Welcome & Introduction:

Welcome to my ninth Solo Player LOTR LCG Tournament. The idea behind this tournament is that for one week (Sunday – Saturday), everyone is invited to participate in playing a particular scenario with particular deck building requirements in a Solo Player Tournament. You are then invited to record and post your final score, the heroes you used, and any additional narrative that you’d like to add.

Note: this is not a place to post results from the past. The tournament has a one-week lifespan, and only games played and recorded throughout this week are valid. As the week unfolds, I will keep this first post updated with the Top Ten results. (Each participant can occupy a maximum of one Top Ten spot at a time, so you’re welcome to try and best your own result throughout the week.) See also, The juicebox LOTR LCG Top Ten Hall of Fame.

Will you place in the Top Ten for the week? I hope you’ll participate and find out!

After the end of this week’s tournament, you are welcome to continue to post results to this thread if you continue to play this particular scenario under these particular parameters. However, the Top Ten on this first post will not continue to be updated after the week is over, thus preserving (like a time capsule) the results from this week’s tournament. In the mean time, if you have ideas for a future tournament, feel free to post them in the Ideas Thread.

And now… on to this week’s Solo Player Tournament!

Solo Player Tournament #9:

Scenario: Journey Down the Anduin
Deck Parameters: 1-3 CS + all SoM APs
Tournament Mechanics: Sets of 3*
Number of Players: Solo Player

*Sets of 3:
1) A valid result in this tournament consists of reporting your results (wins and losses) from 3 back-to-back games, using the same deck for each of those 3 games. (Please observe the mulligan rule, and all other rules, from the LOTR LCG rulebook and subsequent official FAQ documents.)
2) After you post your results, the results from your 3 games will be calibrated using the RGun formula** to obtain your Weighted Result.
3) Weighted Results will then be ranked against other player’s Weighted Results in the Top Ten for this week’s tournament.
4) You may play and report as many games (in Sets of 3) as you would like (so you can try out different deck builds over the week).
5) Toward the end of the week, feedback about your game-play experience (playing in Sets of 3) will be received with enthusiasm.

**The RGun formula has been designed to value both Final Score (per game) and overall Win Ratio (from your 3 games, cumulative). The formula is: (Average Score of Games Won) x (Total Games Played/Games Won). For an expanded discussion on how this formula was created, you can read the thread called Measuring Success.

Top Ten:

1. meumakan ~ 73 (Frodo, Beravor, Théodred)
2. plueschi ~ 82.33 (Éowyn, Beravor, Théodred)
3. juicebox ~ 116.66 (Éowyn, Glóin, Beravor)
4. leptokurt ~ 124.66 (Théodred, Frodo, Bilbo)
5. SiCK_Boy ~ 137.33 (Dain Ironfoot, Glóin, Bilbo)
6. Chac ~ 180 (Éowyn, Théodred, Bilbo)
7. Zjb12 ~ 444 (Éowyn, Dúnhere, Thalin)
8. Budgernaut ~ 468 (Éowyn, Dúnhere, Thalin)
9.
10.

Last Updated:

February 12, 2012 (1:06am) [FFG Time]

[This week’s tournament will run from February 5-11, 2012 and will officially close at the end of the week (midnight) as time-stamped by the FFG forum time clock.]

Juicebox---the three games don't have to be wins right? It can be any combo of wins and losses, correct?

Zjb12 said:

Yes. That's correct.

Just updated the main text to help clarify.

Thanks Zjb12.

Card Pool : 3 core sets + Hunt for Gollum + Journey to Roshgobel

Heroes : Eowyn, Theodred, Bilbo

First Game (win)

Round markers : 9 (90)
Final threat : 35
Dead heroes threat : 9 (Eowyn)
Wounds : 4
Victory points : 8 (Hill Troll, Hill Troll)

Total : 130

Second game (win)

Round markers : 8 (80)
Final threat : 37
Dead heroes threat : none
Wounds : 4
Victory points : 11 (hill troll, Hill troll, Marsh Adder)

Total : 110

Third game (loss)

Nicely done Chac!

I feel especially congratulatory toward anyone who participates in this tournament.

Super curious to gain more experience with the weighted score ranking system.

Have fun everyone!

Chac said:

Probably my most favorite hero trifecta for solo play. Kudos to you.

