Curiously Powerful 1.0

• Versions
• 2.0
• 1.0

If you quickly scan over the cards used in the deck, you are probably groaning inwardly, as this deck looks like it's one of "those decks" that draws and plays itself in one turn. While the object of the deck is to draw itself in one turn, the kind of combos I'm indulging in with this deck are much more moderate. The combo is Curious Brandybuck+Longbeard Map-Maker+Erestor+Steward of Gondor+a completely empty deck. And in 100% of the games I've played with this deck, it got set up first turn.

Allow me to explain how this works. Basically, you want Song of Kings in your opening hand, as without it the deck will not work. You then use all of your card draw (Erestor, Beravor, Gléowine, Deep Knowledge, Daeron's Runes, Mithrandir's Advice, We Are Not Idle, Lórien's Wealth with Good Meal, and Scroll of Isildur for recycling) along with your resource acceleration (Gaining Strength, Wealth of Gondor, Steward of Gondor, Captain's Wisdom with Cram to ready Denethor so he can use it again) to draw through your whole deck and have at least 6 resources left over. Why 6? Because you need three to pay for your Longbeard Map-Maker and three to pay for Sneak Attack three times, which will bring in Gandalf three times to drop your threat three times, since you've used Doomed cards a whole lot more than three times.

After this bonkers first planning phase, things fall into a roundly routine. During the travel phase, you will put three copies of Curious Brandybuck into play from your hand when you travel to a location. During the next quest phase, you will quest with everybody except Beravor and Gléowine, spending the five resources you got in the planning phase to boost the Longbeard MapMaker to 6 willpower. You will explore the active location, putting the three Brandybucks on the bottom of your deck. Since your deck is empty, when you exhaust Beravor and Gleowine to draw you three cards, you will draw the three copies of Curious Brandybuck you just put on the bottom of the deck. Then, during the travel phase, you will travel to a location and put the three Brandybucks into play and round you go in circles until you win the game. Essentially, the combo gets you 11 extra willpower every turn. Yes, you could do it with an ally army, but what's the fun in that?

A few notes:

-This is a multiplayer deck. The deck can use its little combo and get 14+ willpower a turn but it cannot defend or attack enemies, so pair it with a decent combat deck.

-Steward of Gondor goes on the real Steward- Denethor. Song of Kings should also go on him.

-The deck doesn't technically need Steward. It works better late-game with it, but feel free to sub it out for another 2 copies of Cram and another copy of Captain's Wisdom. The only compelling reason to have it is that it basically gives your MapMaker +2 .

-If there is no location in play at the end of the quest phase, DO NOT use Beravor and Gleowine to draw the Brandybucks. With no location to travel to, they will be discarded at the end of the round and you have lost your combo.

Enjoy!