The Fords of Isen with Hobbit Decks 2 – December 29, 2019

Introduction

I changed up the Necromancer deck a little bit to fix some issues from the my first attempt. I thought having Erestor discarding my hand would help the Necromancers have targets to bring back with Stand and Fight. It really hindered things instead since I usually didn’t the resources for much beyond playing Stand and Fight once. Plus discarding A Test of Will without using it was never good. Dain too his place for more defense and possible resource acceleration with Hidden Cache. Plus his ability could help get allies into the discard pile.

Decklists

Play by Play

HN = Hobbit Necromancers HR = Hobbit Rangers (1st player)

HR starting hand: Gandalf, Sneak Attack, Hobbit Cloak, Ranger Bow, Fast Hitch, Ithilien Pit

HN starting hand: Stand and Fight x2, Zigil Miner, The Galadhrim’s Greeting, Hobbit Pipe, Ered Nimrais Prospector

Turn 1: HR draws Forest Snare and Gimli. HN draws Beorn.

HR played Fast Hitch and Hobbit Cloak on Bilbo.

HN played Hobbit Pipe on Frodo and Zigil Miner. Exhaust Zigil Miner naming 2 and Merry. [Ered Nimrais Prospector] (/card/06141) and Hidden Cache discarded resulting in 3 resources added. HN played Stand and Fight choosing Ered Nimrais Prospector discarding Map of Earnil, Elven Jeweler, and Northern Tracker. Map of Earnil shuffled back into the deck.

Ered Nimrais Prospector, Pippen, Sam, and Merry quest for 8. Dunland Tribesman x2, The Islet, Dunlending Bandit, and Dunland Chieftain have 10 threat. Questing fails raising HR threat to 25 and HN to 26.

Travel to The Islet. HR optionally engage Tribesman and draws Take No Notice. HN optionally engages the other one. Bilbo defends the first tribesman. No shadow and no damage thanks to hobbit cloak. Dain defends the 2nd one. Shadow raises attack to 5. Dain discards Good Meal and Hidden Cache for +2 defense taking no damage and adding 2 resources to Merry.

Refresh and HR threat is 26. HN threat is 27 and is 1st player.

Turn 2: HN draws Faramir and Smoke Rings. HR draws Ranger Bow. Exhaust Zigil Miner choosing 2 and Merry. Northern Tracker and The Galadhrim’s Greeting for no resources. Play Stand and Fight to play Northern Tracker. HR plays Forest Snare on tribeman engaged with them.

During questing HR plays Gandalf and using Sneak Attack dealing 4 damage to the dunlending bandit killing it. Gandalf, Sam, Pippin, Merry, and prospector quest for 12. Staging reveals a treachery removing a time counter. Fords of Isen added to the staging area. 5 progress made exploring on The Islet and 4 on the quest. HN gains control of Grima.

Travel to Fords of Isen. Chieftan does not engage. Dain defends against the tribesman, no shadow, mill smoke rings from the deck to take no damage. Grima, Frodo, and tracker attack for 4 dealing 2 damage to the tribesman.

Refresh, HR threat is 27, and HN threat is 28.

Turn 3: HR draws Steward of Gondor and A Burning Brand. HN draws Ered Nimrais Prospector. HR plays Steward on Pippin. Use Steward and the resources from it to play A Burning Brand on Bilbo. HR plays Ithilien Pit. HN exhausts Miner naming 2 and Merry. Dwarven Tomb and The Galadhrim’s Greeting discarded for no resources.

Pippin, Sam, Merry, Grima, and Prospector quest for 10. Staging reveals Old Hatreds, The King’s Road, Dunland Prowler, and Fords of Isen for 10 threat. No progress made but no threat gained.

HR optionally engages prowler. Bilbo defends exhausting burning brand to discard shadow card taking no damage. Tribesman attack defended by Dain milling Hobbit pipe to take no damage. Shadow adds an additional attack that is defended by Frodo raising threat to 30. Shadow adds another attack. Norther tracker defends taking 2 damage as shadow card has no effect.

Refresh, HR threat is 28, and HN threat is 31.

Turn 4: HN draws A Test of Will and Map of Earnil. Threat increased to 29 for HR and 31 for HN. HN plays Map of Earnil then discards it to play Stand and Fight. Northern Tracker #2 played from the discard pile.

During questing HR plays Sneak Attack and Gandalf dealing 4 damage to the Chieftan. Gandalf, Pippin, Sam, Northern Trackers, and Prospector quest for 12 and place 2 progress on Fords and Road in the staging area. Bandit and King’s Road #2 added to the staging area for 12 threat. No progress made and no threat gained. Game lost as Grima will be discarded at the end of the turn.