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fellowship: | fellowship: | ||
* 4 - {{Card|eregion hills}} | * 4 - {{Card|eregion hills}} | ||
king | king | ||
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shadows | shadows | ||
* 0 - {{Card|Courtyard Parapet}} also weaker alts: | * 0 - {{Card|Courtyard Parapet}} also weaker alts: {{Card|pelennor flat}} (1) | ||
* 1 - {{Card| | * 1 - {{Card|slag mounds}} | ||
* 1 - | * 1 - {{Card|steward's tomb}} | ||
* 3 - {{Card|caves of aglarond}}, also weaker {{Card|abandoned mine shaft}}. underground but game text is v limited | |||
* 3 - | |||
== Sauron culture == | == Sauron culture == | ||
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From early on, {{C|Sauron}} corruption had fairly strong synergy with [[Sauron Discard]]: not only does Desperate Defense of the Ring allow discards in lieu of burdens, but {{Card|The Irresistible Shadow}} is a way to turn [[mill]] and discard, combined with some corruption, into a victory condition. (The similar {{Card|Despair}} is largely useless.) Irresistible Shadow does have some downsides, however: firstly, if your opponent's deck is depleted, you've probably defanged their Shadow side, so your Free Peoples can just [[run]] down the site path unimpeded. Secondly, while [[Frodo]] can have 10 or more base [[resistance]], alternate [[ring-bearer]]s are usually almost corrupted at 5 burdens. This last obviously isn't a factor until [[Movie Block]] when alternate ring-bearers are introduced, however. | From early on, {{C|Sauron}} corruption had fairly strong synergy with [[Sauron Discard]]: not only does Desperate Defense of the Ring allow discards in lieu of burdens, but {{Card|The Irresistible Shadow}} is a way to turn [[mill]] and discard, combined with some corruption, into a victory condition. (The similar {{Card|Despair}} is largely useless.) Irresistible Shadow does have some downsides, however: firstly, if your opponent's deck is depleted, you've probably defanged their Shadow side, so your Free Peoples can just [[run]] down the site path unimpeded. Secondly, while [[Frodo]] can have 10 or more base [[resistance]], alternate [[ring-bearer]]s are usually almost corrupted at 5 burdens. This last obviously isn't a factor until [[Movie Block]] when alternate ring-bearers are introduced, however. | ||
In later sets, {{Card|Grishnakh, Orc Captain}} is a solid, efficient minion, although it's rare that your opponent will eat the burdens. {{Card|Wisp of Pale Sheen}} is a weak minion that can | In later sets, {{Card|Grishnakh, Orc Captain}} is a solid, efficient minion, although it's rare that your opponent will eat the burdens. {{Card|Wisp of Pale Sheen}} is a weak minion that can stack on a burden if it survives a [[skirmish phase]]. | ||
{{Card|Orc Officer}} can stack on burdens, if you can set up [[overwhelm]]s. To trigger it, you can use {{Card|Enduring Evil}}, high-strength orcs like {{Card|Orc Slaughterer}}, or combos that set up unexpectedly high-strength orcs, like {{Card|Mordor Guard}} / {{Card|Mordor Veteran}} / {{Card|Fires Raged Unchecked}} in [[Sauron Threats]], or {{Card|Advance Scout}} / {{Card|Advance Marauder}} / {{Card|Flames Within}} in [[Sauron Roaming]]. Even if you can't overwhelm a key character, the mere presence of Orc Officer makes [[Chump Blocking|chump blocking]] with a weak or exhausted companion unattractive. | {{Card|Orc Officer}} can stack on burdens, if you can set up [[overwhelm]]s. To trigger it, you can use {{Card|Enduring Evil}}, high-strength orcs like {{Card|Orc Slaughterer}}, or combos that set up unexpectedly high-strength orcs, like {{Card|Mordor Guard}} / {{Card|Mordor Veteran}} / {{Card|Fires Raged Unchecked}} in [[Sauron Threats]], or {{Card|Advance Scout}} / {{Card|Advance Marauder}} / {{Card|Flames Within}} in [[Sauron Roaming]]. Even if you can't overwhelm a key character, the mere presence of Orc Officer makes [[Chump Blocking|chump blocking]] with a weak or exhausted companion unattractive. | ||
