Editing Elendil, The Tall (9R+32)
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{{QueryCardCategories|9R+32}}</noinclude> | {{QueryCardCategories|9R+32}}</noinclude> | ||
= Strategy = | = Strategy = | ||
An absolute slab of beef, just a man-mountain. In formats where [[Reflections]] is allowed like [[Movie Block]] and [[Expanded (Format)|Expanded]], Elendil, the Tall is a reliable staple tank for {{C|Gondor}}-focused decks, there to cheerfully soak skirmishes, archery wounds, or random exertion costs. He works well with {{Card|Narsil, Blade of the Faithful}} and the {{C|Gondor}} [[Artifact]] strategy of a support area full of cards like {{Card|Sapling of the White Tree}}, {{Card|Scroll of Isildur}}, and {{Card|Seeing Stone of Orthanc}}. In [[Expanded (Format)|Expanded]], {{Card|Kings' Legacy}} means he can even help another companion get through the skirmish phase. It's just nice to have a big fat dude to tank for you, and if he dies, he probably wasn't a big part of your core strategy to begin with. | |||
Elendil is probably not a core part of your strategy, though. Few cards spot Elendil in particular, and he doesn't have any strategy-enabling unloaded keywords like [[Knight]], [[Ring-bound]], or [[Ranger]]. ([[Knight]] decks in [[Expanded (Format)|Expanded]] that need a big dumb blocker companion can run {{Card|Elendil, High-King of Gondor}} instead.) He's also too expensive to go in your opening Fellowship and thus can't protect from very early skirmishes unless he's in your opening hand. If you're really relying on him to tank for you, the best ways to fish him out of your deck are {{Card|Denethor, Lord of Minas Tirith}} and {{Card|Saved from the Fire}}, and both of those can grab his sword at the same time. | |||
He can counter Shadow sides that capture sites, like {{C|Sauron}} [[Besieger]] decks or the occasional {{C|Dunland}} deck, but there's no good way to leverage his ability to liberate sites except to prevent your Shadow opponent from reaping the benefits of capturing them. | He can counter Shadow sides that capture sites, like {{C|Sauron}} [[Besieger]] decks or the occasional {{C|Dunland}} deck, but there's no good way to leverage his ability to liberate sites except to prevent your Shadow opponent from reaping the benefits of capturing them. | ||
Don't expect to get a lot of mileage out of his move limit +1 ability. It sounds attractive, but the only artifacts you can play on him are the two versions of Narsil, and generally you'll want to get those on him ASAP so he can skirmish more effectively. As a rule, early in the game is the worst time to triple move, as you'll help your opponent set up more quickly and probably miss a sanctuary. Occasionally you'll be able to pull off that clutch triple (possibly with a {{Card|Saved from the Fire}} setup), but cards like {{Card|Last Throw}} and {{Card|Radagast, The Brown}} are much more flexible. Just think of it as an occasional bonus. | |||
{{Card|Narsil, Blade of the Faithful}} isn't your only option for a decent weapon for him. You can also use {{Card|Narsil, Forged by Telchar}} to stymie Shadow support area possessions, like {{Card|Web}}, {{Card|Hides}}, {{C|Sauron}} [[Engine]]s like {{Card|Grond, Hammer of the Underworld}}, and [[Corsair]] possessions like {{Card|Black Sails of Umbar}} and {{Card|Ships of Great Draught}}. However, unless you're also using Isildur or {{Card|The Shards of Narsil}}, you run the risk of that card clogging up your hand a little bit until you can get Elendil out. | {{Card|Narsil, Blade of the Faithful}} isn't your only option for a decent weapon for him. You can also use {{Card|Narsil, Forged by Telchar}} to stymie Shadow support area possessions, like {{Card|Web}}, {{Card|Hides}}, {{C|Sauron}} [[Engine]]s like {{Card|Grond, Hammer of the Underworld}}, and [[Corsair]] possessions like {{Card|Black Sails of Umbar}} and {{Card|Ships of Great Draught}}. However, unless you're also using Isildur or {{Card|The Shards of Narsil}}, you run the risk of that card clogging up your hand a little bit until you can get Elendil out. | ||
