Woodland Scouts 1.0

• Versions
• 1.0

In this deck I've tried to build around the scout trait. So far I've tested it solo against the quests in the core set, but I feel it would do quite well in the Shadows of mirkwood cycle. All in all I must admit it has been great fun to play, although I feel it could be improved in terms of resource acceleration and defense prowess.

In your opening hand, you would like to see Ancient Mathom and Elf-stone for locations, Map of Rhovanion, Nenya and/or cheap alies with a huge impact in the early game, such as Galadriel's Handmaiden, who will lower your threat, or North Realm Lookout, who will quest without exhausting if you equip them with the map or Spare Hood and Cloak. The Hidden Way is also worth considering to get a location and reveal one less card, especially if you happen to draw one of the guarded attachments. Reducing your threat is essential, as you will need time to build your board state.

Galadriel helps you draw cards and lower your threat in the early rounds, an effect which is boosted by Galadriel's Handmaiden, The Galadhrim's Greeting and Woodmen's Path. In fact, I've considered introducing some secrecy or doomed cards, but for the moment, I've preferred to keep the deck simple. Once Galadriel's got Nenya attached, you may quest with 8 willpower counting your heroes only, if necessary.

Ideally, you should travel to and clear a location every round, keeping Haldan and Idraen ready for combat. Use the attachments and recycle them by means of Galadhrim Weavers, Reforgeds and Erebor Hammersmiths. South Away! will also help you travel to a location and explore it using Strength of Will, if you managed to pile some progress up on it with Northern Trackers and/or Warden of Arnor. This way you'll be able to reap the benefit of exhausting and readying Idraen more than once as well as drawing lots of cards with Haldan.

In terms of combat, Mithril Shirt will help Idraen survive some hits, but the Daughter of the Nimrodel will be essential to keep healing her. Glamdring goes on Haldan to boost his attack and keep drawing you cards. If you decide to chump an attack, this two heroes will attack for a total of 8 . Elf-stone will help you put into play the expensive allies, mainly your Northern Tracker and Daughter of the Nimrodel. You can cheat the Mirkwood Hunter in once you've piled up enough attachments on the location, though the Forest Road Travelers are nothing to look down at in such circumstances, as they will turn to combat and questing machines.

I hope you'll enjoy the deck and I'm sure you'll find many ways to improve it, so feel free to suggest any change. Happy questing!