June 2020 Solo League 1.0

• Versions
• 1.0

The big obstacle in this month's solo league is Escape from Dol Guldur, notoriously formidable when played solo. I figured the best way to score well this month was to focus my deck on beating it.

So I took Authraw's excellent Darkling Door mono-spirit deck as a starting point. But since his article, the contracts have been released. And I noticed something. Those nasty objective attachments are RESTRICTED! So what better way to turn the encounter deck against itself by running a Three Hunters deck?

A key starting hand would have as many of Herugrim, Snowmane, Resourceful, Silver Circlet and perhaps Hobbit Pony as possible. Failing that, Elven-light is the only card draw, albeit easily repeatable when Éowyn is questing.

Attach The One Ring to Frodo if possible, and pick Inner Strength, if you don't draw it. Herugrim is particularly crucial because it is this deck's only way of doing more than 1 !

If you can load up the attachments quickly, Eowyn can quest for up to 7, ready if you quest successfully, and attack for 5 (or more - Herugrim doesn't specify printed willpower!), and you can hold back your hobbit to pitch in with Hobbit Pony if needed, or defend (boosted by Inner Strength) if not.

You want to get to Stage 2 ASAP - probably choosing the Key as your first objective as Frodo can just take the 1 damage as threat. Gandalf's Map can actually be a hindrance as you need your heroes to multitask.

You want to free the prisoner early, bung on a couple of restricted attachments (or take the objectives!). Then, you quest hard and run for the exit. The only thing standing in your way is the Nazgul of Dol Guldur. But there is a trump card for him - O Elbereth! Gilthonial!. Because it was designed in the game's early days, they omitted to make him unique, so he can be cheated out of play by this card (or Saruman, if you have him).

But be careful - you have to face an attack from the Nazgul to pay A Elbereth, and his forced effect discards a character if a shadow triggers. Given we have no allies, this could be terrible! Save that Hasty Stroke at all costs, or else use Inner Strength to cancel.

The cards are entirely a concession to A Journey to Rhosgobel - a couple of healing cards, and Keen Longbow, which is one of four cards in the game which grant a character ranged (of which one is Shadowfax). Aside from saving you from those bats, it is also restricted, so helps get the contract fulfilled, and actually discarding for direct damage can save you in a pinch.