The Fords of Isen with Flavor of the Lady – January 5, 2020

Introduction

The net decking continues as I redo Fords of Isen after my win earlier was tainted by a missed trigger. I hadn’t ever played Silvans before this. I had heard about on podcasts and it was high on my list to try. I like tricky combo decks. Silvans getting bonuses for bouncing in and out of play sounded right up my alley. It reminded me of the tempo control mono-blue Ninja Magic deck that I played and tuned for years at least in the bouncing in and out of play mechanisms.

Decklists

Play by Play

Starting hand: Henamarth Riversong, Galadhrim Minstrel, Orophin, O Lórien!, Island Amid Perils, and Light of Valinor

Turn 1: Mirror of Galadriel drawn. Play O Lórien! and use it to help play Galadhrim Minstrel. The Tree People added to the hand from the minstrel. Play Mirror of Galadriel and use it. Naith Guideadded but Orophin discarded randomly. Use Galadriel used to lower threat to 28 and draw Daeron’s Runes. Use Daeron’s Runes to draw Daughter of the Nimrodel and O Lórien! then discard O Lórien!. Celeborn and minstrel quest for 5. Treachery removes a time counter from the quest but threat is 3 resulting in 2 progress. Travel to The Islet. No engagement. Refresh to 29 threat and 3 time counters on the quest.

Turn 2: Silvan Tracker drawn. Play Light of Valinor on Celeborn. Use O Lórien! and play Naith Guide selecting Haldir to not exhaust for questing. Play The Tree People returning Galadhrim Minstrel then Galadriel’s Handmaiden put into play lowering threat to 28. Replay the minstrel and Daeron’s Runes added to hand and played. Mirror of Galadriel and Defender of the Naith drawn. Mirror of Galadriel discarded. Use mirror to add Lembas and discard Defender of the Naith. Celeborn, Haldir, guide, handmaiden, and minstrel quest for 12. Gap of Rohan added to the staging area for 5 threat resulting in 7 progress. The Islet explored, Grima rescued, and stage 1b completed. Dunland Prowler #2 added to the staging area for stage 2b. Travel to Gap of Rohan. Optionally engaged a prowler. Celeborn defends the attack, no shadow, and no damage dealt. Haldir, guide, and handmaiden attack killing the prowler. Refresh, threat is 29, and quest time is 1.

Turn 3: Galadhrim Minstrel drawn. Play Galadhrim Minstrel #2 and add The Tree People to hand. Use mirror to add Nenya to hand and it is randomly discarded (damn it!). Celborn, minstrels, and handmaiden quest for 8. The King’s Road added to the staging area for 4 threat resulting in 1 quest progress and exploring Gap of Rohan. Travel to the King’s Road. Optionally engage the prowler. Celeborn defends, shadow adds 2 attack, and takes 2 damage. Haldir, guide, Grima, and minstrel attack killing the prowler. Refresh and threat is 30. Time removed dealing for 6 damage. Galadriel takes 3, Haldir takes 2, and Grima takes 1.

Turn 4: Protector of Lórien drawn played on Celeborn. Play The Tree People returning handmaiden and putting Orophin into play. Defender of the Naith put into hand from discard pile. Use O Lórien!to play Defender of the Naith. Play handmaiden lowering threat to 29. Celeborn, Grima, handmaiden, defender, Orophin, and minstrels quest for 14. The King’s Road #2 added for 2 threat resulting 7 quest progress and active location is explored. Travel to the 2nd King’s Road. Refresh, threat is 30, and 1 time on the quest.

Turn 5: Daughter of the Nimrodel drawn. Use mirror to add Nenya to my hand and discard Island Amid Perils. Play Nenya on Galadriel using Celeborn’s resource. Then play Silvan Tracker with O Lórien!. Celeborn, tracker, handmaiden, Grima, and minstrels quest for 15 after adding Galadriel’s willpower to Celeborn. Dunland Berserker added to the staging area resulting active location being explored and stage 2b being completed. Prowler added to the staging area from discard for 3a when revealed. Both enemies engage. Berserker attacks and Defender of the Naith defends. Shadow discards Mirror of Galadriel but no damage dealt. Tracker defends the prowler’s attack, shadow discards Protector of Lórien, and no damage dealt. Celeborn and Haldir attack and kill the berserker. Refresh, threat is 31, and time on quest is 2. Celeborn and Haldir heal a damage from tracker’s ability.

Turn 6: Silvan Tracker drawn and play it with O Lórien!. Celeborn, tracker #2, Orophin, guide, minstrels, and handmaiden quest for 18 with Galadriel adding to Celeborn. Old Hatreds added to the quest. Dunland Chieftan added from surge card to staging area for 3 threat resulting in 15 progress on the quest. No travel and engagement. Defender of the Naith defends the prowler’s attack, no shadow, and no damage dealt. Haldir, Celeborn, and tracker #2 attack for 7 killing the prowler. Refresh, threat is 32, time on quest is 1, and Celeborn and Haldir heal completely.

Turn 7: Treebeard drawn and threat increasing to 33. Play Henamarth Riversong and Lembas played on Haldir. Quest for 7 Galadriel boosting Celeborn. Prowler and bandit added to the staging area thanks to prowler’s surge. Optionally engage Chieftan and forced effect added Berserker to the staging area. The rest of the enemies engage. Defender of the Naith defends against the berserker attack, no shadow, and no damage dealt. A minstrel defends vs the Chieftan, kills the minstrel, and readies Defender of the Naith. Shadow gives Chieftan another attack. Defender of the Naith defends the prowler, shadow discards O Lórien!, and no damage dealt. Chieftan 2nd attack defended by minstrel #2, no shadow, minstrel dies, and readies Defender of the Naith. Handmaiden defends the bandit’s attack, Light of Valinor discarded to shadow, and dies. Haldir and Celeborn kill berserker. Discard Lembad to ready Haldir. Haldir, Orophin, and guide attack and kill prowler. Henamarth, trackers, defender, and Grima attack and kill the bandit. Refresh, threat is 34, and remove last time counter. Dunland Tribesman added to staging area from forced effect. Time on quest is 3.

Turn 8: Feigned Voices drawn. Exhaust Galadriel to draw Treebeard and reduce threat to 32. Exhaust Grima and draw Galadriel’s Handmaiden. Play Treebeard. No one quests. Wild Men of Dunland attached to the quest. Surge adds Gap of Rohan. Travel to the Gap. Tribesman engages. Play Feigned Voices returning guide to keep chieftan from attacking. Henamarth defends vs the Tribesman attack, no shadow, and dies. Celeborn and Haldir attack and kill the tribesman. Orophin, trackers, and defender attack the chieftan for 2 damage. Refresh, threat is 38, time is 2 on the quest.

Turn 9: Naith Guide drawn, threat rose to 39 a damage dealt to Haldir. Play Galadriel’s Handmaiden and lower threat to 38. Handmaiden quests for 7 boosted by Celeborn and Galadriel. Fords of Isen added to staging area for 3 threat resulting in active location being exploration and 1 progress on the quest for a total of 17. Travel to the Fords. Treebeard defends the chieftan’s attack, shadow discards Nenya, and 2 damage dealt. Haldir, Celeborn, and Orophin kills the chieftan completing the quest.

Score 92 = 9 rounds * 10 + 3 hero damage + 0 killed heroes – 1 victory point