Your Keys To The Quests Thread- Input Needed

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

So here is an idea i had. Most quests in this game have a 'key'....that is strategy that when you discover or unlock it, the quest becomes much easier to win.

An example of this is Conflict at the Carrock. The key here is quest slow, build forces, lower threat, engage trolls 1 by 1. Simple.

Some however are not so obvious, and i would really like all your opinions on what your 'keys' are. Then, if i get enough, i shall make a list here, and update this first post. Hopefully it shall be useful.

So if you would, please post the quest name, and a short description (step by step if you can) of the key to winning it. There wil of course be several ways of winning each quest.

Here is one of my own and an easy one:

Journey Down The Anduin

-step 1: low start threat.

-step 2: build up allies in play

-step 3: engage troll and either a) take a hit off it, or b) feint it

-step 4: kill it! hopefully you have enough allies in play to take it down in 1 go. if not try to forest snare it, or have another feint ready. it is best to take it in 1 turn though. rivendell blade is especially good for this as are cheap eagle allies such as vassel of the windlord

-step 5: on 2b use high questing power, with a staging area hitter such as dunhere or yew bow, to keep it relatively clear. Make sure to not let location build up and use asfaloth/ancestral knowledge etc. or just travel

-step 6: be prepared for 3b. lots of cards are going to come out which can be daunting, however they will be the last cards in general as the staging step is skipped from this point onwards. its especially important then to keep a clear staging area in 2b.

Rich

Edited by richsabre

Into Ithilien:

Step 1: Pray

indeed!...still if anyone has a decent way to do ithillien i think there'd be more than me willing to hear it...

indeed!...still if anyone has a decent way to do ithillien i think there'd be more than me willing to hear it...

indeed!...still if anyone has a decent way to do ithillien i think there'd be more than me willing to hear it...

In solo for into ithillien you need to recognize that you need to quest for a minimum of 11. Ithillen road needs 4 progress, the southern company has 3 threat and the highest threat cards in the in the encounter deck are 4. Celador gives you 2 battle, so not relying on any other allies you need to have three heroes with 3 attack, and you are certain to clear the road every time. My best combination of heroes were Glorfindel spirit, Aragorn Lore, and Boromir Tactics. They would be even stronger with some of the cards in the new APs.

Of course this all changes in multi player. I really like thalin in multi player. Khazad! Khazad! Work s realy nice for the battle quests.

Into Ithilien:

Step 1: Pray

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Laughed a lot .... I do the same when I just get through the cards of Massing At Osgiliath , never even tried it yet

I usually play tactics/leadership with Beorn, Beregond and Boromir (leadership) when facing Ithilien:

stage 1

- Beorn + Boromir + Celador = 11 points during first turn

- afterward play lots of cheap Gondor allies and use Boromir's ATT boost to take out the enemies or add them to the quest

stage 2

- Eagles of the Misty Mountains + Radagast + Faramir for stage 2

- Hail of Stones to get rid of enemies in the staging area

stage 3

- Beregond + Behind Strong Walls = 2 defenses รก 5 points to hold off the enemies that'll engage you once you enter this stage

- use up all Vasalls of the Windlord to destroy some enemies and to pimp up EotMM

- For Gondor! to fuel your DEF and rush through this stage

If you play with spirit:

Blood of Numenor or Light the Beacons for stage 3

didnt recognise you there leptokurt!

thanks for the input!

I was so frustrated (or traumatised) with my early attempts at Into Ithilien that I hadn't attempted it in a long time, despite owning Heirs of Numenor for 6 months. It was actually just a week or so ago that I decided to brave it again, but this time I looked up some strategy tips on the BGG forums and got some good ideas.


The key has definitely been to have enough attack power to quest past Ithilien Road on turn 1. The encounter deck is nasty and can certainly punish you even if you manage to do that, but it's still been effective in general.


You need to be able to do well at all types of questing (Battle, Siege and regular), unless you can formulate a strategy that tries to ensure you only face one or the other through stages 2/3 and 4. I'm not sure how feasible that is, but better deckbuilders than I might be able to come up with something.


