Editing Merry's Sword (7R242)

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[[{{ROOTPAGENAME}}]] is a {{C|Rohan}} [[Possession]] from the [[Return of the King]] set.
{{CardInfobox|7R242}}
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= Strategy =
'''Merry's Sword''' is a powerful [[direct wounding]] tool for dedicated {{C|Rohan}} decks. It isn't especially popular, however, because of two significant limitations. First, it can only be played on [[Merry]], and doesn't work well with the gametext of any popular version of Merry. Second, the meta of [[King Block]] is very unfriendly to {{C|Rohan}}, both because of [[power creep]] and because of very common [[Possession Removal|possession hate]]. The sword is a fairly common sight in [[King Standard]], but is rarely seen in the more popular [[Movie Block]].

Merry's Sword is a fine card in a vacuum. Under normal circumstances, you'll be able to toss out three or four [[exertion]]s when you use it, spread however you like among opposing [[minion]]s. As long as you use it as your first maneuver phase action, Merry's Sword can shut down obnoxious hate cards like {{Card|Ulaire Enquea, Lieutenant of Morgul}} and {{Card|Grima, Wormtongue}}, enabling you to play fast and loose with the [[rule of six]] or stack more than two [[possession]]s on a key companion. Any minion with an obnoxious exertion ability is fair game, as long as it isn't a [[Shadow Phase]] ability.

{{C|Rohan}} has plenty of options to take advantage of these wounds, too. {{Card|Eomer, Third Marshal of Riddermark}} and {{Card|Hrethel, Rider of Rohan}} both want to see wounds on the minions they're skirmishing. {{C|Rohan}} [[archery]] cards like {{Card|Rohirrim Javelin}}, {{Card|Rohirrim Bow}}, and {{Card|Aldor, Soldier of Edoras}} can finish off heavily-wounded minions. {{Card|Eowyn, Lady of Ithilien}} does both, and can often finish off multiple minions with one exertion if you set things up perfectly.

The chief hurdle comes from finding ways to heal Merry, since you can't use any of {{C|Rohan}}'s strong healing cards like {{Card|Leowyn}} on him. There are two basic approaches. You can use {{Card|Farmer Maggot, Chaser of Rascals}} and {{Card|Frodo, Old Bilbo's Heir}} to get a trickle of healing on him. {{Card|Merry, Horticulturalist}} can help set this all up. (Occasionally you see people using some other version of Merry with strength-boosting gametext like {{Card|Merry, From O'er the Brandywine}} or {{Card|Merry, Noble Warrior}}, but he's always going to be a vulnerable support character even if you use those, so it's generally better to focus on making the sword more effective.) Alternately, you can use {{Card|Merry, Swordthain}}'s gametext to send Merry back to your hand and then replay him the next turn, replaying the sword with a card like {{Card|Weapon Store}} or {{Card|Ecglaf, Courageous Farmer}}.

Even if you do set him up nicely, you'll need to deal with the pervasive [[Possession Removal|possession hate]] in [[King Block]] or [[Movie Block]]. {{Card|Corsair Marauder}}, {{Card|Grond, Hammer of the Underworld}}, and {{Card|Ulaire Cantea, Faster than Winds}} are all common sights. {{C|Rohan}} decks can deal with these cards, but one of their best tools to do so is {{Card|Merry, Swordthain}}. Swordthain can't retrieve his own sword, however, and if he's bouncing back and forth, it's hard to also re-equip him every time.

In some ways, Merry is his sword's worst enemy. The gametext of {{Card|Merry, Swordthain}} is so great that you might just be better off not giving him his sword at all. Being able to recycle single-use possessions or get back key cards after the Shadow player has discarded them is very valuable, so Merry will often be too busy hopping back and forth off the table to make it worthwhile to try to re-equip him every time. Sure, his sword can contribute wounds, but so can {{Card|Rohirrim Helm}} or {{Card|Rohirrim Javelin}}, and Merry can go back to your hand to retrieve those turn after turn.

The final problem is Merry's Sword's strict [[cultural enforcement]], and the fact that the sort of deck it fits into doesn't fit the [[King Block]] meta. Merry's Sword is only useful in a nearly-pure {{C|Rohan}} deck: it's only middling compared to {{Card|Shadowplay}} and {{Card|Unheeded}} if you only have two {{C|Rohan}} companions, and subpar when you only have one. It doesn't fit into any other [[direct wounding]] decks, like [[Rainbow Wounding]]. And {{C|Rohan}} just doesn't keep up in King Block. Most of the latter sets push decks using {{C|Gondor}}, {{C|Elven}}, or {{C|Dwarven}} companions, and the Rohirrim just fall behind.

