Pippin, Brave Decoy (0P86)
 Olog-Hai Bestial (0P85)
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Legolas, Companion of the Ring (0P87) 
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Pippin, Brave Decoy (0P86) is a 
Shire Companion from the Promotional set. Copies were distributed to DGMA Premier Series Event participants in Las Vegas in March 2005. 500 copies of the card were printed, and the extras were made available for sale after the event.
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Strategy[edit]
Pippin, Brave Decoy is an interesting version of Pippin. He is one of the few ways to replace a companion in a skirmish, and does it the easiest too. While at first glance it seems like a simple speed bump companion, he has a variety of uses.
The first use would be to boost Pippin's strength, then have him fight every minion on the board. There are a variety of ways to do this. The first is with the classic Everyone Knows (9R50)
/Escape (4R300)
combo. Additionally you can incorporate Little Golden Flower (15R148)
, which can give up to five extra strength with all your conditions and a Hobbit Sword (1C299)
on Pippin. The other popular way to boost Pippin is with Followers. Using the Shire followers is the most effective, as Frodo Gamgee, Son of Samwise (13U150)
can augment Everyone Knows (9R50)
, and Hobbiton Farmer, Lover of Pipeweed (15C147)
can be key against Nazgûl, especially Forestguls.
The other use for Pippin is to use the Rise of Saruman pipeweed conditions to have him replace every companion in a skirmish and then cancel every skirmish using Halfling Leaf (17U106)
. This strategy usually incorporates Gandalf to use Ship of Smoke (18U27)
and mill through your deck quickly.
A more unconventional use of Brave Decoy would be to have him replace a companion in a skirmish, then have Boromir replace him with Blade of Gondor, Sword of Boromir (12R42)
. This is a very convoluted strategy, though, and is very difficult to pull off.
The bane of Brave Decoy is Cavern Entrance (4U355)
. It is a hard stop to both Pippin inherently and to the Skirmish Cancellation route. Other than that, it is quite difficult to kill Pippin with all the skirmish canceling and healing the Shire culture has access to.
Strengths and Weaknesses[edit]
Synergizes With...[edit]
- Everyone Knows (9R50)
and Escape (4R300)
to help with skirmishing
- The Rise of Saruman Pipeweed conditions, specifically Halfling Leaf (17U106)
- Aragorn, Ranger of the North (1R89)
to stack multiple minions against Pippin, and then cancel the skirmish
Strong Versus...[edit]
- Uglúk, Ugly Fellow (15R172)
as Pippin does not take the exertion from replacing him
Weak Versus...[edit]
Alternate Personas[edit]
| Portrait | Name | Game Text |
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Pippin, Friend to Frodo (1C306)
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Your opponent may not discard your tales from play.
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Pippin, Hobbit of Some Intelligence (1R307)
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When you play Pippin, remove a burden or wound from a companion. |
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Pippin, Mr. Took (2C110)
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Fellowship: Play Gandalf or Aragorn; his twilight cost is -2. |
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Pippin, Just a Nuisance (4R313)
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Skirmish: If Pippin is not assigned to a skirmish, discard him to remove an Uruk-hai from a skirmish involving an unbound companion. |
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Pippin, Woolly-footed Rascal (4C314)
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Skirmish: Add a burden to discard Pippin. Any Shadow player may remove  to prevent this.
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Pippin, Hastiest of All (6R114)
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Regroup: Discard Pippin to choose a Shadow player who must wound one of his or her minions. |
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Pippin, Sworn to Service (7C323)
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While you cannot spot 4 threats, Pippin is strength +1 for each threat you can spot. |
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Pippin, Wearer of Black and Silver (7R324)
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Skirmish: If Pippin is not assigned to a skirmish, return him to your hand to wound a roaming minion twice. |
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Pippin, Guard of Minas Tirith (8P122)
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To play, spot a  Man.
Skirmish: Discard 4 cards from hand to wound a minion Pippin is skirmishing twice if that minion bears a fortification. |
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Pippin, Hobbit of Some Intelligence (12R127)
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When you play Pippin, remove a burden or heal a companion. |
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Pippin, The Short One (15C151)
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Each follower is twilight cost –1.
Skirmish: If Pippin is skirmishing a hunter minion, exert the Ring-bearer to make Pippin strength +2. |
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Pippin, In the Bloom of Health (17U109)
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Add 1 to the number of Ents you can spot.
Maneuver: Discard 2 pipeweed cards from play to remove a burden. |
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Pippin, Steadfast Friend (19P30)
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Fellowship.
Pippin is strength +1 for each tale you can spot. |
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Pippin, Of Tuckborough (V1_53)
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Skirmish: Exert Pippin to prevent a skirmishing companion from being overwhelmed unless their strength is tripled (and make them strength +1 if you can spot 3 companions with the Frodo signet).
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Example Decks[edit]