Here's the deck I'm currently testing against it, which has done pretty well and just pulled out its first victory. (Kind of its second victory, but after my first one I remembered I'd loaded the Easy mode version of the quest - I'm using OCTGN - although I hadn't given myself extra resources like true Easy mode). The deck still has some experimental elements and needs a little more fine-tuning, but it still handles the quest very well, which was a revelation considering how unfair it seemed when using a more traditionally powerful deck type like Elrond/Vilya or even dwarves!) Even the light Outlands splash has been reasonably effective.


Heroes:

Beorn

Gimli

Glorfindel [spirit]


Allies (22):

Defender of Rammas x 3

Winged Guardian x 3

Descendant of Thorondor x 1

Eagles of the Misty Mountains x 2

Vassal of the Windlord x 3

Arwen Undomiel x 1

Ethir Swordsman x 3

Knights of the Swan x 3

Gandalf [Core] x 2

Gandalf [Over Hill & Under Hill] x 1


Attachments (17):

Ancient Mathom x 3

Light of Valinor x 3

Miruvor x 3

Unexpected Courage x 3

Thror's Key x 1

Dwarrowdelf Axe x 1

Horn of Gondor x 2

Support of the Eagles x 1


Events (9):

Feint x 3

A Test of Will x 3


Hasty Stroke x 3


Dwarven Tomb x 1

Elrond's Counsel x 1

Edited by scwont

Strategy for The Watcher in the Water:

General approach: Build a deck with three components: generous amounts of card draw, a dash of Tentacle-nullfying effects, and a pinch of encounter deck scrying.

Stage 1: Standard quest. Get some allies down to help weather the onslaught of tentacles. There are a few excellent counters to avoid the nasty Forced effects on Tentacles. Beorn (hero) is fantastic against Grasping Tentacles and Striking Tentacles (in the latter case, Beorn remains ready to attack regardless of whether the attack becomes undefended). Straight Shot really shines in this scenario vs. Thrasing and Grasping Tentacles. Or the ol' Thalin+Gondorian Spearman+Spear of the Citadel, or Thalin+Goblin-cleaver combos.

Stage 2: Try to have a lot of cards in your hand before getting to this stage, including some scrying options (Longbeard Elder is my favorite here). If you can see the top card of the encounter deck, getting the Doors of Durin into your victory display becomes a trivial matter. Card draw is important here so that you have lots of options in your hand for discard. Alternatively, defeat the Watcher. This is typically more difficult with more players in the game -- he can't be engaged unless there are no Tentacles on the table. If you're planning to engage him, Son of Arnor is a good card to have in your hand. After that you just need the damage to take him out.

I typically do this scenario 2-player. It is a shorter scenario, and it can either be a walk in the park of Tentacle Mania, depending on your encounter deck draw. Your first questing phase might occasionally look like Stagnant Creek + Tentacle + Stagnant Creek + Tentacle, in which case you are in for a good time!

didnt recognise you there leptokurt!

thanks for the input!

Yep, I chose to be more abstract. :ph34r:

stage 1

- Beorn + Boromir + Celador = 11 points during first turn

- afterward play lots of cheap Gondor allies and use Boromir's ATT boost to take out the enemies or add them to the quest

That combo will give you 10 battle quest first turn, but a one attack ally can change that.

stage 1

- Beorn + Boromir + Celador = 11 points during first turn

- afterward play lots of cheap Gondor allies and use Boromir's ATT boost to take out the enemies or add them to the quest

That combo will give you 10 battle quest first turn, but a one attack ally can change that.

No. Celador gets boosted by Boromir's ability up to 3 ATT.

stage 1

- Beorn + Boromir + Celador = 11 points during first turn

- afterward play lots of cheap Gondor allies and use Boromir's ATT boost to take out the enemies or add them to the quest

That combo will give you 10 battle quest first turn, but a one attack ally can change that.

No. Celador gets boosted by Boromir's ability up to 3 ATT.

Got it! Nice.