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== Sauron culture == | == Sauron culture == | ||
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{{C|Sauron}} culture had the first viable corruption strategy. It remains one of the best corruption cultures in [[Fellowship Block]], and many of the same corruption strategies remain relevant later formats. Using cards like {{Card|Desperate Defense of the Ring}} and {{Card|Thin and Stretched}}, {{C|Sauron}} adds burdens slowly to wear down a [[Ring-bearer]]'s resistance. Even if you aren't close to securing a corruption win, {{Card|Enduring Evil}} is a very strong [[pump]] when enough burdens are stacked. | {{C|Sauron}} culture had the first viable corruption strategy. It remains one of the best corruption cultures in [[Fellowship Block]], and many of the same corruption strategies remain relevant later formats. Using cards like {{Card|Desperate Defense of the Ring}} and {{Card|Thin and Stretched}}, {{C|Sauron}} adds burdens slowly to wear down a [[Ring-bearer]]'s resistance. Even if you aren't close to securing a corruption win, {{Card|Enduring Evil}} is a very strong [[pump]] when enough burdens are stacked. | ||
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 | 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 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, one or more copies of {{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 by an unexpected 2-3 extra burdens. | |||
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}} generally won't apply many burdens over the course of a game unless you're winning anyway, and {{Card|It Wants to be Found}} | 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]]. | {{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 a [[swarm]] deck, | {{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 | 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]]. 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. | ||
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, | 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: | expanded: | ||
* | * Ulaire Attea, Second of the Nine Riders exerts to burden once some are stacked | ||
* | * Ulaire Nelya, Third of the Nine Riders for site abuse | ||
* | * Ulaire Toldea, Black Shadow to recycle events | ||
* | * 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 == | ||
helpless | |||
As strong as these strategies seem, there are cards that completely shut them down. The most notorious example, only valid in pre-[[Shadows]] formats, is {{Card|Sam, Son of Hamfast}}, with his ability to remove up to 3 burdens at once, then die to the largest minion. Another, less egregious, example would be {{Card|Shadowfax, Greatest of the Mearas}} combo'ed with {{Card|Citadel to Gate}}. This card is vulnerable to {{Card|Ulaire Cantea, Faster Than Winds}} or {{Card|Too Great and Terrible}}, making [[Nazgûl]] the most effective strategy against it. | |||
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{{Gameplay_Table}} | {{Gameplay_Table}} |