When you do apply a burden, {{Card|The Ring is Mine!}} can stack on even more. It's never a bad play to just use this opportunistically to score a burden here and there, but it's especially satisfying when your opponent takes a calculated risk to go down to low resistance, then gets blown away when it turns out you've got three copies of TRIM in your hand. | |||
If you do manage to stack up some burdens but don't manage enough to corrupt the Ring-bearer, you can always play {{Card|Sauron, the Lord of the Rings}} instead. | |||
== Ringwraith culture == | == Ringwraith culture == | ||
While the earliest {{C|Ringwraith}} corruption cards were, charitably, a big old mess, [[Nazgul]] have always been good at maximizing the damage once you | While the earliest {{C|Ringwraith}} corruption cards were, charitably, a big old mess, [[Nazgul]] have always been good at maximizing the damage once you get the ball rolling. {{Card|Ulaire Enquea, Lieutenant of Morgul}} and {{Card|Ulaire Toldea, Messenger of Morgul}} can pick off companions if the burdens stack up, {{Card|Gates of the Dead City}} can grind down the [[Fellowship]] to open up a regular win through murder, {{Card|Ulaire Nelya, Ringwraith in Twilight}} is cheap and cheerful if you've got enough pressure on the Ring-bearer, {{Card|Blade Tip}} and {{Card|Black Breath}} can compound pressure and prevent some types of healing, and {{Card|Return To Its Master}} can score a surprise win if the Ring-bearer is in dire straits. The only problem was actually winning skirmishes to generate any pressure in the first place, since a couple strong skirmishers could hold off the Nazgûl nearly indefinitely. | ||
In [[Fellowship Block]], this was difficult. {{Card|Drawn to its Power}} is strong but generally won't apply many burdens over the course of a game unless you're winning anyway, and {{Card|It Wants to be Found}} is strong but requires using [[Twilight (Keyword)|Twilight]] Nazgûl, which are mostly lousy. Twilight Nazgûl have lots of temping-looking tools to stack burdens and pressure the Ring-bearer, like {{Card|Resistance Becomes Unbearable}}, {{Card|Wraith-World}}, {{Card|the twilight world}}, {{Card|Ulaire Enquea, Ringwraith in Twilight}}, and {{Card|Ulaire Otsea, Ringwraith in Twilight}} but they tend to [[Hand Clog|clog up your hand]] as you wait for a perfect setup that never happens. Twilight Nazgûl are too expensive and too bad at actually winning skirmishes to ever really get going. | |||
{{C|Ringwraith}} corruption slowly improved in later sets. Two Nazgûl in particular, {{Card|Ulaire Attea, Wraith on Wings}} and {{Card|Ulaire Toldea, Winged Sentry}} fit snugly into traditional [[Nazgul Beatdown]]. Toldea's game text was a little unreliable -- {{C|Wraith}} culture mostly lacks good [[initiative]] tools -- but unlike the Twilight Nazgûl, you weren't paying too much for a minion that wasn't particularly fearsome in a skirmish. | |||
{{C|Wraith}} corruption decks finally fully came together in [[Movie Block]], first with [[Morgul Orcs]]. {{Card|Morgul Brute}} (often in conjunction with {{Card|Morgul Destroyer}}) forces the ring-bearer to eat a wound or a burden, and the latter is an attractive prospect when faced with the threat of minions like {{Card|Morgul Whelp}} or {{Card|Morgul Hound}}. While feeding the burdens to the Brute obviously won't get you any closer to corrupting the ring-bearer, the mere threat of doing so makes it difficult for your opponent to make optimal [[Assignment Phase|assignments]], and gives you the option to close out the game with violence instead of corruption. The Morgul Orcs deck is also often a [[swarm]] deck, which also results in more pressure on the ring-bearer, especially when it's an alternate [[ring-bearer]] like {{Card|Isildur, Bearer of Heirlooms}}. | |||
