Beating Under The Ash Mountains

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

My pack came today. 👏

I've had a quick look at the quest and a friend sent me a screen shot of someone frustrated with the shennenigens in this quest. Looks like the player deck is your dwindling resources/supplies. The encounter deck is going to make you discard cards like crazy. The quest cards do this based on side quests in play. I haven't looked at any other encounter cards yet.

I'm guessing a dwarven deck that triggers off discarding cards would work well here, but not the dwarven tropes that actually do the discarding.

Discard pile cards would shine such as Spirit ally Glorfindel. Stand and fight, reforged, Caldara Galadhrim Weaver, knight of Belfalas, Elven-light, Will of the West. Dwarven Tomb. (A lot of Spirit cards)

Cards that reorder the top of the deck. Might be useful to make sure you only draw what's essential. Cards that search and pull. So many cards across all spheres.

And of course side quest loving cards like East Road Ranger, Thallion, legacy blade etc.

So, I think I might build a Spirit Dwarven Deck.

Before I dive in what are your thoughts about this quest?

48 minutes ago, asgardianphil said:

I'm guessing a dwarven deck that triggers off discarding cards would work well here, but not the dwarven tropes that actually do the discarding.

Dwarven Pipe will be super useful in this quest and also Ever My Heart Rises would probably shine.

Dwarves seems indeed the way, but not the mining ones. Might be time to take off some dust from your old Leadership Dain Ironfoot swarm decks.

48 minutes ago, asgardianphil said:

My pack came today. 👏

Lucky you, I doubt I will see mine before this summer.

Side quests are going to need to be cleared quickly if they crop up too. Spirit sphere has Rider of Rohan to help once a side quest is cleared.

Also just noticed both stages of the quest ban Will of The West. 'Event cards cannot shuffle cards from a players discard pile'

Very carefully worded so as not to prevent card fetching from the discard pile by other means.

I feel very lucky getting this pack. I thought it would be weeks.

I ordered my pack from boargameextras 24th April.

Also, a friend of mine got his pack from Games Lore as part of his subscription last week which prompted me to search and buy.

I got mine delivered from gameslore a few days ago, but I haven't gotten around to trying it yet.

I haven't put together a deck yet, but I had a thrown together trap deck that I created for something else. I'm going to get stuck in with this deck and see what I'm up against. I don't have any hope of winning at this point.

Game #1

Heroes Lore Aragorn, Damrod and Mirlonde. Threat Dial 26.

51 card deck.

Draw Mithrandir's Advice, Strider's Path, Firyal, Entangling Nets, Warden of Healing and Ranger Spear. No mulligan.

Quest setup. Discard 11 cards from top if player deck. Stage Torech Gorgor Patrol. Discards cards until The Tunnels of Torech Gorgor becomes the target side quest. Add it to staging.

Turn 1

Draws Woodmen's Clearing.

Planning: play discounted Entangling Nets into staging area. Play Mithrandir's Advice drawing Woodmen's Path, Interrogation and Gandalf core.

Quest: Can't choose side quest TToTG until 3 active locations have been explored.

Commit Aragorn, Damrod and Mirlonde for 6WP.

Stages Narrow Opening.

6 threat vs 6WP. No progress.

Travel: to Narrow Opening.

Refresh: TD 27. Discards Interrogation, Self Preservation and Strider (this was in because I was going to play a 2 handed game against escape from Dol Guldur).

Turn 2

Draws Poisoned Stakes.

Planning: due to Narrow opening can only play 1 card a round. Play Firyal.

Quest. Commit everyone for 9WP. Firyal peeks at Spawn of Shelob (has Surge). Discards it.

Stages Orc Passage.

7 threat vs 9WP. 2 progress on Narrow Passage.

Refresh: TD 28. Discards Explorer's Almanac, Ranger Spikes and Mithrandir's Advice.

Turn 3

Draws Master Of The Forge.

Planning: play Warden of Healing.

Quest: commits everything for 10WP. Firyal peeks at Twisted Tunnel and discards it as it will search and add another enemy to staging.

Stages Crumbling Passage. Which swaps place with the active location.

10 threat Vs 10 WP.

Refresh: TD 29. Discards Woodmen's Path, Firyal and Gandalf.

Turn 4

Draws Woodmen's Clearing.

Planning: play Woodmen's Path and Woodmen's Clearing on Crumbling Passage

Quest: commit Mirlonde, Damrod and Firyal for 7WP Firyal peeks at Ash Mountain Werewolf and puts it back.

Stages Ash Mountain Werewolf. Entangling Nets grab it. Damrod draws Keen Longbow.

12 Threat vs 7 WP. TD 34.

Engagement: Werewolf engages.

Combat: Werewolf attacks undefended. (Shadow is Nameless Beast. +5 (cost of top card of discard pile which is Gandalf. ) 7 damage to Mirlonde (she had no rezources). Werewolf discards lore Farimir and Explorer's Almanac. Aragorn Attacks Werewolf putting 3 damage on it.

Refresh: TD 35. Discards Forest Snare, Master of the Forge and Forest Patrol.

Turn 5

Draws Warden of Healing.

Planning: play Gandalf who Kills the Werewolf.

Quest: commits Damrod, Aragorn, Firyal and Gandalf. For 11 WP. Firyal peeks at Fiery Chasm and discards it.

Stages Fearful Shadows doomed 1.TD 36. Each character has no text for the round.

Threat 10 vs 11WP. 1 progress on Crumbling Passage explores it dealing 1 damage to questers. Reduce threat by 3. TD33. Put 1 resource on side quest TToTG.

Travel: to Narrow Passage.

Refresh: TD34. Gandalf leaves play.

Turn 6

Draws Woodmen's Path.

Planning: play Warden of Healing.

Quest: commit Aragorn, Damrod, Firyal and Warden of Healing for 8WP. Firyal peeks at Hideous Deeps and discards it.

Stages . Writhing Shadows. Damages Aragorn, Damrod and Firyal. Exhaust Warden of Healing to heal Aragorn and Damrod.

Threat 7 vs 7 WP.

Refresh: TD 35. Discards Gildor Inglorion, Anborn and Entangling Nets.

Turn 7

Draws Explorer's Almanac.

Planning: play Poisioned Stakes into staging area.

Quest: commits Aragorn, Damrod, Firyal and both healers for 9WP. Firyal peeks at Twisted Tunnel and discards it.

Stages Overwhelming Darkness side quest.

8 threat vs 9 WP. 1 progress on Narrow Passage explores it. Discards Interrogation randomly from hand. Puts 1 resource on side quest TToTG.

Travel to Orc Passage.

Refresh: TD 36. Discards Gandalf, Faramir, Forest Snare and Anborn.

Turn 8

Draws Keen Longbow.

Planning: I can't play a card as only have 1 left in my player deck and Overwhelming Darkness will discard it.

Quest: make Overwhelming Darkness the current quest. Commit all in for 9 WP. Firyal peeks at Fiery Chasm and discards it.

Stages Fearful Shadows. Doomed 1. TD 37. all characters have no printed text.

4 threat vs 9 WP. 5 progress made. 4 on Orc Passage and 1 on Overwhelming Darkness. Searches for Torech Patrol and poisoned Stakes impales it. (Damrod might as well draw the last card)

Game over.

Well, it was a rubbish deck and I was going to use it and another deck to punish myself against nightmare Escape from Dol Guldur just for fun. But then this pack turned up.

This was a fun quest and there is a lot to build a deck against.

Side quests

Underground

Low cost cards

Questing

Discarding and Discard pile manipulation

High WP.

The encounter deck locks out direct progress on locations by having an explore effect rather than a travel effect. Hates will of the west and has high HP enemies that use # of quests I play and discard cards.

