Deck Strategy

This deck has two main objectives:

• Maximize your heroes' equipment to optimize their attack and questing capabilities.
• Optimize card draw to quickly access key cards and maintain a consistent flow of options.

Hero Equipment

Pippin:

• Role: Primary attacker (3 to 7 attack points), temporary questing in the early game.
• Equipment:
  • Valiant Warrior
  • 2 Daggers of Westernesse
  • Hobbit Pipe: To draw cards when Elrond's Council is played.
  • Unexpected Courage: Allows questing then attacking.

Glorfindel:

• Role: Versatile attacker, able to attack in the Staging Area (SA) and quest early game without exhausting if possible.
• Equipment:
  • Light of Valinor: Allows questing without exhausting.
  • Asfaloth: To quickly clear locations.
  • Bow of the Galadhrim: Grants the "Ranged" keyword. Combined with Hands Upon the Bow, Glorfindel can attack solo into the SA and reach 7 attack points in multiplayer.
  • Blade of Gondolin: Reduces the defense of enemies attacked in the SA.
  • Glamdring: Provides a +2 attack bonus, bringing Glorfindel to 6 attack points in the SA with Hands Upon the Bow.

Elrond:

• Role: Play cards, especially essential allies, and quest throughout the game.
• Equipment:
  • Vilya: Can be paid for with Frodo's resources.
  • Unexpected Courage: For questing once Vilya is attached.
  • Andúril: Primarily for a +1 quest and +1 defense bonus if needed.

Frodo Baggins:

• Role: Quester and draw engine. Can defend in extreme emergencies, but rarely.
• Equipment:
  • Sting: +1 quest and +1 defense. Its defense ability can deal damage to an enemy it defended against, to be used sparingly.
  • Mr. Underhill: To be used in extreme emergencies to avoid an enemy attack. Can be discarded as a non-objective attachment if a treachery requires discarding an attachment.

Key Points of the Deck

• Rapid search for Vilya: Absolute priority, potentially via a Mulligan.
• Hobbit Pipes and Elrond's Council: Allow drawing a large number of cards (up to 6).
• A Good Meal and Frodo's Intuition: A Good Meal allows you to play Frodo's Intuition for free, providing a quest boost.
• Peace, Then Thought: Ideally played after at least two allies are in play and with no enemies in the Staging Area to quickly search for Vilya. If Vilya is already in play, use this card mid-game in synergy with Imladris Stargazer or Gildor Inglorion to avoid drawing a card to play with Elrond/Vilya.
• A Test of Will: Crucial for negating harmful treachery cards, especially important in multiplayer.
• Galadhrim's Greeting: To lower your threat level.
• Will of the West: This 51st "bonus" card allows you to retrieve additional A Test of Will cards if needed, and to counter cards like "Thirst for Knowledge" (starting with 5 threat) or "Chilling Cold" (which can either wipe the board or cause a game loss by reaching 50 threat).
• Beorn and Boromir: These allies are included to defend effectively and deal heavy damage.

Early Game Progression

• Quickly get Vilya and Light of Valinor into play.
• Play at least two allies early on.
• Equip heroes who will be strong attackers.
• Draw cards to establish your hand.