MonoLore Victory Display & Manipulation 2.0

• Versions
• 2.0
• 1.0

The primary purpose of this deck is to provide encounter deck "softening" effects (listed below) to take the bite out of the encounter deck.

Starting Hand/Mulligan:

Heavily quest dependent, but at least one Master of Lore is extremely helpful.

Questing:

Rossiel and Mirlonde to start, with support from The Evening Star. If Denethor has ended up as the dedicated defender, Rossiel makes an extremely effective dedicated quester if the active location is triggering her ability.

Combat:

Ents provide effective, if slow, ally support and the only attack power the deck offers.

Denethor defends early, and may end up being the permanent defender if "heavy defense" is required early or enemies are being uncooperative getting into the victory display but the preference is to activate Rossiel's victory display buff and use her as the primary defender, allowing Denethor to use his Action at the end of the round. A Burning Brand, Ent Draught, and Warden of Healing provide support for this role.

Softening Effects:

Out of the Wild removes the nastiest effects, and should focus on treacheries if Rossiel isn't desperate for activation, lining them up for cancellation by The Door is Closed!.

Gildor's Counsel should be used when resources are available, and is most effective to "put it all to bed" - leverage Denethor in a two player game to know exactly what's going to hit the board for a big turn.

Don't be too picky about what you use Leave No Trace or None Return on, their primary purpose is to buff Rossiel, not to remove something specific. Faster play is more important than eliminating a specific threat, since they also reduce the cost to play Keen as Lances.

Scout Ahead is probably your most effective softener, since it allows you to plan a turn of combat and a turn of questing in addition to removing a nasty card of your choice.

Accelerants and Other Effects:

Entmoot, Mithrandir's Advice, and Keen as Lances are all about the card draw. Master of Lore, Treebeard, and Keen as Lances all provide resources to utilize those cards.

Scroll of Isildur will help balance the deck against the particulars of the encounter deck - use it to play Out of the Wild and/or The Door is Closed! if the deck has a bunch of nasty treacheries, or The Evening Star if it's location heavy, etc.