Breaking of the Fellowship Solo Progression 3.0

• Versions
• 3.0

DECK NAME - Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost

https://youtu.be/MQha99scJXc

OVERVIEW - This is my first hero Gandalf deck in the solo progression. The title "Grey Wanderer" (attributed to Gandalf) always seemed to me to evoke a negative connotation for Gandalf. "Wanderer" is defined as a person who travels aimlessly. In the case of this deck, "wanderer" is a good thing as it means we can ignore the Uruk-Hai as we attempt to travel from location to location. Entertainment value for this deck is high as its all about deck manipulation - both player and encounter!

HEROES

• Gandalf - attach Gandalf's Staff, Lembas (as needed), 2X Unexpected Courage, and Wizard Pipe
• Glorfindel - attach Asfaloth and Light of Valinor
• Idraen - attach Unexpected Courage and Warden of Arnor
• Frodo Baggins - IMPORTANT: we'll go with the Black Riders Frodo in case a card is revealed we don't like

STRATEGY

• OPENING HAND - looking for a good opening hand which would include Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf's Staff, Light of Valinor, Power of Orthanc, and The Seeing-stone
• STAGE 1 - the initial 2 locations are immune to player cards (but Idraen can still respond to them); you are not allowed to engage enemies here, so the worst thing that can happen is enemies piling up; try and advance by round 5; be sure to use up Frodo Baggins's resources to pay for Saruman so that a bigger enemy can be removed from play when advancing
• STAGE 2 - you may have to battle some enemies here; hopefully Unexpected Courage and Saruman will be enough to do so; do NOT chump with wimpy allies unless desperate; at the end of the refresh phase, you will move on to the stage 3A called The Seat of Amon Hen; the enemy Saruman pushed to "out of play" will not be able to follow us to the new stage because Saruman doesn't leave play until the end of the round (after the refresh phase); you may have to reveal a card when advancing
• STAGE 3 - nice to lower and draw cards when questing successfully
• STAGE 4 - pretty straightforward
• Bilbo Baggins - use to search for Wizard Pipe; discard Bilbo before discarding Westfold Horse-breeder
• Saruman - use as described when moving on past stage 1
• Westfold Horse-breeder - use to search for Asfaloth
• Asfaloth - can only play off the top of your deck with Gandalf during planning phase; use Wizard Pipe to set this up
• Gandalf's Staff - usually use to gain resources
• Lembas - Gandalf can take damage from 4 enemies and/or archery so this is great for healing and also for crucial readying; like Asfaloth you'll have to set it up to be played during planning from top of the deck
• Miruvor - readying effects are crucial in this quest with this deck; if you ever do need to discard it, you can opt to refund attach character a resourse
• Thrór's Key - helps early especially
• Warden of Arnor - combines Asfaloth to remove Slopes of Amon Hen before quest resolution
• Wizard Pipe - this obviously sets up our cards, but it also acts as card draw in that you can move cards you want to play to the top of deck and play from there; now the deck is 1 thinner
• A Watchful Peace and Shadow of the Past - we like locations
• Power of Orthanc and The Seeing-stone - just in case you get Fallen into Evil round 1 (don't really need 3X PoO otherwise); The Seeing-stone can be used to search for copies of Saruman after you have one Power of Orthanc in hand
• GANDALF'S ABILITY - remember you can do it once per phase, so (for instance) you can play a The Seeing-stone from the top of your deck during resource phase round 1 and then a Light of Valinor from the top of your deck in the subsequent planning phase