Category: Hero

Thalin

Matt Kell (kattattack22)Leave a comment
  • Player Card Categories
    • Direct Damage
    • Encounter Control

Fun in the early scenarios that is largely left behind as the scenario meta made direct damage less powerful

Background

Thalin is an FFG created hero. He was created for the Core Set and unfortunately FFG didn’t create a backstory for him. It wasn’t until later cycles that FFG created characters were given a back story included in the rules insert. The flavor text comes from a song Gimli sings about Darrowdelf’s old glory while the Fellowship is traveling through Moria.

Card Theme

I don’t think there is a thematic link especially as this a FFG created character. Additionally, direct damage effects are spread around various traits and isn’t exclusive to Dwarves.

Card Synergies and Interactions

More Direct Damage

Thalin’s ability alone typically won’t destroy an enemy in a single round. Some quests early in the game’s life had a many 1 or 2 hit point enemies like Journey Along the Anduin, Return to Mirkwood, The Seventh Level, We Must Away Ere Break of Day, or Over the Misty Mountains Grim. Later scenarios, the norm was enemies with 3 or more hit points. In those, more is needed if a player wants to destroy an enemy with direct damage.

Tactics is full of direct damage options. Gondorian Spearman came in the Core Set with Thalin which worked well together for 2 hit point enemies. Thalin could do a damage when they came out, and Spearman would knock them down while defending. Spear of the Citadel on Gondorian Spearman can make this even better with another damage to take out 3 hit point enemies. Galadhon Archer, Descendent of Throndor, and Rumil have direct damage effects are like Gandalf ally from the Core Set dealing direct damage when they enter play. Tactics Bilbo has a similar ability to Thalin although it targets only 1 enemy and they already need to be in play. Then with his trusty sword, Sting, Bilbo can deal a direct damage in combat. Dwarves also have Darrowdelf Axe and Thorin Stonehelm that can do some additional direct damage while attacking. There are also many event based ones like Swift Strike, Heavy Stroke, Hail of Stones, and Goblin-Cleaver just to name a few.

Lore is the other main sphere with direct damage effects. Argalad can team up with Thalin to deal 1 damage to an enemy in the staging area provided he has enough attack power to reduce their threat to 0. Expecting Mischief in particular is very similar to Thalin since it triggers to deal 2 damage when an enemy is revealed. There are also a couple thematically tied to the Ithilien Rangers like the trap, Poisoned Stakes. It unfortunately deals 2 damage at the end of the round. Arrows from the Trees also can deal damage to enemies in the staging area and more when Tactics resources are spent, but the players have to avoid engaging any enemies. Both given the timing and needing or better to avoid engagement don’t work quite as well with Thalin.

Willpower Bonus

Thalin’s ability only triggering when he quests doesn’t offer a lot of synergy out of the box. It might have been Nate French’s intent to make players agonize over the decision to quest with him or keep him ready for combat. It could be to give players another good target for Celebrian’s Stone to make him into a 3 willpower questor. The only in sphere option readily available to boost his willpower is Tactics Theoden, but his bonus is only +1. Leadership Dain provides a similar bonus along with +1 attack making Thalin a pretty good attacking hero.

The better willpower bonuses are going to come from contracts. Forth, the Three Hunters can add up to 4 to Thalin’s willpower provided he can get 4 restricted attachments and a Golden Belt. Tactics having more restricted attachments than any other sphere, this is easily achievable. Fellowship offers +1 once there are 9 unique characters in play. Grey Wanderer doesn’t provide a direct bonus, but it does allow players to put Strider into play right away giving +2 as long as there are 5 or less characters in play.

Encounter Scrying

Encounter scrying effects can be useful in determining if questing with Thalin is a good idea to do or not. Especially if there are enemies already engaged and the players might need to utilize his 2 attack or defense.

Quest Specific

The first 2 cycles and The Hobbit Sage offer many opportunities for Thalin to shine. There are a number of enemies like Eastern Crows that have 1 hit point and surge. Thalin’s ability destorys these enemies as they are revealed stopping any keywords including surge. Against the Shadow had 1 enemy that Thalin could take out easily. Then it wasn’t until Race Across Harad that there was another 1 hit point enemy Thalin could work his magic (or I guess axe) on. The Hunt for the Dreadnaught also featured a 1 hit point Corsair.

Intruders in Chetwood, Dungeson of Cirith Gurat, The Uruk-Hai, and Helm’s Deep are all ones to avoid using Thalin in. Intruders in Chetwood enemies can’t be damaged while Orc War Party is in play. The quest starts with one in play and there are 2 others in the encounter deck. More often than not, enemies won’t be able to take damage. Dungeons of Cirith Gurat during the second stage when the players have to avoid engaging enemies for 2 turns, Thalin weakening them would be quite beneficial except they’re all immune to damage. The Uruk-Hai and Helm’s Deep many of the enemies have the toughness X keyword that cancels the first X damage any time damage is dealt to them. Bilbo’s damage then will just get canceled every time it is used against them.

Ring Rating

Card Talk uses the highly scientific yet arbitrary scale of 1 ring for the card to rule them all to 10 to be cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came.

I rate Thalin at 7 rings. He was good early in the life of the game when his ability had more a function. The development of the game to higher hit points and his inefficient stats make him fairly niche.

Normally, I would try to argue more about my view on the ring rating. Instead I am going use Thalin to discuss about how the game has developed over the years. Thalin is a good example the game’s roots in Magic the Gathering. There part of the design is giving players “answers” to different threats. A player plays a big creature (similar to LOTR LCG ally), another player can cancel it with a counter spell, kill the creature with direct damage, force them to discard it with creature removal, or even remove it from the game. The early life of the game was similar, a treachery is going to wreck your board state, better have the “answer” A Test of Will to cancel it. Hill Troll or Cheiftan Ufthak attacking are problematic for the player to defend easily, then cancel the attack with Forest Snare or Feint.

Thalin was the answer to surging low hit point enemies. One the first FAQs clarified he could stop surge. Stopping surge and getting rid of an enemy (albeit a weakling one that is mostly a nuisance) is a huge value! The Hobbit and Darrowdelf still had some of this. Afterwards, there were only 3 enemies with 1 hit point. This combined with his low willpower, very few willpower boosting options in sphere, and increase in anti-direct damage abilities in quests and enemies lead to decline in value. Staging area attack with attack boosts became a much better option. While many staging attack abilities can’t get around immune to player card effects either, the attack boosts work just fine in combat. Not to mention attack bonuses can get high enough to get past toughness or can’t direct damage.

Power creep in player cards (Darrowdelf especially) meant that encounter cards had to have power creep as well to keep the game difficult especially for veteran players. Enemies got more hit points, immunity to damage while the staging area, immunity to player card effects, or other effects like toughness that lowered the effectiveness of certain cards. In a competitive card game like Magic, this sort of thing is to be expected. The Meta (how good certain cards or decks are against the field of other card and decks) shifts as new sets come out. The Living Card Game format not being collectible and not that many cards coming out in each expansion means that cards shifting in effectiveness can be a bit of a bummer. Particularly as a card or deck type might never get other helper cards to make them effective again.

The positive side of the changes with some original answer cards becoming less effective is the game evolved into a better overall play experience. Cancel or lose cards became very rare. Each encounter became a little tougher to deal with. Easy encounter cards that could possibly do nothing to the player became just as rare as cancel or lose cards. Playing the game became more an even difficulty that felt more fair because a game typically wouldn’t just fall apart an hour in due to a single terrible encounter card reveal.

The game has moved on from the days when Thalin could make really good use of his ability. His one willpower wasn’t good even then. It is a drag now with higher threat on many cards. His combat stats are mediocre at best. Fortunately, all those older quests where he can shine still exist.

  • Dave – 5
  • Grant – 5
  • Ted – TBR
  • Matt – 7

External Links

Sample Decks

Tank and Spank by Tale from the Cards

Thalin, Argalad, and a few direct damage allies soften up enemies for Beregond with a Spear of the Citadel.

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Argalad (The Drowned Ruins)
Beregond (Heirs of Númenor)
Thalin (Core Set)

Ally (22)
1x Azain Silverbeard (Flight of the Stormcaller)
1x Bofur (Over Hill and Under Hill)
2x Derndingle Warrior (Escape from Mount Gram)
3x Galadhon Archer (The Nîn-in-Eilph)
1x Ghân-buri-Ghân (The Flame of the West)
3x Gondorian Spearman (Core Set)
3x Honour Guard (The Wastes of Eriador)
1x Legolas (The Treason of Saruman)
1x Mablung (The Land of Shadow)
2x Master of the Forge (Shadow and Flame)
1x Quickbeam (The Treason of Saruman)
3x Warden of Healing (The Long Dark)

Attachment (15)
3x Bow of the Galadhrim (The Nîn-in-Eilph)
3x Gondorian Shield (The Steward’s Fear)
3x Lembas (Trouble in Tharbad)
3x Ranger Spikes (Heirs of Númenor)
3x Spear of the Citadel (Heirs of Númenor)

Event (13)
2x Behind Strong Walls (Heirs of Númenor)
3x Daeron’s Runes (Foundations of Stone)
3x Goblin-cleaver (Over Hill and Under Hill)
2x Hail of Stones (Road to Rivendell)
3x Heed the Dream (Flight of the Stormcaller)

3 Heroes, 50 Cards
Cards up to The Drowned Ruins

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

Sam Gamgee (Leadership Hero)

Matt Kell (kattattack22)Leave a comment
  • Player Card Categories
    • Willpower Bonus
    • Attack Bonus
    • Defense Bonus
    • Readying
    • Surprise

Don’t be fooled, he’s no simple gardener.

Background

Sam is a gardener at Bag End, where he meets Bilbo Baggins and learns about the greater wonders of the world. Sam becomes Frodo’s companion on his journey to destroy the One Ring, after eavesdropping on Frodo and Gandalf’s conversation about the ring’s true nature. Sam joins the fellowship and insists on bringing his pony, Bill, along. He saves Frodo’s life from the Watcher in the Water. After the Breaking of the Fellowship, Sam is the only member to journey with Frodo and Gollum to Mordor. When Gollum betrayed the Hobbits to Shelob, Sam took up Sting and fought off the giant spider. Then he went on to rescue Frodo from the Tower of Cirith Ungol and return The One ring to Frodo’s care. The two disguised as orc made their way to the slopes of Mount Doom. Sam watched in dismay as Frodo claimed the Ring as his own, and then as Gollum claimed Frodo’s ring finger taking the Ring with it. After the Gollum and the Ring’s destruction in the fires of Mount Doom, the Eagles came and rescued both Sam and Frodo. They were hailed as heroes by the newly crowned King Elessar of Gondor.

Card Theme

Sam despite being a simple gardener that had never left the Shire persevered over great odds in the quest to destroy The Ruling Ring. This demonstrates his strength of will. The readying and combat bonuses fit with Sam finding hidden reservoirs of strength when needed such as his fight with Shelob. The also game represents the Hobbits affinity for stealth with various bonuses for engaging enemies with higher engagement cost than their threat. This can easily be construed as the advantage they get from the element of surprise.

Card Synergies and Interactions

Stat Boosts

Sam’s built-in readying along with the availability of Fast Hitch, and other readying effects like Armored Destrier make stat boosts very effective on him. His ability already can make him a 4/2/2 hero for the entire round. Dunedain Warning and Mark are good in sphere options to boost his combat effectiveness after engaging an enemy with engagement cost higher than a player’s threat.

Hobbits also many trait specific boosts or ones that use the same Hobbit Surprise mechanism. Hobbit Cloak in sphere with Sam is both that can turn Sam into a Beregond level defender. Dagger of Westernesse while not limited to Hobbits does use their surprise for an additional attack bonus. Rosie in particular is a minimum +2 boost to whichever stat Sam needs. Let’s not forget Sam’s beloved Bill who not only gives all Hobbits a hit point but is free with Sam in play.

Then there are a few cards that can boost all the basic stats (except hit points) like Sting, Halfling Determination, and Friend of Friends. These are great the more readying Sam has to each bolstered stat in a single round.

Sam being a Leadership hero means he has access to Steward of Gondor. This also makes Sam eligible for two of the biggest combat boosts, Blood of Numenor and Gondorian Fire. Even activating both each round will net a +1 bonus from Steward’s additional resources. The Red Book of Westmarch can accelerate this further.

Engagement Control

Sam’s ability is a response to engaging an enemy with higher engagement cost. Normally, the only opportunity for this is Optional Engagement during step 5.2. This usually is fine to utilize Sam’s now 2 attack or defense during combat since it lasts until the end of the round. Ideally, a player would engage an enemy during the quest phase to get the additional willpower and still have Sam ready with higher attack and defense for combat. Not to mention it will lower the threat in the staging area. Westfold Outrider‘s has an action that can force an engagement during the quest phase but at the cost of discarding it. Son of Arnor, Mablung, and Lore Faramir ally when put into play can also force an enemy engagement. Sneak Attack, Reinforcements, or Horns! Horns! Horns! are necessary to put them into play during the quest phase.

