Three Trials Solo Progression 1.0

• Versions
• 1.0

This is very close to a straight copy of the excellent thematic deck Master of Lore made. Many thanks to Master of Lore for getting me through this scenario!

Three Trials is not balanced for solo, and the random elements in setup can mean you have a very bad time. I haven't tested exhaustively because I can't bear to look at another Guardian in my life, but the deck in this form reached the final stage multiple times, and my winning game I copped three wounds on Beregond and never saw Path of Need.

My main edits are: Beregond instead of Éomer. Eomer combos well with the chump blocking you'll be doing a lot of, but you need to be able to tank those Guardian hits asap, and there's no healing. Beregond and his shield just can't be beat.

Removed Saruman: the threat hit just isn't worth it, especially as this deck doesn't run threat mitigation that's not Gandalf.

Removed Snowbourn Scout: it's only in there because Master of Lore of misread Grim Foothills. Instead, you can run more Envoys and Squires.

Removed Dagger of Westernesse: Only because I haven't played the set it comes in.

Inserted Dwarven Tomb: you need to have A Test of Will in hand pretty much at all times (don't forget you can't fetch it as response to a treachery, it need to be in hand before staging). Doesn't matter if you're on the home stretch and Imrahil has four billion resources, Courage, Fire and Blood. Many Treacheries in this scenario can collapse your board state more or less instantly, especially given how many 1-wound non-unique allies you have.

Inserted Imladris Stargazer: She really helps the quality of those burst draws.

Follow Master of Lore's advice re ordering the trials (slow-pedal Intuition, then hit Perseverance, then Strength, so you're finishing the last stage 2 at the end of the combat phase and don't have to eat three Guardian attacks). The frustrating thing about this scenario is you're always having to speed up and slow down. When the Wolf Guardian (str5) drops earlier than you can put Gondorian Shield on Beregond (def4), you're on a deadline. When the Raven Guardian and Stone Barrow are in play together, you're on a deadline. When you don't have Test of Will in hand... etc etc. Any other time you can afford to, you want to be slow-pedalling and setting up your board. You want Steward on Imrahil as soon as possible, and Horn probably on Eowyn so she can get those Swordsmen out. At 13 resources, you can one-shot every Guardian, but that makes Path of Need prohibitive (don't forget you can't put it on Hallowed Circle, you need a different location).

Think strongly about swapping in The Galadhrim's Greeting for something, maybe Knights of the Swan? A one-of Unseen Strike could also help, it essentially gives you a turn's worth of extra Fire.

Above all, good luck and remember: you're not playing this scenario in solo progression to 'have fun'. You're doing it to prove a point.