I'm not very happy with the results I got, but since I'm not sure I'll have time to try with another deck, here they are:

Game 1 - Win: 27 threat + 0 dead hero + 0 wound - 21 victory points + (15 rounds * 10) = 156

Game 2 - Win: 32 threat + 0 dead hero + 2 wounds - 7 victory points + (12 rounds * 10) = 147

Game 3 - Loss

Here's my decklist:

Hero (3)
Beravor (Core) x1
Bilbo Baggins (THFG) x1
Denethor (Core) x1

Ally (23)
Daughter of the Nimrodel (Core) x2
Erebor Hammersmith (Core) x2
Gandalf (Core) x3
Gildor Inglorion (THoEM) x2
Gleowine (Core) x2
Haldir of Lorien (AJtR) x2
Henamarth Riversong (Core) x2
Longbeard Map-Maker (CatC) x3
Mirkwood Runner (RtM) x3
Rivendell Minstrel (THFG) x2

Attachment (21)
A Burning Brand (CatC) x2
Dunedain Mark (THfG) x3
Dunedain Warning (CatC) x2
Fast Hitch (TDM) x2
Forest Snare (Core) x3
Protector of Lorien (Core) x2
Self Preservation (Core) x1
Song of Kings (THFG) x3
Steward of Gondor (Core) x3

Event (6)
Sneak Attack (Core) x3
Strider's Path (THFG) x3

I've played such mono-lore splashing with Songs a lot in the past, especialy before they changed the scoring system (it was easier then to just sit and wait until you had your full deck). For some reason, I kept struggling against the scenario. I was always trying to find either my Gandalf or my Forest Snare. I decided to try Mirkwood Runner against this scenario because I was counting on Snaring a number of enemies (all the baddies with victory values). It turned out I had too many 3 cost allies... Longbeard Map-Maker should have been replaced by the 3rd Hammersmith and maybe Miners of the Hills (even if there are no conditions to get rid of).

In game 1, I got my first Gandalf via a last chance draw from Gleowine when I was at 49 threat in combat.

Game # 2 was similar: I fought back the Troll with Denethor, A Burning Brand, Dunedain Warning and Daughter of the Nimrodel for at least 5 turns before getting a Forest Snare and finally getting a chance at hitting him. I drew my whole deck, but only managed to play 3 Gandalf in all because they came so late in the game...

Game # 3 was a total disaster from the start. Starting hand was 2 Steward of Gondor, 2 Sneak Attack, Henamarth Riversong and Gildor Inglorion. I figured it was worth a try; as soon as I got my Song of Kings, I'd be in business (Gildor would then help me find the elusive Gandalf). But then the encounter deck revealed Pursued by Shadow during setup so my starting 27 threat became 30. I drew Erebor Hammersmith and Daughter of the Nimrodel on turn 1. I figured I still had a chance; with some luck, the Hammersmith would block and I'd get a Forest Snare to play on turn 2. I quested only with Bilbo: guess who got revealed? Dol Guldur Orcs... I so hate it not having A Test of Will... I scooped right there.

I'll try to give it another shot with a Dwarven fighting deck (although not having access to KD could make it not much more successfull).

Card Pool: 1 Core Set
Heroes: Éowyn (9), Dúnhere (8), Thanlin (8) [26 total starting threat]
Deck:

NEUTRAL
Gandalf 3x

TACTICS
Dwarven Axe 2x
Blade of Gondolin 2x
Horn of Gondor 1x
Gondorian Spearman 3x
Veteran Axehand 3x
Blade Mastery 3x
Feint 2x
Quick Strike 2x
Swift Strike 1x
Stand Together 1x

SPIRIT
Unexpected Courage 1x
Favor of the Lady 2x
Power in the Earth 2x
Galadhrim's Greetings 2x
Dwarven Tomb 1x
Will of the West 2x
Strength of Will 2x
Stand and Fight 3x
A Test of Will 2x
A Light in the Dark 2x
Hasty Stroke 2x
Fortune or Fate 1x
Lórien Guide 3x
Wandering Took 2x
Northern Tracker 2x

Game 1 (win)
Final Threat: 29
Threat of Dead Heroes: 0
Damage on Heroes: 4
Victory Points: 7 (Hill Troll and Gladden Fields)
Rounds completed: 13
TOTAL: 156

Game 2: loss

Game 3: loss

Both lost games were due to bad threat control compounded by Evil Storm which killed Éowyn and Thalin both times. Then I held on with Dúnhere until my threat maxed out.

In hindsight, I think I really need more allies in my deck. I also could benefit greatly from Ancient Mathom to increase card draw. I'll have to put JtR on my list of next packs to get.

How depressing! I went through and counted my cards again after playing and realized I was 1 card short of 50! I guess my results are invalid. And here I thought I'd actually get to post in a tournament. I guess it just means I'll have to try again!