Secrecy

Hobbits are all fairly low threat heroes making starting at 20 or less threat for Secrecy viable. Sam provides Leadership access for one of the key acceleration cards in Secrecy, Timely Aid. The other, Resourceful, is neutral and can be included with the other Leadership Secrecy cards. Swift and Silent can ready a hero and get itself back if threat is 20 or less. The other two, Rivendell Scout and Dunedain Wanderer mostly are stats for a good value if played for the Secrecy cost.

Ring Rating

Card Talk uses the highly scientific yet arbitrary scale of 1 ring for the card to rule them all to 10 to be cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came.

I rate Sam at 3 rings. His 3 willpower combined with his ability tend to make him into a dual questing and defending hero in a Hobbit deck. Granted he needs a little set up to be a good defender. Fortunately Leadership has plenty of defense boosts including the Hobbit Cloak that can get his defense to 4 depending on the enemy’s engagement cost. Outside a Hobbit deck, he is a lower cost questing hero at worst. His ability may not trigger as often but 3 willpower is still good. He only has 3 hit points which is on the lower side for a hero. Still it is better than nearly all the Hobbit heroes.

I think Sam is good, but loses out as a general purpose questing hero to 4 willpower heroes particularly Eowyn. They’re very similar in threat cost and stat line to each other. Spirit Eowyn is 1 more threat cost and has 1 more willpower and easier to activate willpower bonus. Tactics Eowyn is 2 less threat cost with 1 more willpower and a very useful once per game ability. Later quests tend to require 6-7 willpower in the first couple of turns. It is much easier to manage that level with a 4 willpower hero than 3 willpower one. A single 2 willpower ally + 4 willpower hero and a player can quest well. Additionally the condition on his readying ability works well with other low threat heroes. Combined with heroes that have threat 10 or more, it won’t trigger much throughout the game. It makes him less useful in decks with high threat cost heroes or Bond of Friendship other than keeping starting threat from being too high. His 3 willpower means he’s fine outside Hobbits and Secrecy, but he really shines in those decks.

  • Dave – 1
  • Grant – 1
  • Ted – TBR
  • Matt – 3
  • Average = 1.67

External Links

Sample Decks

Tom Cotton for the Win! by Dave Walsh

Dave’s version of a “true hobbit deck.” One where most of the allies are hobbits.

Tom Cotton for the Win!

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Bilbo Baggins (The Hunt for Gollum)
Sam Gamgee (The Black Riders)
Tom Cotton (The Mountain of Fire)

Ally (23)
2x Bill the Pony (The Black Riders)
3x Bywater Shirriff (The Fate of Wilderland)
3x Cautious Halfling (Wrath and Ruin)
1x Farmer Maggot (The Black Riders)
3x Gaffer Gamgee (Mount Gundabad)
3x Gandalf (Core Set)
2x Pippin (A Shadow in the East)
3x Rosie Cotton (The Mountain of Fire)
3x Warden of Healing (The Long Dark)

Attachment (18)
2x Dagger of Westernesse (The Black Riders)
3x Fast Hitch (The Dead Marshes)
3x Forest Snare (Core Set)
3x Friend of Friends (The Mountain of Fire)
2x Hobbit Cloak (The Black Riders)
1x Protector of Lórien (Core Set)
1x Ring Mail (The Long Dark)
1x Song of Hope (The Black Serpent)
2x Steward of Gondor (Core Set)

Event (12)
3x Daeron’s Runes (Foundations of Stone)
3x Drinking Song (Mount Gundabad)
3x Sneak Attack (Core Set)
3x The Shirefolk (Mount Gundabad)

3 Heroes, 53 Cards
Cards up to Wrath and Ruin

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

The Secret Life of Eagles by Stoved86

This deck focuses on 3 important aspects: Eagles, Hobbits, and Secrecy.

Tom Cotton for the Win!

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Bilbo Baggins (The Hunt for Gollum)
Sam Gamgee (The Black Riders)
Tom Cotton (The Mountain of Fire)

Ally (23)
2x Bill the Pony (The Black Riders)
3x Bywater Shirriff (The Fate of Wilderland)
3x Cautious Halfling (Wrath and Ruin)
1x Farmer Maggot (The Black Riders)
3x Gaffer Gamgee (Mount Gundabad)
3x Gandalf (Core Set)
2x Pippin (A Shadow in the East)
3x Rosie Cotton (The Mountain of Fire)
3x Warden of Healing (The Long Dark)

Attachment (18)
2x Dagger of Westernesse (The Black Riders)
3x Fast Hitch (The Dead Marshes)
3x Forest Snare (Core Set)
3x Friend of Friends (The Mountain of Fire)
2x Hobbit Cloak (The Black Riders)
1x Protector of Lórien (Core Set)
1x Ring Mail (The Long Dark)
1x Song of Hope (The Black Serpent)
2x Steward of Gondor (Core Set)

Event (12)
3x Daeron’s Runes (Foundations of Stone)
3x Drinking Song (Mount Gundabad)
3x Sneak Attack (Core Set)
3x The Shirefolk (Mount Gundabad)

3 Heroes, 53 Cards
Cards up to Wrath and Ruin

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

Bilbo Baggins (Baggins Hero OtD)

Matt Kell (kattattack22)Leave a comment
  • Player Card Categories
    • Card Search

The mandatory hero for The Hobbit: On the Doorstep Saga expansion.

Background

Bilbo once a respectable Hobbit from a respectable family that didn’t go off having adventures, went on an adventure to burgle treasure from a dragon. Along the way, he won or found a magic ring (depending on the telling) that would change the course of Middle-Earth. That however is another story. Bilbo aided by the magic ring, verbally sparred with a dragon in trying to burgle some treasures. In so doing provoked the dragon to attack a nearby town leading to its demise and liberation of a Dwarven ancestral home and its treasures. Elves, Men, and Dwarves afterwards nearly came to war over the liberated treasures until the host of goblins, orcs, and wargs arrived. Bilbo was soon knocked out in the fighting but survived to take a nice stash of treasure home to retire on.

Card Theme

This version of Bilbo is meant to represent him in the second half of The Hobbit. He has to be included for those 3 The Hobbit: On the Doorstep quests. The theme comes in a couple of ways. The low willpower, attack, and defense represents his lack of experience at this point. Then there is his ability to pull out a treasure card from the player’s deck. It is a very burglar ability to just suddenly come up with this valuable object. It could also represent him just pulling his magic ring out of his pocket when needed.

Card Synergies and Interactions

Burglar Baggins and The Lucky Number

There are only 2 non-hero Baggins sphere cards. Burglar Baggins could boost Bilbo’s stats. The Lucky Number could boost another character’s stats. There used to be an infinite willpower combo with The Lucky Number and Galadriel hero. The Lucky Number being able to boost another character’s stats by Bilbo’s could feed into Nenya adding Galadriel’s willpower to another character. When targeting Bilbo, it used to create an infinite loop because Bilbo’s willpower would update and that would recalculate Galadriel’s and so on.

FAQ 1.55 on lasting effects killed the loop. Basically, 1.55 said the effect for player cards that last until the phase or round has to be calculated when triggered. Before 1.55 and still true for encounter cards, you would recalculate if something else in the game would affect the total. Now for player cards, it doesn’t update if there is a change. Under 1.55 Bilbo adds his 1 willpower to Galadriel. Then with Nenya, she adds her 5 willpower Bilbo. It doesn’t update to add Bilbo’s 6 willpower to Galadriel.

Treasure Cards

The treasure cards that can be earned in The Hobbit Saga all have useful effects. Sting, Glamdring, and Orcrist earned in Over Hill and Under Hill more so than The Lonely Mountain ones. Bilbo can help find them and get them into play. Bilbo’s Magic Ring in particular should be the first one found to gain more Baggins resources and cancel attacks.

Neutral Cards

The lack of Baggins sphere cards doesn’t mean that Bilbo’s resource are useless. Neutral cards don’t need any specific sphere resources to be played. Thematically, that let’s Bilbo get Gandalf into play. This also can help open up more possibilities with Bilbo’s resources with the songs that can grant Bilbo additional sphere icons. A Good Harvest can also change Baggins resources to another sphere for a phase.

Resource Transfer

Bilbo can’t gain resources from player effects eliminating Steward of Gondor, Legacy of Numenor, etc. Moving resources to him is still allowed. Errand-rider and Parting Gifts are great ways to take advantage of Steward to build up more Baggins resources.

Quest Specific

Something to keep in mind with Baggins sphere Bilbo is that you will need his resources for encounter effects as well. Most commonly in On the Doorstep, is paying to travel to different locations. In The Lonely Mountain scenario, they are very important. The Lonely Mountain location lets Baggins resources be spent to help succeed a Burgle attempt. If the player discards a card from their deck they don’t have a match for in their hand, then the resources let the player have a redo and draw card. Baggins resource sin The Battle of Five Armies can get the players are an Eagle ally with hero level stats.

Ring Rating

Card Talk uses the highly scientific yet arbitrary scale of 1 ring for the card to rule them all to 10 to be cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came.

I have to rate this version of Bilbo a 9. It really isn’t fair to rate this hero like a regular player card given the massive restriction on his play. He can’t be put into a deck outside On the Doorstep per the rules. He’s then limited to 3 scenarios and is more akin to an objective hero or ally. He also has a sphere with only 2 non-hero player cards in it. He’s fine in the scenarios he’s allowed to play in. That is because he’s a free hero, Baggins resources are required to mitigate encounter effects, and he’ll get the powerful Treasures out of the deck. Otherwise, the 1/1/1 stat line adds about as much as a low cost ally. Overall, he doesn’t do much without Baggins resources and extremely niche given the few scenarios he’s playable in.

  • Dave – 3
  • Grant – 3
  • Ted – TBR
  • Matt – 9

External Links

Sample Decks

It’s Not a Sphere! by kattattack22

An April Fools joke deck using On the Doorstep Bilbo with the Grey Wanderer contract.

It’s Not a Sphere!

Main Deck

Hero (1)
Bilbo Baggins (On the Doorstep)

Contract (0)
1x The Grey Wanderer (Challenge of the Wainriders)

Ally (16)
1x Bill the Pony (The Black Riders)
1x Boromir (The Road Darkens)
1x Farmer Maggot (The Black Riders)
1x Gaffer Gamgee (Mount Gundabad)
3x Gandalf (Over Hill and Under Hill)
1x Halfast Gamgee (The Crossings of Poros)
3x Halfling Bounder (The Sands of Harad)
3x Keen-eyed Took (The Hills of Emyn Muil)
1x Rosie Cotton (The Mountain of Fire)
1x Sam Gamgee (The Thing in the Depths)

Attachment (13)
1x Dagger of Westernesse (The Black Riders)
3x Fast Hitch (The Dead Marshes)
1x Hobbit Cloak (The Black Riders)
3x Resourceful (The Watcher in the Water)
1x Song of Battle (The Dead Marshes)
1x Song of Kings (The Hunt for Gollum)
1x Sting (Mount Gundabad)
1x Strider (The Drowned Ruins)
1x Sword-thain (The Dread Realm)

Event (18)
3x Burglar Baggins (Over Hill and Under Hill)
3x Dúnedain Message (Across the Ettenmoors)
3x Halfling Determination (The Black Riders)
3x The Lucky Number (On the Doorstep)
3x The Shirefolk (Mount Gundabad)
3x Timely Aid (The Redhorn Gate)

Player Side Quest (3)
1x Gather Information (The Lost Realm)
1x Send for Aid (The Treachery of Rhudaur)
1x The Storm Comes (The Sands of Harad)

1 Hero, 50 Cards
Cards up to Challenge of the Wainriders

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

Eowyn (Spirit)

Matt Kell (kattattack22)Leave a comment
  • Player Card Categories
    • Willpower Bonus
    • Discard from Hand
    • Group Effect

The Core Set’s premiere questing hero.

Background

Éowyn and Éomer were orphaned and raised by Théoden. During the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, she disguised herself as a man and fought beside King Théoden. She killed the Witch-king with the help of Merry. She was presumed dead after the battle, but was later treated by Aragorn and met Faramir, with whom she fell in love. They were married and settled in Ithilien, where she became known as the Lady of Ithilien.

Card Theme

There’s not really a thematic link for her action. The real thematic link is her strong willpower stat. She achieved her “wish to face peril and battle.” This despite the orders of her king and uncle by disguising herself and riding to war.

