Deck for New Players: Minimum Purchase Dwarves 1.0

• Versions
• 1.0

This deck is designed with newer players in mind, and is part of a series of decks that can be contructed using cards from only the Revised Core Set and one other purchase: Dwarves of Durin.

This deck has an extremely low cost curve, with only a fifth of the cards in the deck costing more than 2 resources each. There is a relatively even split in the cost between different spheres, but with Narvi's Belt in the deck, resource matching won’t be a problem you’ll face. You have a very efficient card draw engine with Ori, Legacy of Durin and King Under the Mountain meaning you will draw through your deck very quickly, so much so that we’ve added in Will of the West to recycle your deck and replay your events and regain access to your discarded cards.

Dáin Ironfoot is the backbone of this deck. As long as he is ready, every Dwarf character gets 1 additional and . This transforms to cost:benefit ratio of every Dwarf ally, making the passable into good, making the good into great. Your first copy of Unexpected Courage should go straight onto him, to keep him ready as reliably as possible. Remember that Dain himself also benefits from his ability, so once he is readied after questing or attacking, Dain will have 2 and 3 . This is why we have two copies of Cram and three copies of Erebor Record Keeper, to ensure that there is never a reason why Dain should be exhausted. This is the foundation of the Dain Swarm deck, wherein you get as many Dwarves out on the table as you can, all boosted by Dain for the extra stats. A Very Good Tale plays a key part in this deck, which incidentally combos exceptionally well with Fili and Kili. Once you play one of the brothers, the other comes in for free. Exhaust them both with AVGT and potentially pull up to 6 cost worth of allies into play, a potential 12 resources worth of allies after only paying 3. We Are Not Idle, Durin's Song and Lure of Moria provides general Dwarven utility that would fit well in any deck built around Durin’s Folk.

You will have decent questing out of the gates, with both Nori and Ori being boosted up to 3 each. Each Dwarf played from your hand will reduce your threat by one thanks to Nori, and after you play Legacy of Durin the first one played will also net you a card drawn as well. After you get only two allies into play, Ori will also allow you to draw an extra card at the beginning of each turn as well. When it comes to defending, your best bet would probably be Dain bolstered with Durin's Song for the bigger enemies, countering with a host of allies with their boosted stats (once Dain is ready again) attacking so the enemy won’t get a chance at a second swing. For smaller enemies, the Erebor Guard should do the trick, and don’t be afraid to sacrifice a smaller ally or two in the name of the greater good. Your two different allies who will be able to muster 3 each (after counting Dain) is Dori and the Longbeard Orc Slayer, though there are two copies of him as well, so don’t exhaust these guys questing unless you cannot possibly help it.

For more decks that can be built with only the Revised Core Set and one additional purchase, check out this article on Vision of the Palantir here: https://visionofthepalantir.com/2023/01/13/ten-decks-for-new-players/