i want to find out if Thengel is really OP.

undoubtly he is a good hero, with great stats and an ability that have much potential. but is he better than a Gandalf, an Elrond, Dáin Ironfoot or Círdan the Shipwright?

i made 3 decks where i found he makes nearly the most out of his ability and then i want to compare that with classical high end. what means compare? it is not easy to compare, because the abilities need circumstances like Vilya ore dwarfes..... overall i think the get "discard an ally from play" is harder to achieve than having #vilya in play or dwarfes, or To the Sea, to the Sea!, but it is usable without any more costs (exhausting elrond, discard cards,....)

in this cases i would say he is at best equal to all that toptier-heroes. so, when he can become op? only together with other toptier heroes, and thats what the 3 decks i made want to investigate.

the choice of the allies is very limited. mot as limited as it is for Dáin Ironfoot but the only allies with discardabilities are creatures and rohan. yes with beornings you can also do nice things, but this would only result in a battleheavydeck, that can be usefull in multiplayer, but in solo it is far away from op. the other decks:

• https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/38465/isthengelopelrondmotk-gildor-1.0
• https://ringsdb.com/decklist/view/38472/isthengelopradagast-denethor-1.0

this deck:

this deck is rich and get a discount. theoretically you could get a 2. discount with the contract The Last Alliance this is not done here, it takes you the option of (sneaked) Gandalf, who is needed mainly for cards and as safetyoption all around. playing the contract would also increase the risk not to get the right ally. (the contract is NOT usuable on Thengel)

your options to discard:

• Elfhelm
• 3 Escort from Edoras
• 2 Morwen Steelsheen
• Rohirrim Scout
• 3 Westfold Horse-breaker
• 3 The Riddermark's Finest
• Háma

you not only can trigger Thengel if someone is discarded you also can use the Horn of the Mark and Éothain

to get a valuable ally back you can use Gamling

to get the discarded back (important if you do not have another discard-card in hand) use the Squire of the Mark

strategy, buy cheap discard and get expensive one, protect with heroes, use gandalf. steward on thengel or theoden. use The Muster of Rohan for a powerround.

mulligan: steward, horn of the mark

conclusion:

this is (one of?) the best way to make the most out of rohan. with steward and discaount you have 6 res to spend on allies and attachments + get an ally if you discard one. that will result in a heavy rohancharge very soon. with gandalf and test of will it is very flexible alltogether and can even perotect against locationlock with the The Riddermark's Finest (up to 6 uses with the 3 Squire of the Mark)

is it op? i think not. it is very good, but not op. thengels ability is the icing of the cake not about half of the "cheated-in" allies (like in the vilya-deck)

this deck is as good as any elite-elf or dwarf-deck. so Thengel closed the gap between these races, if this is the way it should be is up to you ;)