Desperate Measures (1R245)

Desperate Defense of the Ring (1R244)

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Enduring Evil (1R246)

	Set:		Fellowship of the Ring
	Kind:		Shadow
	Culture:		Sauron
	Twilight:		2
	Card Type:		Event
	Game Text:		Maneuver: Spot a [SAURON] Orc and remove a burden to make the Free Peoples player discard top 5 cards from his draw deck.
	Lore:		“‘Go back, Sam. You can't swim. I'm going to Mordor alone.'”
	Rarity:		R
	Notes:		Should read ?discard the top 5 cards...?
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General Strategy

The key event in a Sauron mill strategy, Desperate Measures can discard five cards for the removal of a single burden in the maneuver phase. Very few strategies function without a draw deck or the ability to replenish cards when reconciling, making the discarding strategy a borderline negative playing experience. Desperate Defense of the Ring, another powerful milling card, can add the burdens necessary to play Desperate Measures. The Irresistible Shadow is one of very few "win condition" cards, automatically granting the Shadow player the win if the opponent has five burdens and no draw deck.

With the addition of Frodo, Courteous Halfling in the Two Towers base set, the [Sauron] mill strategy took a nearly unrecoverable hit. Additionally, access to stronger companions and abilities left the Shadow discard strategy one of the least played archetypes beyond Fellowship block. With the expensive roaming penalties of the [relatively] weak minions, very little could stop a Free Peoples' player from simply outrunning his or her opponent.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strong Versus...

• Anyone with a draw deck
• Pairs well with free peoples discard strategies, such as The White Arrows of Lorien or Nobody Tosses a DWarf

Weak Versus...

• Frodo, Courteous Halfling
• Preparations and Rest By Blind Night can recycle discarded cards
• Extremely large decks, or decks that play from discard such as [Moria] Swarm or Constantly Threatening [Dunland]

Example Decks

!Fellowship Block "Cruel Discard" by Kralik

Ring and Bearer: Frodo, Reluctant Adventurer The One Ring, Isildur's Bane

Adventure Deck: 1 The Prancing Pony* 2 Trollshaw Forest* 3 Rivendell Waterfall 4 Eregion Hills 5 The Bridge of Khazad-dum* 6 Valley of the Silverlode* 7 The Great River 8 Gates of Argonath 9 Tol Brandir

Free Peoples (35 cards): 1x Arwen, Daughter Of Elrond (starting) 1x Legolas, Son of Thranduil (starting) 1x Aragorn, King in Exile 3x Haldir, Elf Of The Golden Wood

3x Elrond, Herald to Gil-galad

1x Gwemegil 1x Long-knives of Legolas 1x Ranger's Sword 2x Aragorn's Bow 1x Bow of the Galadhrim 3x Elven Bow

2x Gift of Boats 2x Songs of the Blessed Realm 1x The Choice of Luthien 1x The Last Alliance of Elves and Men 3x The White Arrows of Lorien

2x Hobbit Stealth 2x Might of Numenor 2x Secret Sentinels 2x The Council of Elrond

Shadow (35 cards): 3x Morgul Hunter 4x Orc Ambusher 4x Orc Inquisitor 4x Orc Warrior 2x Tower Assassin

3x Desperate Defense of the Ring 3x His Cruelty and Malice 2x Thin and Stretched 3x Tower of Barad-dur

3x Desperate Measures 2x Enduring Evil 2x Shadow's Reach

Extra Information

• This card's game text contains an error; it should say “discard the top 5 cards” instead of “discard top 5 cards”.