My general tought is that the deck is a bit light on (not surprising for ) and a bit heavy on (which is a bit surprising).

You've got Beregond that you build into a wall. North Realm Lookout that you build into a defender, and a Chump-defender on top. In addition to the characters themselves you've got a ton of defensive attachments, and in total it's taking up a very large part of your deck.

As a general thought I'd look to drop defense, and increase attack.

For some specifics:

1

I don't think Wiglaf works very well, as the deck is now (the points following this one can improve him slightly tough).

You've not got expensive attachments like Ancestral Armor, so the free attachment isn't worth that much to you. Also you have no offensive or questing attachments. You only have defensive ones, but his base stats of 2-2-1 make him mostly a quester-attacker (without bomb-cards like ancestral armor). On top of that you're relying on Steward of Gondor to play him, and when you get it you're then using steward of gondor more or less only for him and letting it go largely to waste.

2

I don't like Halbarad as a hero in this deck.

He's a good hero, but not when you're not really using much of his abilities (like dipping into the Dunedain-archetype, or cards that trigger off optional engages like the Roheryn + Firefoot combo). I'd suggest Brand son of Bain or good old Couragorn. Look at it this way:

Presuming you have an enemy engaged with you, and Halbarad quests and attacks he will add +2 and +2 , for a total of 4 stat-points per round.

Presuming you have at least one dale character to work with Brand provides +1 without questing and +3 , for the same total of 4 stat-points per round. He can however potentially provide a lot more , and if he hasn't got any allies to work with he still provides 3 points (while Halbarad drops to only 2 points if his condition isn't met).

Aragorn provides +2 and +3 , so obviously more.

For “cost” Halbarad will cost you an extra (usually quite weak) attack against you (if you save an extra enemy that you otherwise could have killed), with an extra shadow-card off course (which can make even a weak enemy real nasty). Brand has no cost (the card he interacts with have their own cost I suppose, but also their own bonuses to balance that cost – so I won't count the cost here). Aragorn costs 1 resource (if you use the ability, but you can judge boardstate and choose).

I'd say Halbarad has both the worst cost (but it will depend on the situation for him and Aragorn) AND provides the least stats. Especially if you factor in a card like Steward, which will turn Aragorn's cost into a breeze.

Then there are the “extras”:

-Aragorn can bring his Celebrían's Stone and spread the wealth of Steward of Gondor on both spheres ( & ).

-Brand provides free card-draw (and you NEVER have enough card-draw).

-Halbarad has.... none (in this deck).

Brand and Aragorn also both help with the Wiglaf-situation (Aragorn by opening up the use of stewad of gondor, and Brand with providing more Dale-synergy to work with).

3

I'd swap Northern Tracker for Rhovanion Outrider

It will off course depend on the situation, but in solo you seldom have more than 1 location in the staging-area. The outrider will then provide more questing power: +2 and 1 free quest-point over the trackers +1 and 1 free quest-point. Perhaps more important tough: it costs a full resource less. Since this can often be your best source of more (given the lack for it in the deck) I'd take it for the cost-reduction even if it's not always the better quester.

That's not even mentioning the potential Dale-synergy, which can be massive if you choose Brand as a hero, but I'd do it regardless.

4

Reduce the number of defensive cards.

I'd drop Squire's Helm and Armor of Erebor. The Lookout can still be a decent defender with Hauberk of Mail and Wild Stallion, or function more as a quester-attacker. As a quester-attacker he can do ok with just a hauberk, and the stallion can be freed up for Wiglaf when that benefits the situation. The stallion can help Wiglaf trigger his second ability and at the same time it boosts him when questing and attacking, rather than turn him into a defender. That way you work with his natural disposition from his base-stats, rather than against them. Admittedly removing the armor makes it even harder to get use of Wiglaf's first ability, but free overkill is still overkill, and I think you have too much defense. I'd also consider dropping the chump.

5

Add more of cards helping quest/progress or attack.

One of my personal favorites is Valiant Determination. It can be put to good use on the outrider (letting it both quest and attack) or on Wiglaf (who can then quest and attack twice)... especially if the stallion is now also freed up for Wiglaf.

If cutting Squire's Helm and Armor of Erebor makes it too hard to trigger the abilities of the Lookout, Brand (if you pick him) or Wiglaf (if you keep him) you can add cards like Spare Hood and Cloak and Grey Cloak or perhaps Mariner's Compass. They're cheaper and/or help in different areas than defense.

6

You could also consider adding Ancestral Armor.

It goes a bit against what I've been saying so far, but it's such a powerhouse in synergy with Wiglaf that it can make up for that. Also, if Armor of Erebor, Squire's Helm and the chump are cut there is less chance of defense overkill, and more room for a card like Ancestral Armor.

7

Add Greenwood Archer

This is another personal favorite of mine, and it works great in synergy with Sneak Attack. Especially if you also swapped heroes and now have a hero with +3 . This way you can keep the Gandalf-Sneak Attack combo and build on it rather than sacrifice it. Even without Sneak Attack the archer also let's you get double-use out Galadriel with Nenya (If the first Unexpected Courage goes on Beregond she'll likely be without one for both the early-game and the middle-game). Even if it didn't have any synergy at all then 2-cost 2-attack is pretty decent (especially in a deck looking for more attack).

If the cuts from Armor of Erebor, Squire's Helm and chumps are all filled up again allready I'd consider cutting the Escort from Edoras.

8

Add a Staff of Lebethron

Not sure if it's actually an improvement... depends a bit on what you cut for it I suppose (and what other changes you make), but I'd say it's something to consider. It's Restricted, but work great in combo with 1x Armored Destrier on Beregond (and the Hauberk isn't restricted so that's fine) – covering that first shadow-card which the horse can't touch and giving a complete shadow-imunity.

Also, it's a way to take advantage of the threat-reduction you get from having both Galadriel and Beregond, and makes it feel like your cards are working together.

If you go for it then Hasty Stroke might be redunded.

That's all I had. Nice deck and thanks for posting it (always fun when something set's my mind working – and this did). Sorry if the rant's too long.

Thanks! I made it a defensive deck to compliment the deck I've been playing with my group so I can tweak and test it. That one is mono-lore and focused on smashing things in the staging area, so I needed something that could act as a defensive deck while my other one took care of all the hitting. Funnily enough, even though this one is extremely heavy on defense, it has performed pretty well solo.

I think I'll take your advice and switch out Halbarad for Aragorn. The biggest reason I have had him in the deck is because as long as I have a chump in front of me, he never exhausts to quest. I also really didn't like that in order to get Wiglaf out, I ended up wasting Steward. So Aragorn solves that problem. I just hadn't considered him because my group is currently playing through the saga expansions and we've reached the point where Aragorn is off-limits.

I'll be switching out the Northern Tracker for the Rhovanion Outrider. I saw that card before and thought I'd like to use it, then forgot about it. I also hadn't planned on building a Dale deck, so it's funny that it started taking that form as I started messing with it more.

And I like that Staff! I will definitely be working that in.

Thanks for the comments! It definitely helps me see where the deck can be more efficient and have better synergy.