Prepare for Bilbo 2.0

• Versions
• 2.0
• 1.0

How about drawing extra cards during the Resource phase and NOT having to discard them? Prepare for Bilbo!

Bilbo Baggins and Prepare for Battle have the exact same passive ability, the first player can draw an additional card during the resource phase. Once the side-quest enters the Victory Display you are drawing 3 cards a round, at a minimum, and not discarding any. This allows your deck to get to its key cards quickly. In multiplayer you are allowing each player at the table a chance to draw 2 additional cards when they are first player (so I think its okay to have Steward of Gondor in your deck as a thank you).

Opening Hand:

First dig the Side-quest out and then mulligan for Steward of Gondor to put on Sam Gamgee. Master of the Forge is good to see as well. A defensive boost for Bilbo or Ranger of Cardolan is nice.

Game play:

Honestly, it really depends on what you have access to as far as what your strategy should be in the early game.
Sam and Thurindir will be questing for 5 and most of the allies pack some good . Bilbo will be defending. With Hobbit Cloak, Dúnedain Warning, Rosie Cotton's boost, and A Burning Brand he can defend with ease. Slap a Fast Hitch on him to use him multiple times. Rosie is an excellent candidate for a Fast Hitch as well. Remember, Bill the Pony gives hobbits an extra hit point.

The extra cards you draw help you hit your combos and events, especially with Master of the Forge diluting your deck.

It's easy to hit the Sneak Attack/Gandalf combo. You should be able to Summon a couple Ranger of the North into the encounter deck.

Ranger of Cardolan should make multiple appearances in your hand and have his ability used. Remember to tell them and another ally A Very Good Tale during the Refresh phase. (If you don't know, the Ranger of Cardolan readies during the refresh phase before he is shuffled back into you deck. Play A Very Good Tale after exhausting the ranger and another ally to put up to 2 more allies into play permanently, then shuffle the ranger back into your deck.)

If someone wanted to pack a bunch of Lore card draw into this deck they could, but I wanted to see if I could focus a Lore deck on the allies and attachments.

Enjoy!