Card Synergies and Interactions

Put into Play from Discard

Eowyn’s action costs the player a card from their hand. That cost can be a benefit with the right cards to bring that card back into play. The Core Set included Stand and Fight that could put a non-neutral ally from the discard pile into play. This enabled even core set decks to discard an ally from hand and put it into play later. Even if they were from a sphere that the player didn’t have a resource match for. Beorn ally is a great example because he was expensive but powerful. A single copy was easy to include in decks without Tactics. If drawn, he could be a temporary +1 willpower until he could be put into play with Stand and Fight. To me! O my kinsfolk!, Caldara, and Beorning Skin-changer have much similar effects although more limited by sphere or trait. Much later in the game, Eowyn’s ability could set up Reforged to put an attachment into play.

Play from Discard

There are a few cards that can be played right from the discard pile. Elven-light has a lot of synergy with Eowyn’s ability because it can only be played from the discard pile and doing so returns it to the player’s hand. It gives the player even an additional card for the trouble. Given enough resources, Elven-light enables the player to give Eowyn +1 willpower every turn. Lords of the Eldar is similar in the playing from the discard pile restriction but has little synergy unless the player has Noldor characters in play. Plus it returns to the bottom of the deck and not easily reused with Eowyn’s ability. Glorfindel doesn’t mind being discarded to Eowyn’s ability although like Lords of the Eldar it isn’t going to help give multiple willpower boosts.

Silver Harp

Silver Harp can return any discarded card to hand. This basically gives Eowyn an additional willpower every turn. It also is a restricted attachment which is useful when playing Eowyn in a Forth, the Three Hunters contract deck.

Effects based on top card in Discard Pile

The Grey Havens introduced a few Noldor allies that gain stat bonuses based on the top card of the discard pile. Eowyn can discard the appropriate card to give the ally the needed bonus.

Willpower Substitution

Herugrim, Goldend Shield, and Against the Shadow all bring Eowyn’s willpower to bear in combat. Herugrim is the safest one to use considering there is little change of Eowyn taking damage. Golden Shield and Against the Shadow are a little riskier since Eowyn only has 3 hit points if 4 defense isn’t enough to block the entire enemy attack. Against the shadow isn’t limited to just defending, but could be used for quests with the siege keyword.

Ring Rating

Card Talk uses the highly scientific yet arbitrary scale of 1 ring for the card to rule them all to 10 to be cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came.

I give her 2 rings. Most quests require significant willpower on turn 1 to quest successfully. Questing unsuccessfully can often spiral into a game losing board state as players gain threat and have to engage more enemies than they can handle. Staging area threat can also build up quickly if not clearing out the active location regularly leading to location lock. Eowyn gives players a strong quester right away for a reasonable 9 threat cost. The ability to adjust willpower after staging by discarding a card can also make the difference between clearing the active location, avoiding threat gain, or advancing to the next stage.

The main reason I rate Spirit Eowyn at 2 rings instead of 1 is Tactics Eowyn. Tactics Eowyn has the same printed willpower for 3 less threat cost plus an amazing ability that is a boss killer. There are many scenarios where the Tactics version is a better choice than the Spirit one. A corollary to that is more viable alternatives questing heroes with Cirdan, Galadriel, Arwen, and Lothriel all offering great willpower and abilities.

Spirit Eowyn is still an excellent choice. Especially in multiplayer as each player can use her ability to gain +4 willpower in 1 turn. She’s just no longer the must have choice for questing.

  • Dave – 4
  • Grant – 3
  • Ted – TBR
  • Matt – 2
  • Average – 3

External Links

Sample Deck

Doomed Rohan – To Catch An Orc – Minimum Purchase by kattattack22

Deck for To Catch an Orc using only Core Set and Voice of Isengard player cards. The deck uses Doomed cards for resource acceleration with Grima and Keys of Orthanc. It is reliant on chump blocking for defense.

Doomed Rohan – To Catch An Orc – Minimum Purchase

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Éomer (The Voice of Isengard)
Éowyn (Core Set)
Gríma (The Voice of Isengard)

Ally (27)
2x Erebor Hammersmith (Core Set)
3x Gandalf (Core Set)
1x Gléowine (Core Set)
3x Gondorian Spearman (Core Set)
1x Henamarth Riversong (Core Set)
3x Isengard Messenger (The Voice of Isengard)
3x Lórien Guide (Core Set)
2x Northern Tracker (Core Set)
3x Veteran Axehand (Core Set)
3x Westfold Horse-breeder (The Voice of Isengard)
3x Westfold Outrider (The Voice of Isengard)

Attachment (6)
2x Blade of Gondolin (Core Set)
2x Keys of Orthanc (The Voice of Isengard)
2x Rohan Warhorse (The Voice of Isengard)

Event (17)
2x A Test of Will (Core Set)
2x Deep Knowledge (The Voice of Isengard)
1x Dwarven Tomb (Core Set)
2x Feint (Core Set)
2x Secret Paths (Core Set)
3x Stand and Fight (Core Set)
2x The Galadhrim’s Greeting (Core Set)
3x The Wizards’s Voice (The Voice of Isengard)

3 Heroes, 50 Cards
Cards up to The Voice of Isengard

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

Glorfindel (Spirit Hero)

Matt Kell (kattattack22)Leave a comment
  • Cycle
    • Darrowdelf
  • Set
    • Foundations of Stone 

The Glorfindel hero you want to play.

Background

Glorfindel we meet in the Lord of the Rings trilogy after Frodo is stabbed by the Morgul blade. He finds Strider and the Hobbits on their way to Rivendell. He takes Frodo from them and carries him swiftly to Rivendell. When confronted by the ringwraiths at the ford, he reveals his spiritual presence to drive the wraiths into the river. Then they are swept away in the ensuing flood. Those unfamiliar with books will note this part is filled by Arwen in the Peter Jackson film adaption.

Glorfindel, however, has a much more extensive story than his cameo in Lord of the Rings. In the First Age, he is one of the captains of Gondolin, the hidden elf city. He is most well known for slaying a Blarog in single combat covering the elves’ flight from the city after it fell. After the fatal blow, the Balrog began to fall into an abyss and dragged Glorfindel down with him. Glorfindel died, but the Valar brought him back from the Halls of Waiting.

He lived in Valinor after his resurrection until coming back to Middle Earth in the Second Age. Glorfindel most likely returned to Middle Earth with the Blue Wizards. He was sent to aid King Gil-galad and Elrond in fighting Sauron. Not much is known of his deeds during the end of the second age and early third age. He did fight Sauron’s forces in Eriador. There, most notably, he gave the prophecy that the Witch-King would not fall by the hand of a man.

Card Theme

Glorfindel is obviously a powerful Nolder as a First Age Elf that took down a Balrog single handedly. His strong stat line is well justified there. The low threat then is a reflection of his involvement in the War of the Ring. Hero threat is explained as the attention the hero draws from Sauron. Powerful leaders like Elrond or Gandalf have high threat because they’re high profile and powerful threats to Sauron. Hobbits have low threat because they generally below his notice. Glorfindel only returning shortly after the forging of The One Ring and believed to not openly display his unseen presence much if at all, likely was not well known. Later as previously mentioned he helped Frodo get to Rivendell, but was rejected from The Fellowship as his power would draw too much attention. This brings us to his Forced effect. Glorfindel’s power is hidden because it stems from his strong presence in the unseen world. He could reveal and unleash it as he did with the Nazghul. Doing so more often would eventually draw Sauron’s attention represented by the Forced effect raising a player’s threat.

Card Synergies and Interactions

Does Not Exhaust to Quest

The drawback to Glorfindel’s low threat cost is the Forced effect on his card. Every time he exhausts to quest, the player has to raise their threat by 1. The work around to this is either not to quest or use Light of Valinor that came in the same pack to quest without exhausting. Strider can also provide the a way around exhausting to quest, but the player can only control 2 or less heroes. If using the Grey Wanderer contract, either one of these could be put into play right at the start of the game.

Secrecy

Glorfindel’s low threat cost is great to enable Secrecy decks. Prior to Smeagol and Messenger of the King, his 5 threat cost was the lowest threat (tied with Mirlonde in Mono-Lore). On top of that, he had 3’s in two stats. Most low threat heroes in the first few cycles had 2’s with Sam Gamgee as the notable exception. Secrecy cards can provide tremendous value in a game. Resourceful and Timely Aid each only one cost can provide tremendous resource acceleration. Out of the Wild and Risk Some Light can control the encounter deck. Allies with Secrecy like Celduin Traveler, Ithilien Lookout, Dunedain Wander, and Rivendell Scout are great values for their Secrecy cost with each having at least a 2 stat.

Asfaloth

Asfaloth, the location control card that because it could put 2 progress on any location resulted in locations getting many more quest points. It is easy to forget that it normally only places 1 progress when used with any other Noldor or Silvan hero because it almost always played with Glorfindel. The 2 progress per round is huge in clearing locations and avoiding location lock. In early cycles it will clear many locations in a single turn. Later cycles it might take a few turns but still it will eventually clear many locations and avoid nasty travel effects.

Attack Boosts

Glorfindel is often going to attack to utilize his robust attack stat. Attacking additionally avoids triggering his Forced effect. His attack easily can be better considering his traits qualify him for some of the best attack boosting attachments. Furthermore, his low threat works well with Dagger Westernesse extra bonus attack when players engage enemies with greater engagement cost higher than their threat.

Ring Rating

Card Talk uses the highly scientific yet arbitrary scale of 1 ring for the card to rule them all to 10 to be cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came.

I rate Spirit Glorfindel hero at 1 ring. His very low threat, great stats, Spirit access, Asfaloth, and easy way to avoid his drawback make him fit into numerous decks. The 5 threat cost gives players lots of room to include high threat cost heroes. If they use lower threat cost heroes as well, it can be easy to avoid many engagements and avoid being overwhelmed early in the game. Not to mention enabling using the Secrecy discount when kept under 20 threat. While other heroes have low threat cost, none have double 3’s and the bevy of hit points that Glorfindel does. Then Light of Valinor in addition to negating his drawback, lets him use both stats every round. It is incredibly efficient. If he wasn’t powerful enough, he makes one of the best location control cards better. It can’t be understated how that 2 progress from Asfaloth changed location design in the game because it was so powerful with Glorfindel.

The real downside to Glorfindel is that he can become a crutch. When making a hero line up, he can help round out many of them. Need more willpower to start off with a lot of threat in the staging area or need to progress quickly, Spirit Glorfindel can help the questing hero do it. Need more attack power to deal with an big enemy early, Spirit Glorfindel can help with a more dedicated attacking hero. Facing a lot of archery, direct damage, or undefended attacks, His big pool of hit points can help. Need to keep starting threat low, to avoid engagements, Spirit Glorfindel can help. He just brings a lot to the table.

  • Dave – 2
  • Grant – 1.5
  • Ted – TBR
  • Matt – 1

External Links

Sample Decks

Gandalf’s Noble Hunters by kattattack22

A Three Hunters deck featuring Spirit Glorfindel.

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Denethor (Flight of the Stormcaller)
Gandalf (The Road Darkens)
Glorfindel (Foundations of Stone)

Contract (0)
1x Forth, The Three Hunters! (The City of Ulfast)

Attachment (41)
3x Ancestral Armor (Roam Across Rhovanion)
3x Armored Destrier (Temple of the Deceived)
1x Celebrían’s Stone (Core Set)
3x Gandalf’s Staff (The Road Darkens)
3x Golden Belt (Challenge of the Wainriders)
2x Gondorian Shield (The Steward’s Fear)
2x Heir of Mardil (Celebrimbor’s Secret)
3x Light of Valinor (Foundations of Stone)
2x Livery of the Tower (The Flame of the West)
2x Shadowfax (The Treason of Saruman)
3x Shining Shield (The Fortress of Nurn)
3x Silver Circlet (Wrath and Ruin)
2x Staff of Lebethron (The Land of Shadow)
3x Unexpected Courage (Core Set)
3x Valiant Sword (Under the Ash Mountains)
3x Wizard Pipe (The Road Darkens)

Event (9)
3x A Test of Will (Core Set)
3x Campfire Tales (The Hunt for Gollum)
3x Open the Armory (The Dungeons of Cirith Gurat)

3 Heroes, 50 Cards
Cards up to The Fortress of Nurn

Sideboard

Attachment (10)
3x Expert Treasure-hunter (On the Doorstep)
1x Staff of Lebethron (The Land of Shadow)
3x Steed of Imladris (Across the Ettenmoors)
3x Sword of Númenor (The Dread Realm)

Event (9)
3x Daeron’s Runes (Foundations of Stone)
3x Elrond’s Counsel (The Watcher in the Water)
3x Power of Orthanc (The Voice of Isengard)

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

Victory-a Secret by stokesbook

A Secrecy enabled victory display encounter control deck.