Those alternate ring-bearers were another boon to {{C|Wraith}} culture. While {{Card|Bill Ferny, Swarthy Sneering Fellow}} was nothing new, but previously he was no threat to the ring-bearer as soon as [[Frodo]] had a [[hand weapon]]. However, many of the most popular alternate ring-bearers stack burdens or wounds on themselves every time they get into a skirmish, meaning that Bill showing up to frown at them actually does some significant damage. (Much later, in [[Expanded (Format)|Expanded]], {{Card|Ulaire Nertea, Dark Horseman}} can often do the same, although most multicultural Free Peoples decks, even with just a [[splash]] of another culture, can keep him from simply homing in on the ring-bearer.) | |||
Nazgûl got their day in the, uh, shadows as well. {{Card|Ulaire Enquea, Thrall of the One}}, can stack as many as three burdens every time he comes out (which can be repeatedly, with the help of {{Card|Out of Sight and Shot}}, {{Card|Flung Into The Fray}}, {{Card|Morgul Squealer}}, {{Card|Ring of Ire}}, or {{Card|Ring of Asperity}}). All you need to do is pair him with cards that will exert him, like {{Card|Bent on Discovery}}, {{Card|The Ring Draws Them}}, and {{Card|Between Nazgul and Prey}}. If you're running a whole deck of [[Enduring]] Nazgûl like him, {{Card|Dark Swooping Shadows}} is an option on the others. In [[Expanded (Format)|Expanded]], {{Card|Keening Wail}} and {{Card|The Witch-king, Captain of the Nine Riders}} are strong additions. | |||
[[Expanded (Format)|Expanded]] added a bunch of different strong corruption tools, which can be used on their own or in conjunction with Enquea TOTO | [[Expanded (Format)|Expanded]] added a bunch of different strong corruption tools, which can be used on their own or in conjunction with Enquea TOTO. {{Card|Woody-end}} eats a burden, but it's both an alternate [[Win Condition|win condition]] and burden-positive | ||
expanded: | expanded: | ||
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* {{Card|Ulaire Otsea, Duplicitous Specter}} ??? | * {{Card|Ulaire Otsea, Duplicitous Specter}} ??? | ||
* Woody-end eats a burden, but worth for enquea toto | * Woody-end eats a burden, but worth for enquea toto | ||
* gates of the | * gates of the dark city + dark fell about him + lingering shadow (+ dark temptation) | ||
* sense of obligation | * sense of obligation | ||
* The Witch-king, Black Lord lol exerts, prob too bad to mention | * The Witch-king, Black Lord lol exerts, prob too bad to mention | ||
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== orc == | == orc == | ||
retribution (usually with Orc Spear or mordor scimitar), porter troll, mocking goblin | |||
{{C|Orc}} corruption is potentially the strangest corruption strategy, recyling {{Card|Isengard Underling}} with {{Card| Goblin Hordes}}, which recurs {{Card|Bound to its fate}}, and also playing {{Card|Orc Miscreant}} with {{Card|Relentless Warg}} for extra burdening power. | |||
== gollum == | == gollum == | ||
heavy burden, not yet vanquished | |||
stinker | |||
dark as darkness | |||
threat strategies in general | threat strategies in general | ||
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{{Card|Saruman, Master of the White Hand}} | {{Card|Saruman, Master of the White Hand}} | ||
{{Card|Orthanc Berserker}}? {{Card|Traitor's Voice}}? | {{Card|Orthanc Berserker}}? {{Card|Traitor's Voice}}? | ||
== Free Peoples counterplay == | == Free Peoples counterplay == | ||
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As strong as these strategies may seem, the [[Free Peoples]] player has some [[Counterplay|counterplay]]. {{C|Shire}} and {{C|Gandalf}} [[culture]]s in particular specialize in [[Burden Removal|burden removal]]. | As strong as these strategies may seem, the [[Free Peoples]] player has some [[Counterplay|counterplay]]. {{C|Shire}} and {{C|Gandalf}} [[culture]]s in particular specialize in [[Burden Removal|burden removal]]. | ||
