Everything* Costs 2 1.0

• Versions
• 1.0

Check out the sequel: Everything* Costs 1

This is the most purely fun deck I've played in a while. It might not look like it, but it's very amusing and works in multiplayer or solo play. It managed to beat Nightmare Journey Down the Anduin on the first attempt (solo), so it has the cred.

The idea is simple. Get Zigil Miner in your opening hand. If you don't, trash it all with Galdor and draw 6 more instead of taking a mulligan. The only card you should hold on to would be Protector of Lórien. If you still don't find the Miner in your opening hand, use Protector to dump your hand and then use Galdor to draw 6 more. You should definitely find a Miner by that point.

Once you have a Miner you are off to the races. You can play him turn 1 thanks to Arwen, and just keep naming "2" each time. You will always succeed, sometimes hitting a lucky Hidden Cache. Your board will fill up with cheap but strong allies surprisingly quickly. Unexpected Courage goes on Beregond, and he becomes a pretty beefy tank even despite the lack of Gondorian Shield, thanks to Protector of Lórien, Raven-winged Helm, Honour Guard, and Warden of Healing. He held off a Hill Troll for a good 5+ turns without breaking a sweat.

The moment you hit the second Miner is when it really starts getting crazy. Not sure if you've ever tried the Arwen-Steward-Protector-Elven-light combo before where you draw a bunch of cards, but this is even more powerful. Whenever you want more cards in your hand, just use the Miner to dump resources on Arwen, then bounce Elven-light back and forth between the discard pile and your hand with Protector of Lórien, until you have a decent chunk of cards, then play them down.

The deck excells in solo play because it covers all the bases:

• Willpower: Bilbo Baggins, Ethir Swordsman, Galadriel's Handmaiden
• Attack: Galadhon Archer, Mithlond Sea-watcher
• Defense: Beregond, Unexpected Courage
• Location Control: The Evening Star

But due to the fact that your defender is a sentinel and your attackers are ranged, the deck is just as good (and fun) in multiplayer too.

There is one word of caution when playing this deck: be careful that you don't stall your engine! Will of the West will be needed, often twice, so be careful about using your Miners too liberally. If you have a WotW in hand you're fine, or an Ered Nimrais Prospector will also work because you can wait until you have three cards left in your deck, discard them, then put WotW back in the deck as your only card and draw it up. So basically, just keep an eye on your discard pile: if there are 2 WotW in there and 1 Ered Nimrais Prospector, be careful with your Miners.

The deck can be tuned to your preference, but I strongly suggest not adding anything else that isn't 2-cost. Part of the fun of this deck is the speed and randomness. Every game will be totally different in how your board comes together!