Bright Swords & Grim Faces

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Herumen 565

BRIGHT SWORDS & GRIM FACES

"The sword glinted in the westering sun. Merry and Sam drew their swords also and rode up to support Pippin; but Frodo did not move. The ruffians gave back. Scaring Breeland peasants, and bullying bewildered hobbits, had been their work. Fearless hobbits with bright swords and grim faces were a great surprise."

--LotR VI, p. 352.

DECK OVERVIEW

This is a Hobbit deck that takes its theme from the Hobbits' return to the Shire--world-wise and bristling with arms--at the end of The Lord of the Rings. Unlike a typical covert Hobbit deck, this one doesn't try to stay below secrecy level; it is an overt deck that uses its low starting threat to play Doomed cards to make our fearless hobbits into heroes to be reckoned with. However, like a typical Hobbit deck, the focus is on combat vs. higher engagement cost enemies. [Stats vs. higher engagement cost enemies are shown in () throughout this description.]

PLAYING THE DECK

Mulligan for Legacy of Númenor or The Seeing-stone. Deep Knowledge is good, too. Use The Seeing-stone to get either Deep Knowledge or Legacy of Númenor from the deck, depending on your needs. Focus on equipping the Hobbits, so they can hold their own in combat, and mustering allies. Herald of Anórien & Sneak Attack help with the latter. With the 20 starting threat, even playing all 4 Doomed cards will only raise it to 29. Gandalf & Secret Vigil help keep the threat under control.

HEROES & ATTACHMENTS

Merry 2 5(7) 1 3
With a base 3 and armed with 2x Dagger of Westernesse, Meriadoc, esquire of Rohan, is the attack-dog of the deck. With both Daggers he'll have a 5(7) . Fast Hitch lets him quest & attack or attack twice, readying another character from the attack each time he destroys an enemy.

Pippin 2 1(3) 4(6) 4
Peregrin of the Tower Guard will be the go-to defender with Ring Mail, 2x Dúnedain Warning, Hobbit Cloak & Staff of Lebethron. He can defend at 4(6) , with Staff of Lebethron providing shadow control vs. higher engagement cost enemies. Fast Hitch lets him quest & defend or defend twice, if needed.

Sam Gamgee 3 1(4) 2(5) 5
Squire Samwise is outfitted with Ring Mail, Hobbit Cloak & Staff of Lebethron and can do a little of everything: quest for 3 , ready with his effect and defend at 5 , then ready with Taste it Again! and attack at 4 .

ALLIES & EVENTS

Half the allies are thematic--Gandalf (played with Sneak Attack), Barliman Butterbur, Bill the Pony (played at 0-cost), Robin Smallburrow & Farmer Maggot--but still have beneficial effects. In particular, Barliman Butterbur can take damage from undefended attacks, and Bill the Pony will give every hobbit, including allies, +1 .

The remainder of the allies have been selected for their effects. Herald of Anórien helps with mustering (7 other allies may be played with his effect). With 12 Doomed cards in the deck, Isengard Messenger should usually be able to gain his +2 for questing. Gléowine provides card draw, and Mablung provides engagement control.

Mablung, Pippin & Take No Notice (played at 0-cost) will typically raise enemies' engagement costs by 8, helping to control engagement and allowing cards like Pippin, Sam Gamgee, Dagger of Westernesse, Hobbit Cloak, Staff of Lebethron & Taste it Again! to realize their full potential. Halfling Determination can also boost any hobbit character. Optionally, Unseen Strike & In the Shadows would work well in this deck, too.

VARIATIONS

With only a few changes, this deck is also fun to play with "The Black Riders". Replace Deep Knowledge with Frodo's Intuition for a 4 card draw and a net +4 . Merry will also get an additional +1 . Give Sam's Ring Mail to Frodo Baggins: 2 1 3 4. Boots from Erebor, another Hobbit Cloak, or another Dúnedain Warning could be added for even more protection for him, as well as Dúnedain Remedy for healing.