The biggest problem in {{C|Shire}} culture is [[Sam]]. The most notorious version of him, albeit one banned in [[Expanded (Format)|Expanded]], is {{Card|Sam, Son of Hamfast}}, with his ability to remove up to 3 burdens | The biggest problem in {{C|Shire}} culture is [[Sam]]. The most notorious version of him, albeit one banned in [[Expanded (Format)|Expanded]], is {{Card|Sam, Son of Hamfast}}, with his ability to remove up to 3 burdens at once. Then, he can linger in play and turn any excess [[heal]]ing into more burden removal (and [[Hobbit Hospital]] decks have plenty of healing), or just die to the largest minion. Even when it's not Son of Hamfast, most versions of [[Sam]] can take over as [[ring-bearer]] if Frodo dies. While Sam's [[resistance]] is much lower, all of the existing burdens get wiped when Frodo dies. {{Card|Helpless}} can help {{C|Wraith}} decks be a little less vulnerable to Sam shenanigans, but it can't stop Son of Hamfast from coming down and wiping three burdens immediately. | ||
Sam isn't the only strong {{C|Shire}} burden removal tool | Sam isn't the only strong {{C|Shire}} burden removal tool. There are a few standout reusable tools that remove burdens, like {{Card|A Light In His Mind}}, {{Card|Bilbo, Aged Ring-bearer}}, and {{Card|Golden Perch Ale}}. All this burden removal would be excessive, if it weren't for {{Card|The Shire Countryside}}. Multiple copies of the Countryside can turn any burdens and burden removal into quite a lot of healing, which can make a corruption deck's gameplan counterproductive. Countryside engines are fringe in [[Movie Block]], but more common in [[Expanded (Format)|Expanded]]. The main tool to deal with these sorts of engines in the latter format is {{Card|Buckland Homestead}}, which bypasses {{Card|can be [[recur]]red with {{Card|Ilaire Nelya, Third of the Nine Riders}}. {{Card|Ulaire Cantea, Faster Than Winds}} is the only good way for Nazgul to remove Golden Perch Ale. It's almost always a tough [[Matchup|matchup]]. | ||
{{C|Gandalf}} culture also has some very strong burden removal tools. {{Card|Narya}} will slowly erode any | {{C|Gandalf}} culture also has some very strong burden removal tools. {{Card|Narya}} will slowly erode any progress you've made, albeit at high cost. {{Card|Gandalf's Pipe}} can remove quite a few burdens repeatedly, but only appears in [[Pipeweed]] decks, which are rare and not especially strong. After [[Shadows]], in [[Expanded (Format)|Expanded]], {{C|Gandalf}} gets one of the strongest reusable burden removal tools in the game: {{Card|Shadowfax, Greatest of the Mearas}} (usually combined with {{Card|Citadel to Gate}} to wipe the [[threat]]s). {{Card|Too Great and Terrible}} is one option to remove him, and [[possession]] [[hate]] like {{Card|Ulaire Cantea, Faster Than Winds}} or {{Card|Grond, Hammer of the Underworld}} can deal with the horse. Those aren't the only problem cards: {{Card|Watch and Wait}} is popular in any deck with strong skirmishers (notably [[Ent]]s), and {{Card|Jarnsmid, Barding Emissary}} is strong, reusable burden removal as well. Just be ready to focus down problematic companions when facing a {{C|Gandalf}} deck in Expanded. | ||
not listening, elf-song | |||
but many core cards, including {{Card|One Good Turns Deserves Another}}, {{Card|Deagol, Fateful Finder}}, and even [[Smeagol]] himself, add burdens | |||
gondor dwarf rohan rely on a splash | gondor dwarf rohan rely on a splash | ||
scroll of isildur, gimli rb, galadriel rb | scroll of isildur, gimli rb, galadriel rb | ||
---- | ---- | ||
{{Gameplay_Table}} | {{Gameplay_Table}} |