EDIT: Nevermind. I forgot to count my Gandalf cards, so I am over 50 (52). But maybe I'll try again anyway.

Just gave it a go with a Dwarven Warriors deck, without much success.

Results:

Game # 1 - Win: 45 threat + 0 dead hero + 13 wounds - 7 victory points + (10 rounds * 10) = 151

Game # 2 - Loss

Game # 3 - Loss

Decklist:

Hero (3)
Dain Ironfoot (RtM) x1
Gimli (Core) x1
Gloin (Core) x1

Ally (21)
Beorn (Core) x1
Brok Ironfist (Core) x2
Descendant of Thorondor (THoEM) x3
Eagles of the Misty Mountains (RtM) x2
Faramir (Core) x2
Gandalf (Core) x3
Longbeard Orc Slayer (Core) x2
Vassal of the Windlord (TDM) x3
Veteran Axehand (Core) x3

Attachment (15)
Born Aloft (CatC) x2
Celebrian's Stone (Core) x1
Citadel Plate (Core) x3
Dwarven Axe (Core) x2
Steward of Gondor (Core) x3
Song of Battle (TDM) x2
Support of the Eagles (RtM) x2

Event (14)
Feint (Core) x3
Grim Resolve (Core) x3
Quick Strike (Core) x2
Sneak Attack (Core) x3
Valiant Sacrifice (Core) x3

It was my first time trying such a strategy against the Troll, but it didn't work that well. I always had "something" for the Troll, but never enough to kill him in two turns. I gambled by blocking with Gimli in game 3, but he got a Dol Guldur Orcs as the shadow card so that game was pretty over on turn 1. The lack of card drawing and healing impedes too much. I would probably have gotten a win a couple turn earlier in game 1 if I had put Steward of Gondor on Gimli instead of Dain.

Next try: Dwarven Lore. I'm not too optimistic without KD, but I'll see what I can do.

Took me a while to toake my hands from KD. Yesterday I finally tried some excotic combinations with litlle to none success. Went back to take one of my combos of my last JdtA tournament, switches Denethor with Bilbo and my first game was a very solid win (115 points). That's why I'm going to start my series with Éleanor, Théodred and Bilbo today.

ETA: Just realized tha Chac used exactly the same combinaton. Perhaps I'm going to switch back to Denethor or I'll take Frodo instead of Èowyn.

Tonight, I journeyed. Where did I journey? I journeyed down the Anduin!

Here's how it went...

Heroes: Éowyn, Glóin, Beravor

Game 1 Result: 91
Final Threat Level: 24
Thread Cost of Each Dead Hero: 9
Damage Tokens on Remaining Heroes: 2
Victory Points Earned: 4
Number of Rounds Completed: 6

Game 2 Result: 156
Final Threat Level: 38
Thread Cost of Each Dead Hero: 9
Damage Tokens on Remaining Heroes: 0
Victory Points Earned: 11
Number of Rounds Completed: 12

Game 3 Result: 103
Final Threat Level: 24
Thread Cost of Each Dead Hero: 0
Damage Tokens on Remaining Heroes: 2
Victory Points Earned: 13
Number of Rounds Completed: 9

Brief Highlights: Éowyn was killed in both of my first two games by some rather horribly timed treacheries. However, game one was my best JDtA score ever by 18 points! In the second game, I ended up with 2 Hill Trolls facing me during the first round, and Éowyn died rather early. So, it was very slow going, but I somehow I pulled through to a rather surprising victory. The third game got off to a rough start in a different way (Wargs) , but once Gandalf showed up, it was much smoother sailing from there. Oh, and none of my heroes died. It had been a long time since touching JDtA... FUN!

Brief Discussion: I'll save more of my thoughts for later, but my experience tonight only served to reinforce my bias that Sets of 3 are the way to go. If others find themselves in agreement - I'll be interested to hear about that. If others find themselves wishing for Sets of 4 or 5 (after playtime experience, not just theoryquesting) I'll be very interested to hear about that as well.

juicebox said:

I totaly agree !

Chac said:

So with the wife and kids out of town for the day, I decided to try again with the same deck: 3 losses. So had we been playing for 5 games, I'd have . . . what? . . . 156 x 5 = 780 for my final score. So in this case, best of 3 worked a tad better for me. And it felt a lot less daunting to play two sets of 3 than one set of 5.

Had my first cycle palyed. I'm not satisfied yet and will try later.

