Category: Into Ithilien

Introduction

I was so close last time and a silly play mistake snatched certain victory away! Let’s see if I learned my lesson and will be a good player.

Decklist

Play by Play

Starting hand:Dwarven Axe, Vassal of the Windlord, Winged Guardian, Descendant of Thorondor, Feint, Knight of Minas Tirith.

Turn 1: Legolas drawn. Knight of Minas Tirith played. Knights engage and attack Southron Company dealing 3 damage thanks to Aragorn. Eowyn and Celador quest for 3. Secluded Glade added to the staging area. Use Eowyn’s ability to add 4 progress to Ithilien Road and 5 to the quest. Threat is now 31. Travel to Secluded Glade. Beregond defends vs Southron Company taking 1 damage and shadow increases threat to 32. Aragorn attacks and kills the company. Refresh and threat is 33.

Turn 2: Feint drawn. Vassal of the Windlord played. Vassal, Eowyn, and Celador quest for 6. Treachery has doomed 3 and adds a Harad enemy to the staging area. Threat is now 36 and Southron Mercenaries added to the staging area. Secluded Glade is explored and 1 progress placed on the quest for a total of 6. Engage mercenaries and Aragorn takes an archery damage. Beregond defends taking a damage from the shadow card. Aragorn and Knight of Minas Tirith kill the mercenaries. Refresh and threat is 37.

Turn 3: Eagles of the Misty Mountains drawn. Legolas played. Eowyn, Celador, Knight of Minas Tirith, and Vassal quest for 9. Southron Company added to the staging area. 6 progress placed on the quest. Engage Southron company engaged and feinted discarding Morgul Spider shadow card. Aragorn and Legolas kill the company and Knights of the Swan drawn. Refresh and threat is 38.

Turn 4: Favor of the Valar drawn. Winged Guardian played. Same questers as last turn for 9. Treachery has doomed 3 and adds a Harad enemy to the staging area. Southron Company added from the discard pile. Stage 1B completed and move onto Stage 3B. Refresh and threat is 39.

Turn 5: Dwarven Axe drawn. Eagles of the Misty Mountains played. Quest for 11 with Aragorn, Eowyn, Celador, and Eagles of the Misty Mountains, and Legolas. Southron Company number 2 added to staging area and 9 progress placed on the quest. Refresh and threat is 40.

Turn 6: Sterner than Steel drawn. Knights of the Swan played. Aragorn, Eowyn, Celador, and Eagles of the Misty Mountains quest for 10. Ithilien Guardian added to the staging area and the quest for 12. Treachery removes Aragorn from the quest lowering willpower to 10. 8 progress placed on the quest moving to Stage 4B. Both Southron Companies engage. Feintthe first one and Knights of the Swan defends the 2nd one. Harad Elite discarded for the first shadow. 2nd shadow deals a damage to Knights of the Swan killing them. Legolas and Knight of Minas Tirith attack and kill the first company. Defender of Rammas drawn. Beregond and Vassal attack the 2nd company for 4 damage. Refresh and threat is 43.

Turn 7: Knight of Minas Tirith drawn. Favor of the Valar played. Quest for 13 with Beregond, Eowyn, Ithilien Guardian, Winged Guardian, and Eagles of the Misty Mountains. Another Ithilien Guardian revealed and added to the quest for 14. Surge reveals Haradrim Elite who immediately attack. Celador defends. Shadow has no effect and Celador takes 2 damage. 8 progress placed on the quest. Elite and the company engage. Aragorn defends vs the Elite taking 2 damage. Shadow removes 3 progress on the quest lowering progress to 5. Knight of Minas Tirith defend vs the company taking 4 damage and dying. Shadow raises threat by 3 to 46. Legolas attacks the company killing it and drawing Honour Guard. Refresh and threat is 49.

Turn 8: Defender of Rammas drawn. 2 Defender of Rammas played. Everyone quests for 27. Morgul Spider revealed and place 24 progress on the quest to win.

