Lately I've been experimenting with trying to complete all the scenarios in a given block using only cards from that block (plus the core set). Constricting the card pool in this way has proven to be a fun challenge, and it's put the spotlight on heroes I might otherwise ignore.

For the first cycle, since it would otherwise have a smaller card pool, I also allowed myself to use the two Hobbit Saga expansions, though that also forced me to have to defeat those scenarios with the same deck.

Just as an example, here's my first cycle deck. It wins, but not always, and often provides a nice test of skill:

Heroes:

Gimli

Thalin

Dain Ironfoot

Neutral:

3x Gandalf (Core)

1x Radagast

Leadership:

3x Sneak Attack

3x Valiant Sacrifice

3x A Very Good Tale

3x Snowbourn Scout

3x Silverlode Archer

3x Celebrian's Stone

2x Gloin

2x Steward of Gondor

1x King Under the Mountain

Tactics:

3x Born Aloft

3x Dwarven Axe

3x Veteran Axehand

3x Eagles of the Misty Mountains

3x Descendant of Thorondor

2x Bofur

2x Citadel Plate

2x Support of the Eagles

1x Landroval

1x Quick Strike

Has anyone else tried something similar? In particular, does anyone else have an alternate strategy for the first cycle? I couldn't see anything as powerful and flexible as Dain, though I did wonder about adding Lore instead of Tactics. Does anyone see a non-Dwarf route?

How about something like this?

Built from 1 core set plus Mirkwood cycle.

• Éowyn Core Set 7
• Beravor Core Set 12
• Frodo Baggins Conflict at the Carrock 25

Starting threat 26

1x • Elfhelm (The Dead Marshes 100)
2x Northern Tracker (Core Set 45)
3x The Riddermark's Finest (The Hills of Emyn Muil 77)
3x West Road Traveller (Return to Mirkwood 121)
2x Daughter of the Nimrodel (Core Set 58)
2x Erebor Hammersmith (Core Set 59)
2x • Gléowine (Core Set 62)
1x • Haldir of Lórien (A Journey to Rhosgobel 57)
1x • Henamarth Riversong (Core Set 60)
2x Miner of the Iron Hills (Core Set 61)
3x Mirkwood Runner (Return to Mirkwood 123)
3x • Gandalf (Core Set 73)
1x Unexpected Courage (Core Set 57)
2x A Burning Brand (Conflict at the Carrock 33)
3x Fast Hitch (The Dead Marshes 103)
2x Forest Snare (Core Set 69)
2x Protector of Lórien (Core Set 70)
2x Song of Wisdom (Conflict at the Carrock 34)
2x A Test of Will (Core Set 50)
1x Dwarven Tomb (Core Set 53)
2x Hasty Stroke (Core Set 48)
2x The Galadhrim's Greeting (Core Set 46)
1x Will of the West (Core Set 49)
1x Infighting (A Journey to Rhosgobel 58)
3x Lore of Imladris (Core Set 63)
1x Strider's Path (The Hunt for Gollum 9)

Total 50 cards.

I'm really excited to try that out! I tend not to be great at building more pacifist decks, but this looks very tightly constructed. I'll be intrigued to see how it handles any of the harder-to-avoid fights, but it's going to do a dang sight better on Journey to Rhosgobel than mine does.

My first block deck (above) has now beaten every scenario in the first cycle, along with the Hobbit Saga expansions. Journey of Rhosgobel was completed on easy mode, and the Lonely Mountain required an unbelievably high amount of tries, even after some sideboarding, with 4-attack rounds from Smaug the Magnificent ending quite a few worthy attempts. Other than that, the Dwarves acquitted themselves quite well. They ended strong with a beautiful, fast run of Return to Mirkwood, completing that brutal third phase in one round of questing with no Willpower to spare.

On to the Khazad-Dum cycle! My first draft of a list will be coming shortly.

Here's the second cycle deck. I ended up copping out in two ways: the first is the hero choice, where I chose the easy way out in some respects; the second is that I included 5 Hobbit Saga cards, all dwarves. They don't feel that mandatory to how the deck functions, but they're probably a slight upgrade, they're themely, and they enable potential hijinx with "We Are Not Idle."

Heroes:

Elrond (Lore, 13)

Theodred (Leadership, 8)

Glorfindel (Spirit, 5)

Total Threat: 26

Neutral:

3x Gandalf (Core Set 73)

Spirit:

3x Northern Tracker (Core Set 45)

1x Kili (Over Hill and Under Hill 7)

1x Bofur (Dwarrowdelf 6)

2x Unexpected Courage (Core 57)

3x Zigil Miner (Khazad-Dum 9)

2x Imladris Stargazer (Dwarrowdelf 106)

2x Arwen Undomiel (Dwarrowdelf 58)

3x A Test of Will (Core 50)

2x Light of Valinor (Dwarrowdelf 107)

Leadership:

1x Erestor (Dwarrowdelf 47)

1x Faramir (Core 14)

1x Path of Need (Dwarrowdelf 103)

1x Gloin (On the Doorstep 6)

1x Fili (Over Hill and Under Hill 6)

3x Silverlode Archer (Core 17)

1x Celebrian's Stone (Core 27)

2x Steward of Gondor (Core 26)

2x We Are Not Idle (Dwarrowdelf 129)

Lore:

1x Dori (Over Hill and Under Hill 9)

1x Bifur (On the Doorstep 7)

2x Forest Snare (Core 69)

3x Self-Preservation (Core 72)

1x Gleowine (Core 62)

2x Asfaloth (Dwarrowdelf 110)

2x Hennamarth Riversong (Core 60)

3x Daeron's Runes (Dwarrowdelf 108)

Total cards: 50

So far, all they've done is crush Into the Pit, where Faramir was the MVP and led to a final questing round of 25 Willpower. I felt a bit short on card draw, threat seemed a little tighter than maybe it should have been, and I miss old friend A Very Good Tale. Now I just have to figure out which cards can come out to make room for those things.

yes you can call at as Mirkwood pool. Is mean core set + all AP from Mirkwood cycle. Tragic do it in his videos already.

I use to play Hobbit pool to finish all 6 hobbits quests. Still was very easy…..

Cool! What Hobbit pool deck did you use? I've only played Lonely Mountain with one deck, but it felt very difficult!

Cool! What Hobbit pool deck did you use? I've only played Lonely Mountain with one deck, but it felt very difficult!

I use both Hobbit box+ core set.

play 2 player game. Was really difficult to get 3 swords from the Trolls in the first quest. After when we get the swords we past every other quest very easy. We past second and third without any problems, get bored and didm play last 3 quests from second box.