So I only spent about 5 minutes throwing each deck together, but I started on the challenge with A Leadership deck, and a lore deck.

Leadership:

Aragorn, Gloin, Sam Gamgee

I went with lots of cheap allies (as mahy as possible with at least 2 hit points, so i could spread archery damage around), and attachments like sword that was broken, celebrian's stone, king under the mountain, with faramir as a booster.

This worked generally quite well.

Game 2 gloin died in about round 3, but aragorn had sword, stone and steward, and i had farmair on the board. A bunch of cheap allies turned into quite the fighting force, despite the loss of a hero.

Game 1: 40 Threat, 7 Rounds, 6 damage on heroes = 116

Game 2: 43 Threat, 10 rounds, 3 damage on aragorn, gloin dead = 155.

Game 3: 37 Threat, 7 rounds, 8 damage (split across all three heroes) = 115

Leadership total: 386

Lore:

Aragorn, Elrond, Mirlonde

I went with encounter deck manipulation and healing, card draw and protector of lorien. Not as happy with this deck as the leadership one - lore is probably my least-played sphere, so i probably missed a bunch of tricks i could have worked in. Game 1 was a loss due to threat, as i got few allies out and could only hold my ground with heros, without making much progress.

Game 1: 200 (loss due to threat)

Game 2: 31 Threat, 12 rounds, 0 damage = 151

Game 3: 30 Threat, 11 rounds, 3 damage = 143

Lore Total: 494

Total so far: 494 + 386 = 880

Built up a spirit deck and a tactics deck, and played through to complete the challenge.

Spirit:

Eowyn, Glorfindel, Frodo

Lots of threat reduction, cheap allies, and cards to recycle my events. Used the hobbit version of Gandalf, who came out early in 2 out of three games. The best performance overall from the spirit deck.

Game 1: 25 Threat, 5 Rounds, 4 damage = 79

Game 2: 43 Threat, 5 Rounds, 3 Damage = 96

Game 3: 26 Threat, 5 Rounds, 2 Damage = 78

for a total of 253 for spirit.

Tactics:

Theoden, Gimli, Merry

I chose tactics heroes that all had 2 willpower, so that with theoden's bonus they could all quest for 3, and be able to take the main guy at the end, for which i reserved a feint (or reused one with the book). a final push on the siege stage was done by defender of rammas, and the eagles. I used Gandalf from the Hobbit for some extra willpower, but he didn't make an appearance until game 3.

Game 1: 200 - all heroes died.

Game 2: 43 Threat, 11 rounds, 5 damage = 158

Game 3: 46 Threat, 7 rounds, 3 damage = 119

Tactics total: 477

Total for all four spheres: 477 + 253 + 494 + 386 = 1610

So a total score of 1610. Not the lowest score reported here, but I was fairly pleased with it, given that the four decks had a collected deckbuilding time of about 25 minutes.

Finally finished my own challenge ha,

Last and kind of least, was mono-tactics...as expected it produced the worst scores of the 4 spheres

The challenge was definitely will power, even with Theoden king pumping up himself and Elladan, it was often barely enough to clear locations or pass quest stages with any kind of efficiency. I relied on expensive allies like Bofur, Farmer Maggot, and Eagles of the Misty Mountains, just for a few extra points of breathing room. Also included Hobbit Gandalf in this deck as i felt his will power would be worth the gambit since I already have a high starting threat but I only got him out once towards the end of the second game. Most times between clearing active locations and the threat level in the staging area I only ever made what felt like 2-4 net progress per round. As expected combat was fine though, Beregond did all the heavy lifting defesnively and although the will power absence was tough for the Dru-buri-dru fight, i usually only had to save Theoden and Elladan for a turn to attack to take him down along with a select few other allies.

overall i had a fun time with this and i hope everyone else did too. hopefully we get some new news to tide us over this week!

Heroes: Elladan, Theoden, Beregond

Game 1: loss - 200

Game 2: win - 168

Game 3: win - 164

Hero bonus (-30)

total: 497

total thru 4 spheres: 1,725

Power Rankings:

1. Nebur- 1408

2. CaffeineAddict- 1610

3. Pharmboys- 1725

4. Glowwyrm- 1741

5. Leptokurt- 1743

Wait, I thought we were supposed to get as many points as possible...

*shakes fist at Glowwyrm*

This victory belongs to the whole team but my special-thanks are going to 'Gandalf', who was my all-game-back up and appeared very often...

I think he was claimed by me most of the time...so he could't help you.

I just love how Gandalf acts in this game.He is like in the books.He leaves you alone in the most dangerous places but wen all hope has fade and you think you are doomed he appears from nowhere and saves the day.

Well done FFG well done.

ps:i want to see how Gandalf the white will be.