A looping Path of Need 1.0

• Versions
• 1.0

Hi folks! I have done this deck as a pure exercise. I had fun doing it, testing it, and that is all! I don't think it is a fun deck to play. Ah!, and this is a strictly 3+ multiplayer deck. Unplayable in solo, useless in 2 players game, decent in 3 players games and … still to asses how good it is in in 4 players games.

The goal

This deck aims to put in play A Path of Need as soon as the 3 turn's combat phase and keep it in play all the time from there on. This means your heroes won't exhaust for questing or combat. If Erkenbrand is in the fellowship, defence and shadow cards becomes a trivial thing, and if you have two or three ranged heroes (Bard the Bowman and Brand son of Bain are excellent choices) combat is over for the rest of the game. Avoid tactics Legolas as he will clean the active location and you don't want this.

Is this fun? No! Is it powerful? Probably... Game breaking? Well, it may break some fun :)

What do you need to keep the engine running?

Priority is Mirror of Galadriel, so mulligan hard for it.

You will also need one Galadhrim Weaver (in play or in your hand) and at least one Reforged in your hand.

Then, you also need resources, so Song of Travel on Thranduil, and Zigil Miners (preferably with a Dwarf Pipe), name "1".

Finally, by turn 4 you will need The Elvenking in play.

I am able to have all these cards very consistently by turn 3 (over 20 simulations I managed to have on 16 of them. 20 out of 20 by turn 4). It has happen to me, but it is very unlikely that you can play your first Path of Need on turn 2, it is better not to aim for it.

How to play

During turn 1, 2 and 3 gather all the cards you need by using all the card drawing and resource generation you have. Always use Arwen's ability, besides Reforged and the Weaver, there is no card you cannot discard. Preferably, by then you will also put in play a Silver Harp, but it is not a must. On turn 3 discard Path of Need to get a resource with Arwen's ability. After the Travel phase, use Reforged to attach Path of Need to the active location. Use Thranduil's ability to play the weaver in the combat phase and reshuffle Reforged back into your deck.

At the beginning of the next round use the Mirror to get a copy of Reforged back in your hand and all the cards you have to give you resources, you need 5 per round! Your heroes quest for free now and they will clean the active location. Again, after the travel phase, use Reforged to play Path of Need, then use the Elvenking to ready Thranduil and bring the Weaver back to your hand. Play the weaver with Thranduil's ability to shuffle Reforged back into your deck. Heroes will defend and attack for free again and quest for free next round. Repeat every round.

Notes

Dwarven Tombs are here to patch accidental discards of a Reforged by a Miner, or to free the use of the Mirror of Galadriel for one round. Instead of using the weaver to reshuffle the Reforged, get it with the tomb and use the mirror to fetch something you miss.

Many cards, such as Sneak Attack + Gandalf, Campfire Tales or Valiant sacrifice are only used during the first 3 rounds to help you fetch the rest of the cards. Once your engine is running, you won't needed too much.

Typically you only need to use one Miner every round, but having two in play with one pipe each is nice.