Definitely needs strong questing to quickly get the side quests into the victory pile.

I've been away playing some other games.

I'm back but not with a dwarf deck. It started out as being a dwarf deck but I wanted to do some discard pile shennenigens so it's ended up a mess of an elven deck.

Ok here goes.

Game #2

Heroes Thranduil, Kahliel and Arwen. Threat Dial (TD) 28

Draws Dwarf Pipe, Kahliel's Tribesman, Stand And Fight, Yazan, Reforged and Elrond's Council.

Mulligan for Bilbo Baggins, Jubayr, The Elven King, Kahliel's Tribesman, Stand And Fight and Dwarf Pipe.

Set up: discard 10 cards:

Elrond's Council, Galadhrim Weaver, Elven-light, Kahliel's Tribesman, Galadhrim Weaver, Galadhrim Weaver, Glorfindel, Hidden Cache ( adds 2 resources to Arwen), Ered Luin Miner (goes into play) and Stand And Fight.

Adds Torech Gorgor Patrol to staging.

Discarded 3 cards to add Overwhelming Darkness side quest to staging.

Side quest (after a player plays a card he discards the top of his deck )

Turn 1

Draws Dwarf Pipe.

Planning: play Dwarf Pipe on Ered Luin Miner. Discard A Test of Will. Exhaust pipe to put it on bottom of deck.

Play Bilbo Baggins. Forced to discard Celebraín's Stone. Bilbo searches for and finds Dwarf Pipe.

Quest: choose Overwhelming Darkness as current quest.

Commit all characters for 9 WP.

Stages Mordor Cave Troll.

6 threat vs 9 WP. 3 progress on Overwhelming Darkness.

Refresh: TD 29. Discards A Test Of Will, Kahliel's Headdress and Haradrim Spear.

Turn 2

Draws Reforged.

Planning: Arwen discards Jubayr to give herself 1 resource. Plays reforged to put Celebraín's Stone into play on her. Discards The Elven King.

Play Kahliel's Tribesman using Thranduil's resources. Discards Hidden Cache (adds 2 resources to Arwen)

Play The Elven King on Thranduil using a resource from Kahliel. Discards Firyal.

Play Stand and Fight to play Galadhrim Weaver from the discard pile. Discards A Test of Will. Dwarf Pipe gets it back.

Quest: choose Overwhelming Darkness as the current quest.

all characters commit for 13 WP.

Stages Spawn of Shelob. Surges into Narrow Opening.

10 threat vs 13 WP. 3 progress on Overwhelming Darkness clears it. Shuffles Stand and Fight, Firyal and Hidden Cache back into the draw deck.

Return Galadhrim Weaver to hand to ready Thranduil.

Travel: to Narrow Passage.

Engagement: Spawn of Shelob engages and discards Hidden Cache (adds 2 resources to Arwen)

Combat: Thranduil defends for 3. (Shadow is Fearful Shadows. Cannot ready Thranduil until the end of the round. No damage.

Refresh: TD 30. Discards The Elven King and Ancestral Armour.

Turn 3

Draws Ered Luin Miner.

Planning: Arwen discards the miner to add a resource to herself.

Play Galadhrim Weaver and shuffle the miner back in the deck.

Quest: commit everyone except Thranduil (exhausted) for 12 WP.

Stages Firey Chasm.

7 threat vs 12 WP. 5 progress. 3 explores Narrow Opening ( Discards 1 of the 2 Dwarf Pipes randomly from my hand) and 2 progress on the main quest. Exhaust Dwarf pipe to save the discarded Dwarf Pipe.

Travel to Firey Chasm.

Combat: exhaust Elven King to return Galadhrim Weaver to hand to ready Thranduil.

Thranduil defends Spawn Of Shelob for 3. (Shadow is Lost in the Dark side quest. No effect). No damage.

Refresh: TD 31. Discards Firyal and hidden Cache (adds 2 resources to Arwen). Dwarf Pipe saves it.

Turn 4

Draws Reforged.

Planning: play Reforged to put Ancestral Armour on Thranduil. Play Galadhrim Weaver to shuffle back Reforged.

Quest: commit Arwen, Galadhrim Weaver, Bilbo and the miner for 9 WP.

Stages Nameless Beast.

8 threat Vs 9 WP. 1 progress on Fiery Chasm.

Engagement: Nameless Beast engages.

Combat: Thranduil defends the spider for 5 def. (Shadow is Ash Mountain Werewolf. Effect won't trigger.) No damage.

Exhaust the Elven King and return the weaver to ready Thranduil. Using Thranduil's resource play the weaver again and shuffle Firyal back into the deck.

Thranduil defends the Nameless Beast for 5 def. (Shadow is Fearful Shadows. Thranduil cannot ready until the end of the round. ) also discard Ered Luin Miner which goes into play. Nameless Beast gains +3 att. 1 damage on Thranduil.

Kahliel and his tribesman attack the spider for 3 defeating it.

Refresh: TD 32 discards Silver Circlet. (Dwarf pipe saves it) and Southron Refugee.

Turn 5

Draws Armoured Destrier.

Planning: play dwarf Pipe on Ered Luin Miner #2. Play Armoured Destrier on Thranduil (paid for by Thranduil and Kahliel.)

Exhaust Elven King to return the weaver to hand and ready Thranduil.

Play Galadhrim Weaver to shuffle back the Southron Refugee.

Play Elven-light from discard pile. Draws Southron Refugee.

Quest: commit Arwen, Bilbo, Kahliel, Weaver and both miners for 12 WP.

Stages Ransacked Supplies. Discards Dwarf Pipe. +1 threat to staging.

6 threat vs 12 WP. 6 progress made. 4 explores Fiery Chasm (discarding Elven-light and O Lórien!) Dwarf Pipe saves it. 2 progress on the quest.

Combat: Thranduil defends the Nameless Beast for 5 def. (Shadow is Narrow Opening. No effect) discards O Lórien! +1 to att. No damage.

Refresh: TD 33. Discards Southron Refugee and Elrond's Council. Dwarf pipe #1 gets it back.

Turn 6

Draws Southron Refugee.

Planning: Arwen discards Elven-light and plays it to draw Stand and Fight.

Plays 2 Southron Refugees using 2 resources from Kahliel and 1 from Thranduil.

Quest: commit Both miners and both refugees, the weaver, Bilbo and Arwen for 12 WP.

Stages Spider of Shelob which surges into Spider of Shelob which surges into Crumbling Passage. (Wow! perfect storm)

7 threat vs 12 Wp. 5 progress made. 3 on Crumbling passage exploring it so 1 damage on each exhausted character. Defeats the weaver. 2 progress on the main quest.

Plays Stand and Fight to put the Weaver from further down the discard pile into play. She shuffles Stand and fight back in the deck.

Engagement: Mordor Cave Troll engages first followed by the spiders. Discard Stand and Fight. Dwarf Pipe saves it and the other spider I'll take the +2 att.

Thranduil defends the 4 att spider for 5 def. (Shadow is Writhing Shadows. Enemy makes an additional attack. ) no damage.

Exhaust the Elven King to return the weaver to my hand and ready Thranduil. Play the weaver using Thranduil's resource. Shuffle back in the weaver on the top of the discard pile.

Exhaust the Tribesman to buff Kahliel to defend against the 4 att spider. (Shadow is Hideous Deeps. No effect). 1 damage on Kahliel.

Thranduil defends Namless beast for 5. Discards Reforged which adds 0 att. (Shadow is Burning Reek. I'll return it to staging after attack. ) No damage.

Armoured Destrier readies Thranduil and removes shadow from Mordor Troll.

