The Dunland Trap with Minimum Purchase Rohan Deck 3 – January 11, 2020

Introduction

My third attempt with Dave’s minimum purchase deck ends up being much longer than my first one.

Decklist

Play by Play

(This time definitely have Westfold Horse-breeder in the deck.)

Setup: Boar Clan Warrior in the staging area. Old South Road is the active location.

Starting Hand: Dwarven Tomb, Hasty Stroke, Gandalf, Westfold Horse-breeder, The White Council, and Sneak Attack

Turn 1: The White Council drawn and warrior gets a shadow. Play Westfold Horse-breeder and add Firefoot to hand. Quest with Eowyn and Theodred adding a resource to Eowyn. Sneak attack Gandalf to kill warrior and add him to the quest. Hithaeglir Stream added to the staging area for 3 threat. 9 willpower explores the active location, adds to the victory display, and puts 2 progress on the quest. Gandalf returns to hand. Travel to the stream. Refresh, threat is 28 and time on the quest is 1.

Turn 2: Snowbourn Scout and Veteran Axehand drawn. Play both The White Council to basically move Eowyn’s resources to Eomer. Then play Firefoot on him. Also play the veteran and scout. The active location gains a progress. Eowyn, Theodred, and breeder quest for 6. Eowyn gains a resource. In Time of Need attached to Theodred (not again!). Discard Gandalf for 7 willpower, active location explored, and 3 progress placed on the quest for 5 total. Refresh, threat is 29, discard hand, draw Beorn and Snowbourn Scout, and time on quest is 2 again.

Turn 3: Steward of Gondor drawn. Eowyn, Theodred, and breeder quest for 6 and added a resource to Theodred. Hills of Dunland added to the staging area for 2 threat. 4 progress added to the quest for a total of 9. Travel to the Hills drawing Steward of Gondor #2. Refresh, threat is 30, Theodred takes a damage, and time on quest is 1.

Turn 4: Veteran Axehand drawn. Play Steward of Gondor on Eowyn and exhaust. Play Veteran Axehand and Snowbourn Scout and place a progress on the active location. Same questers for 6. Dunland Ambush added to the active location. Surge reveals Frenzied Attack, Westfold Horse-breeder drawn, and it with Beorn discarded. Discard 2nd Steward for 7 willpower. Active location explored, Dunland Chieftain engaged with me and I have no cards in hand for the forced effect. Chieftain attack defended by a scout, no shadow effect (shadow is another chieftain, haha), and scout dies. Eomer and axehands attack for 11 killing the chieftain. Refresh, threat is 31, Theodred takes a damage, discard nonexistent hand, draw 2 Wandering Tooks, and time on quest 2 again.

Turn 5: Gondorian Spearman drawn and exhaust Steward. Theodred and Breeder quest for 2. Eomer gains a resource. Dunland Tribesmen added to the staging area for 1 threat and Unexpected Courage drawn. 1 progress added to the quest for 15 total. Optionally engage Dunland Tribesmab. Scout defends the attack, shadow prevents damage to the enemy, and scout dies. Refresh, threat is 32, Theodred dies, and time on the quest is 1.

Turn 6: Faramir drawn and exhaust Steward. Play Unexpected Courage on Eomer. Play both Wandering Tooks and Gondorian Spearman. Quest with the Tooks and breeder for 3. Boar Clan Warrior added to the staging area for 2 threat resulting in 1 progress on the quest. Boar Clan Warrior engages. Tribesman attacked defended by Spearman, takes 1 damage, shadow adds 1 attack, and Spearman dies. Axehand attack defends warrior attack, shadow adds 1 attack, and Axehand dies. Eomer attacks each enemy thanks to Unexpected Courage killing both. Refresh, threat is 33, discard Faramir, draw Hasty Stroke and Westfold Horse-breeder, and time on quest is 2.

Turn 7: Guard of the Citadel drawn. Quest with Tooks and breeder for 3. Hithaeglir Foothills added to the staging area. Surge reveals Dunland Ambush and is discarded. Second surge reveals Low on Provisions assigning 6 damage (2 to the Tooks each, 1 to Axehand, and 1 to Eowyn.) Refresh, threat is 34, and time on quest is 1.

Turn 8: Snowbourn Scout drawn and foothills gains a resource. Eowyn and breeder quest for 5. In Need of Rest revealed. I concede this game because losing a Hero during Stage 3 would be game over. I could play so one dies before stage 3 if an enemy comes up but pretty sure I couldn’t pull the victory off even then.

The Shadow that kept me from attacking the tribesmen on turn 5 messed with my plan to advance the quest on turn 6. I decided to delay completion since I would have trouble dealing 2 enemies after losing most of my allies. That ended up being a bad idea because more chances of a treachery messing things up more which is exactly what happened.