Heroes: Théodred, Frodo, Bilbo

Game 1: WIN =161 points

Threat: 28

Damage: 1

Fallen: 0

Rounds: 150

Victory Points: 18

Game 2: LOSS

Game 3: WIN = 118 points

Threat: 12

Damage:0

Fallen: 0

Rounds: 110

Victory Points: 4

The first game was very intense. I got 2 Beastmasters early and the second Hill Troll. What saved me was 2x Sneak Attack and 3x Gandalf and Forest Snare. It still took me some time to get rid off all those enemies (there was also a Wags and others) and wasn't able to make any progress in the first 4-5 turns. Once the trolls were dead it got better, but in the end I was just happy that I didn't loose.

In game 2 I got the second Hill Troll in round 2. And just when I was fighting with those beats and saw a light at the end of the tunnel, I got Pursued by Shadows when everyone was not questing. Men was I angry to have wasted A Test of Will two rounds before. I lost two rounds later when my threat reached 50.

The third game was a standard one. I had some good encounters in the first 2-3 rounds, no second troll, and zero problems during the whole quest. The most epic battle fought was Théodred's search for a fourth resource to play Faramir. Because of some troubling encounters I had to spend leadership resources five rounds in a row until Faramir finally appeared out of the woodwork just in time to celebrate the end of the adventure.

Ugh...those blasted treacheries and wargs!!! Game 1: L. Game 2: rds 13 (130); threat 28; damage: 3; vps:13 (hill troll, marsh adder, 2x gladden fields)= 148. Game 3: L. Heros: eowyn, dunhere, Thalin.

Game 1: Eowyn, Beravor, Theodred

Win on turn 7 (60)

Final threat 15

Victory Points 7

Wounds 0

Score 68

Highlight of the game: I had two Stewards of Gondor in my opening hand, so I thought I can safely travel to the Necromancers Pass... Think again and never forget Murphys Law... fortunately an Erebor Hammersmith showed up later.

Got only an Goblin Sniper during the game and Dol Goldur Ors on the final stage, so not too combat heavy.

Game 2: same heroes

Win on turn 13 (120)

Final Threat: 2

Victory points: 11

Wounds on heroes: 0

Score: 111

Thanks to a 2nd Hill Troll I had to stay way longer on stage 1 than I would have liked. But they are waiting in the staging area for Gandalf to pick them up anyway.

Game 3: same heroes

Win on turn 6 (50)

Final threat: 20

Victory Points: 4

hero wounds: 2

Final score: 68

I have done things in this quest that I have probably never done before, and since juicebox asked for some story, I tell you the story of turn 6:

I was still on stage 1, it had over 8 progress. In the staging area was a Hill Troll with 8 damage and a Dol Goldur Beastmaster. The top card of the Encounter deck was Banks of the Anduin and the top card in the encounter discard pile was Driven by Shadow. Looking at my hand, I realized that I had pretty much won.

On my side of the table was Theodred, Eowyn with Steward of Gondor and Beravor with 3x Unexpected Courage. Additionally I had some allies, but they didn't matter too much. And I had roughly 20 cards in hand.

So I play Protector of Lorien on Eowyn and go to the quest phase.

I send everybody except Theodred questing.

Banks of the Anduin get revealed and I respond with Strider's Path making it the active location.

I now play Shadows of the Past and put Driven by Shadow on top of the encounter deck.

I then sneak in Gandalf to kill the Hill Troll and proceed to stage 2

I discard a good dozen cards to clear the Banks of the Anduin (going on top of the encounter deck) and stage 2 in one go.

I reveal stage 3 and turn over Banks of the Anduin and Driven by Shadow. Since 1 enemy is still in play Driven by Shadow doesn't surge and all I have to do is kill the beastmaster.

So Gandalf sneaks again dealing 4 damage and defending the Orc, while Theodred attacked for the final damage.

Unfortunately the Beastmaster had a little surprise and a Wolf Rider went to attack, he had to go undefended and did his 2 damage. But since he puts himself on top of the encounter deck, I finally won.

Felt pretty sweet...

Here's my last entry. I don't expect to get another one in before the end as I want to try the other tournament.

I went with a Dwarven Lore deck.