Thranduil defends the Troll for 5 def. Takes 1 damage.

Spider attacks undefended for 2. (Shadow is Ransacked Supplies. Discards Dwarf Pipe. 2 damage on Kahliel.

Refresh: TD 34 discards Firyal and Silver Circlet. Dwarf Pipe saves.

Turn 7

Draws Yazan.

Planning: Arwen discards Elven-light and plays it to draw Hidden Cache.

Quest: commit Arwen, Bilbo and the weaver for 8 WP.

Stages Writhing Shadows. 1 damage on tribesman and 1 damage on Arwen.

5 threat vs 8 WP. 3 progress on the main quest (9 total out of 25)

Engagement: Namless Beast engages.

Combat: Thranduil defends Namless Beast. Discards Stand and Fight adding 0 to attack. (Shadow is Fiery Chasm. No effect). No damage.

Exhaust Elven King to return weaver to hand and ready Thranduil. Thranduil pays for Galadhrim Weaver. Shuffles Stand and Fight back in the deck.

Thranduil defends a spider for 5 def. (Shadow is a Haunt for Beasts side quest. No effect. ) no damage.

Armoured Destrier readies Thranduil and removes the shadow card from the Troll.

Thranduil defends the Troll and takes 1 damage.

Spider makes an undefended attack for 2. (Shadow is The Tunnels of Torech Gorgor side quest. No effect.) 2 damage on Thranduil.

So, every character is 1 away from death.

Kahliel and his Tribesman kill one spider and the refugees and miners kill the other.

Refresh: TD 35. Discards Galadhrim Weaver and reforged. Dwarf pipe saves it.

Turn 8

Draws Silver Circlet.

Planning: Discard Hidden Cache to add 1 resource to Arwen. Exhaust 2 refugees to play Yazan for 3 resources from Kahliel. Play Silver Circlet on Arwen.

Quest: commit Arwen, Bilbo and the weaver for 10 WP.

Stages Mordor Cave Troll. (Game over!)

5 Threat vs 10 WP. 5 progress on main quest

Engagement: Troll #2 engages.

Combat: Thranduil defends Namless Beast for 5 def. Discards Kahliel's Tribesman to add 2 att. (Shadow is Namless Beast. +2 att.) 7 vs 5 is 2 damage. Thranduil is defeated

Miner # 1 defends Troll #1. (Shadow is Torech Gorgor Patrol. No effect). Miner defeated and 4 cards discarded.

Miner #2 defends Troll #2. (Shadow is Ransacked Supplies. Discards silver Circlet). Miner defeated and discards 4 cards.

Kahliel, Yazan and a tribesman attack the nameless beast for 6 att. Yazan puts a direct damage on it. 4 damage on the enemy.

Refresh: TD 36. Discards 2 cards. Only one

Turn 9.

Draws Reforged. Deck is now empty. Game over.

Well. I had some bad luck with the 10 discarded cards at the start. My stewards never came out. Warden of healing never came out for stand and fight. I couldn't get any Haradrim out. Yep, need to stick with Dwarves.

Game #3.

I've tweaked my Kahliel deck a little bit. (Deck building is not something I'm very good at, but this is my deck rather than one from online.)

Heroes are Kahliel, Elrond and Glorfindel. Threat 28. 50 card deck.

Draws: Dwarf Pipe, Elrond's Council, Galadriel, Warden of Healing, Ered Luin Miner, Hidden Cache.

As much as I want the Warden I don't want the cache or the miner so I'm going to mulligan.

Mulligan: Steward of Gondor, Dwarf Pipe, Hidden Cache, The Elven King, Reforged and Light of Valinor.

At this point I now realise in my first two games I have been discarding too many cards. Set up says if your deck has more than 40 cards discard down to 40. I was taking the amount of cards I had before drawing my starting hand. So where before I'd of discarded 10+ cards I only need to discard 4.

Setup. Discard cards so that you only have 40 cards in your deck:

Stand And Fight

Yazan

A Burning Brand

Ered Luin Miner ( is put into play.)

Add Torech Gorgor Patrol to staging

A Haunt For Beasts side quest is added to staging.

Turn 1

Draws Haradrim Spear.

Planning: play Light of Valinor on Glorfindel.

Quest: Can't choose the side quest while there is an enemy in staging.

Commit Glorfindel only. For 3 WP.

Stages Lost in the Dark side quest. Places top 10 cards of player deck face down under threat dial. (Brutal!)

4 threat vs 3 WP. TD 29. Discards Elrond's Council from TD.

Engagement: engage the Torech Gorgor Patrol.

Ered Luin Miner defends its engagement immediate attack for 1 def. (Shadow is Spawn of Shelob. Exhausts Kahliel. Defeats the miner.

Combat: Elrond defends the patrol for 3 def. (Shadow is Ransacked Supplies. Discards Light of Valinor from play.) 2 damage on Elrond.

Things are looking grim already. Perhaps I shouldn't have engaged. However, I thought I needed to in order to clear the side quest quickly before more enemies appear.

Refresh: TD 30 discards Stand And Fight from under TD.

Discards 4 cards due to # of quests. Ancestral Armour, Silver Circlet, Kahliel's Tribesman and Firyal.

Turn 2

Draws Jubayr.

Planning: play Reforged to play Light of Valinor from the discard pile.

Play Steward of Gondor on Kahliel and exhaust it to add 2 resources.

Play Haradrim Spear on Kahliel.

Quest: choose A Haunt For Beasts as the current quest.

Commit Glorfindel and Elrond to the quest. For 6 WP.

Stages Firey Chasm.

4 threat vs 6 wp. 2 progress made on A Haunt for Beasts.

Combat: Kahliel defends the Patrol for 2 def. (Shadow is Ash Mountain Werewolf. No effect.) 3 damage on Kahliel.

Discard Jubayr from hand to ready Kahliel.

Kahliel and Glorfindel attack the patrol for 8 att (discarding the spear). Patrol takes 4 damage.

Refresh: TD 31 and discards Elrond's Council from under it. Discard 4 cards due to quests, Warden of Healing, Southron Refugee, Elrond's Council and Stand And Fight.

Turn 3

Draws Bilbo Baggins.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor

Play Bilbo Baggins using Elrond's resources. Bilbo searches the deck and finds no pipe.

Elrond pays to Play hidden cache and draw Galadriel.

Quest: choose A Haunt for Beasts as the current quest.

Commit Glorfindel, Elrond and Kahliel for 8 WP.

Stages The Tunnels of Torech Gorgor side quest. (This is really, really bad.)

5 threat Vs 8 WP. 3 progress made on A Haunt for Beasts. Clears it to the Victory Display.

Travel: forced to travel to Firey Chasm.

Combat: poor Bilbo defends the Patrol for 0 def. (Shadow is Namless Beast. Gains +0 attack [Hidden Cache]. Bilbo is defeated.

Refresh: TD 32 and discards Dwarf Pipe from under it. Quest forces 4 cards to be discarded: O Lórien!, Southron Refugee, Kahliel's Headdress and Kahliel's Headdress again.

Turn 4

Draws Ered Luin Miner.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor.

Play Galadriel using Kahliel's resource. Searches top 5 cards and puts Asfaloth into play on Glorfindel. Reorders Hidden Cache, Southron Refugee, Elf Friend and Galadriel top to bottom.

Play Ered Luin Miner using Elrond's and Kahliel's resources combined.

Play Dwarf Pipe on the miner.

Quest: choose Lost In The Dark as the current quest.

commit Glorfindel, Elrond and Kahliel for 8 WP.

Stages Mordor Cave Troll.

3 threat vs 8 Wp. Exhaust Asfaloth to put 2 progress on Fiery Chasm.

