The Grey Pilgrim 2.0

• Versions
• 2.0
• 1.0

This is an experimental solo deck based around using Gandalf and his wonderful toys. Since your starting threat is 14, Secrecy is a natural fit. However, the deck does not depend on secrecy to keep going, only to give you a boost when starting. The deck is an ally-spam deck at its core.

Your generally want a starting hand that has some sort of action advantage or resource acceleration. Strider makes the best opener. Shadowfax provides more action advantage, but is only good after you've got some resource acceleration. Best first hands include Resourceful, but Gandalf's Staff is an acceptable alternative. Another acceptable resource accelerant is Timely Aid as it will let you cheat your expensive allies into play, which sets you up for later A Very Good Tale's.

This current build avoids using lots of unique characters (you are already claiming Gandalf) so as to minimize conflict in multiplayer. For this reason, Sword-thain and Defender of the West aren't reliable. The unique characters that I've included all serve a purpose. Bilbo Baggins and Galadriel fetch up the attachements that you need. Anborn, Quickbeam, and Treebeard add some needed attack power so you don't get overwhelmed by enemies. It is very important not to engage lots of enemies as you don't have the defenders to handle it. Your low starting threat helps to avoid entanglements.

The rest of the allies were chosen either because they provide a way to play them at reduced (or alternate) cost, or because they are decent neutral allies. Ered Luin Miner combos nicely with A Very Good Tale as it discards them from the top of the deck, triggering their response and bringing them directly into play. This means that you get potentially two allies plus any Ered Luin Miners that were also in the top 5 cards.

As for the remaining card choices, Vanish from Sight lets you continue using Timely Aid, Celduin Traveler, and Ithilien Lookout even after your threat is too high. And I am currently using the treasure version of Glamdring as the normal version is not in the card pool. If you have a problem with using it "illegally," then you can swap in Flame of Anor for it to about the same effect.

One card I haven't used, but that I think might add some flexibility is The Storm Comes side quest, which eliminates the need for a resource match for allies that get stuck in your hand. Like all side quests, though, it is limited in its use as some quests don't give you time to complete it.

I'm still working on the side board. Elrond provides some healing for those quests that need it. Flame of Anor is a great card and was in the main deck, but got moved to the sideboard as it isn't needed in a lot of quests. Word of Command is currently there as it seems to be a card made for this deck, but unfortunately I've never had the action surplus to make any use of it.

I've successfully cleared:

• Passage Through Mirkwood
• The Hunt for Gollum