I'm running a secrecy deck at the moment, with a lot of encounter deck manipulation, and I was wondering if the following combo is legitimate (and worth the effort):

Play Mithril Shirt, which is guarded (location), to filter enemies in particular out of the encounter deck, as my deck isn't strong on combat. Then after I have Mithril Shirt attached to my hero, play Bartering, to return Mithril Shirt to my hand, and then immediately play it again for free, sending more enemies (and treacheries) to the discard pile.

So, does this work!?

Obviously there is some luck involved (though I can scry the encounter deck, to an extent, to make it less of a gamble). Also, I can probably use Asfaloth to deal with the extra location, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Potentially, I can clear whole swathes of enemies from the encounter deck, if this combo is legit!

Quote

Mithril Shirt

Guarded (location).

Attach to a hero.

Response: When attached hero is dealt any amount of damage, reduce that damage by 1.

Quote

Bartering
Planning Action: Choose a ready player attachment on a character you control. Return that attachment to its owner’s hand to reduce the cost of the next attachment played this phase by X, where is the chosen attachment’s cost.

5 minutes ago, steve83 said:

Play Mithril Shirt, which is guarded (location), to filter enemies in particular out of the encounter deck, as my deck isn't strong on combat. Then after I have Mithril Shirt attached to my hero, play Bartering, to return Mithril Shirt to my hand, and then immediately play it again for free, sending more enemies (and treacheries) to the discard pile.

So, does this work!?

It works, but it's debatable if it's actually worth the effort unless you play lots of encounter deck manipulation (or use scrying and are a bit lucky).

Thanks.

I am using lots of deck manipulation and scrying, so now that I know it technically works, I shall give it a try and see if it works in practice.

1 hour ago, steve83 said:

Thanks.

I am using lots of deck manipulation and scrying, so now that I know it technically works, I shall give it a try and see if it works in practice.

Take into consideration that without loads of location control this might end up backfiring, since you could end up shuffling back an encounter deck made mainly of enemies and treacheries.

This specific case aside Guarded (X) cards (especially those limited to locations or enemies) are indeed useful for this kind of encounter deck thinning and "manipulation".

It can only really be used 4 times at most during the game (without adding extra ways to get discarded copies of Bartering back into my hand), and its unlikely I'd see all three copies of Bartering during the game. I don't think I'm likely to get through the entire deck, as I will be sprinting through the quest as quickly as possible (Return to Mirkwood, and I'll be playing two-handed with my Silvan deck, to spread the threat increases around).

Also, Asfaloth (attached to Spirit Glofindel) should help wipe out the extra location quickly (and the majority of the locations have 3 or fewer progress in the scenario), and willpower isn't too much of a problem with my deck. (With an ideal starting hand I can be questing for 7 on my first turn with only two heroes and no allies, and no one exhausted!*)

I have plenty more ways to deal with location lock if need be, but I don't think I'll need them. (I'm not playing progression, and I have most of the cardpool.)

(*ETA: that's with just the secrecy deck. The Silvan deck I've just added to assist me, as Return to Mirkwood is difficult solo and forces me out of secrecy by turn 2!)