5 progress made. 3 on Fiery Chasm (exploring it) and 2 on Lost in the Dark. Forced: adds resource to Lost In the Dark and discard 4 cards: hidden Cache [puts 2 resources on Glorfindel], Southron Refugee, Elf-Friend and Galadriel who is saved by the Dwarf Pipe.

Combat:

Galadriel defends the Patrol for 0 def. (Shadow is Overwhelming Darkness side quest. No effect.) Galadriel is defeated.

Refresh: TD 33 and discards Haradrim Spear from under it. Quest discards 4 cards: Light of Valinor, Ered Luin Miner [is put into play], Hidden Cache [adds 2 resources to Glorfindel] and Reforged [saved by Dwarf Pipe]

Turn 5

Draws Kahliel's Tribesman.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor.

Play Kahliel's Tribesman using Kahliel's resources.

Quest: choose Lost In The Dark as the current quest.

commit Glorfindel, Elrond and Kahliel to the quest for 8 WP.

Stages Burning Reek. doomed 1. TD 34 and discards Light Of Valinor from under it. Also have to discard 6 cards due to having 6 characters in play. Only have 5 cards remaining so this is game over.

Really bad first turn. I think if I hadn't engaged the Patrol it would still have been really difficult to win due to the side quests comming out.

Oops I forgot to post that, I noticed you were discarding too many cards but forgot to mention that... Sorry. Yeah since you drew 6 cards you only discard 4 (assuming your deck is the standard 50 card size).

Game #4.

A double bill today.

Just threw this deck together. It's a dwarf deck and has 56 cards in it. It's probably trying to cram too much into it. But there is so much it needs to do in this quest that it's a struggle to think on what to focus on.

Still, most people probably play a deck and then need to tweak. So here goes my pre tweak attempt.

Heroes are (Leadership) Dain Ironfoot, (Spirit) Nori and (Leadership) Thorin Oakenshield. Threat Dial 32.

Draw starting hand. Durin's Song, Galadriel, Elf-Friend, Erebor Hammersmith, Durin's Song and Bofur. This hand has no set up cards so I'll mulligan

Mulligan: Gandalf (core), Ered Luin Miner, Dwarven Shield, Untroubled by Darkness, O Lórien! And Bofur.

Not much better.

Setup: 50 cards left so I need to discard 10.

Elf-Friend

Narvi's Belt

Dwarven Sellsword

Hardy Leadership

Galadhrim Weaver

Erebor Record Keeper

Reforged

Galadriel

The Elvenking

Erebor Toymaker.

Stages Overwhelming Darkness side quest (discard a card from deck after playing a card) and Torech Gorgor Patrol.

Turn 1

Draws Erebor Hammersmith.

Quest: choose Overwhelming Darkness as the current quest.

Commit Thorin and Nori for 7 WP.

Stages Writhing Shadows. Assigns 3 damage. (2 to Nori and 1 to Thorin. They are already exhausted so no further effect).

Play Bofur from hand (which doesn't trigger the side quest's forced effect.

Threat 3 Vs 10 WP. 7 progress made o the current quest moving it to the Victory Display. Top 3 discarded cards are shuffled back into the player deck. Bofur returns to my hand.

Refresh: TD 33. Quest discards Dwarven Sellsword and Dwarven Sellsword.

Turn 2

Draws Gandalf.

Planning: play Dwarven Shield on Dain using Thorins resources.

Quest: commit Thorin and Nori for 7 WP.

Stages Twisted Tunnel. Which puts a Spawn of Shelob into staging.

Play Bofur from hand.

5 Threat vs 10 WP. Places 5 progress on main quest.

Bofur returns to my hand.

Travel: to Twisted Tunnel.

Engagement: Spawn of Shelob engages. Discard Erebor Hammersmith.

Dain defends the spider for 4 def. (Shadow is Ransacked Supplies. Discards the shield.) No damage.

Refresh: TD 34. Discards Untroubled by Darkness and Bombur.

Turn 3

Draws Steward of Gondor

Planning: Dain pays to play Steward Of Gondor on Thorin and exhaust it.

Play Ered Luin Miner using Dain and Thorins resources. Nori reduces threat to 33.

Quest: commit Nori and the miner for 5 WP.

Stages Ransacked Supplies. Discards Dwarf Pipe. Adds 1 threat to staging.

3 threat vs 5 WP. Makes 2 progress on Twisted Tunnel exploring it.

Combat: Dain defends the spider for 3 Def. (Shadow is Fearful Shadows. Defender cannot ready.) No damage.

Thorin attacks spider for 3. Defeats it.

Refresh: TD 34. Discards Dwarf Pipe and Galadhrim Weaver.

Turn 4

Draws Galadriel.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor.

Play Galadriel (Thorin and Dain pays) she searches and pulls nothing (Ancestral Armour is only Attachment). Re orders top to bottom: Hidden Cache, Ancestral Armor, Reforged, Erebor Toymaker and Galadriel.

Quest: commit Thorin, Nori and the miner for 6 WP.

Stages Crumbling Passage

2 Threat vs 6 WP. 4 progress made. 3 explores Crumbling Passage (each exhausted character takes 1 damage) and 1 progress on the main quest.

Refresh: TD 35. Galadriel leaves play. Discards Hidden Cache [2 resources on Nori] and Ancestral Armour.

Turn 5

Draws Reforged.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor

Play Reforged to play Narvi's Belt on Thorin from the discard pile.

Exhaust Narvi's Belt to give Thorin lore. Play Erebor Hammersmith. Returns Ancestral Armour to hand. Nori reduces threat to 34

Play Ancestral Armour on Dain. Dain and Thorin use all of their resources.

Quest: commit Nori and Erebor Hammersmith for 5 WP.

Stages Ransacked Supplies. Discards Erebor Toymaker adding 3 threat to staging.

Play Bofur from hand.

5 threat vs 7 WP. 2 progress made on main quest.

Bofur returns to hand.

Refresh: TD 35 discards Galadriel and Durin's Song.

Turn 6

Thorin receives an extra resource as 5 dwarves in play.

Draws Narvi's Belt.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor

Play Gandalf paid by Dain and Thorin. Puts 4 damage on the Torech Gorgor Patrol.

Quest: commit Nori and Erebor Hammersmith for 5 WP.

Stages Hideous Deeps.

Play Bofur from hand.

5 threat vs 7 WP. 2 progress made on the main quest (10).

Bofur returns to hand.

Travel: to Hideous Deeps.

Engagement: engages Torech Gorgor Patrol. Makes an immediate attack. Gandalf defends for 4 def. (Shadow is Crumbling Passage. No effect. 1 Damage on Gandalf.

Combat: Dain defends patrol for 5 def. (Shadow is Mordor Cave Troll. No effect) no damage.

Refresh: TD 36 discards Dwarf Pipe and Elf-Friend. Gandalf leaves play.

Turn 7

Draws Galadriel.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor

Play Gandalf (Dain and Thorin pay) puts 4 damage on the patrol.

Quest: commit Nori and Erebor Hammersmith for 5 WP.

Stages Orc Passage.

Play Bofur from hand. Play Untroubled by Darkness.

Threat 4 vs 14 WP. 10 progress made. 6 explore Hideous Deeps shuffling the 3 face down cards into my deck. 4 progress on the main quest

Bofur returns to hand.

Combat: Gandalf defends for 4 def. (Shadow is Writhing Shadows. Makes another attack.) 1 damage on Gandalf.

Dain now defends the Patrol for 5 def. (Shadow is Twisted Tunnel. Discards Burning Reek. No other effect.) No damage on Dain.

Refresh: TD 37 discards Durin's song and Gandalf.

Gandalf leaves play.

