DT's Budget Swarm

by Ian Vincent
(ivincent@ecgd.gov.uk)

With a bit of luck we'll have lost anyone playing with multiple Cave Trolls, Witch Kings, or Lurtz when they read the deckname. Now we can get down to how you're going to beat them with just seven rares in your Hobbit deck!

Fellowship:

As your Hobbits are incapable of inflicting more than one would on a minion at a time, you won't be double moving much. You should never reach site 9 first, but if you do the fact Frodo can overwhelm the Witch King (with help from Merry, Boromir, and a few other cards) means he isn't going to die.

Minions:

Putting Moria Orcs on the bottom of your draw deck is a great way to enable you to draw lots in one hand. This can be done by:

• Goblin Sneaks, use They Are Coming to get them back from the discard pile and get to the end of your draw deck.
• Gimli's special ability, though careful not to give away too much twilight.

Unfortunately, 8 minions just aren't enough these days. So we need a few tricks to enable us to get more:

• Site 9: Summit of Amon Hen, draw an extra card (card=minion) for each burden they have.
• 3 Goblin Scavengers will get back 3 Goblin Scimitars from your discard pile and draw 3 more cards.
• Fool of a Took: If they have a non-Frodo Hobbit in play, then draw all those minions you recycled.
• Goblin Swarms: Unlikely as it is in this deck, some of your orcs may win fights and will be placed here to use again.

Many people has ignored this decktype because Power According to His Stature, Boromir, Merry, and Bounder make overwhelming Frodo a little tricky. That's why we have three copies of Saruman's Snows to prevent Skirmish events and abilities. Fortunately for us, nobody seems to be playing with Boromir's Cloak (yet).

Ring-bearer
    Frodo, Old Bilbo's Heir (with 5 burdens)
    The Ruling Ring

Adventure Deck
    [1] Bag End (Frodo heals the Gaffer who heals Sam who removes a burden)
    [2] Buckleberry Ferry
    [3] Rivendell Terrace
    [4] Pass of Caradhras
    [5] The Bridge of Khazad-Dûm
    [6] Lothlórien Woods
    [7] Anduin Wilderland (no archery = swarm time!)
    [8] Shores of Nen Hithoel
    [9] Summit of Amon Hen (draw cards)

Free Peoples
    Merry, Friend to Sam (starting)
    Pippin, Friend to Frodo (starting)
    Sam, Son of Hamfast (starting; exerts to remove burdens)
    The Gaffer
    Bounder x3
    Hobbit Sword x3
    A Talent for Not Being Seen
    There and Back Again
    Hobbit Intuition x4
    Hobbit Stealth x4
    Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood (I hate Nazgul)
    Thararin, Dwarven Smith
    Gimli, Dwarf of Erebor x2 (add (2) to place a Moria Orc beneath your draw deck)
    Boromir, Son of Denethor x4
    Boromir's Cloak
    The Saga of Elendril

Shadow
    Fool of a Took x2
    Goblin Swarms
    Uruk Savage x3
    Saruman's Snows x3
    They Are Coming x3
    Goblin Runner x4
    Goblin Sneak x4
    Moria Scout x4
    Goblin Scavengers x3
    Goblin Scimitar x3