DECIPHER.com > The Lord of the Rings > Expansions > Shadows

The Orcmeal Slapwagon

by Zach Shephard

When faced with creating a deck list for the new Lord of the Rings TCG expansion being released shortly, I ran into some difficulties. With so many new cards and game mechanics being introduced, along with an entire overhaul of Shadow cultures, I wasn't sure where to begin.

Then, as I stared at the name of the set I was working with – Shadows – inspiration struck:

"That's it! I'll make a deck with a Shadow side!"

Initially, I was pleased with my groundbreaking new idea. I later realized having a Shadow side for a deck wasn't as innovative as I'd originally thought it to be.

Regardless, starting out by building my Shadow half seemed to be the way to go. For this particular assignment, I was given the task of working with the Orcs. Being that the new Orc culture is basically a big mushy mix of all of the old Orc cultures (a mix I like to call "Orcmeal"), there are a number of themes the designers could have continued to develop from the older cultures' collective attributes. These themes include, but are not limited to: swarming, wounding, corrupting, and modeling.

The modeling theme was immediately thrown out the window when somebody at the game studio had an epiphany:

"Orcs are ugly. Like, really ugly."

With that in mind, although the new Orc culture can pull off a few old tricks in every category, they really seem to shine when it comes to swarming.

They may not have the card-drawing and hand-extension qualities that Moria had in the past (though four copies of Goblin Hordes certainly has potential to be devastating), but the minions are also much larger than the average Moria weenie. You don't need to get a dozen of the new Orcs out when they're twice as large as their cousins under Caradhras.

The new Orcs have some great twilight generation. (Scurrying Goblin and Spurred to Battle come to mind.) In addition, other minions have great strengths for their costs. The only thing the new Orcs are missing is a scratch 'n sniff card (come on Decipher, what gives?) to give you that full non-bathing Orc experience. Most of the Orcs I used in my deck also gain benefits from being underground. You'd probably live underground if you smelled like that, too.

My particular Shadow side is designed to drop a handful of minions after being set up by the Free Peoples half, and intends to strike at everyone's favorite underground site from Tower Block – the Cavern Entrance. That's right, the Entrance is back even after having Saruman's Snows banned, though it has certainly lost a bit of its kick. No longer does it stop Skirmish events, but Skirmish abilities are still out the window while the fellowship is at this dreaded site. All in all, it's an excellent way to bring back a classic card without having it be too abusive.

And it's a good thing they toned the Entrance down a bit, or else it could be very abusive, especially when you can play it upwards of four times in a game. Now I know what you're thinking: "Four times in a game? You mean I can have multiple copies of the same site in my adventure deck? Boy, I sure hope they reprint Narchost!" Although we would all love to play against your mono-Narchost site path, I'm sorry to say that your above assumption simply isn't true. You can still only have one copy of any particular site in your adventure deck. The trick, as I see it, is to get that site back into your adventure deck, so it can be played again.

This is where our new Aragorn, Strider (which my good friend Pat Sullivan spoiled not too long ago – click here for his article) and some of his Ranger-requiring support cards come into play. Anduril, Flame of the West, Madril, Ranger of Ithilien and Well-traveled all allow you to exert control over the site path. The idea is to stay behind, and when your opponent makes a move where you can drop a fair number of minions, you play the Cavern Entrance to keep their skirmish abilities at bay. (If they don't have any skirmish abilities showing, you can just play another underground site from your adventure deck.) Then, when it comes to your Free Peoples turn, play Well-traveled to play your next site – replacing the existing one. Play whatever site you want to move to and Cavern Entrance goes back into your adventure deck. Ideally, you'll make your opponent move through the Cavern Entrance at every site, without ever having to experience it yourself.

The Free Peoples side of this deck is really just designed to help the Shadow side. It's unlikely that you'll be making a lot of double-moves, but that's good – you want to stay behind to make sure you get to play your Cavern Entrance and then send it back into your deck on your Free Peoples turn. Alliance Reforged will draw cards during the fellowship phase, while the Seeing Stone of Orthanc will draw in the regroup. Glorfindel checks to see if your top card is an Elf card, and if so, Into the West removes three threats in regroup, allowing you to draw three more cards with the Seeing Stone. If necessary, Nenya will also help stack your deck and Might of the Elf Lords is the Elven equivalent of Servant of the Secret Fire. Arwen and Legolas will both benefit from the forest sites included in your adventure deck, while the Elven Scout can help cycle cards in regroup and overwhelm Morgul Whelps when your Ring-bearer isn't wounded.

Merry is included in the starting Fellowship because I had an extra point of twilight to spare, and I'm sure as heck not using that dork Pippin. ;)

So the basics of the deck are to stay behind, single-move (unless you're feeling exceptionally daring), and use the cards that manipulate the Site Path to ensure you've got all sorts of Underground sites out for your opponent. Drop bombs of large Orcs regularly and watch as your opponent's fellowship is gradually overpowered by big, cheap minions.

Enjoy the deck, and enjoy Shadows – I know I will!

Ring-bearer
Isildur, Bearer of Heirlooms
The One Ring, The Ring of Rings

Adventure Deck
(0) Fangorn Glade
(1) Anduin Confluence
(1) Cavern Entrance
(2) Caras Galadhon
(2) West Gate of Moria
(2) Moria Stairway
(3) Old Forest Road
(3) Trollshaw Forest
(3) Moria Guardroom

Free Peoples
1 Aragorn, Strider (Starting)
1 Glorfindel, Revealed in Wrath (Starting)
1 Merry, Friend to Sam (Starting)
1 Galadriel, Lady Redeemed (Starting)
1 Madril, Ranger of Ithilien
1 Arwen, Staunch Defender
1 Legolas, Companion of the Ring
1 Elven Scout
4 Might of the Elf Lords
4 Well-traveled
4 Alliance Reforged
2 Nenya, Ring of Adamant
2 Anduril, Flame of the West
3 Last Alliance of Elves and Men
1 Scroll of Isildur
3 Seeing Stone of Orthanc
3 Into the West
1 Shadow Between
1 Citadel of the Stars

Shadow
4 Champion Orc
3 Denizen of Khazad-dum
4 Denizen of Moria
3 Denizen of the Black Pit
3 Frenzied Orc
4 Goblin Runner
4 Scurrying Goblin
3 Watchful Orc
4 Spurred to Battle
4 Goblin Hordes

If Zach ever invents a musical instrument, regardless of its construction or manner of function, he's calling it the "Slapwagon".

October 8, 2004