Bilbo 1.0

• Versions
• 1.0

Can Bilbo go it alone? Absolutely he can!

Let's face it, this is never going to be a power deck but it's already beaten the first two scenarios from the core set, so it isn't useless.

Setup

Use The Grey Wanderer to slap Ring of Barahir on Bilbo to start plumping up his . This is important as he only has 2 to start with, so even the lowly Dol Guldur Orcs can make short work of Bilbo, particularly if they turn up whilst he is questing.

Starting hand

If you manage to draw Fireside Song or Strider in your opening hand, I would be tempted to keep it. Otherwise, you are looking for Heed the Dream to search for the pivotal cards that make this deck work (i.e. A Burning Brand, Song of Hope (and any other songs for that matter). Love of Tales is nice to see early on for some extra resource generation, but if you have got Resourceful or Song of Kings + Steward of Gondor, it isn't worth searching for. Spare Pipe is also a good card to draw in your opening hard as it will help to buff Bilbo's a little more and help you dig for Heed the Dream or Elven-light if you already have Protector of Lórien or Song of Healing. Drinking Song can be especially useful in the first round as you can play the pivotal cards from your hand and then dig for more and gain a card in the process - if you draw into another drinking song, you can repeat the process.

Strategy

The main strategy of this deck is to use Fireside Song to turn our trusty eleventy-one year old hobbit into an absolute beast of a quester and then to use Nor am I a Stranger to give him Herugrim so he can make some ridiculous strength attacks to take out the most difficult of foes.

With his starting 2 and icon, Bilbo can be a capable defender, having access to Protector of Lórien and A Burning Brand in sphere and as a hobbit, he gets access to Hobbit Cloak to boost his against heavier hitters. Between The Shirefolk and Smoke Rings (once you have your pipes out) you should be able to keep your threat low enough to make use of the cloak and you will be able to afford to take some damage anyway due to his boosted from the pipes and artifacts, which can then be healed up using Song of Healing/Magic Ring/The Grey Wanderer. After defending he can be readied using Fast Hitch/Magic Ring/The Grey Wanderer to have him attack back with sheer ferocity.

Nothing can stand in this hobbit's way!