Saruman Blitz (Starter Deck)

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HenryClerval 43

I have been exploring Grey Wanderer decks recently, and frankly, I'm tired of everyone using Strider as their starting attachment. Like, seriously? With such a large card pool, there are many more interesting options. I would argue that the best starting attachment is Song of Kings, because it gives you access to multiple Timely Aids, resource generation (mainly Steward), and ally Faramir, to name a few. With so many options for readying now, we really don't need the first effect, and questing is easily solved. A single 2 willpower ally is all you need. This deck was originally built to show a friend the versatility of choosing ANY cost 1 attachment (or 0! I love my Grey Wanderer Fire and Blood deck), but then, was repurposed into a hypothetical Doomed Starter Deck, the impetus being a discussion on Reddit. Anyways, the deck itself.

Your Grey Wanderer attachment is Protector of Lorien. With the One Ring and Strength and Courage you start out on turn 1 with 9 attack on Saruman. This will kill all but the toughest enemies.

Mulligan for Elven-light to start your card draw engine, and for Saruman's Staff to fish out doomed events. You can only buy Elven-light in the planning phase, but Song of Travel can fix that. Song of Travel can also get you Arwen, who works very well with her new friend Orthanc Guard. Orthanc Guard has been much maligned, but with Arwen he's actually pretty good, because he can defend multiple attacks with his shiny 3 . Horns! and Gandalf is great, and is very easy to set up. I stuck in Haleth in case you weren't finding your Song of Travel or Saruman's Staff, and the 2 is always nice.

This is kind of a goofy deck to pilot. The timing for playing your cards is VERY strange, but if done correctly you can get a ton of actions out of Saruman. The great thing about heroes like Saruman and Gwaihir is that they have no limit on their readying, so on an optimized turn they can ready 5+ times. Even if you threat out when playing this deck you will get to do crazy stuff like taking down a hill troll turn 1.

9 comments

May 13, 2024 Marctimmins89 107

Awesome. I get why there's no Legacy of Númenor for a Grey Wanderer deck, but if this were printed as a Starter Deck I'd hope to see it in the sideboard.

May 13, 2024 HenryClerval 43

Thanks! I did think of that, but I've decided to make a set of starter decks -- Doomed/Secrecy, Eagles/Hobbits, Harad/Outlands, and a Noldor Rangers deck. Legacy of Numenor will be needed for either the Rangers or the Harad deck. So instead I focused on Songs and Mono-lore.

May 13, 2024 Marctimmins89 107

Awesome. I'm looking forward to seeing more.

May 14, 2024 doomguard 2101

i can recomand the Rivendell Minstrel. the willpower of 2 is nice and it searches the song out of your deck, so you can play Elven-light multiple tiimes whenever you want (for questing with Protector of Lórien and again in combat for defense)

May 14, 2024 HenryClerval 43

@doomguard -- I had never heard of that card before. The things you learn! I don't think it's necessary though. I have enough card draw that I can find it if I really need it. However, it will come of use in my Imladris Rangers deck to find the road goes ever on.

May 16, 2024 NERD 845

I think the idea would be to replace a few Song of Travel copies with the minstrel. That way, the additional copies aren't as dead and you have additional willpower.

May 16, 2024 doomguard 2101

right, or u can include 1-2 other songs like Song of Healing (very good combo with Elven-light ) or Song of Hope

May 16, 2024 HenryClerval 43

Thanks so much @NERD and @doomguard, it's great hearing advice from you two. I switched out Haleth and a Song of Travel for the Minstrels, and another one for Song of Healing, and it was much, much more effective.

May 16, 2024 doomguard 2101

glad to help :) just in case you never heard of this card: Love of Tales for songdecks mostly autoinclude.