= Strengths and Weaknesses =
== Synergizes With... ==

* {{C|Rohan}} companions, especially ones like {{Card|Eomer, Third Marshal of Riddermark}}, {{Card|Hrethel, Rider of Rohan}}, and {{Card|Eowyn, Lady of Ithilien}} that want to skirmish wounded or exhausted minions.
* {{Card|Rohirrim Helm}} and {{Card|We Left None Alive}} are strong against exhausted minions as well.
* [[Archery]] cards like {{Card|Rohirrim Javelin}}, {{Card|Rohirrim Bow}}, and {{Card|Aldor, Soldier of Edoras}} can finish off exerted minions.
* {{Card|Farmer Maggot, Chaser of Rascals}} and {{Card|Frodo, Old Bilbo's Heir}} can heal him, and {{Card|Merry, Horticulturalist}} can [[download]] Farmer Maggot.
* Alternately, {{Card|Merry, Swordthain}} can return to your hand and get replayed for a full heal. {{Card|Weapon Store}} or {{Card|Ecglaf, Courageous Farmer}} can replay Merry's Sword, afterward.

== Strong Versus... ==

* Minions that exert for an effect, as long as it isn't a [[Shadow Phase]] ability. In particular, he shuts down {{Card|Ulaire Enquea, Lieutenant of Morgul}} and {{Card|Grima, Wormtongue}}.

== Weak Versus... ==

* [[Swarm]] decks. Merry really doesn't like to be forced into a skirmish, since his [[strength]] is low (even with the sword) and he wants to use his vitality to exert.
* Shadow [[Assignment Phase]] abilities, like {{Card|Over the Isen}}, {{Card|Brought Back Alive}}, {{Card|Orthanc Champion}}, {{Card|Gorgoroth Assassin}}, {{Card|Between Nazgul and Prey}}, and {{Card|Morgul Vanguard}}. Merry especially doesn't like being forced into a skirmish with a dangerous minion of the Shadow player's choice.
* [[Possession Removal|Possession removal]]. Merry's Sword will almost always be a high-priority target, and [[King Block]]/[[Movie Block]] has a lot of possession hate. Notable cards include {{Card|Corsair Marauder}}, {{Card|Grond, Hammer of the Underworld}}, and {{Card|Ulaire Cantea, Faster than Winds}}.

= See Also =
== Example Deck ==

An [[Movie Block]] deck from the old wiki:

''The author of this deck didn't add their name, and the edit history from the old wiki has since been lost.''

Ring-bearer: {{Card|Frodo, Old Bilbo's Heir}}

Ring: {{Card|The One Ring, Answer To All Riddles}}

Adventure deck:
# {{Card|Sleeping Quarters}}
# {{Card|West Road}}
# {{Card|Base of Mindolluin}}
# {{Card|Osgiliath Fallen}}
# {{Card|City Gates}}
# {{Card|Minas Tirith Fourth Circle}}
# {{Card|Pelennor Grassland}}
# {{Card|Morgul Vale}}
# {{Card|Dagorlad}}

Free Peoples Draw Deck:

''The original deck didn't specify, but the starting companions are probably Théoden and Merry, so you can play Simbelmyne right away.''
* {{Card|Legolas, Greenleaf}} x1
* {{Card|Gamling, Warrior of Rohan}} x1
* {{Card|Rohirrim Army}} x1
* {{Card|Theoden, Tall and Proud}} x1
* {{Card|Eomer, Third Marshal of Riddermark}} x1
* {{Card|Eowyn, Lady of Ithilien}} x1
* {{Card|Merry, Horticulturalist}} x1
* {{Card|Sam, Son of Hamfast}} x1
* {{Card|Leowyn}} x1
* {{Card|Farmer Maggot, Chaser of Rascals}} x1
* {{Card|Brego}} x1
* {{Card|Eomer's Spear}} x1
* {{Card|Firefoot}} x1
* {{Card|Merry's Sword}} x2
* {{Card|Rider's Mount}} x1
* {{Card|Rider's Spear}} x1
* {{Card|Rohirrim Bow}} x2
* {{Card|Eowyn's Sword, Dernhelm's Blade}} x1
* {{Card|Sting, Bane of the Eight Legs}} x1
* {{Card|Fey He Seemed}} x2
* {{Card|Simbelmyne}} x4
* {{Card|Power According to His Stature}} x2
* {{Card|Arrow-slits}} x1
* {{Card|Fortress Never Fallen}} x1
* {{Card|A Light in His Mind}} x1
* {{Card|Cliffs of Emyn Muil}} x1
* {{Card|The Tale of the Great Ring}} x1