Istaris gathering information turn 1

Kaspatou 800

Description

Here is a fellowship who can pass Gather Information before the turn 1 planning phase.

It's very interesting for a Council of the Wise deck or for a Saruman's Staff dependant deck.

Rods of the Five is insane with Saruman, he can be ready with the doomed event that he went to get.

The deck plays Deep Knowledge every turn for free so the Council of the Wise deck can draw 3 cards/turn. We have a looot of resources with Blue Staff on the one hand and Vilya on the other hand.

There is a ton of draw everywhere and that's what I love the most in that game ! :D

Have fun :)

9 comments

Mar 07, 2025 doomguard 2190

can u describe a bit closer how to make it? i think with the ability of alatar and refreshing with staff and Rods of the Five but perhaps i overlook something.

how do u get the Deep Knowledge back? with Scroll of Isildur? or is there another option?

i would increase the A Test of Will in the blue (or make reuse possible with Dwarven Tomb ) deck but else a very good tinkered fellowship! like it. good, but not op how it should be (koff not mention the perilious-council "thing" ;) )

Mar 07, 2025 Kaspatou 800

Thanks for your comment.

Yep with Thurindir i'm sure to have Gather Information turn 1.

With Alatar I can exhaust 2 Istaris and place 4 progress on Gather Information, it's done.

Yes with Scroll of Isildur. And I take my scroll back with Erebor Hammersmith.

Increase is impossible since I play Council of the Wise but I can play 4 A Test of Will with The White Council + Frodo Baggins + Will of the West. But why note a fifth ! :)

Ahah yes maybe a A Perilous Voyage version would be fun.

Mar 07, 2025 doomguard 2190

thx i overlooked 1-2 things.

and to be clear, i hate that council-voyage-thing i think this would never ever happen in the original content so simply from the start cancel the mainflaw of a powerfull contract....

but that is perhaps not an issue in the discussion of your fellowship.

o.k. why do u choose Council of the Wise here? i think there are many options without the contract (and reduce some luck dependency) specially the At the End of All Things seems to be more efficient here (e.g. additional readying for the blue)

Mar 07, 2025 Kaspatou 800

Which contract is powerfull? Neither Council of the Wise nor A Perilous Voyage... but yeah with Beyond the Original Bargain it could be crazy.

I don't play that here ;)

At the End of All Things seems obvious with blue wizard but with all this draw it would be very difficult with resources. (without I can for exemple take the resource from Blue Staff)

I love Council of the Wise, it's not powerful but you made interesting choices throughout the game.

And here with the fast Gather Information, Word of Command and 4/5 cards per turn, I can reduce my dependence on luck.

Maybe the best would be Beyond the Original Bargain with council + At the End of All Things but I try not to be addicted to Beyond the Original Bargain which is too powerfull in my opinion.

Mar 07, 2025 doomguard 2190

complete understanding. Beyond the Original Bargain without restriction is the "problem" neither of the other contracts.

gather res is the reason not taking At the End of All Things because u can have staffs from turn 1.

makes sense, thx.

Mar 07, 2025 doomguard 2190

just a thing perhaps not very relevant but perhaps for the correctness. i am not sure you can use actions before the planningphase during setup. i think the first actionwindow is in teh planningphase. that does nothing to your strategy, but if i am right you cannot do it BEFORE the 1. planningphase. (reactions can be triggered before 1. round, but actions? i doubt, but correct me if i am wrong)

Mar 08, 2025 Kaspatou 800

For me, you have the resource phase. The most common use is for Captain's Wisdom for exemple. But i'm not a rules specialist ;)

Mar 08, 2025 doomguard 2190

the first resource phase is in the 1. round (1. phase of a round), not before. (so u cannot use action in the encountersetup before the 1. round (and before the 1. res-phase, reactions like e.g. Eleanor can be used))

as i said it is of no difference for the strategy, but the wording of your description 1. line is "before" and i would say it should be "in"

Mar 08, 2025 Tegyrius 126

Scout ahead round 1 is equally strong. Against most quests, you get a free turn 1.