Adventures of Thorongil: Counsel of the White Wizard 2.0

• Versions
• 2.0
• 1.0

This is an updated version of old deck I made that was still strong in its older version. I have added some new cards and trimmed some other cards to improve it even more. As before, this deck is based on the years that Aragorn was serving the lords of Rohan and Gondor between the events of The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring. Saruman also grew in power in Isengard, and though he assisted the Rohirrim, he was already a traitor in his heart. His messenger, Grima, advised the King of Rohan with one hand and worked the influence of Saruman deeper into Rohan with the other. Erkenbrand was the Lord of Westfold and would have been very much involved with the clashes against Dunlendings and orcs. Just to the north lies the Fangorn Forest, so the inclusion of Ents makes sense given the locality.

Opening Hand

Gléowine, Steward of Orthanc, or Treebeard are all great cards to start with since they help the deck get set up. Hauberk of Mail or Dúnedain Warning are also great early cards to boost Erkenbrand's defense. And of course, Keys of Orthanc is also a fine card to start with as well, especially with a hand full of allies.

Gameplay

The Heroes

Erkenbrand is the main defender here, and he gets Dúnedain Warning, Hauberk of Mail, and Armored Destrier. His on-demand shadow cancellation comes handy, and we have healing to support him as a solid wall against enemies. His 2 attack is not shabby either. Gríma with his Keys of Orthanc is the resource acceleration engine of this deck, and particularly makes the Ents more affordable. Aragorn rounds it out as a quester in the early game and an attacker from the mid-game onward. Of course, the deck's willpower often reaches excellent heights when he wields Sword that was Broken. Aragorn also resets the threat before all the doomed effects push it too far, typically in the mid or late game.

Early, Mid, and Late Game

The early game is mostly about getting allies into play in order to get a handle on questing and combat. The Ents mostly quest, but Quickbeam and Treebeard are a great help for combat. Eryn Galen Settler is included not so much for his ability but for his affordable attack stat in . Elfhelm can also be flashed into play as a chump blocker.

The mid game is when you will hopefully have some Ents and you may also consider resetting your threat with Aragorn around this time. You may be tempted to play the old Sneak Attack Gandalf combo, but Sneak Attack is also useful for playing Elrond or Saruman. These allies are your problem-solvers, so choose wisely how you will use them.

The late game is when you should be able to push through the quest with a strong force of Ents. If your characters have accumulated a lot of damage from combat or treacheries, use Waters of Nimrodel to clean all the damage off. Depending on how many resources you have at this point, you might not need to use Grima's Doomed X ability as much.

Tricks and Tips

• With the healing in this deck, you can comfortably use Erkenbrand's ability to cancel shadow effects.
• Elrond is great for healing Erkenbrand or removing a condition attachment from him or another hero.
• Depending on the quest, you should avoid engaging tough enemies too early or too many enemies too early before you are combat-ready. So watch how much Doomed X you use.

Success

This deck has defeated Intruders in Chetwood, The Weather Hills, Escape from Umbar, Desert Crossing, The Dunland Trap, and Celebrimbor's Secret all in 1 to 3 tries with winning games ranging from 8 to 11 rounds. It also beat Nightmare Seventh Level in 13 rounds on the second try. It is always a fun deck to play and definitely has some power and tactical decision-making.