Results:

Game # 1 - Win: 31 threat + 9 dead hero + 0 wound - 13 victory points + (14 rounds * 10) = 167

Game # 2 - Win: 29 threat + 0 dead hero + 0 wound - 8 victory points + (8 rounds * 10) = 101

Game # 3 - Win: 34 threat + 0 dead hero + 0 wound - 20 victory points + (13 rounds * 10) = 144

Decklist:

Hero (3)
Dain Ironfoot (RtM) x1
Gloin (Core) x1
Bilbo Baggins (THFG) x1

Ally (25)
Brok Ironfist (Core) x1
Daughter of the Nimrodel (Core) x1
Erebor Hammersmith (Core) x3
Faramir (Core) x2
Gandalf (Core) x3
Gildor Inglorion (THoEM) x1
Gleowine (Core) x2
Haldir of Lorien (AJtR) x1
Henamarth Riversong (Core) x3
Longbeard Map-Maker (CatC) x2
Longbeard Orc Slayer (Core) x2
Miner of the Iron Hills (Core) x2
Rivendell Minstrel (THFG) x2

Attachment (17)
A Burning Brand (CatC) x1
Fast Hitch (TDM) x3
Forest Snare (Core) x3
Protector of Lorien (Core) x2
Self Preservation (Core) x2
Song of Kings (THFG) x1
Song of Wisdom (CatC) x1
Steward of Gondor (Core) x3
Dunedain Warning (CatC) x1

Event (8)
Grim Resolve (Core) x2
Sneak Attack (Core) x3
Strider's Path (THFG) x3

Nothing much to say. The plan was to get either a Forest Snare or Gandalf to deal with the Troll over the first 2 turns.

I lost Bilbo in game one when I let through an undefended Eastern Crow attack (hoping to get an easy resource off Gloin) and he got Dol Guldur Orcs as its shadow card. I chose to let go of Bilbo since I had Steward of Gondor and Song of Wisdom on Gloin already and I needed Dain Ironfoot to keep giving willpower to my dwarven army. Faramir proved to be a key in all games, allowing me to get the extra push needed to get through the staging area (especialy in game 3, where I had 4 locations in staging at some point during the 2nd part of the quest).

I had a second cycle this morning which was more successful than the last:

game 1: WIN (116)

threat: 24

damage: 0

fallen:

rounds: 100

victory points: 8

game 2: WIN (137)

threat: 22

damage: 0

fallen:

rounds: 130

victory points: 15

game 1: WIN (121)

threat: 32

damage: 0

fallen:

rounds: 100

victory points: 11

Games 2 and 3 saw two Hill Trolls. In the second game I had to face a Goblin Sniper since round 2. Never could get rid of him because of the Hill Trolls and other enemies hanging around in the staging area. Then only the Sniper was left and I came to stage 3B. First card was an encounet, second card was... the second Goblin Sniper. That's why my army had to wait for 2 turns until Gandalf arrived and I could end the game.

Btw. when I look at Plueschi's results I ask myself (and Juicy):

When will we finally realize that Beravor has to be restricted? Either we do that, or we make a seperate list for those players who use Beravor and 3 core sets.

I agree, Beravor feels pretty sick. She enables multiple things at the same time, but the two most prominent probably are:

1. Having huge amounts of card to dump for Protector of Lorien

2. Drawing more threat reduction (score increase) cards earlier.

Here is my deck btw:

Spirit (16)

2x Will of the West

2x West Road Traveller

3x Unexpected Courage

3x Ancient Mathom

3x Galadrims Greetings

3x A Test of Will

Lore (15)

1x Gildors Counsel

3x Striders Path

2x Protector of Lorien

2x Forest Snare

2x Daughter of the Nimrodel

2x Henamarth Riversong

3x Erebor Hammersmith

Leadership (11)

1x Grim Resolve

1x Faramir

3x Snowbourn Scout

3x Sneak Attack

3x Steward of Gondor

Tactics (1)

1x Horn of Gondor

Neutral (7)

1x Song of Battle

3x Shadows of the Past

3x Gandalf

Score: 73

Heores: Frodo, Beravor, Theodred

Games:

1.) Rounds: 7, Wounds: 0, Threat: 4, Victory: 14----- Total: 60-- Win

2.) Rounds: 9, Wounds: 0, Threat: 0, Victory: 4------ Total: 86-- Win

3.) Rounds: 8, Wounds: 0, Threat: 0, Victory: 7------ Total: 73-- Win

Maybe I get a chance to play with another deck this night.

Sets of 3 feels better than some other variants,

Well done everybody! Check soon for the Hall of Fame update. Good times!

I want to especially congratulate SiCK_Boy and Budgernaut for your first Top Ten placement in a juicebox Tournament.

For those of you who have made comments along the way about your experience playing in Sets of 3, I really appreciate your thoughts. At this time, I'd like to invite expanded discussion on this topic. Especially as you imagine how it might compare to the experience of playing Sets of 4 or 5.