Turn 8

Draws Ered Luin Miner.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor

Play Galadriel. Searches: no attachment. Reorders- Ered Luin Miner, Stand and Fight, Galadhrim Weaver, Warden of Healing and Stand and Fight.

Play Ered Luin Miner. Nori reduces threat to 36

Quest: commit Nori, Erebor Hammersmith and a miner for 7 WP.

Stages Narrow Opening.

7 threat vs 7 WP.

Combat: Galadriel defends for 0. (Shadow is Burning Reek. Discards Ered Luin Miner (now enters play.) And Stand and Fight. Galadriel is defeated. Thorin and a miner defeat the Patrol.

Refresh: TD 37. Discards Galadhrim Weaver and Warden of Healing

Turn 9

Draws Stand and Fight.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor

Exhaust Narvi's Belt to give Thorin spirit.

Play Stand and Fight to put Bombur into play.

Quest: Exhaust Bomber to make Orc Passage threat 0.

Commit Thorin, Nori, Erebor Hammersmith, and 2 miners for 13 WP.

Stages Ash Mountain Werewolf.

Play Bofur using Nori's resource.

Threat 5 vs 16. 11 progress made. Advance to stage 2. Puts A Haunt for Beasts into play. Stages Torech Gorgor Patrol (just caused a loss).

Bofur returns to hand.

Travel to Narrow Passage.

Engagement: Ash Mountain Werewolf engages.

Combat: Dain defends for 5 def. (Shadow is Spawn of Shelob. Exhausts a miner) Werewolf discards Hidden Cache [adds 2 resources to Thorin].

Refresh: TD 38. Discards The Elvenking x2 and The Steward of Gondor.

Turn 10

Draws Erebor Toymaker.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor

Ehaust Narvi's Belt to give Thorin spirit.

Play Erebor Toymaker using Thorin's resources. Nori reduces threat to 37

Quest: exhaust Bomber to make Orc Passage Threat 0.

Commit Nori, Erebor Hammersmith and Toymaker for 8 WP.

Stages Crumbling Passage switches with active location. (And can now play more than 1 card a turn)

Play Nori plays Bofur from hand.

6 threat vs 11 WP. 5 progress made. 3 explores Crumbling Passage and 2 on main quest. 1 damage on each exhausted character. Nori is defeated.

Bofur returns to hand.

Travel: to Narrow Passage

Combat: Dain defends Werewolf for 5 def. (Shadow is Hideous Deeps. No effect). No damage. Discards O Lórien!.

Thorin, and 3 miners attack the Werewolf defeating it.

Refresh:TD 38. Discards Stand and Fight, Durin's Song and Reforged.

Turn 11

Draws Hidden Cache.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor

Play Hidden Cache to draw Erebor Hammersmith.

2 cards left in player deck. Can't win as they'll be discarded this round.

I think what makes this quest so hard is the '1 more than X' text on numerous cards. I think it should just have been X as there is always a main quest in play so X would always be 1.

I feel that the Galadhrim Weaver is the only way to rescue cards from the discard pile. And the only way to reccur her without discarding a card is with The Elvenking. And that means either playing a Silvan Hero or having Elf-Friend. All that takes a lot of set up. So you need to pull those attachments or get them back with Reforged, Stand and Fight and Erebor Hammersmith etc.

Does anybody else have an idea on how to use the card discarding mechanics to an advantage or at least prolong your life in the quest?

Edited by asgardianphil
Spelling errors
19 minutes ago, asgardianphil said:

feel that the Galadhrim Weaver is the only way to rescue cards from the discard pile.

Dwarf Pipe is another.

20 minutes ago, asgardianphil said:

Does anybody else have an idea on how to use the card discarding mechanics to an advantage or at least prolong your life in the quest?

Hidden Cache and Ered Luin Miner are one way. Another is a Noldor deck which wants some copies of other cards in the discard pile already (Elwing's Flight, Lords of the Eldar and so forth). Whenever the quest will be up on OCTG I will try it a few times.

Yep, I had 3 off the Dwarven Pipes. They are really good, but you need a shuffler too otherwise the cards you save sit on the bottom. So the Galadhrim Weaver helps with that.

I've made a few tweaks and exchanged Nori for spirit Legolas so that I don't need Elf-Friend or O Lórien! Although I've left in that so that she becomes free to play.

More importantly I've got the deck down to 50 cards.

I guess if I use the one ring and a master card I could get the discard down to just two cards.

Game #5.

50 card deck tweaked.

Heroes Legolas (spirit), Thorin and Dain Ironfoot (leadership)

Threat 32.

Draw Durin's Song, Reforged, Dwarf Pipe, Ancestral Armor, Galadriel and Narvi's Belt.

Keeping this hand.

Set up: search and play The One Ring on Dain. Search for Inner Strength and add to hand.

Put Torech Gorgor Patrol in staging

Dicards until The Tunnels of Torech Gorgor and put it in staging. (Can't quest here till explored 3 locations)

Discard down to 40 cards-

Ered Luin Miner (enters play)

Gandalf (core)

Turn 1

Draws Ered Luin Miner.

Planning: plays Narvi's Belt on Thorin.

Play Dwarf Pipe on Thorin.

Quest. Commit Thorin, miner and Legolas for 7 WP.

Stages Fearful Shadows. Doomed 1. TD 33. Each text box is blank.

3 threat vs 5 WP. 2 progress made on stage 1.

Refresh: TD 34. Discards Galadriel (smoked pipe to save), Bombur and Untroubled by Darkness.

Turn 2

Draws Steward of Gondor.

Planning: Play Steward of Gondor on Thorin. Exhaust Steward of Gondor.

Play Inner Strength on Dain.

Quest: commit Thorin, miner and Legolas for 7 WP.

Stages Writhing Shadows. Assigns 3 damage. Put 1 on Legolas, Thorin and the miner.

3 threat vs 7 WP. Makes 4 progress on stage 1.

Refresh: TD 35. Dicards Erebor Toymaker, Dwarven Sellsword and Stand and Fight (smokes pipe to save S.A.F)

Turn 3

Draws Hidden Cache.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor

Play Galadriel. Puts Dwarf Pipe on to Dain. Reorders: Erebor Galadhrim Weaver, Erebor Toymaker, Durin's Song and Stand and Fight.

Play Hidden Cache to draw Galadhrim Weaver.

Plays Galadhrim Weaver to shuffle in Hidden Cache.

Quest: Commit Thorin, Galadriel a miner and Legolas for 10 WP.

Stages Ransacked Supplies. Discards Stand and Fight to add 0 to staging. Dwarf Pipe saves it.

Threat 3 vs 10 WP. Makes 7 progress but is limited to 5 due to the Patrol. (Stage 1 total now 11).

Refresh:TD 36. Discards Galadriel (saved by pipe 1), Warden of Healing (I'll risk loosing him to get him back with Stand and Fight) and Erebor Record Keeper (pipe saves).

Galadriel leaves play.

Turn 4

Draws Stand and Fight.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor.

Play Ancestral Armour on Dain.

Narvi's Belt gives Thorin spirit.

Play Stand and Fight to play Warden of Healing.

Quest: commit Thorin, Miner and Legolas for 7 WP.

Stages Firey Chasm.

6 threat vs 7WP. 1 progress made on stage 1

Travel: to Firey Chasm.

Warden of Healing heals miner and Legolas.

Refresh:TD 37. Discards Stand and Fight (pipe saves), Elven-light and Galadriel (pipe saves)

Turn 5

Draws Narvi's Belt.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor. Play Elven-light to draw Erebor Hammersmith.

Play Ered Luin Miner.