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Glorfindel (Foundations of Stone)
Mirlonde (The Drúadan Forest)
Rossiel (Escape from Mount Gram)

Ally (8)
2x Celduin Traveler (The Nîn-in-Eilph)
3x Galadhrim Minstrel (Trouble in Tharbad)
1x Gildor Inglorion (The Hills of Emyn Muil)
2x Ithilien Lookout (The Dunland Trap)

Attachment (13)
2x A Burning Brand (Conflict at the Carrock)
2x Asfaloth (Foundations of Stone)
1x Cloak of Lórien (Celebrimbor’s Secret)
2x Lembas (Trouble in Tharbad)
3x Light of Valinor (Foundations of Stone)
3x Resourceful (The Watcher in the Water)

Event (29)
3x A Test of Will (Core Set)
3x Daeron’s Runes (Foundations of Stone)
3x Elrond’s Counsel (The Watcher in the Water)
2x Fair and Perilous (Across the Ettenmoors)
3x Keen as Lances (Escape from Mount Gram)
3x Leave No Trace (Escape from Mount Gram)
3x Mithrandir’s Advice (The Steward’s Fear)
3x None Return (Across the Ettenmoors)
3x Out of the Wild (Road to Rivendell)
3x The Door is Closed! (The Treachery of Rhudaur)

Player Side Quest (1)
1x Scout Ahead (The Wastes of Eriador)

3 Heroes, 51 Cards
Cards up to The Treachery of Rhudaur

Sideboard

Hero (2)
Galdor of the Havens (The Grey Havens)
Pippin (The Black Riders)

Ally (5)
3x Galadhrim Weaver (The Treachery of Rhudaur)
2x Henamarth Riversong (Core Set)

Attachment (5)
2x Leaf Brooch (The Three Trials)
3x The Long Defeat (The Battle of Carn Dûm)

Event (11)
3x A Elbereth! Gilthoniel! (Shadow and Flame)
3x Hasty Stroke (Core Set)
2x Lórien’s Wealth (Core Set)
3x Risk Some Light (Shadow and Flame)

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

Gloin (Hero)

Matt Kell (kattattack22)Leave a comment
  • Player Card Categories
    • Resource Acceleration

Pain is truly gain with this hero.

Background

Gloin was a member of Thorin’s Company in the quest to retake Erebor and father of Gimli. Gloin in The Hobbit is described as wearing a white hood and good at making fires. He fought in and survived the Battle of Five Armies. Afterwards, his share of the treasure made him wealthy.

He also appears in The Fellowship of the Ring. He and Gimli had come to Rivendell to inquire about Balin’s colony at Moiria. He tells Frodo about Erebor since the Battle of Five Armies while he recovers from the Morgul blade wound. He also speaks at the council relating how a messenger from Mordor came to Erebor asking about Hobbits.

Card Theme

Gloin trading damage for resources is pretty thematic. This is if you consider he took long arduous journey, fought in a big battle, lost some kin in the process, but in the end had a lot of gold to show for it all. Some players will be refer to resources as money or dollars since you have to pay to play the card. Once the resources are spent they’re gone until the player gains more. The mechanics work then work to represent Gloin’s wealth from retaking Erebor although it came at a personal cost.

Card Synergies and Interactions

Healing

Healing lets a player basically turn Gloin into a resource generation machine. The Core Set included Self Preservation that did this well since it healed 2 damage a round. Many of the enemies in the first cycle had 2 attack that was fairly safe to take undefended. It could be assigned to Gloin and fully healed with Self Preservation. It essentially turned into second Steward of Gondor.

Darrowdelf, the second cycle, introduced the best healing card in the game with Warden of Healing. One point of healing isn’t great for Gloin, but then Elrond hero also released in the same cycle. Elrond boosts to healing 2 damage. The Warden’s action also lets it ready for 2 Lore resources. Giving Gloin a Lore resource icon then lets him take damage again and again. Then use the resources generated to just heal it all. The Warden then at the same time can heal 2 damage from any other character.

There were of course other healing cards introduced in later cycles. Many the healing cards were more one time effects that aren’t as effective as Self Preservation or Warden. Then the last cycle introduced 2 more healing attachments with easily repeatable healing. Well Preserved in particular is fantastic for Gloin. It can be found with The One Ring at the start of the game, gives Gloin +1 hit point, and will heal all damage once per round. It is fast to set up and get Gloin generating resources from taking damage right at turn 1.

Song of Healing trades cards in hand for 1 point of healing. It synergizes with Gloin thanks to Elven-light. Once Gloin has the Spirit icon, his resources can be used to draw cards. Elrond allows Gloin to net 1 resource for each Elven-light discarded and played.

Hit Point Boosts

The more hit points Gloin has, the more damage he can take at once. This has become more important as the game introduced enemies with higher and higher attack values to allow Gloin to absorb those attacks safely.

Damage Redirection + Ent Heroes

The other trick to generating resources on Gloin is have him take damage. Defending enemy attacks, undefended attacks, damage from the Archery keyword, or other encounter direct damage effects are always options available. There are limits to this especially in multiplayer since players are limited to one optional engagement each. Song of Mocking helps get around the limitation on engaging enemies. Another play just has to make sure to assign all damage to the hero selected by Song of Mocking. It is not limited and multiple copies can go on Gloin to cover more players. Vigilant Guard is similar although it doesn’t move all damage. It has 3 big advantages over Song of Mocking.

  1. It gives Gloin 2 additional hit points.
  2. The damage is redirection is a response.
  3. It is not limited to damage deal to heroes.

Gloin will need to gain the Warrior trait from Mighty Warrior. Once set up, however, just any source of damage can be sent to Gloin. This is huge because with the 2 Ent heroes, players can trigger the resource generation. Treebeard hero is best for this since the ability only deals 1 damage, and he can use his ability 5 times per phase. He won’t get the bonus if the damage is redirected because he isn’t paying the damage cost. Still 5 resources in a single phase is a Gandalf ally into play. Quickbeam can also work for this although he will still take a damage and it can only be used 1 per phase. Quickbeam also has to exhaust first before the action will work.

Resource Smoothing

Resource smoothing really opens up what players can do with the pile of resources on Gloin. I previously mentioned that with Lore or Spirit icons, Gloin can continuously ready Warden of Healing or draw cards from Elven-light. Narvi’s Belt and A Good Harvest are two of the best smoothing options since they can smooth for any sphere over a phase. The cycle of Song attachments provide a more permanent way for Gloin to get the right resource icon.

High Cost Cards

Gloin can enable playing some of the most expensive and powerful cards in the game even including his son, Gimli. Players can get unique allies with hero level stats and abilities, make an ally into hero, ready all their characters, or have a heroes (or all heroes in valour) defend and attack without exhausting.

Dunedain Allies

The Dunedain allies work very well with Gloin enabling their engaged enemy bonuses and providing much needed resources. Many of the Dunedain allies cost 3 or more resources and more resources in all spheres can help get them into play. A built up Gloin ideally with healing and plenty of hit points can just take several undefended attacks making it easier for Dunedain to keep enemies engaged round after round.

Ring Rating

Card Talk uses the highly scientific yet arbitrary scale of 1 ring for the card to rule them all to 10 to be cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came.

I rate Gloin at 3 rings. He basically has a whole deck type centered around his ability to turn damage into resources. There isn’t just one build of it, but most of the very effective ones do share a few cards in common like Elrond hero and Warden of Healing. The Gloin voltron deck though is very vulnerable to attachment removal from the encounter deck. It can also be quite slow to set up. They can do some crazy combos like drawing the entire player deck in a few turns, reduced all player threat to zero, or attack every enemy in the staging are without heroes exhausting. The investment in Gloin can be very worthwhile.

There are some builds are less centered on Gloin using just a little healing and not going all in on additional hit points. Core Set builds in particular work well as an alternative to Steward and gain action advantage by taking undefended attacks. These less centric builds can even include Dwarf decks considering he will have 3 willpower and 3 attack when Leadership Dain is in play and ready. The addition of Well Preserved with The One Ring I think makes it easier to include Gloin without having the entire deck center around maximizing his ability. His threat cost of 9 is not high although he doesn’t bring much stat wise with 2 willpower and attack (sans Dain), but he can still slot in pretty well into a variety of decks.

Dave – 5

  • Grant – 7
  • Ted – TBR
  • Matt – 3

External Links

Sample Decks

Sample Decks

The Dain and the Discard by Dave Walsh

A Dwarf Mining voltron deck although Gloin is really only used for Leadership access.

The Dain and the Discard

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Dáin Ironfoot (The Ghost of Framsburg)
Gandalf (The Road Darkens)
Glóin (Core Set)

Ally (17)
2x Erebor Guard (The Sands of Harad)
3x Erebor Toymaker (Mount Gundabad)
3x Ered Luin Miner (Temple of the Deceived)
3x Ethir Swordsman (The Steward’s Fear)
2x Gimli (The Treason of Saruman)
1x Glorfindel (Flight of the Stormcaller)
3x Warden of Healing (The Long Dark)

Attachment (24)
1x Ancestral Armor (Roam Across Rhovanion)
2x Gandalf’s Staff (The Road Darkens)
1x Hardy Leadership (Shadow and Flame)
2x King Under the Mountain (On the Doorstep)
2x Narya (The Grey Havens)
1x Ring of Barahir (The Steward’s Fear)
2x Ring of Thrór (The Ghost of Framsburg)
2x Shadowfax (The Treason of Saruman)
1x Silver Lamp (The Voice of Isengard)
3x Squire’s Helm (The Withered Heath)
2x Steward of Gondor (Core Set)
3x Unexpected Courage (Core Set)
2x Wizard Pipe (The Road Darkens)

Event (15)
3x Durin’s Song (Khazad-dûm)
3x Hidden Cache (The Morgul Vale)
3x The Galadhrim’s Greeting (Core Set)
3x Well-Equipped (The Blood of Gondor)
3x Will of the West (Core Set)

3 Heroes, 56 Cards
Cards up to Mount Gundabad

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

My strongest Core Set deck for solo play – revised for 202 by warlock000

Core Set only deck that can handle each of the Core Set quests in campaign mode.

2

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Beravor (Core Set)
Éowyn (Core Set)
Glóin (Core Set)

Ally (20)
1x Beorn (Core Set)
2x Erebor Hammersmith (Core Set)
2x Faramir (Core Set)
3x Gandalf (Core Set)
1x Gléowine (Core Set)
2x Guard of the Citadel (Core Set)
1x Henamarth Riversong (Core Set)
1x Longbeard Orc Slayer (Core Set)
2x Miner of the Iron Hills (Core Set)
1x Northern Tracker (Core Set)
3x Snowbourn Scout (Core Set)
1x Son of Arnor (Core Set)

Attachment (14)
1x Celebrían’s Stone (Core Set)
1x Dark Knowledge (Core Set)
2x Forest Snare (Core Set)
2x Protector of Lórien (Core Set)
3x Self Preservation (Core Set)
3x Steward of Gondor (Core Set)
2x Unexpected Courage (Core Set)

Event (16)
3x A Test of Will (Core Set)
1x Ever Vigilant (Core Set)
2x For Gondor! (Core Set)
2x Hasty Stroke (Core Set)
2x Lore of Imladris (Core Set)
3x Sneak Attack (Core Set)
3x Stand and Fight (Core Set)

3 Heroes, 50 Cards
Cards up to Core Set

Sideboard

Ally (2)
1x Erebor Hammersmith (Core Set)
1x Guard of the Citadel (Core Set)

Event (1)
1x Ever Vigilant (Core Set)

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

Gloin Resource Engine (Single Core Only) by Tribster

Core Set only deck focused on Gloin gaining resources to play allies and build up the board state.

Gloin Resource Engine (Single Core Only) 6.0

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Denethor (Core Set)
Glóin (Core Set)
Glorfindel (Core Set)

Ally (20)
3x Daughter of the Nimrodel (Core Set)
2x Erebor Hammersmith (Core Set)
2x Faramir (Core Set)
3x Gandalf (Core Set)
2x Gléowine (Core Set)
3x Guard of the Citadel (Core Set)
1x Henamarth Riversong (Core Set)
2x Longbeard Orc Slayer (Core Set)
2x Miner of the Iron Hills (Core Set)

Attachment (10)
1x Celebrían’s Stone (Core Set)
1x Dark Knowledge (Core Set)
2x Forest Snare (Core Set)
2x Protector of Lórien (Core Set)
2x Self Preservation (Core Set)
2x Steward of Gondor (Core Set)

Event (20)
2x Common Cause (Core Set)
2x Ever Vigilant (Core Set)
2x For Gondor! (Core Set)
1x Grim Resolve (Core Set)
3x Lore of Imladris (Core Set)
2x Lórien’s Wealth (Core Set)
2x Radagast’s Cunning (Core Set)
2x Secret Paths (Core Set)
2x Sneak Attack (Core Set)
2x Valiant Sacrifice (Core Set)

3 Heroes, 50 Cards
Cards up to Core Set

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

The Dain and the Discard by Dave Walsh

A Dwarf Mining voltron deck although Gloin is really only used for Leadership access.

