Into Ithilien with Mono-Spirit – April 13, 2019

Introduction

In lieu of a card review, here are more games from when I started writing down everything I did during the game instead. It’s more free form than my current format with all the phases and action windows specified.

After Mono-Spirit did so well with Peril in Pelargir, I jumped right into the next quest. I was about to find out why people rate this quest so high in difficulty.

Decklist

Play by Play

Attempt 1

Starting Hand: Will of the West, A Test of Will, Prince Imrahil, Zigil Miner, Elven-light, and Warden of Annúminas.

Turn 1: draw The Galadhrim’s Greeting. Play Zigil Miner and use ability for Eleanor choosing 3. Emery and Blood of Númenor discarded for 1 resource. Discard Imrahil for 1 resource on Arwen. Discard Caldara to bring out Imrahil and Emery. No one sent on the quest. Blocking Wargs revealed and dealing 1 age to Celador and surges into Overgrown Trail. Threat raised by 5 and Celador takes a damage. Southron Company engages and attacks. Emery defends. Shadow adds 3 attack and Southron Company kills Emery. Everyone attacks dealing 3 damage. Refresh to 30 threat.

Turn 2: I draw Blood of Númenor and play it on Eleanor. I discard Elven-light for a resource on Arwen. I use Arwen and Imrahil’s resources to play Warden of Annúminas. Warden and Celador quest for 4. Ithilien Guardian added to the staging area bring quest power to 6 and surges. Morgul Spider added to the staging area and gains 4 attack for his when revealed effect and brings total staging area threat to 7. Threat raised to 31 and Celador takes a damage and is out of the game. Spider engages and shadow cards are dealt. Activate Blood of Numenor to give Eleanor 2 more defense. She defends vs Southron Company. Shadow adds 3 attack killing Eleanor. Miner defends vs the Spider and dies. Shadow gives the spider another attack and I scoop.

Attempt 2

Starting hand: Emery, The Galadhrim’s Greeting, Hasty Stroke, Damrod, Sword-thain x2

Turn 1: I draw Lórien Guide. I play Emery discarding Ethir Swordsman, Dwalin, and Will of the West off the top. I discard Damrod for a resource. Play Sword-thain on Emery. I discard Caldara to put Dwalin, swordsman, and Damrod into play. Only Celador quests for 2. Southron Company added to staging area for 6 threat. Raise threat by 4 to 28. Celador takes 1 damage. The Southrons engage. Dwalin defends first, no shadow but still dies. Celador takes a damage. Swordsman defends next. Shadow removes the nonexistent quest progress. Swordsman dies and Celador removed from the game. Everyone else attacks a Southron company dealing 4 damage. Refresh to 29 threat.

Turn 2: I draw The Galadhrim’s Greeting. I play Lórien Guide. No one sent on the quest. Treachery would increase threat by number of questing characters and it surges. Secluded Glade added to the staging area. Threat raised to 32. Damrod defends first. Shadow deals a damage to Damrod and then he dies to the 5 attack. Lorien Guide defends next. No shadow but it dies to the attack anyway. The heroes attacks and kill one company. Refresh to 33 threat.

Turn 3: I draw Lórien Guide and play it. No one quests. Overgrown Trail added to staging area. Threat raised to 39. Guide defends and dies. Heroes attack dealing 2 damage.

Turn 4: I draw Elven-light and discard it for a resource. Then play it to draw a card. I draw Fortune or Fate. I scoop because I’m falling too far behind the encounter deck.