Quest: commit Thorin, both miners and Legolas for 9 WP

Discards Elven-light to ready Thorin.

Stages Firey Chasm. Play Durin's Song on Thorin.

Threat 6 vs 11 WP. 5 progress made. Explores Fiery Chasm and none on stage 1. Discards Gandalf, Hidden Cache [adds 2 resources to Thorin] and Dwarven Sellsword. Add 1 resource to TTOTG side quest.

Travel: forced to travel to 2nd Firey Chasm.

Warden heals Thorin.

Refresh:TD 38. Discards The Elvenking, Hidden Cache [add 2 resources to Thorin] and Hidden Cache [adds 2 resources to Thorin]

Turn 6

Draws Galadhrim Weaver.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor.

Exhaust Narvi's Belt to give Thorin lore.

Play Erebor Hammersmith and put The Elvenking into hand.

Play The Elvenking on Legolas.

Play Galadhrim Weaver and shuffle Hidden Cache back into deck.

Quest: commit Thorin, Legolas, Galadhrim Weaver, Erebor Hammersmith and 1 miner for 10 WP.

Legolas discards Narvi's Belt to ready Thorin.

Stages Burning Reek. Doomed 1. TD 39. Discards 9 cards:

Erebor Record Keeper

Stand and Fight (pipe saves)

Stand and Fight (pipe saves)

Erebor Hammersmith

Reforged

Bofur

Bilbo

Erebor Toymaker

Galadhrim Weaver.

3 threat vs 10 WP. 7 progress made. 5 explores Fiery Chasm. Add 1 resource to stage 1 and discards 3 cards: Ered Luin Miner (enters play), Dwarf Pipe and Reforged. 2 progress on stage 1.

Engagement: Torech Gorgor Patrol is engaged. Makes an immediate attack.

Dain defends for 6 def. (Shadow is Ash Mountain Werewolf. No effect.) No damage.

Combat: take attack undefended. (Shadow is Orc Passage. No effect). 5 damage on Dain.

Warden heals Dain

Elvenking exhaust to ready Legolas. Returns Weaver to hand.

Legolas, Thorin and 2 miners attack for 8. 4 damage on the Patrol.

Refresh:TD 40.

Exhaust Narvi's Belt to give Thorin spirit.

Play Reforged to put Dwarf Pipe on Erebor Hammersmith.

Discard Dwarven Sellsword (piped), Galadriel (piped) and Galadriel (piped)

Turn 7

5 dwarves in play. So Thorin gains an extra resource.

Draws Gandalf.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor.

Plays Galadhrim Weaver shuffles Reforged back to deck. Play Gandalf to reduce threat to 35.

Quest: commit Thorin, Legolas, and Erebor Hammersmith for 8 WP.

Stages Mordor Cave Troll.

3 threat vs 8 WP. Makes 5 progress on stage 1

Engagement: Cave Troll engages.

Exhaust Elvenking to ready Legolas

Combat:

Exhaust warden to heal Dain.

Dain defends the troll for 6 def. (Shadow is A Haunt for Beasts side quest. No effect.) No Damage.

Ered Luin Miner defends Patrol for 1 def. (Shadow is Writhing Shadows. Makes an additional attack). Defeated miner.

Gandalf defends. (Shadow is Narrow Passage. No effect). 1 damage on Gandalf.

Legolas and 2 miners attack patrol for 1 damage.

Refresh:TD 36. Discards Steward of Gondor (piped), Erebor Hammersmith (piped) and Galadriel (piped)

Gandalf leaves play.

Turn 8

Draws O Lórien!

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor.

Play O Lórien! on Legolas.

Play Galadhrim Weaver for free. Shuffles Gandalf back in the deck

Play Elven-light from discard pile to draw Reforged.

Quest: commit Legolas, Thorin, and 1 weaver for 6 WP

Discard Elven-light to ready Thorin.

Stages Twisted Tunnel. Adds Torech Gorgor Patrol to staging. (#×÷×$$###!!!) That's probably just lost me the game)

5 threat vs 6 WP. 1 progress made on stage 1.

Travel: forced to go to Twisted Tunnel.

Combat: exhaust warden to heal Dain.

Dain defends the cave troll for 6 def. (Shadow is Lost in The Dark side quest. No effect.) No damage.

Ered Luin Miner defends the Patrol for 1 def. (Shadow is Orc Passage. No effect.) Defeats the miner.

Legolas, Thorin and a miner attack Cave troll for 7 att. Deals 4 damage.

Ehaust The Elvenking to ready Legolas. Return Weaver to hand.

Refresh:TD 37. Discards Erebor Hammersmith (piped), Steward of Gondor (piped) and Stand and Fight (piped).

Turn 9

No longer have 5 dwarves in play.

Draws Galadriel.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor

Exhaust Narvi's Belt to give Thorin spirit.

Play Galadhrim Weaver. Shuffles Ered Luin Miner into deck.

Play Galadriel. Searches and there's no attachment. Reorders Gandalf, Galadriel, Dwarven Sellsword, Durin's song and Stand and Fight.

Play Elven-light from discard pile to draw Gandalf.

Play Gandalf. Put 4 damage on Torech Gorgor Patrol defeating it.

Quest: commit Legolas, Thorin, a Weaver and Erebor Hammersmith for 8 WP.

Discards Elven-light to ready Thorin.

Stages Crumbling Passage. Switches with active location.

5 threat vs 8 WP. 3 progress made. Explores Crumbling Passage. Damages Thorin, Legolas, and Erebor Hammersmith. Defeats a Galadhrim Weaver. Adds 1 resource to TToTG

Travel: forced to go to Twisted Tunnel.

Engagement: engages Torech Gorgor Patrol. Makes an immediate attack. Galadriel defends for 0. (Shadow is Spawn of Shelob. Exhausts Galadhrim Weaver. ) Galadriel is defeated.

Combat:

Warden Heals Dain and Erebor Hammersmith.

Exhaust Elvenking and return weaver to hand to ready Legolas.

Gandalf defends cave troll for 4 def. (Shadow is Ransacked Supplies. Discards O Lórien!) Gandalf takes 2 damage.

Dain defends the Patrol for def 6. (Shadow is Narrow Passage. No effect.) No damage.

Legolas, Thorin and a miner attack cave troll for 7. 4 damage on it defeating it

Refresh: TD 38. Discards Galadriel (piped) Dwarven Sellsword (piped) and Durin's Song (piped)

Gandalf leaves play.

Turn 10

Draws Stand and Fight.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor.

Exhaust Narvi's Belt to give Thorin spirit.

Play Galadhrim Weaver to shuffle Gandalf back into deck.

Play Reforged to put O Lórien! On Legolas.

Play Stand and Fight to play Dwarven Sellsword.

Play Elven-light from discard pile to draw Hidden Cache.

Quest: choose TTOTG as current quest.

Commit Legolas, Thorin, a miner and dwarven Sellsword for 9 WP.

Discards Elven-light to ready Thorin

Stages Spawn of Shelob, surges into Namless Beast.

4 threat vs 9 WP. 5 progress made. 2 on Twisted Tunnel explores it and 3 on TTOTG clearing it to Victory Display.

Engagement: Namless Beast and Spawn of Shelob engages. Choose not to discard a card for the spider giving it a +2.

Combat: ready Legolas using Elvenking and weaver.

Warden heals Dain and Thorin.

Dain defends Namless Beast. Discards stand and Fight to add 0 attack. (Shadow is Hideous Deeps. No Effect. ) no damage.

Torech Gorgor Patrol attacks undefended. (Shadow is Ash Mountain Werewolf. No effect.) Dain takes 5 Damage.

Thorin defends Spawn of Shelob for 1 def. Shadow is Spawn of Shelob. Exhausts Legolas. ) 3 damage on Thorin.

