Contents

For our complete run-through, see:

1. The Hobbit Saga
2. Core Set & Shadow of Mirkwood Cycle
3. Khazad-Dûm & Dwarrowdelf Cycle
4. Heirs of Númenor & Against the Shadow Cycle
5. The Voice of Isengard & Ring-Maker Cycle
6. The Lost Realm & Angmar Awakened Cycle
7. The Grey Havens & Dream-chaser Cycle
8. The Sands of Harad & Haradrim Cycle
9. The Wilds of Rhovanion & Ered Mithrin Cycle
10. A Shadow in the East & Vengeance of Mordor Cycle
11. Thematic Campaign ~ From Bag-End to Rivendell
12. Thematic Campaign ~ Fly you Fools!
13. Thematic Campaign ~ A Red Sun Rises
14. Thematic Campaign ~ To Mordor
15. Thematic Campaign ~ The Battle of the Pelennor Fields
16. Thematic Campaign ~ The Hour of Doom Hangs Still
17. Thematic Campaign ~ We Wants It, We Needs It

'Forth, the Three Children of Elrond' deck

See the deck description here.

'The Voice of Isengard' deck

This deck is a Saruman deck and Messenger of the King deck and Ent deck. After all, Saruman was still mostly a friend of Fangorn's inhabitants, and of Rohan, represented here by Gríma and (MotK) Gléowine, two trusted advisors of Théoden king.

This deck has the supporting role and should abuse the fact that the Ring-maker cycle isn't too punishing about threat (plus you start with a 'very low' 25). The other deck won't mind the threat increase as it can reduce his own with a few Elrond's Counsel. I have not included any threat reduction for The Voice of Isengard deck, so you want to win fast. On 17 games (see run-through), the deck threated out once. So it's really not an issue. Other than that, the deck is pretty straightforward:

• It's got early questing power: send your three heroes, ready Saruman with any doomed event, if possible reduced by Saruman's Staff
• The use of Word of Command is greatly facilitated by easy cheap readying of Saruman, with Flame of Anor doing its part. Use the card to fetch for a Song of Battle, Treebeard or Saruman's Staff if you haven't drawn them
• Standard use of Saruman's Staff: reduce Deep Knowledge (when it's safe to draw, considering the amount of card draw hate of the cycle) and Power of Orthanc to Doomed 0 and still ready Saruman. When you happen not using the staff, don't forget you can search your top 5 cards for a Doomed event and add it to your hand (and that's not drawing)
• Wizard Pipe + Flame of Anor has dealt with many a Dunland Chieftain
• Play your Ent using Song of Battle or Treebeard
• Legacy of Númenor was actually seldom played, as we weren't struggling for resources. In retrospective (and also considering I don't proxy cards), Defiant Challenge would be an amazing card in that deck, readying the Ent and Elrohir or Elladan, as well as Saruman. ALl for 0 cost in resource not threat.
• (MotK) Gléowine mostly drew cards for the other deck as there is plenty card draw already
• Gríma cost reduction is always nice to have for a one-turn Treebeard or Quickbeam+Saruman's Staff

Run-through

• The Fords of Isen: 1/2 ~ nothing notable here, the first attempt was of course lost to the card draw hate
• To Catch an Orc: 1/2 ~ first attempt was lost to an early (well it was the first I believe) Search keyword resolving into revealing Mugash and one of his guards
• Into Fangorn: 1/2 ~ bad managemenent of enemies the first time, just to wrap our heads around the Hinder keyword
• The Dunland Trap: 1/2 ~ well, you probably know why we lost the first time...
• The Three Trials: 1/2 ~ a bad shadow effect got us the first time, but we honestly had it. The second time was a breeze.
• The Nin-in-Eilph: 1/4 ~ probably the most annoying quest in the game. The win was a close one: all three Children of Elrond dead, Saruman left alone (and a couple of allies) to quest bearly what was needed, and kill the Ancient Marsh Dweller with a Flame of Anor, at 49 threat.
• Celembrimbor's Secret: 1/1 ~ surprinsingly easy breeze. We were a bit lucky on the first staging step I believe. Elrohir was set up and those Orcs are not too painful, especially if you avoid all of their when revealed effect like we did through Bellach's Scout effect. The treacheries are really not too bad.
• The Antlered Crown: 1/2 ~ this was the first time I ever played that quest so one game of adaptation was necessary, and even that was really close, with Arwen dying to a bad shadow effect, and the other deck finally threating out just before we killed the final boss. The second time was a breeze as we knew what was to prioritize orwhen to turtle/advance.