deck (and do not use overused Glorfindel ).
And Onidsen is right. It is a good way to kick enemy revealed for example during Setup to trap.

BTW main atacker is Argalad with weapons and UE. With ranged. So defend with sam and kill with Argalad.

In the classic hobbit lineup (Sam/LoPippin/TaMerry) it's important to have secrecy in your opening hand, because you may never see 20 threat again. With SpMerry that's no longer true, even if you have SpPippin ocassionally working against him. With Shirefolk and SpMerry, I think it's a reasonable expectation that you'll spend most of the game in secrecy no matter which hobbits you start with, and I think that really devalues the importance of starting in secrecy.

Of course, if you're using SpPippin to bounce a revealed-in-setup enemy back to staging, you're getting to 23 threat right away, same as you would have with TaBilbo. TaBilbo can't bounce a setup enemy back to staging, but he can combo with Argalad to damage him there. And Bilbo's ability will continue being useful after setup, while Pippin's won't after setup. OK, if you're already engaged with an enemy and want to buff Sam you can engage a *second* enemy and bounce him back -- but you pay three threat each time you do that.

In my direct damage fellowship I used Galadhon Archer for their effect, plus after coming in they hung around and helped kill things. I only had 2 Unexpected Courages, so I couldn't count on Argalad to ding things and attack.

OK.....I will swap SpiPippin with TaBilbo.

And I realised Pony is excellent for Bilbo, so he can damage even the enemy revealed this staging step.

Updated on the same links:
http://www.cardgamedb.com/index.php/thelordoftherings/the-lord-of-the-rings-decks/_/lord-of-the-rings-submitted-decks/trapshobbits-12-r642

http://www.cardgamedb.com/index.php/thelordoftherings/the-lord-of-the-rings-decks/_/lord-of-the-rings-submitted-decks/trapshobbits-22-r643

Waiting of TaBilbo, 2*Sting, 3*Shirefolk.

Thank you everybody, please comment on newer versions.