Refresh:TD 39. Discards Galadriel (piped), Ered Luin Miner (put into play). Pay 1 resource to keep Sellsword.

Turn 11.

5 dwarves in play.

Draws Steward of Gondor.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor.

Play Galadhrim Weaver for free to shuffle Stand and Fight back into deck.

Play Elven-light light to draw Stand and Fight.

Exhaust Narvi's Belt to give Thorin spirit.

Play Stand and Fight to play Bombur.

Quest: commit Erebor Hammersmith and 2 miners for 6 WP.

Stages Overwhelming Darkness.

0 threat vs 6 WP. 6 progress made on stage 1. Advances to stage 2. Finds and stages A Haunt for Beasts side quest. Discards until Ash Mountain Werewolf is staged.

Engagement: Ash Mountain Werewolf engages. Now have 4 enemies engaged.

Warden heals Thorin and Dain.

Sellsword defends Namless Beast for 2 def. Discards Gandalf to add +5 att. (Pipe saves Gandalf. Shadow is Burning Reek. Move nameless beast to staging after attack. ) defeats Sellsword.

Bombur defends Spawn of Shelob for 1 def. (Shadow is Cave Troll of Mordor. No effect.) Bombur takes 1 damage.

Dain defends Torech Gorgor Patrol for 6 def. (Shadow is Crumbling Passage. No effect.) No damage.

Next either Thorin or Legolas is going to die so it has to be Legolas due to pipe and resources on Thorin.

Legolas defends Ash Mountain Werewolf for 1 def. (Shadow is Torech Gorgor Patrol. No effect.) Legolas is defeated.

Thorin attacks and defeats Spawn of Shelob.

Refresh:TD 40 discards 4 cards. Dwarven Sellsword (piped) Durin's Song (piped), Erebor Hammersmith and Galadriel (piped).

Turn 12

Draws Gandalf.

Planning: exhaust Steward of Gondor

Play Gandalf put 4 damage on Ash Mountain Werewolf. Discard Dwarven Sellsword.

Quest: choose Overwhelming Darkness as the current quest.

Commit Thorin, 2 miners and Erebor Hammersmith for 10 WP.

Stages Narrow Opening.

6 threat vs 10 WP. 4 progress made on quest.

Engagement: Namless Beast engages.

Combat: exhaust Narvi's Belt to give Thorin Lore.

Exhaust warden to heal Dain and Thorin. Spend 2 resources to repeat. Spend 2 resources to ready warden. Exhaust warden to heal Dain and Bombur. Spend 2 resources to ready warden. Exhaust warden to heal Dain.

Namless Beast attacks undefended. Discards Durin's Song to add 1 att. (Shadow is Ransacked Supplies. Discard Steward of Gondor.) Thorin takes 4 damage.

Ash Mountain Werewolf attacks undefended. (Shadow is Writhing Shadows. Makes another attack.) 4 damage on Dain. Discards Galadriel.

No cards left in deck. Game over.

So what have I learned..

The enemies are Gandalf proof. (None can be killed by him except the Spawn of Shelob which is a waste for Gandalf, so yeah he's Gandalf proof too.

The starting enemy Torech Gorgor Patrol shuts down uber questing. He maximises your progress to 5 on the main quest. But you need to make 50 progress over the 2 stages.

The side quests are brutal adding to staging threat. One can't be quested unless you've explored 3 locations. One cant be quested whilst enemies are staged. One punishes you for each card played and one grabs 10 cards off you.

Locations want you to come with direct progress effects. They all trigger on being explored rather than travel effects.

Any strategy you try to build is broken by the constant discarding or imprisoning of cards.

The game is over if you run out of cards and you only start with 40. Draw 1 card each turn and discard on average 3 a turn. Means you have to do this quest in 10 turns or find ways to get cards back.

Having high costing cards in your deck or discard pile can ruin your day from a couple of encounter cards.

Locks out Will of the West

Direct damage will kill your 1 HP questers.

Shadow effects cause additional attacks.

Swarming of characters is checked with a nasty treachery.

All characters' game text can be cancelled by treachery.

Attachment discarding effects.

All in all a very difficult and nasty quest. The synergy between staging effects and Shadow effects is tight. There's no card you want to see come up. Nothing really whiffs. It all combos nicely together.

What you need to do to win is basically engage and/or kill the Torech Gorgor Patrol and quest hard ignoring everything else.

But the encounter deck won't let you get off so easily.

9 hours ago, asgardianphil said:

nd/or kill the Torech Gorgor Patrol

Which is also TaEowyn-proof since it requires a total of 13 Attack and since it makes at least two attacks (one on engagement and one on the combat phase) can't be just Feinted away.

Also how lovely that basically almost all the enemies have just over 4 (or 8 in case of the Patrol) Hit Points so that if Haunt of Beasts is in play you have to deal with them for at least 1 extra turn.

Edited by Alonewolf87

Just a reminder in case you are feeling frustrated. 😃

493654d6ef.jpg

8 hours ago, Ely Hill said:

Just a reminder in case you are feeling frustrated. 😃

493654d6ef.jpg

🤭 🤭 🤭

This is so true..

But I fear secrecy won't cut it either.

I think frustration is part of the game, in fact any game. I'd be lying if I hadn't felt frustrated at being killed in a computer game (the Dark Zone in the Division is particularly frustrating when a clan swoop down on you and steal your stuff and slaughter you.)

I reckon if you feel frustrated at this game then the game makers will be chuckling to themselves and congratulating themselves on creating a particularly challenging scenario.

On the one hand it forces you to think out of the box but on the other hand it makes you reach for the must have staples and the big powerful guns that you can't win without.

I wonder if this quest could be beaten with the contract it came with?

Back to the drawing board... maybe I'll try a Rohan questing deck..

Game #6

I thought about hitting the enemies in staging so I found a Fastred/Dunhere deck that does it. I made a few tweaks but it has none of the discard manipulation I had in before, so no stand and fight/reforged or Galadhrim Weaver shenanigans.

In fact the deck also has no healing or resource acceleration which I'm a little worried about.

So here goes nothing...

Heroes Fastred, Dunhere and (tactics) Éowyn. Threat Dial 26

50 card deck.

Draw hand: Elrond's Council, A Test of Will, Open The Armoury, Galadriel's Handmaiden, Dagger of Westernesse and Strength And Courage.

I'll mulligan as I don't want the master card.

Mulligan: Arwen Undómiel, Pippin, Golden Belt, Galadriel's Handmaiden, Knights of The Swan and Ancient Mathom.

Setup: reduce threat by 3 TD 26.

Search for The One Ring and put it on Dunhere.

Search for a master card. Finds Strength and Courage and adds to hand.

Discard 2 cards: Captain Of Gondor and Silvan Refugee.

Add Torech Gorgor Patrol to staging.

Add Lost in the Dark to staging and it puts 10 cards under threat dial.

Turn 1

Draws Dagger of Westernesse.

Planning: play Golden Belt and Dagger of Westernesse on Dunhere.

Play Arwen Undómiel.

Quest: choose Lost in the Dark as current Quest.

Commit Éowyn and Arwen for 6 WP. +1 def to Fastred.

Stages Firey Chasm.

6 threat vs 6 WP. No progress.

Travel: to Firey Chasm.

Combat: Dunhere attacks Torech Gorgor Patrol in staging for 5 att. Deals 1 damage.

Refresh: TD 24 and discards Dagger of Westernesse from under dial.

Discard 3 cards: Open the Armory, Ethir Swordsman and Arwen Undómiel.

Turn 2

Draws Spear of The Mark.