The Dain and the Discard

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Dáin Ironfoot (The Ghost of Framsburg)
Gandalf (The Road Darkens)
Glóin (Core Set)

Ally (17)
2x Erebor Guard (The Sands of Harad)
3x Erebor Toymaker (Mount Gundabad)
3x Ered Luin Miner (Temple of the Deceived)
3x Ethir Swordsman (The Steward’s Fear)
2x Gimli (The Treason of Saruman)
1x Glorfindel (Flight of the Stormcaller)
3x Warden of Healing (The Long Dark)

Attachment (24)
1x Ancestral Armor (Roam Across Rhovanion)
2x Gandalf’s Staff (The Road Darkens)
1x Hardy Leadership (Shadow and Flame)
2x King Under the Mountain (On the Doorstep)
2x Narya (The Grey Havens)
1x Ring of Barahir (The Steward’s Fear)
2x Ring of Thrór (The Ghost of Framsburg)
2x Shadowfax (The Treason of Saruman)
1x Silver Lamp (The Voice of Isengard)
3x Squire’s Helm (The Withered Heath)
2x Steward of Gondor (Core Set)
3x Unexpected Courage (Core Set)
2x Wizard Pipe (The Road Darkens)

Event (15)
3x Durin’s Song (Khazad-dûm)
3x Hidden Cache (The Morgul Vale)
3x The Galadhrim’s Greeting (Core Set)
3x Well-Equipped (The Blood of Gondor)
3x Will of the West (Core Set)

3 Heroes, 56 Cards
Cards up to Mount Gundabad

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

DúneGlóin by Seastan

Gloin’s resources help play and power up the Dunedain.

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Elrond (Shadow and Flame)
Glóin (Core Set)
Mablung (The Nîn-in-Eilph)

Ally (20)
3x Dúnedain Hunter (The Lost Realm)
2x Dúnedain Watcher (The Dead Marshes)
2x Fornost Bowman (The Dread Realm)
2x Galadhrim Minstrel (Trouble in Tharbad)
3x Gandalf (Core Set)
3x Master of the Forge (Shadow and Flame)
2x Warden of Annúminas (The Lost Realm)
3x Warden of Healing (The Long Dark)

Attachment (15)
3x Citadel Plate (Core Set)
3x Narvi’s Belt (Khazad-dûm)
3x Self Preservation (Core Set)
3x Song of Mocking (The Dead Marshes)
3x Song of Wisdom (Conflict at the Carrock)

Event (15)
3x A Good Harvest (The Steward’s Fear)
3x Daeron’s Runes (Foundations of Stone)
3x Deep Knowledge (The Voice of Isengard)
3x Peace, and Thought (Shadow and Flame)
3x Sneak Attack (Core Set)

3 Heroes, 50 Cards
Cards up to The Dread Realm

Sideboard

Ally (2)
1x Fornost Bowman (The Dread Realm)
1x Warden of Annúminas (The Lost Realm)

Attachment (3)
3x Boots from Erebor (Khazad-dûm)

Event (3)
3x We Are Not Idle (Shadow and Flame)

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

Seventeen a Round by Seastan

Gloin gains 17 resources per round thanks to Treebeard hero + Song of Healing + Elven-light. Note,

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Elrond (Shadow and Flame)
Glóin (Core Set)
Treebeard (The Treason of Saruman)

Ally (4)
1x Nori (Challenge of the Wainriders)
3x Rivendell Minstrel (The Hunt for Gollum)

Attachment (28)
2x Boots from Erebor (Khazad-dûm)
1x Citadel Plate (Core Set)
2x Dwarven Axe (Core Set)
3x Ent Draught (The Treason of Saruman)
1x Golden Belt (Challenge of the Wainriders)
1x In Service of the Steward (Flight of the Stormcaller)
3x Mighty Warrior (Race Across Harad)
1x Nor am I a Stranger (Conflict at the Carrock)
3x Song of Battle (The Dead Marshes)
3x Song of Healing (The Land of Sorrow)
3x Song of Travel (The Hills of Emyn Muil)
1x Sword-thain (The Dread Realm)
3x Vigilant Guard (A Storm on Cobas Haven)
1x War Axe (The City of Ulfast)

Event (18)
3x A Good Harvest (The Steward’s Fear)
3x Daeron’s Runes (Foundations of Stone)
3x Drinking Song (Mount Gundabad)
3x Elven-light (The Dread Realm)
3x Heed the Dream (Flight of the Stormcaller)
1x Hour of Wrath (The Dread Realm)
1x Oath of Eorl (The Black Serpent)
1x The Hammer-stroke (The Blood of Gondor)

3 Heroes, 50 Cards
Cards up to Challenge of the Wainriders

Sideboard

Event (2)
1x Khazâd! Khazâd! (Khazad-dûm)
1x The Galadhrim’s Greeting (Core Set)

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

Boromir (Tactics Hero)

Matt Kell (kattattack22)Leave a comment

Pre-Errata

The top tier version

Background

Eldest son of Gondor’s Steward and a commander in their army. Driven by a dream he had to go to Rivendell where he joined the Fellowship of the Ring. He fell to the temptation of the Ring and tried to take it from Frodo causing the breaking of the Fellowship. Shortly afterwards, the Uruk-Hai attacked Merry and Pippin as they searched for Frodo and lead to Boromir’s demise as he defended them. As he lay dying, he confessed his attempt to take the Ring to Aragorn.

Card Theme

The pre-errata Boromir hero card reflected his combat capabilities from the book very well. He slew many of the orcs that had Merry and Pippin surrounded when they had been out searching for Frodo at the breaking of the Fellowship. Then at least 20 more before another host overpowered him to take the Hobbits. The pre-errata version could ready as much as the player had threat available to attack every enemy and if that wasn’t enough then discard him to finish off the enemies.

Card Synergies and Interactions

Stat Boosts

Boromir’s built-in readying means that every stat boost can be utilized more. His strong attack and decent defense put him disposed to combat. Fortunately, the Tactics sphere has most of the weapon and armor attachments that can maximize his combat potential. In particular, Gondorian Shield a defensive staple boosts his defense to 4 putting him on par with the Beregond that has the highest printed defense. Raiment of War and Captain of Gondor work well to boost both his attack and defense. Blade of Gondolin grants a conditional attack boost, but more importantly it turns his combat ability into a way to help quest by placing progress for each enemy defeated. While not in sphere, Valiant Sword and Shining Shield synergize with the drawback of his ability since they each provide a +2 bonus once at a player’s threat is 40 or higher.

Support of the Eagles + Eagle allies is an older more expensive way to boost Boromir’s combat ability. It still can be quite effective. Eagles of the Misty Mountains with a few facedown attachments maximizes the boost, but even Vassal of the Windlord‘s 3 attack or Winged Guardian‘s 4 defense are huge for Boromir.

The zenith of his combat ability is achieved not with weapons or armor attachments, but two tied his Numenorian ancestry often referred to simply as “Blood and Fire”. Blood of Numenor and Gondorian Fire will boost defense or attack, respectively, by the amount of resources on the hero at the cost of 1. A few turns building up with Steward of Gondor and gaining 3+ to either stat is easily achievable.

The errata limiting Boromir’s readying to once per phase made willpower boosts on Boromir more worthwhile. Tactics doesn’t have many ways to boost willpower although Tactics Theoden hero and The Red Arrow give a couple options. Grappling Hook is generally going to be the better option for Boromir to contribute to the quest since even without any boosts, it turns his 3 attack into 3 willpower. Leadership offers more options with Celebrian’s Stone, Dunedain Quest, and Visionary Leadership. Spirit has The Favor of the Lady, Windfola, and Silver Circlet although the later two requires Boromir to gain the Spirit icon first.

The One Ring and the Master trait attachments provide a quick way to boost Boromir’s stats because each gives +1 to a stat and a player gets to fetch Master trait card during setup and there. Strength and Courage’s response doesn’t work that well with his readying since it only affects 1 attack. Inner Strength’s is likely the most useful to Boromir since it puts his defense on par with the likes of Erkenbrand and Grimbeorn plus can cancel a shadow. Power of Command provides a willpower boost but the response will depend on the number of unique characters in the deck. There are a couple downsides to playing these with Boromir, and that is the reduced elimination level and they also increase threat. It can easily become too much threat too quickly.

Forth, The Three Hunters Contract

This contract really enables a “voltron” Boromir build to maximize his readying. It requires each hero have 2 restricted attachments in order to flip to side B. Once on side B, each hero gets +1 willpower for each restricted attachment. The Most restricted attachments are weapons and armor that Boromir wants already to improve his attack and defense. The even contract increases the restricted attachment limit from 2 to 3. This can get Boromir up to 3 or 4 willpower pretty easily while also improving his combat effectiveness. It will also provide repeatable healing which is handy since Boromir isn’t the best defender without some set up.

Threat Reduction

Threat reduction is key to using Boromir’s readying as much as possible in game. Tactics only has 1 option in sphere with Secret Vigil that is conditional on the enemy it can be played on. The good news is Boromir won’t have trouble destroying the enemy to trigger the threat reduction. There are two solid neutral cards for threat reduction, Core Set Gandalf and Favor of the Valar. Lore Aragorn hero offers the largest potential threat reduction. A Boromir player could get all the way to 49 and reset back to their starting threat. Spirit offers the staple Galadhrim’s Greeting. More notably Spirit has heroes that can reduce threat every turn. Beregond and Fastred can do so by defending. Merry just needs an enemy revealed during staging. There is one more that is a twofer in a Boromir deck.

Galadriel Hero

Galadriel can exhaust every round to reduce a player’s threat by 1. That is essentially a free ready on Boromir. Additionally she can boost Bormir’s willpower with her ring Nenya and some readying of her own.

Hero Revival

Normally losing a hero can set a player way back in a game. Boromir’s second ability is used rarely because of the lost resources of being down a hero. When used it usually is because the player would likely lose Boromir anyway or as a game finishing move in a scenario that requires all enemies to be defeated. The game does have Landroval, Fortune or Fate, and Houses of Healing that can bring Boromir back after using his second ability. They are all very expensive at 5 resources making it very difficult to build around using his direct damage multiple times in a game.

Quest Specific

The best quests to use Tactics Boromir in are quests with enemy swarms or start off with a lot of enemies in play. Seventh Level, Over the Misty Mountains Grim, and Fate of the Wilderland can easily see swarms of enemies coming out. Massing at Osgiliath starts off with 3 enemies in play per player. Boromir being able to defend and attack or attack twice right away can really help even the odds against those 3 enemies.

Scenarios to watch out for using him in are those with enemies that prevent readying or feature lots of Doomed or other effects that raise threat. The Haradrim cycle in particular has scorpion and spider enemies that can prevent a character from readying until the end of the round. Threat focused scenarios like Return to Mirkwood and Murder at the Prancing Pony are going to be tough for Boromir to use his readying. The Steward’s Fear, The Crossing of Poros, and The King’s Quest can possibly have a significant amount of raise threat effects. The Steward’s Fear depends on the plot revealed in Stage 3. The Crossing of Poros has a quest stage and encounter set that has a lot of threat but that might only be seen instead of a direct damage focused one. The King’s Quest it is at the player’s discretion to raise threat or add another location to the staging area. Temple of Doom and Fortress of Nurn can also feature lots of threat depending on the cards revealed from the Power of Mordor deck.

Ring Rating

Card Talk uses the highly scientific yet arbitrary scale of 1 ring for the card to rule them all to 10 to be cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came.

I rate Boromir at 2 rings. The built-in readying and solid attack, defense, and hit points make him good at combat immediately. A couple boosts and he’s great. Blood of Numenor and Gondorion Fire with some resource acceleration and he’s amazing at combat. It’s also not that difficult to give him decent willpower so questing and using him in combat is worthwhile. Even post-errata it is still great considering there are some scenarios that have enemies that attack when a player engages them or make immediate attacks when revealed. Boromir can ready and help to defend them all. It is conceivable to use him in every phase of the game thanks to cards like Captain’s Wisdom and Quick Strike.