Score 134 = 8 rounds x 10 + 49 threat + 5 damage tokens.

Introduction

I haven’t attempted Fortress of Nurn yet again. I promise another attempt is coming. Until then here’s another older playthrough.

Mono-Spirit got crushed pretty handily in my last 2 games. I decided to give Mono-Tactics a shot at this quest and see if it would do better.

Decklist

Play by Play

Attempt 1

Starting hand: Legolas, Sterner than Steel, Eagles of the Misty Mountains, Knight of Minas Tirith, Dúnedain Hunter, Gondorian Shield

Turn 1: draw Dagger of Westernesse. Gondorian Shield played on Beregond. Knight of Minas Tirith played, engaged Southron Company, and knight attacks for 3 damage. Eowyn and Celador quests for 3. Morgul Spider revealed and gains +3 attack until the end of the round. Questing no progress and no threat gained. Spider engages. Aragorn defends vs the Southron Company taking 4 damage thanks to a shadow card and battle quest boost. Beregond defends vs the Spider taking 1 damage. Shadow gives it another attack but cancel it with Sterner than Steel exhausting Gondorian Shield. Use Eowyn’s ability to ready and give her 10 attack. Then kill the spider. Refresh to 32.

Turn 2: draw Sterner than Steel. Play Dagger of Westernesse on Aragorn. Eowyn and Celador quest for 3. Eowyn removed from the quest due to Lost Companion treachery. 2 progress made on Ithilien Road. Beregond defends vs Southorn Company, shadow adds 2 attack resulting in 1 damage to Beregond. Aragorn attacks and kills Southron Company. Refresh to 33.

Turn 3 draw Vassal of the Windlord. Play Legolas and Vassal of the Windlord. Eowyn, knight, Legolas, and Celador quest for 9. Southron Support raised my 3 threat by 3 and added Southron Merecenaries to the staging area. Ithilien Road cleared and 5 progress placed on the quest. Merecenaries engaged and 1 archery damage placed on the knight. Beregond defends, shadow removes 2 progress from the quest, and no damage dealt. Aragorn and Legolas attack for 7 killing the Merecenaries and drawing Landroval. Refresh to 37.

Turn 4 draw Horn of Gondor and play on Eowyn. Vassal, Eowyn, Celador, and knight quest for 9. Treachery deals one damage to each questing character which kills vassal. Celador takes another damage and Eowyn gains a resource for vassal leaving play. Surge revealed Morgul Spider which gets +3 attack until the end of the round. 3 progress on the quest. Spider engaged. Beregond defends shadow would deal 1 damage but canceled with Sterner than Steel. Beregond takes 1 damage. Aragorn and Legolas attack for 7 to kill the spider and draw Feint. Refresh to 38.

Turn 5 draw Legolas ally. Play Landroval. Play Dúnedain Hunter and put Forest Bat into play enraged with me. Landroval, hunter, Eowyn, Celador quest for 9. Southron Support raises threat to 41 and Merecenaries added to the staging area. 7 progress added to the quest. 1 archery damage to Landroval. Legolas defends vs the bat, shadow raises threat to 42,and no damage dealt. Beregond defends vs mercenaries, shadow is Mumak for no effect, and no damage dealt! Aragorn and knight attack Merecenaries for 7 killing them. Refresh to 43.

Turn 6 draw a Feint. Play Eagles of the Misty Mountains. Landroval, hunter, Eowyn, Celador quest for 9. Treachery raised threat to 46 and surges. Lost Companion removes Eowyn from the quest but 8 progress completes stage 1B bypassing stage 2 thanks to Celador. Beregond defends vs the bats. Shadow is Ithilien Guardian that deals 2 damage to the bats killing them. Refresh to 47.

Turn 7 draw Winged Guardian and play it. Quest for 13 with Eowyn, Celador, Aragorn, Landroval, hunter, Legolas, and Eagles of the Misty Mountains. Southron Company revealed. 12 progress placed on the quest completing 3b. Stage 4b forced effect will threat me out at the end of the turn.

