Solo 1-Handed Through Dwarrowdelf Cycle (Bond of Friendship) 12.0

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• 9.0
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This is my first attempt at a Bond of Friendship 1-handed solo deck making use of the card pool through the Darrowdelf cycle (my current collection). The basic strategy is to rely on heroes w/ attachments to perform the heavy lifting, Vilya, and cheap, staple events.

This is the first deck I've built after returning to the game when for years it has sat on my game shelf. I gave up on the game because it became evident to me that it wasn't very feasible to play single-handed solo (with my given card collection), and 2-handed solo just took too long to play. I was very excited to build a Bond of Friendship deck as it appears to be the optimal way to play single-handed solo (which for me is the ideal way to play), and cards through the Darrowdelf cycle can apparently support a pretty decent Vilyadeck.

At this stage in the game, I feel that Vilya is the strongest strategy in the game. I know that there are enough Dwarf in the game at this point to make a decent Dwarf deck, but I enjoy playing Vilya (and I've not built a dwarf deck...yet). It is very fun trying to put together all of the pieces before becoming overwhelmed. As I've been playing this deck and improving it, I've learned that maximizing copies of cards is very important for consistency when building a Bond of Friendship deck. This deck lacks card draw, so drawing into the things is done best via mulligan, by maximizing probability of crucial draws, and from tutoring abilities. But it somehow makes it happen, and it is fun.

The object of the deck is to just slam down all the good attachments where they are needed most, and then go to town with heroes that can generate lots of resources of whatever sphere I need using Steward of Gondor and Resourceful, can quest effectively using Celebrían's Stone/Light of Valinor/Asfaloth, and can then ready themselves with Unexpected Courage to defend multiple times per turn with an Elrohir buffed with stacked Dúnedain Warning and attack multiple times per turn with an Elladan buffed with multiple of both Rivendell Blade and Dúnedain Mark. Elladan and Elrohir are bash brothers like no other in this deck when fully stocked with both attachments and resources. Warden of Healing gets 2 copies to keep the heroes in top shape. Daeron's Runes is this deck's only card draw and can ditch the duplicate unique attachments for card advantage, and Imladris Stargazer/Master of the Forge/Gildor Inglorion help with tutor and getting/maximizing Vilya. Vilya targets include Radagast/Landroval/Beorn/Gildor Inglorion/Gandalf, and even The Galadhrim's Greeting and Resourceful. I'm never upset about flipping any of the many 2 cost attachments or allies in the deck. The Radagast and Landroval make for an solid insurance policy, as Radagast starts a 5 turn clock for Landroval entering play if it is in hand, and maximizing the value of Landroval means getting it into play sooner than later by both maximizing copies and using means to cheat it into play, from hand or via Vilya.

I believe you should try this deck out if you have only a small card pool like I do, yet want a very enjoyable, single-handed solo experience.

Follow along as I post quests using this deck against all quests through the Darrowdelf cycle and Dark of Mirkwood scenarios, and see deck version update explanations below.

Update 5 (I didn't explain changes prior to v5.0):

Decided to condense the strategy by leaning in on double copies of vilya targets (Gildor Inglorion, Beorn, Faramir, and a defensive Landroval), accelerators (Imladris Stargazer, Master of the Forge, and quite significantly the decision to swap 2 of Daeron's Runes for a pair of Peace, and Thought, the theory being that leftover actions is a real possibility not only due to having 4 heroes, but also because of the action saving attachments as well as twin's (Elladan and Elrohir) abilities to buy an action for 1 resource each, which at worst would be 5 cards costing 3 resources. To help protect the heroes I have added 2 of Shadow of the Past, a card which fixes with certainty the encounter deck, as opposed to the Henamarth Riversong which I had substituted for the 2nd Gildor Inglorion, as well as doubled down on Landroval, a card that could serve many different purposes, including keeping my amazing Elves on the ground running (albeit without attachments, which is why I'm doubling down on attachments and cutting the discard effects). It was hard letting go of Citadel Plate, but honestly losing it helps with balancing restricted attachments. Cut 2 Ever Vigilant for 1 of each of Dúnedain Mark and Dúnedain Warning to get more value from my heroes. This probably will have bigger impacts on most games than Ever Vigilant will on average, especially since the Dunedain attachments can produce value on turn 1 while Ever Vigilant will probably be used at least a few turns later, if at all.

Update 7:

I didn't realize that Peace, and Thoughtis a Refresh Action, so that it happens after readying characters means that it has less value than previously thought. Therefore, I have cut it in favor of Daeron's Runes. I should have enough discard targets considering that I am running multiple copies of unique characters/attachments.

Update 8:

A Radagast can be played turn 2 which adds a minimum turn 7 inevitability of Landroval, a card that would be tougher to play without Vilya. Out goes Shadow of the Past.

Update 9:

The Dunedain attachments are very useful in this deck, considering that I usually have plenty of resources to ready Elladan and Elrohir (especially as Elladan only has a few 1-cost cards to spend resources on, and Elrohir will hopefully have Steward of Gondor attached) in order to make the greatest impact with their blocks and attacks. This comes at the cost of having to drop Faramir, which is obviously a great card, but I do believe that my willpower is sufficient enough already, and Radagast by default becomes the questing ally (that comes with added benefits of being able to play and keep alive Landroval with greater consistency. I've also thought more deeply about the songs, and come to the conclusion that I only really want Song of Wisdom, the theory being that A Burning Brand can be an Elrohir attachment if it becomes a Lore character. The only aspect of the Songs that I'd be missing out on is the Spirit cost for Unexpected Courage. By doubling up on Song of Wisdom to give the maximum odds of giving A Burning Brand to Elrohir and cutting the other Songs, I have 2 free slots to give to Resourceful which could be Vilya targets for Elladan to attack more per turn.

Update 10:

The deck needs more threat reduction, hence why Elrond's Counsel is out, and The Galadhrim's Greeting is in. To help pay for it, Resourceful is out for 2 copies of Song of Travel. I would also not mind using Vilya to play it, either.

Update 11:

I am reversing course, dropping the 2 Song of Travel for 2 Resourceful]. Getting the additional resources on Elladan and/or Elrohir is far more important than accelerating Unexpected Courage. I figure I can be patient with The Galadhrim's Greeting or make it a Vilya target.

Update 12:

I spent a good amount of time calculating resource costs per card that can feasibly be played, and determined that my greatest costing sphere per card that I could feasibly play while relying on Vilya was Spirit at 1.89 resources per card for all cards that could feasibly be played within that sphere (1.86 if Imladris Stargazer can be paid from the Lore sphere). The remaining 3 are equally spaced between 1.0 (Tactics) and 1.43-1.56 (Lore). Spirit deviates most significantly from the trend, so it appears that it needs the greatest help, and therefore I will cut both copies of Song of Wisdom and slot in 1 copy of Song of Travel. Additionally, I have chosen to double up on Asfaloth since the Burning Brand on the obvious defender, Elrohir, can only happen if i attach to him a Song of Wisdom, which I've cut. Getting Asfaloth into play quickly is almost as critical as getting Light of Valinor into play, and 2 cards out of 50 to enable a combo off of a single copy of Burning Brand seems silly. With only 1 copy of Song of Travel, I am left with a single slot in the colorless sphere, and I decide to run a single copy of Shadow of the Past. It is a single use shadow fixer (an easier to play Burning Brand) among its other uses. I am very close to considering this deck complete. I may opt to swap the Shadow of the Past for another Song of Travel or even a Song of Wisdom, so I will test Shadow's usefulness going forward.