I mentioned Forth, The Three Hunters contract works really well with Boromir but really a few of them can work well with him. Fellowship gives all nine unique characters in play +1 to every stat which Boromir’s readying can make great use of. Grey Wanderer let’s the player start at 11 threat providing lots of threat to use with Boromir’s ability. The contract even gives him another way to ready. Then on top of that Strider gives him a willpower boost and not exhausting to quest. Grey Wanderer Boromir then can ready at least twice during combat and doesn’t need to exhaust to quest. Plus, doesn’t need a resource match to play Blood of Numenor if it is the first card played. Not to mention he will start in Secrecy for Resourceful to fuel Blood and Fire. Council of the Wise offers repeatable threat reduction for just playing events. As mentioned before, Boromir already starts off with solid combat stats and doesn’t need much to get going and would fit right into an event heavy deck.

I’ve noticed in this game that veterans (myself included) will avoid certain powerful cards in the card pool. I do this to experiment with different deck builds and enjoy the variety of deck types out of there. Others likely have similar reasoning or may just want to preserve the challenge in the game. It could be they are disappointed he can’t endlessly ready anymore. No matter the reasoning, Boromir is still a very effective hero albeit straightforward one. I would rate him at 1 ring pre-errata since he could just effectively handle combat on his own. Post-errata he needs more to do everything in combat, but still can do a lot for the players even just readying once per phase.

  • Dave – 4 (originally 5)
  • Grant – 5
  • Ted – 4
  • Brandon – 1
  • Matt – 2
  • Average – 3.2

External Links

Sample Decks

Screw You Fate of the Wilderland by kattattack22

As the title says, I built this to handle Fate of the Wilderland. The plan is basically Eomer and Boromir quest primarily to avoid gaining too much threat. Boromir readies before combat. Grimbeorn defends and uses his response to hopefully kill the attacker. Boromir is back up defender or can hopefully finish off the enemy.

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Boromir (The Dead Marshes)
Éomer (The Mountain of Fire)
Grimbeorn the Old (The Withered Heath)

Contract (0)
1x Forth, The Three Hunters! (The City of Ulfast)

Attachment (44)
3x Armored Destrier (Temple of the Deceived)
3x Dagger of Westernesse (The Black Riders)
3x Firefoot (The Dunland Trap)
3x Golden Belt (Challenge of the Wainriders)
3x Gondorian Shield (The Steward’s Fear)
2x Hauberk of Mail (The Wilds of Rhovanion)
3x Raiment of War (The Thing in the Depths)
3x Rohan Warhorse (The Voice of Isengard)
3x Round Shield (Mount Gundabad)
3x Secret Vigil (The Lost Realm)
3x Shining Shield (The Fortress of Nurn)
3x Spear of the Mark (The Morgul Vale)
3x Valiant Sword (Under the Ash Mountains)
3x War Axe (The City of Ulfast)
3x Warrior Sword (The Ghost of Framsburg)

Event (6)
3x Foe-hammer (Over Hill and Under Hill)
3x Open the Armory (The Dungeons of Cirith Gurat)

3 Heroes, 50 Cards
Cards up to The Fortress of Nurn

Sideboard

Event (3)
3x Sterner than Steel (The Flame of the West)

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

Optimus Prime… SUPER MODE! by BeestThouNotInHaste

Gondor is strong, but the might of Gondor wanes, and even under the leadership of the great Optimus Prime (Boromir), his meager 2 and 3 are not enough to stand up to the forces of evil. Fortunately for his troops, Boromir has a secret weapon he can use to face the darkness: he can invoke the power of the Matrix Of Combination (Support of the Eagles) to combine with his trailer (Eagles of the Misty Mountains) to enter into…

Optimus Prime… Super Mode!

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Boromir (The Dead Marshes)
Galadriel (Celebrimbor’s Secret)
Mablung (The Nîn-in-Eilph)

Ally (23)
3x Descendant of Thorondor (The Hills of Emyn Muil)
3x Eagles of the Misty Mountains (Return to Mirkwood)
3x Galadriel’s Handmaiden (Celebrimbor’s Secret)
2x Gandalf (Core Set)
2x Gwaihir (Trouble in Tharbad)
3x Vassal of the Windlord (The Dead Marshes)
2x Westfold Horse-breeder (The Voice of Isengard)
2x Westfold Outrider (The Voice of Isengard)
3x Winged Guardian (The Hunt for Gollum)

Attachment (18)
3x Ancient Mathom (A Journey to Rhosgobel)
2x Born Aloft (Conflict at the Carrock)
2x Mirror of Galadriel (Celebrimbor’s Secret)
3x Nenya (Celebrimbor’s Secret)
2x Power in the Earth (Core Set)
2x Rohan Warhorse (The Voice of Isengard)
3x Support of the Eagles (Return to Mirkwood)
1x Unexpected Courage (Core Set)

Event (9)
2x A Test of Will (Core Set)
2x Feint (Core Set)
3x The Eagles Are Coming! (The Hunt for Gollum)
2x The Galadhrim’s Greeting (Core Set)

3 Heroes, 50 Cards
Cards up to Celebrimbor’s Secret

Sideboard

Event (2)
2x Power of Orthanc (The Voice of Isengard)

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

The Very Wise Captain by Seastan

Play Song of Travel on Boromor. Then use Captain’s Wisdom, Steward of Gondor, and Leadership Denethor to give Boromir 8 resources turn 1 for Blood and Fire.

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Boromir (The Dead Marshes)
Denethor (Flight of the Stormcaller)
Erestor (The Treachery of Rhudaur)

Ally (10)
2x Anfalas Herdsman (The Steward’s Fear)
2x Arwen Undómiel (The Watcher in the Water)
3x Envoy of Pelargir (Heirs of Númenor)
3x Ethir Swordsman (The Steward’s Fear)

Attachment (16)
2x Blood of Númenor (Heirs of Númenor)
3x Gondorian Fire (Assault on Osgiliath)
3x Gondorian Shield (The Steward’s Fear)
2x Silver Harp (The Treachery of Rhudaur)
3x Song of Travel (The Hills of Emyn Muil)
3x Steward of Gondor (Core Set)

Event (24)
3x A Test of Will (Core Set)
3x Captain’s Wisdom (The Thing in the Depths)
3x Daeron’s Runes (Foundations of Stone)
3x Elrond’s Counsel (The Watcher in the Water)
3x Gaining Strength (The Steward’s Fear)
3x The Galadhrim’s Greeting (Core Set)
3x Wealth of Gondor (Heirs of Númenor)
3x Will of the West (Core Set)

3 Heroes, 50 Cards
Cards up to The Thing in the Depths

Sideboard

Ally (3)
3x Galadriel’s Handmaiden (Celebrimbor’s Secret)

Attachment (6)
3x Dúnedain Cache (The Dead Marshes)
3x Favor of the Valar (The Battle of Carn Dûm)

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

Bilbo Baggins (Lore Hero)

Matt Kell (kattattack22)Leave a comment
  • Player Card Categories
    • Card Draw

They done the first version of Bilbo dirty.

Background

Bilbo once a respectable Hobbit from a respectable family that didn’t go off having adventures, went on an adventure to burgle treasure from a dragon. Along the way, he won or found a magic ring (depending on the telling) that would change the course of Middle-Earth. That however is another story. Bilbo aided by the magic ring, verbally sparred with a dragon in trying to burgle some treasures. In so doing provoked the dragon to attack a nearby town leading to its demise and liberation of a Dwarven ancestral home and its treasures. Elves, Men, and Dwarves afterwards nearly came to war over the liberated treasures until the host of goblins, orcs, and wargs arrived. Bilbo was soon knocked out in the fighting but survived to take a nice stash of treasure home to retire on.

Card Theme

The game is set in the 17 years after Bilbo’s party and presumably living in Rivendell while finishing his book. It follows then that as he is compiling and recording the lore of his adventures that he can give additional knowledge to the heroes he is with. Knowledge often is represented by the cards in this game. The Lore sphere is full of examples cards representing Middle-Earth’s knowledge, stories, and songs with Gleowine, Daeron’s Runes, Deep Knowledge, Erestor, Drinking Song, and Mithrandir’s Advice representing the knowledge, stories, and songs present in Middle Earth.

Card Synergies and Interactions

Discard from Hand

Bilbo’s passive ability has an additional use besides just playing the cards and that is to discard them for other effects. The core set gave players a couple ways to discard cards for bonuses. Protector of Lorien is in sphere with Bilbo. Most importantly, it can help with Bilbo’s low stats. Especially defense which is his best stat at 2. Additionally there was Eowyn’s willpower boost which having the option to increase willpower by 1 can be handy to avoid failing questing or ensure to clear an active location.

Angmar Awakened and Dream-Chaser built up the Noldor archetype that centered around this mechanic. This allowed players to discard cards for resources, cost reduction, action advantage, healing, and other effects. Noldor decks typically don’t need Bilbo considering Elven-light, Cirdan, and Erestor hero offer lots of card draw.

Sting and Other Stat Boosts

Sting, Bilbo’s sword provides the 3 stats to equal his threat cost. The resulting 2/2/3 stat line also starts to make Bilbo a reasonable target for action advantage like the Hobbit specific and in sphere Fast Hitch attachment. Rosie Cotton offers the most versatile way to boost Bilbo’s stats. It can even become much stronger if Rosie becomes a hero via Messenger of the King or Sword-thain. There are of course many other stat boosters than can improve Bilbo and really the cheap readying from Fast Hitch.

Thorongil

The Tactics version of Bilbo did much to try and make up that his printed stats don’t equal his threat cost like most other heroes. Thorongil offered the means to bring in the bonus willpower effect and keep drawing extra cards. Not to mention a little direct damage and access to Tactics sphere for playing Sting.

Quest Specific

The Ringmaker cycle is full of card draw hate. Enemies will make extra attacks or other effects when a player draws a card. Some effects will penalize the player for having cards in hand.

Deadman’s Dike and Under the Ash Mountains both have players lose the game when they run out of cards in their deck. Drawing additional cards only accelerates the end of the game in those scenarios.

Ring Rating

Card Talk uses the highly scientific yet arbitrary scale of 1 ring for the card to rule them all to 10 to be cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came.

I hate to give this low a rating to one of my favorite characters, but this version deserves it. The big drawback is that he has little stats for his threat cost. He was the first hero released after the core set, and it shows. The passive card draw is good, and I’m sure people appreciate that it goes around the table in multiplayer. The additional 3 threat over his 6 stats was too much. It isn’t even just that he is 3 more threat, but his stats are incredibly inefficient. His best stat is defense at 2. In the early days of the game, 2 defense might mean a hero could defend and not take damage. The problem lies that he also only has 2 hit points. One bad shadow and Bilbo can’t defend anymore or is dead. It would be a long time before decent cheap hit point boosts would be available besides Citadel Plate. Pretty much It was up to Protector of Lorien with either Burning Brand or Dark Knowledge to make him into a reasonable defender. The alternative was for 1 more threat play Beravor that had also a card draw ability and enough hit points to defend well enough to survive long enough where healing could help.

Later on, the game provided the update of Lore Bilbo with Lore Pippin hero.

Lore Pippin had the same breakdown of stats, but arranged in a better configuration. Questing typically won’t cause a low hit point hero to die (except for the first cycle that liked to target questing or exhausted heroes with direct damage.) He also doesn’t need to exhaust to draw cards, has lower threat, and has another passive to help keep Hobbits from engaging enemies. Bilbo in comparison is very inefficient, costly, and doesn’t work well with the Hobbit archetype that eventually developed. Lore Bilbo then usually sits in odd place it the card pool. Usually on a direct comparison basis, there are better heroes to play if additional card draw is needed. Lore Bilbo, however, does end up still seeing play because card draw is just that useful. He’ll be doubled up with other heroes with card draw ability to draw a massive amount of cards quickly and get some crazy combo going.

It was also mentioned briefly that the card draw always going to the first player is very nice in multiplayer. Lore with encounter scrying, encounter control, and victory display effects can make for a great support deck. If the other players have questing and combat covered, providing some all around utility is always appreciated. Lore Bilbo will still get played, but the situations where he works well are few making him a niche hero.

  • Dave – 9
  • Grant – 8
  • Ted – TBR
  • Matt – 7
  • Average – 8

External Links

Sample Decks

YOU get a card! And YOU get a card! And YOU get a card! by stone_of_eric

Fun, mono Lore, multiplayer support deck. Designed for 3-4 players where other players are handling the questing and combat, and you get to give everyone across the table lots of card draw, healing, play traps, get side quests out, etc. This deck has very low starting threat of 22 but will need to be protected by other players’ Ranged/Sentinel characters.

I’ll emphasize here…DO NOT PLAY THIS DECK SOLO!

Have fun, the other players will love you!

