Intro Decks - Lore

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Mono-Lore Introdeck 0 0 0 1.0
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Onidsen 1102

This is an mono- deck designed to introduce new players to the Lore sphere, alongside a monosphere deck of each of the other spheres.

The basic design philosophy is to build decks that are straightforward to play, and don't require tricky interactions or remembering lasting conditions. However, the decks do include some interesting combinations for new players to explore, and aim to give a brief overview of how the sphere functions. In addition, they aim to give each player something to do during each phase of the game.

This deck uses Glorfindel as its centerpiece hero. In addition to offering emergency healing from the start of the game plus excellent willpower, he also gives the deck some combat punch so that it is not completely reliant on other players to deal with enemies.

The strongest aspects of the Lore sphere are card draw and healing, and this deck has both of those in great quantities. Mithrandir's Advice and Daeron's Runes make sure that this deck will seldom run out of useful cards, while Deep Knowledge, Gléowine, and Beravor can offer draw to other decks.

In addition to Glorfindel, the Warden of Healing can handle damage spread across many characters, while Athelas can deal with burst damage on a single character, while also providing valuable condition control.

For questing, Thurindir is included, along with Gather Information as a general purpose support side quest. In addition, Mablung and Gildor Inglorion, plus boosts from Protector of Lórien, can offer potent contributions during the quest phase. East Road Rangers can supplement that while the fellowship clears side quests, while offering additional combat power otherwise.

Gildor Inglorion also offers potent defense during combat, while Beravor and the Protector of Lórien can also serve at need. The Ranger of Cardolan is another emergency button, able to lend an extra defense or additional attack as needed in order to deal with combat. The Miners of the Iron Hills are primarily included to combat conditions, but they also can serve as chump blockers or as additional attack power in times of need.

The deck also includes a little bit of encounter deck control - Ranger Spikes and Gildor's Counsel can make staging less anxious, while Arrows from the Trees and Secret Paths can help control the staging area during critical turns. Henamarth Riversong is, of course, not as good during multiplayer as he is in a solo game, but he offers cheap encounter deck scrying, and could be used to set up Ranger Spikes.

The deck is weak on defense until Gildor Inglorion is out, and even after will likely require defense from a Sentinel character elsewhere on the board, but it has enough options to contribute to all phases of the game, and should provide a good introduction to the capabilities and highlights of the Lore sphere.

2 comments

Feb 17, 2019 Goggen 113

I really like what you're trying to do with this fellowship, and all in all i like the decks. I think I would have taken a slightly different approach to the Lore-deck tough (but I like building around Glorfindel).

There's so much card-draw there it's almost to much (if there is such a thing), especially compared to the lack of resource-acceleration (especially especially if you want to be able to fund the ability on Glorfindel as well). When you draw Mithrandir's Advice it might end up felling more like a dead-draw then the powerhouse it really is. Sure effects like Beravor can give the cards to others in stead, but that might leave the deck feeling a bit passive, and it wouldn't solve the desire for more resources which I think would be present regardless of who you target with Beravor. I would swap Beravor with Bifur, which plays really well into the trying to get in position to pass resources around. I'd also refine the ally-pool slightly and add some more cost-efficient allys with a focused statline: like Eryn Galen Settler for an attacker in stead of East Road Ranger, and I'd add Robin Smallburrow and Quickbeam.

I'd also drop Thurindir. Partially because I'm not a huge fan of Gather Information in an intro-deck for new players. In my opinion you need to be more familiar with the card-pool to take advantage of that card. That's not a big issue tough. The main thing is that I really want to put Denethor in:

-Denethor will ensure you get to experience three of the aspects that are unique to Lore (healing, card-draw and scrying). Scrying was a bit weak with only Henamarth Riversong which may or may not get drawn.

-Another thing is that he gives you an initial defender. Without one the deck might become passive in the combat-phase, and I like your idea of trying to ensure all decks are active in all phases.

-He also facilitates interaction across the table (which and intro-deck should have), but in a simple and straightforward way, by providing a possible target for Gondorian Shield or even Ancestral Armor.

-Having an initial defender also provides more potential use of Protector of Lórien, which again might give the player a better appreciation of the awesome power that lies in the card-draw Lore offers.

-A Burning Brand is such an infamous card that I think it's natural to include it when you're introducing a new player to Lore, and with an initial defender it fit's much better.


I'v done some other tweeks as well, but there are a lot of preference in those.

-I really like Lembas, in general, but especially when building around Glorfindel. It let's him quest, take a undefended hit, ready and hit back and really let's him shine. I'd swap it for Athelas as you have the Miner of the Iron Hills for conditions (but then i'd also supplement it with Elrond).

-I like Firyal as it help's mark scrying as a Lore trademark.

-I don't think Arrows from the Trees is a good card here. In a 4-player fellowship with players starting at 30 threat I am very unsure if it will ever be playable. In stead I put in Advance Warning as an in-case-of-emergency card, as that card really screams mono-lore.

-For a 4-player fellowship I think the Mirkwood Explorer is quite good.

-Leather Boots boots boots. Both for Glorfindel and for Gildor Inglorion.


The other decks I mostly like as they are, but with the changes I've suggested for Lore they might benefit from a tweek.

I didn't find room for the Map of Rhovanion without East Road Ranger (off course they can be worked back in even if you keep Bifur and Denethor). This might affect the North Realm Lookout. He still has the Spare Hood and Cloak, so it's not a must, but there is a possibility for cutting a bit here.

Without Thurindir I would probably drop Rider of Rohan.

This might make the passive in combat in stead (as it's not it's strong-side to begin with), but there is possible compensation. By adding the Leather Boots for Glorfindel, there is more flex for Light of Valinor. You could take out Lanwyn and add Círdan the Shipwright, Narya and Silver Harp. This works well with how some of the best fighters in are also questers (like Northern Tracker and Rhovanion Outrider), and you can use Narya across the board to guarantee activity even if the -deck get's left without enemies. Círdan the Shipwright also helps emphasize the focus on in .


For the last two I don't have much to add, however I do like Déorwine for as it helps interaction, and at the same time it gives the players a glimpse of the potential in multi-sphered decks (same with Robin Smallburrow and Narya). Much like the Celebrían's Stone did in the original core-set (leading to the popular TEA-party lineup). I also like Honour Guard for even more interaction.

For Mariner's Compass is an option if you do want to keep the North Realm Lookout in .

Feb 17, 2019 Goggen 113

I've created an alternative based on my toughts, found here: ringsdb.com

(and in the inspired by section).