Planning: play Spear of The Mark on Dunhere. (Now has 3 restricted attachments)

Play Galadriel's Handmaiden. TD 23.

Quest: choose Lost In The Dark as the current quest.

commit Éowyn, Arwen and Galadriel's Handmaiden for 8 WP. +1 def to Fastred.

Stages Narrow opening.

6 threat vs 8 WP. 2 progress made on Fiery Chasm.

Combat: Dunhere attacks Torech Gorgor Patrol in staging for 7. Deals 3 damage.

Refresh: TD 24 and discards Golden Belt from under it.

Discard 3 cards: Galadriel's Handmaiden, Elrond's Council and another Elrond's Council.

Turn 3

Draws Spear Of The Mark.

Planning: play Strength and Courage on Dunhere.

Play Ancient Mathom on Firey Chasm.

Quest:

Choose Lost in the Dark as the current quest.

Éowyn, Arwen and Galadriel's Handmaiden for 8 WP. +1 def to Fastred

Stages Nameless Beast.

9 threat vs 8 WP. +1 threat. TD 25 and discards Open the Armory from under it.

Combat: Dunhere attacks Torech Gorgor Patrol in staging. Use The One Ring with Strength and Courage to double printed att. TD 26 and discards Elrond's Council from under it. Dunhere attacks for 10. Defeating the patrol.

Refresh: TD 27 and discards Ancient Mathom from under it.

Discards 3 cards: Silvan Refugee, Rainment of War and Unseen Strike.

Turn 4

Draws Unseen Strike.

Quest: choose Lost in the Dark as the current quest.

Commit Éowyn, Arwen and Galadriel's Handmaiden for 8 WP. +1 def to Fastred.

Stages A Haunt for Beasts side quest. (Just in time to protect namless beasts)

6 threat Vs 8 WP. 2 progress made on Fiery Chasm.

Combat: Dunhere attacks Namless Beast for 8. Deals 4 damage.

Refresh: TD 28. And discards Unexpected Courage from under it.

Discards 4 cards: Open the Armory, Golden Shield, A Test of Will and Ethir Swordsman.

Turn 5

Draws Honour Guard.

Planning: play Pippin.

Quest: choose Lost in the Dark as the current quest.

Commit Éowyn Arwen, Galadriel's Handmaiden and Pippin for 10 Wp. +1 def to Fastred.

Stages Orc Passage.

10 threat vs 10 WP. No progress made.

Combat: Dunhere attacks and defeats Namless Beat in staging.

Refresh: TD 29 and discards A Test of Will from under it.

Discard 4 cards: Dagger of Westernesse, Galadriel's Handmaiden, Honour Guard and Arwen Undómiel.

Turn 6

Draws Knight of The Swan.

Quest: choose A Haunt for Beasts as the current quest.

Commit Éowyn, Arwen, Galadriel's Handmaiden and Pippin for 10 WP. +1 def to Fastred.

Stages Torech Gorgor Patrol.

Threat 11 vs 10 WP. TD 30 and discards Unseen Strike from under it.

Combat: Dunhere attacks Torech Gorgor Patrol for 8. Dealing 4 damage.

Refresh: TD 31 and discards Ethir Swordsman from under it.

Discard 4 cards: Bofur, Spear of The Mark, Unexpected Courage and Gondorian Shield.

With only 3 cards left I'll scoop. It well and truly beat me. Couldn't even clear the first location.

Hey the deck u used in game 5 was good. I have a suggestion. Add 3 copies of hunting party. Thats lets you discard an enemy in staging for something else.

I was thinking if perhaps a Caldara heavy willpower deck might be a good choice for this quest, make use of the starting discard to seed good allies to take back. Possibly a SpEowyn/Arwen/Caldara lineup to hopefully play Prince Imrahil in the first turn to get back some good allies. You could maybe start with more than 60 cards to raise the chance of discarding something useful like Glorfindel/Jubayr/Elfhelm/Northern Tracker in the quest setup.

EDIT: possibly something like this

https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/16038/monospiritundertheashmountains-2.0

Edited by Alonewolf87
1 hour ago, Alonewolf87 said:

I was thinking if perhaps a Caldara heavy willpower deck might be a good choice for this quest, make use of the starting discard to seed good allies to take back. Possibly a SpEowyn/Arwen/Caldara lineup to hopefully play Prince Imrahil in the first turn to get back some good allies. You could maybe start with more than 60 cards to raise the chance of discarding something useful like Glorfindel/Jubayr/Elfhelm/Northern Tracker in the quest setup.

EDIT: possibly something like this

https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/16023/monospiritundertheashmountains-1.0

I don't see how this deck is gonna handle enemies. Its got great willpower but other than ride them down, not to many ways to deal with big enemies, like the patrol who prevents more than 5 progress. If the wild beasts sidequest comes out I think your deck would be doomed...

53 minutes ago, MikeGracey said:

I don't see how this deck is gonna handle enemies. Its got great willpower but other than ride them down, not to many ways to deal with big enemies, like the patrol who prevents more than 5 progress. If the wild beasts sidequest comes out I think your deck would be doomed...

It stil has quite a bit of decent combat allies (Elfhelm, the Trackers, Glorfindel, Rider of Rohan) and Eowyn with Herugrim is attacking for 5+ so not too shabby either. For defense we have Jubayr, Against the Shadow, the Watchmen or a "sneak attack" ally with Stand and Fight. It might have some problems handling big enemies, you are right, I won't know for sure until I playtest it a bit.

The main idea was to try and take advantage of all those discard, especially the Setup ones, and Caldara seemed a good fit for that.

Another idea might be to use Saruman or Revelead in Wrath to get rid of the Patrol restriction on progress without actually having to engage it.

Edited by Alonewolf87

Caldara is certainly an interesting option with pulling allies out of the discard. She would probably be best with a tactical deck across the table.

And deck that can fit hunting party in should probably do it for this quest. Discarding the patrol is incredibly powerful

I did toy around with the idea of putting in a load of cards to get a good portion of them into the discard pile. So maybe 70 cards of which 26 would be discarded hopefully putting in there a load of stuff I could work with.

It might dilute the deck so that there's less chance of something important being discarded. But you're more likely to loose all 3 copies of an important card you can't get back. After erroneously discarding too many cards in my first few games I realised that any amount of cards discarded was bad news.

So what cards are going to work in this deck? (Not necessarily together)

♤ Discard Pile shennenigens:

Anborn

Anchor Watch

Beorning Skin Changer

Book of Eldacar

Caldera

Dwarf Pipe

Dwarven Tomb

Elven-light

Elwings Flight

Erebor Hammersmith

Fortune or Fate

Galadhrim Weaver

Glorfindel ally

Gúthwinë

Gwaihir

Háma

Kahliel's Headdress

Knight of Belfalas

Lords Of The Eldar

Map Of Earnil

Master Ironsmith

Men Of The West

Mithlond Sea-watcher

Nori ally

Orophin

Prince Imrahill

Reforged

Sailor of Lune

Scroll of Isildur

Second Breakfast

Skyward Volley

Stand and Fight

The Evening Star

The Houses of Healing

To Me! O My Kinsfolk!

To The Eyrie

Tome Of Atanatar

Veteran Sword-Elf

Warden Of The Havens

♡ Saves discarded from Play/hand/discarded from deck

Gamling

Ered Luin Miner

Hidden Cache

Rallying Cry

Silver Harp

◇ Counter productive:

Ered Nimrais Prospector

♧ Prohibited Cards:

The White Council

Will of The West

Edited by asgardianphil
8 hours ago, MikeGracey said:

And deck that can fit hunting party in should probably do it for this quest. Discarding the patrol is incredibly powerful

The Great Hunt too.