Main Deck

Hero (3)
(MotK) Gléowine (Messenger of the King Allies)
Beravor (Core Set)
Bilbo Baggins (The Hunt for Gollum)

Ally (18)
3x Daughter of the Nimrodel (Core Set)
3x Elrond (The Road Darkens)
2x Gandalf (Core Set)
2x Gildor Inglorion (The Hills of Emyn Muil)
2x Haldir of Lórien (A Journey to Rhosgobel)
1x Henamarth Riversong (Core Set)
2x Ioreth (A Storm on Cobas Haven)
3x Warden of Healing (The Long Dark)

Attachment (22)
3x Elf-stone (The Black Riders)
2x Forest Snare (Core Set)
3x Legacy Blade (The Dungeons of Cirith Gurat)
2x Poisoned Stakes (The Blood of Gondor)
3x Protector of Lórien (Core Set)
3x Ranger Spikes (Heirs of Númenor)
2x Scroll of Isildur (The Morgul Vale)
2x Stone of Elostirion (Under the Ash Mountains)
2x The Long Defeat (The Battle of Carn Dûm)

Event (7)
2x Daeron’s Runes (Foundations of Stone)
2x Deep Knowledge (The Voice of Isengard)
3x Waters of Nimrodel (The Antlered Crown)

Player Side Quest (3)
2x Explore Secret Ways (Race Across Harad)
1x Scout Ahead (The Wastes of Eriador)

3 Heroes, 50 Cards
Cards up to Messenger of the King Allies

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

Bilbo Remembers Being a Burglar by kattattack22

Fun, mono Lore, multiplayer support deck. Designed for 3-4 players where other players are handling the questing and combat, and you get to give everyone across the table lots of card draw, healing, play traps, get side quests out, etc. This deck has very low starting threat of 22 but will need to be protected by other players’ Ranged/Sentinel characters.

I’ll emphasize here…DO NOT PLAY THIS DECK SOLO!

Have fun, the other players will love you!

Bilbo Remembers Being a Burglar

Main Deck

Hero (1)
Bilbo Baggins (The Hunt for Gollum)

Contract (0)
1x The Grey Wanderer (Challenge of the Wainriders)

Ally (8)
1x Bill the Pony (The Black Riders)
3x Master of the Forge (Shadow and Flame)
3x Rivendell Minstrel (The Hunt for Gollum)
1x Rosie Cotton (The Mountain of Fire)

Attachment (32)
1x A Burning Brand (Conflict at the Carrock)
1x Blood of Númenor (Heirs of Númenor)
3x Expert Treasure-hunter (On the Doorstep)
3x Fast Hitch (The Dead Marshes)
1x Fireside Song (Beneath the Sands)
1x Hobbit Pony (The Wastes of Eriador)
1x Love of Tales (The Long Dark)
2x Mariner’s Compass (The Grey Havens)
1x Mithril Shirt (The Fate of Wilderland)
1x Necklace of Girion (The Wilds of Rhovanion)
1x Orcrist (Fire in the Night)
3x Resourceful (The Watcher in the Water)
1x Song of Battle (The Dead Marshes)
1x Song of Eärendil (Road to Rivendell)
1x Song of Hope (The Black Serpent)
1x Song of Kings (The Hunt for Gollum)
1x Song of Mocking (The Dead Marshes)
1x Song of Travel (The Hills of Emyn Muil)
1x Song of Wisdom (Conflict at the Carrock)
3x Steward of Gondor (Core Set)
1x Sting (Mount Gundabad)
1x Stone of Elostirion (Under the Ash Mountains)
1x Strider (The Drowned Ruins)

Event (10)
3x Deep Knowledge (The Voice of Isengard)
3x Drinking Song (Mount Gundabad)
1x Helm of Secrecy (Under the Ash Mountains)
3x The Shirefolk (Mount Gundabad)

1 Hero, 50 Cards
Cards up to Under the Ash Mountains

Sideboard

Hero (1)
Bilbo Baggins (Mount Gundabad)

Attachment (3)
3x Poisoned Stakes (The Blood of Gondor)

Event (9)
3x Daeron’s Runes (Foundations of Stone)
3x Durin’s Song (Khazad-dûm)
3x The King’s Return (The Fate of Wilderland)

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

Frodo Baggins (Spirit)

Matt Kell (kattattack22)Leave a comment
  • Player Card Categories
    • Damage Cancelation

Background

The nephew of Bilbo Baggins and his designated heir. The One Ring was left to Frodo along with Bag End when Bilbo disappeared after his 111th birthday. This all lead to Frodo carrying The Ring first to Rivendell and eventually all the way to Mount Doom where it was destroyed.

Card Theme

Frodo’s ability to cancel damage once per phase appears to represent him as the ring bearer. It makes sense that Frodo can avoid danger using The One Ring to turn invisible much like his uncle did many years before. In the books, we see Frodo do this to escape Boromir when he tried to take The Ring. Earlier he tried to do this as well to escape the Ringwraiths although they could see him as they were also bound to the Ring. The Ring also draws the attention of its master hence why its use raises the player’s threat.

Card Synergies and Interactions

Threat Reduction

Threat reduction offsets the threat gained by using Frodo’s ability. A deck packed with threat reduction can utilize it with little risk of losing due to threat. Hobbits have access to a couple nice threat reduction events, The Shirefolk and Elvenses that provide a nice amount of threat reduction for a reduced cost compared to the Core Set staple, The Galadhrim’s Greeting. Elrond’s Counsel also works well for cheap threat reduction as long as the player(s) control a Noldor. Galadriel can fulfill that requirement and provide repeatable threat reduction. The classic hero pairing with Spirit Frodo is Lore Aragorn because Aragorn can reset threat back to the starting level once per game.

Another way to lower threat in a large chunk after using Frodo’s ability several times is Vanish from Sight + A Elbereth! Glithoniel!. The basic setup is engage a lower engagement cost enemy but higher than 20. Let’s say 25 for illustrative purposes. The player uses Vanish from Sight so threat is treated as 20 and plays A Elbereth! Glithoniel! The player gets to treat their threat as 20 for A Elbereth, put the enemy on the bottom of the deck, and set their threat to 25.

Hobbit Pipe

Players will want threat reduction to make the most use of Frodo’s ability and most of it is available from events. Hobbit Pipe allows the player to also draw cards as well from this dynamic.

Sam Gamgee Ally

Sam Gamgee similar to Hobbit Pipe will have plenty of triggers to use his ability. Any time Frodo cancels damage Sam can ready and get +1 to all stats for 1 resource. Most times this will make him into an attacker with 2 attack. Two defense while reasonable in the first cycle, won’t be enough to help him survive an enemy attack in later cycles.

Ring Rating

Card Talk uses the highly scientific yet arbitrary scale of 1 ring for the card to rule them all to 10 to be cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came.

I rate Frodo at 3 rings. He’s a very solid defensive hero with a very useful ability. It is not difficult at all to include enough threat reduction to avoid threating out despite using it heavily. Often just pairing him with Lore Aragorn is enough. His 2 willpower can even help out in questing if need be because the damage cancelation also works on an undefended attack. The only real downside is the ability is limit once per phase. This can be problematic in later scenarios when boss enemies can get multiple attacks or multiple enemies can build up. Then other defenders with higher defense and hit points that can turn into a “super defender” like Spirit Beregond or Messanger of the King Jubayr are going to be a better choice.

  • Dave – 3
  • Grant – 3
  • Ted – TBR
  • Matt – 3

External Links

Sample Decks

Smoke Yourself Thin by NoSoup4you

A threat reduction focused deck using Hobbit Pipe as a card draw engine.

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Frodo Baggins (Conflict at the Carrock)
Gandalf (The Road Darkens)
Sam Gamgee (The Black Riders)

Ally (19)
3x Bilbo Baggins (The Road Darkens)
2x Bill the Pony (The Black Riders)
2x Errand-rider (Heirs of Númenor)
3x Galadhrim Weaver (The Treachery of Rhudaur)
1x Pelargir Ship Captain (The Morgul Vale)
2x Skinbark (The Land of Shadow)
2x Treebeard (The Antlered Crown)
2x Warden of Helm’s Deep (The Antlered Crown)
2x Wellinghall Preserver (Across the Ettenmoors)

Attachment (16)
2x Dagger of Westernesse (The Black Riders)
2x Expert Treasure-hunter (On the Doorstep)
2x Gandalf’s Staff (The Road Darkens)
3x Hobbit Pipe (The Black Riders)
1x Shadowfax (The Treason of Saruman)
2x Steward of Gondor (Core Set)
3x Unexpected Courage (Core Set)
1x Wizard Pipe (The Road Darkens)

Event (15)
3x Daeron’s Runes (Foundations of Stone)
2x Hidden Cache (The Morgul Vale)
3x Island Amid Perils (The Nîn-in-Eilph)
3x Smoke Rings (The Black Riders)
3x The Galadhrim’s Greeting (Core Set)
1x Will of the West (Core Set)

3 Heroes, 50 Cards
Cards up to The Land of Shadow

Sideboard

Event (1)
1x Flame of Anor (The Road Darkens)

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

Bilbo Baggins (Tactics)

Matt Kell (kattattack22)Leave a comment
  • Cycle
    • Ered Mithren 
  • Set
  • Player Card Categories
    • Direct Damage
    • Staging Area Control

But one day Bilbo was asked to go
On a big adventure to the caves below
To help some dwarves get back their gold
That was stolen by a dragon in the days of old

The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins by Leonard Nimoy

Background

Bilbo once a respectable Hobbit from a respectable family that didn’t go off having adventures, went on an adventure to burgle treasure from a dragon. Along the way, he won or found a magic ring (depending on the telling) that would change the course of Middle-Earth. That however is another story. Bilbo aided by the magic ring, verbally sparred with a dragon in trying to burgle some treasures. In so doing provoked the dragon to attack a nearby town leading to its demise and liberation of a Dwarven ancestral home and its treasures. Elves, Men, and Dwarves afterwards nearly came to war over the liberated treasures until the host of goblins, orcs, and wargs arrived. Bilbo was soon knocked out in the fighting but survived to take a nice stash of treasure home to retire on.

Card Theme

The willpower boost Bilbo gains from an enemy in the staging area is very thematic to Bilbo in The Hobbit. While he is initially resistant to the adventure, he always rises to the occasion when confronted with adversaries.

Card Synergies and Interactions

Guarded X Cards

This version of Bilbo is basically designed for these cards considering he does 2 damage to an enemy guarding a card. The guarded card Bilbo most wants besides for thematic reasons, Sting, is Guarded (enemy). This is great as it gives Bilbo a potential target and once free of encounters +1 willpower, attack, and defense. It also builds on his ability to directly damage enemies dealing 1 damage each time Bilbo attacks. This set ups Bilbo damaging an enemy in the staging area and dealing the final point of damage just by blocking. Durin’s Axe is similar as the only other Guarded (enemy) card and also with a direct damage effect.

Most of the others are Guarded (enemy or location), and there’s at least a chance they will add an enemy for his ability. Of course, there is always A Shadow of the Past to help set up an enemy preferably with lower hit points for one of these wonderful attachments. Necklace of Girion or The Arkenstone both can help make Bilbo a better quester. Of course these can always be given to other heroes as well even those under the control of other players. In multiplayer, there will likely always be a target for Bilbo’s ability and more willpower available to handle an additional encounter card.

Commit a Hero or Character to the Quest

Both Hobbit Pony and Late Adventurer let a player commit him in the action window after staging but before quest resolution. This opens up any enemy revealed during staging as a target for his ability and maximize Bilbo’s willpower bonus. You can chose to Hobbit Pony is better considering it is an attachment and can be used every round once it is in play.

A fun combo is use one or both of these with Elevenses. Commit Bilbo during the regular commit characters to the quest step. After staging, remove him from the quest with Elvenses and reduce your threat by 1 (assuming you only remove Bilbo). Then recommit him with these two to trigger his willpower boost a second time. This works because his response lasts until the end of the phase. Per FAQ 1.55, lasting effects from player cards are not recalculated even if the game state changes. In this case, Biblo’s questing status. Additionally, his response does not have a stated limit. It can be triggered again if he is recommitted to the quest creating a new trigger and another lasting effect boosting his willpower twice. Windfola can also potentially commit Bilbo to the quest twice, but it requires a Song of Travel and a quest that can removes characters from the quest.

Direct Damage

Bilbo’s ability alone typically won’t destroy an enemy in a single round. Some quests early in the game’s life had a many 1 or 2 hit point enemies like The Seventh Level or Over the Misty Mountains Grim. Later scenarios, the norm was enemies with 3 or more hit points. In those, more is needed if a player wants to destroy an enemy with direct damage.