Attempt 2

Starting hand – Secret Vigil, Sterner than Steel, Dagger of Westernesse, Defender of Rammas, Dúnedain Hunter, Gondorian Shield.

Turn 1 draw Eagles of the Misty Mountains. Play Secret Vigil on Southron Company, Dagger of Westernesse on Aragorn, and Gondorian Shield on Beregond. Eowyn and Celador quest for 3. Morgul Spider revealed gaining +2 attack for the round. Eowyn readys and gains plus 9 attack to clear Ithilien Road and 3 progress on the quest. Spider engages. Beregond defends vs the spider, shadow adds 2 attack resulting in 2 damage. Eowyn and Aragorn attack the spider for 5 killing it. Aragorn’s ability used to engage Southron Company. Refresh to 32.

Turn 2 draw Winged Guardian. Play Defender of Rammas. Eowyn and Celador quest for 3. Southron Merecenaries revealed resulting in 1 quest progress. Archery damage of 1 dealt to Aragorn. Beregond defends vs the company, shadow would remove 3 progress from the quest but cancelled with Sterner than Steel. Beregond does not take damage. Aragorn attacks the company for 5 killing it. Secret Vigil reduces threat to 31. Aragorn engages the Merecenaries with his response. Refresh to 32.

Turn 3 draw Gondorian Discipline. Play Eagles of the Misty Mountains. Eowyn and Celador quest for 3. Ithilien Guard added to the staging area increasing quest power to 5 but surges. Secluded Glade added to the staging area resulting in 2 quest progress. Travel to Secluded Glade. Archery damage of 1 dealt to eagles. Beregond defends vs mercenaries. Shadow is Mumak for no effect! Aragorn attacks Merecenaries for 5 killing them. Refresh to 33.

Turn 4 draw Eagles of the Misty Mountains. Play Winged Guardian and Dúnedain Hunter. Southron Company picked and engaged with me due to the hunter. Eowyn, defender, and the rangers quest for 6. Forest bat deals 2 damage to Eowyn removing her from the quest. Secluded glade explored and 1 progress placed on the quest. Forest bat engages. Beregond defends vs the Southron Company, shadow removes 3 quest progress. Eagles of the misty mountains defends vs the bats, shadow is Southron Support for no effect and no damage! Aragorn attacks the company for 5 killing it. Hunter attacks the bats for 3 killing them. Refresh to 34.

Turn 5 draw Feint. Play Eagles of the Misty Mountains number 2. Both Eagles of the misty mountains, hunter, defender, and the rangers quest for 10. Lost companion removes defender from the quest placing 9 progress on the quest. Refresh to 35.

Turn 6 draw Winged Guardian number 2 and play it. Defender, hunter, and the rangers quest for 8. Southron company added to the staging area resulting in 5 progress on the quest, completing it, advancing to 3B. Refresh to 36.

Turn 7 draw Knight of Minas Tirith and play it. Knight ability engages and attacks Southron Company for 3 damage. The rangers, hunter, Eagles of the Misty Mountains, Aragorn, and Eowyn quest for 15. Forest bats deal 2 damage to Aragorn and remove him from the quest. 12 progress is placed on the quest completing 3B. Forest bats engage. Beregond defends vs the company taking no damage but shadow gives it another attack. Second attack blocked with Feint. Defender of Rammas defends vs bats, shadow adds 1 attack but still no damage dealt. Refresh to 38 due to 4B forced effect.

Turn 8 draw Gondorian Shield and play it on Eowyn. Quest with everyone for 31. Ithilien Guardian added to the staging area and committed to the quest. Questing power is now 32. Watcher in the woods revealed raising threat by 13 to 51 causing me to threat out.

Introduction

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

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

Decklist

Play by Play

Attempt 1

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

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

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

Attempt 2

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

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

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

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

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