Making a Deck Out of 'Realms'

by Geoff Snider

Adventure Deck:

Shire Lookout Point (1)
Ettenmoors (2)
Rivendell Terrace (3)
Moria Lake (4)
Bridge of Kazad-dum (5)
GaladrielĂs Glade (6)
The Great River (7)
Shores of Nen Hithoel (8)
Wastes of Emyn Muil (9)

Starting:

The One Ring, IsildurĂs Bane
Frodo, Reluctant Adventurer
Gandalf, Friend of the Shirefolk

Free Peoples:

Glamdring x2
GandalfĂs Staff
Sting
Gwemegil
GimliĂs Battle Axe
AragornĂs Bow
RangerĂs Sword
Armor x2
Flaming Brand
Blade of Gondor
Boromir, Lord of Gondor x2
Aragorn, King in Exile x2
Arwen, Daughter of Elrond x2
Gimli, Son of Gloin x2
Legolas, Greenleaf x2
Sam, Son of Hamfast
Pippin, Hobbit of Some Intelligence
Thrarin
Albert Dreary
Elrond, Herald to Gil-galad x3
Vilya
Tale of Gil-galad
Servant of the Secret Fire x4
Sleep, Caradhras x2
GandalfĂs Cart x2

Shadow:

Isengard Retainer x4
Isengard Servant x4
Isengard Smith x3
Isengard Warrior x3
Isengard Shaman x4
Isengard Worker x4
Orc Commander x3
Orc Overseer x3
One of You Must Do This x2
The Trees Are Strong x2
Trapped and Alone x2
Coming for the Ring x2
Can You Protect Me From Yourself? x2
Ulaire Enquea x2

This deck, while not being the greatest available, is one of my favorite archetypes to play with. It's not as competitive or 'tweaked' as it could be, and it doesn't run all sorts of 'meta-game tricks' to outwit opponents in a competitive event. But it's a great exercise for someone who wants to become a better player... or better deck-builder.

In LotR, there's currently a large focus on who takes the first turn. Players are bidding as many as seven or eight burdens to ensure they go first. This causes a sort of backlash that involves penalizing the opponent for their equally high bid. I prefer not to mess with things that can potentially cost me a game, and so I bid only one burden. This sets my burdens at an acceptable level... not too many, so as to fear being corrupted, and more than zero, to put me ahead of those players who never wish to go first. If I go first, I get to retrieve Gandalf's Cart from my deck, allowing me to better cycle my hand. If I go second I can play Shadow cards, cycling them out of my hand and improving the quantity of free peoples cards I'll have access to when my turn rolls around.

The free peoples side of the deck is really simple. Just play companions with their matching weapons, protect them with Gandalf, and move twice when it's convenient; you need to at least keep up with the opponent. Elrond, Herald to Gil-galad is another important way to protect your companions. With cards to boost his vitality, he's great at healing your companions that may have exerted or taken wounds over the course of your turn. Probably the hardest decision to make for your fellowship will be how many companions to play. That question will answer itself in time, when you see what your opponent is playing with. If he's playing Uruk-hai, you might want to limit your companions to as few as 4. If Nazgul, then five seems to be the magic number. Sauron and Moria Orcs require you to play a few more companions, compensating for the greater number of minions you'll see.

On the darker side of the deck, the Isengard Orcs are a bit tricky. Coordinating their efforts as a culture may prove more difficult than most, for they have several important support cards. They tend to gradually eat into the opponent's vitality, doing one or two wounds at first. But when you've coordinated the right hand, you'll be able to do some serious damage all at once. One of You Must Do This can start off a big turn, followed by winning skirmishes (thanks to the Orc Commander). If your Orcs lose their skirmishes, Trapped and Alone will help them to retain some of their vitality so they don't completely lose their effectiveness. The regroup phase is when the Isengard Orcs really show their mettle. Coming for the Ring will allow them to heal, using their extra vitality to hurt your opponent even more. To add insult to injury, The Trees Are Strong can inflict extra wounds, even after all your Orcs are exhausted. Here's an example of a typical coordinated attack: Play Orc Overseer, Isengard Retainer, and Isengard Warrior. Play One of You Must Do This (usually causing three exertions). Win one skirmish with the Orc Overseer (causing one more wound). The Retainer and Warrior will each have two vitality remaining. Exert the Overseer twice to exhaust a companion (causing two wounds on average). Play Coming for the Ring (drawing a two), and heal the Overseer and Retainer once each. Exert the Overseer twice again to exhaust another companion (causing another two wounds). Exert the Retainer twice (causing another two wounds). Exert the Warrior once (causing three wounds on average). Play The Trees Are Strong, discarding all three Orcs (causing another three wounds). For fifteen pool (which is a lot, but happens quite often) and 6 cards, you've just caused a potential sixteen wounds. If that's not totally off the chart, then I don't know what is!

Essentially, by staying right behind your opponent, you force him to play off of your sites. Your Orcs can take advantage of those site gametexts, allowing them to consistently hammer the opponent's fellowship. Once you've coordinated the right hand, devastate his companions, and if he ever makes it to site nine, then it's 'game over.'

June 12, 2002