Tactics is full of direct damage options including Bilbo’s signature weapon, Sting. Sting deals a damage whether attacking or defending. This works quite well considering Hobbits have additional readying via Fast Hitch. Spear of the Citadel can also go directly on Bilbo to deal damage when defending or on Gondorian Spearman. The spearman then can deal 2 damage when defending. Thalin can also soften up any enemies revealed during a turn when he quests. Galadhon Archer, Descendent of Throndor, and Rumil have direct damage effects are like Gandalf ally from the Core Set dealing direct damage when they enter play.

Lore is the other main sphere with direct damage effects. Argalad can team up with Bilbo to deal 1 damage to an enemy in the staging area provided he has enough attack power to reduce their threat to 0. Poisoned Stakes trap can also deal 2 damage at the end of each round. This works well when building around keeping an enemy in staging for Bilbo to target over multiple rounds.

These that I’ve listed is not an exhaustive list. These are most of the recurring ones or could be recurred fairly easily. There are many event based ones like Swift Strike, Hail of Stones, Goblin-Cleaver, or Expecting Mischief.

Staging Area Attack

Similar to Bilbo’s ability, staging area attack lets a player damage an enemy before engaging it. Dunhere introduced the ability in the Core Set. Haldir hero and Leadership Eomer have staging area attack built in as well. Heroes with ranged can also gain it via Great Yew Bow and Hands Upon the Bow. Bilbo’s old acquaintance, Bard the Bowman using the Great Yew Bow can even give the enemy -2 defense.

Engagement Control and Threat Reduction

There are 2 kinds of effects that allow a player wants to keep an enemy in the staging area. Engagement control that either skips the encounter phase or increase the enemies’ engagement cost, or Threat Reduction to reduce a player’s threat. There are only a couple cards that can increase an enemy’s engagement cost, Take No Notice and Mablung ally. Both only do so by 5 and for a single phase. This limits their usefulness significantly because 5 will not push the enemies with very low engagement of 10 – 20 above the threat of most decks. This cross-section of enemies are the ones this effect would be the most useful against and needed, but they don’t increase it enough. The only repeatable engagement cost increase is from Lore Pippin‘s ability which Biblo helps to boost. Unfortunately there are only 2 cards that prevent engagement checks. Ranger Spikes is a bit of a nonbo since it lowers the enemy’s threat. Advance Warning isn’t available because all the heroes require a printed Lore resource to play it.

Threat reduction is better considering there are several more cards for it. Unfortunately, in sphere there is only Secret Vigil that at best will reduce a players threat by 4. Fortunately, hobbit focused decks have The Shirefolk that can reduce threat by 4 for free and it is neutral. Elevenses is another option with some other combo potential mentioned earlier. Then there always the threat reduction staples of Galadhrim’s Greeting, Elrond’s Counsel, and Woodmen’s Clearing. Galadriel, Fastred, and Spirit Beregond all provide repeatable threat reduction. Galadriel and Beregond won’t help lower threat below more enemies’ engagement costs, but they’ll maintain threat turn after turn. If the Bilbo player is already low enough, they’ll keep the enemies up in staging Fastred can help get threat lower and put the enemy back into staging for Bilbo to target.

Grey Wanderer

Grey Wanderer has many advantages for Bilbo. One, the player’s threat starts very low avoiding most if not all enemy engagements allowing him to use his ability easily. Two, the free 1 cost attachment can get Strider allowing him to quest every round without exhausting and boost his willpower to quest even without an enemy. Third, it has a built in readying to maximize direct damage when Bilbo uses Sting.

Quest Specific

Escape from Dol Guldur, The Hunt for Gollum, A Journey to Rhosgobel, Across the Ettenmoors, A Storm on Cobas Haven all feature the Guarded keyword. While it is not guaranteed an enemy will be the encounter card guarding each objective, they still present more opportunities for Bilbo to deal 2 damage. Shadows of Mirkwood and Darrowdelf have a couple great targets for Bilbo, Goblin Sniper and Khazad-Dum’s Orc Drummer. High engagement cost, low hit points, and an incredibly annoying ability while they’re in the staging area. Little surging enemies in later cycles similar to Ered Mithren’s Stray Goblin are also good targets. It creates action advantage by not having to defend them and gets a little threat out of the staging area. Ered Mithren also has some enemies like Mirkwood Patrol and Hobgoblin that end up guarding cards on their own that Bilbo can counter.

Intruders in Chetwood, Dungeson of Cirith Gurat, and Helm’s Deep are all ones to avoid using Bilbo in. Intruders in Chetwood enemies can’t be damaged while Orc War Party is in play. The quest starts with one in play and there are 2 others in the encounter deck. More often than not, enemies won’t be able to take damage. Dungeons of Cirith Gurat is a real heartbreaker for Biblo. Enemies guarding objectives are immune to player card effects during stage 1 otherwise they would take 2 damage from him! They’re even often guarding something because they will capture allies as objectives. The second stage when the players have to avoid engaging enemies for 2 turns where it would be another great time for him, except they’re all immune to damage. Helm’s Deep many of the enemies have the toughness X keyword that cancels the first X damage any time damage is dealt to them. Bilbo’s damage then will just get canceled every time it is used against them.

Ring Rating

Card Talk uses the highly scientific yet arbitrary scale of 1 ring for the card to rule them all to 10 to be cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came.

I’m going to preface this rating with Tactics Bilbo is one of my top heroes I like to play. If I rated on how much I like the card, the rating would be at least a 2. Still based on his general usefulness, power level, and how many deck types he would fit into he’s a 5. He can work fine in many decks because he can basically offset an enemy’s threat and possibly soften up an enemy before it is engaged. This only gets more powerful when combined with player guarded attachments or more effects that can damage enemies in the staging area. Bonus willpower in the willpower poor Tactics sphere is a huge boon to monosphere Tactics.

One problem is his stats are all low. Still his base willpower isn’t enough for him to be the main questing hero without several willpower boosting attachments or Forth the Three Hunters side B active. His best stat is defense but at 2 and 2 hit points, he can’t defend well without a couple defense boosts. Sting can help since it boosts all his stats and gives him direct damage for defending. Plus 1 to all stats though makes him more like the Dunedain heroes that are jack of all trades. Hobbit heroes fortunately has additional readying with Fast Hitch and additional stat boosting from Rosie Cotton. It is a lot of setup to put him on par with many other heroes.

The other problem that is carried over from his earlier Lore version is the 9 threat cost. It is the highest of the Hobbits and a bit counter to his ability. His ability requires the player to avoid engagement at least once to trigger unless using Hobbit Pony or lots of engagement control and threat reduction.

This is all to say that without much support, Tactics Bilbo is often outclassed by others in the same sphere and threat cost like Core Set Legolas. When built around, Bilbo can be powerful and fun to play. Contracts in particular make it easier to get him built up quickly.

  • Dave – 3
  • Grant – 3
  • Ted – TBR
  • Matt – 5
  • Average 3.66

External Links

Sample Decks

Wandering Burgler Discovers Fate of Numenor by kattattack22

Basic idea is to leverage Bilbo’s ability combined with direct damage from Gandalf and Descendent of Thorondor to clear enemies guarding Sting or Necklace of Girion. Also the Eagles of the North might discard a non-unqiue enemy guarding a card. Azain’s direct damage ability is another possibility since can engage an enemy not guarding a card that shares a trait and have ability deal more damage to enemy in the staging area.

Wandering Burgler Discovers Fate of Numenor

Main Deck

Hero (1)
Bilbo Baggins (Mount Gundabad)

Contract (0)
1x The Grey Wanderer (Challenge of the Wainriders)

Ally (22)
3x Azain Silverbeard (Flight of the Stormcaller)
3x Descendant of Thorondor (The Hills of Emyn Muil)
3x Eagles of the Misty Mountains (Return to Mirkwood)
3x Gandalf (Core Set)
1x Gwaihir (Trouble in Tharbad)
3x Meneldor (Roam Across Rhovanion)
3x Mirkwood Explorer (The Thing in the Depths)
3x Northern Tracker (Core Set)

Attachment (16)
3x Fast Hitch (The Dead Marshes)
3x Necklace of Girion (The Wilds of Rhovanion)
3x Resourceful (The Watcher in the Water)
3x Sting (Mount Gundabad)
1x Strider (The Drowned Ruins)
3x Support of the Eagles (Return to Mirkwood)

Event (12)
3x Flight of the Eagles (Roam Across Rhovanion)
3x Sneak Attack (Core Set)
3x The Shirefolk (Mount Gundabad)
3x Timely Aid (The Redhorn Gate)

Player Side Quest (1)
1x Gather Information (The Lost Realm)

1 Hero, 51 Cards
Cards up to Challenge of the Wainriders

Sideboard

Ally (9)
3x Eagle of the North (Roam Across Rhovanion)
3x Vassal of the Windlord (The Dead Marshes)
3x Winged Guardian (The Hunt for Gollum)

Attachment (6)
3x Born Aloft (Conflict at the Carrock)
3x Poisoned Stakes (The Blood of Gondor)

Event (6)
3x The Eagles Are Coming! (The Hunt for Gollum)
3x The King’s Return (The Fate of Wilderland)

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

Guarded-o-rama by Card Talk Dave

This deck was created because of an episode of Card Talk where Grant and Dave discuss ways to get Guarded Cards, namely Durin’s Axe into play. To see that episode, click on over to it HERE. The idea is that Éomer can attack into the staging area and, coupled with Firefoot, excess damage can be assigned to enemies engaged with you. While this isn’t even remotely the “new hotness,” coupled with Bilbo Baggins is a great twist.

Guarded-o-rama

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Bilbo Baggins (Mount Gundabad)
Éomer (The Mountain of Fire)
Éowyn (The Flame of the West)

Contract (0)
1x Forth, The Three Hunters! (The City of Ulfast)

Attachment (39)
3x Cram (Over Hill and Under Hill)
3x Dagger of Westernesse (The Black Riders)
1x Durin’s Axe (Wrath and Ruin)
2x Firefoot (The Dunland Trap)
3x Golden Belt (Challenge of the Wainriders)
2x Golden Shield (The Flame of the West)
2x Gúthwinë (The Mountain of Fire)
1x Magic Ring (The Crossings of Poros)
2x Mariner’s Compass (The Grey Havens)
1x Mithril Shirt (The Fate of Wilderland)
1x Necklace of Girion (The Wilds of Rhovanion)
3x Rohan Warhorse (The Voice of Isengard)
2x Spear of the Citadel (Heirs of Númenor)
3x Steward of Gondor (Core Set)
1x Sting (Mount Gundabad)
1x Stone of Elostirion (Under the Ash Mountains)
1x The Arkenstone (The Withered Heath)
1x Thorongil (The Fortress of Nurn)
3x War Axe (The City of Ulfast)
3x Warrior Sword (The Ghost of Framsburg)

Event (12)
3x Bilbo’s Plan (The Land of Sorrow)
3x Foe-hammer (Over Hill and Under Hill)
3x Open the Armory (The Dungeons of Cirith Gurat)
3x The King’s Return (The Fate of Wilderland)

3 Heroes, 51 Cards
Cards up to The Fortress of Nurn

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.

The Burglar and the Bowman by Hollowbandit

A Bard and Bilbo buddy deck with Fastred defending them and reducing threat.

Main Deck

Hero (3)
Bard the Bowman (On the Doorstep)
Bilbo Baggins (Mount Gundabad)
Fastred (The Black Serpent)

Ally (12)
1x Arwen Undómiel (The Watcher in the Water)
1x Azain Silverbeard (Flight of the Stormcaller)
1x Bofur (The Redhorn Gate)
2x Curious Brandybuck (The Wastes of Eriador)
3x Galadhon Archer (The Nîn-in-Eilph)
1x Gandalf (Core Set)
3x Honour Guard (The Wastes of Eriador)

Attachment (23)
2x Ancient Mathom (A Journey to Rhosgobel)
1x Black Arrow (On the Doorstep)
2x Book of Eldacar (Encounter at Amon Dîn)
3x Dagger of Westernesse (The Black Riders)
3x Great Yew Bow (On the Doorstep)
1x Hobbit Pony (The Wastes of Eriador)
1x Magic Ring (The Crossings of Poros)
1x Necklace of Girion (The Wilds of Rhovanion)
3x Round Shield (Mount Gundabad)
1x Song of Battle (The Dead Marshes)
3x Sting (Mount Gundabad)
1x The Arkenstone (The Withered Heath)
1x Unexpected Courage (Core Set)

Event (15)
3x A Test of Will (Core Set)
3x Feint (Core Set)
3x Foe-hammer (Over Hill and Under Hill)
3x Hands Upon the Bow (Shadow and Flame)
3x Straight Shot (On the Doorstep)

3 Heroes, 50 Cards
Cards up to Mount Gundabad

Decklist built and published on RingsDB.