Wastes of Eriador (solo progression) 1.0

• Versions
• 1.0

A deck that is purpose built to beat Wastes of Eriador solo, using only cards released until the Angmar Awakened cycle, no saga cards and one Core set.

The deck has met my goal of winning the scenario three times in a row. The scenario required a custom deck to manage this.

I find the most limiting factor in the encounter deck is the treachery that discards your highest cost ally. I'd really like to have Elfhelm on the first stage f.ex, but the risk of outright discarding him is too high a price to pay. That's why Gandalf and Bofur top out the ally curve and why Bofur is a 3-of here. Gandalf would be discarded anyway and Bofur should be sneaked into play in the action window after quest resolution, meaning he only costs 1 to play but is your highest cost ally after that. Sure, you could opt for the alternative clause on that treachery and take another encounter card to keep your ally, but that is a bad deal most of the time and just building your deck to be OK with discarding an ally is probably better. Gandalf and Bofur should almost always be questing, since you can't be sure they will be alive for combat anyway. Threat is a concern in this scenario, so Gandalf is usually best played for threat reduction. Envoy of Pelargir covers the two-cost slot if Bofur isn't in play.

The heroes are the usual OP trio with their kits. I'm really enjoying Eowyn with Steed of Imladris to enable Elven-light - awesome questing and location control with built-in draw. Westfold Horse-breeder helps find the Steeds. A strong defender is needed for the Wargs, so Beregond does his usual thing and UC goes on him. Usually mulligan for Light of Valinor for Glorfindel, unless the hand looks very good.

A new innovation for me here is the one copy of Elven Jeweler. With Two Elven-light on hand (not uncommon), it basically reads "Draw two cards when Jeweler enters play". Awesome.

This is a pretty combat oriented scenario, so there are more tactics allies than I would usually play. Dúnedain Hunter is the MVP here, as there are Wargs with Surge and When revealed effects that you can avoid by picking them with him. Beregond can almost always take the hit (don't play the Hunter if he can't), and with Glorfindel and the objective ally in play from the start you can always kill the Warg. Westfold Outrider is a perfect fit as well, as you can discard it to engage the Boss monster during daytime instead of having to wait for night. That happened in two of my three wins. I haven't used Derndingle Warrior before and was happy with it here as an extra defender.

There is a treachery that deals X damage to questing characters, so always send a chump quester along. There is a shadow card that deals 1 damage to the defender, so don't defend with 1 HP allies.