Starter - Edge of Fangorn

Format: King Standard

Author: Phallen

Ring-bearer:
Ring:

Adventure deck:

Free Peoples Draw Deck:
2x
1x
1x
4x
1x
1x
1x
1x
1x
1x
1x
2x
1x
3x
4x
1x
2x
1x
1x
2x
1x
1x
1x

Shadow Draw Deck:
3x
3x
4x
4x
2x
4x
2x
2x
1x
1x
2x
2x
3x
2x

Notes

Riders of Rohan attack the Uruk-hai Trackers, Merry and Pippin in tow.

Free Peoples: (starting Elite Rider and Eomer. I recommend a low bid, 0-2)
Rohan excels at skirmishing, but offers no direct Ring-bearer support of any kind which can make them weak to swarm and corruption strategies. This is not a "standard" Rohan deck, all the copies of Merry and gear for him means less room for Rohan's skirmishing effects. Still, I do think it still plays to the culture's strengths while covering its weaknesses.

Eomer and Hrethel are usually at 11 strength when skirmishing a minion with one wound while the Elite Riders are 10, then you've got a few pumps to overcome whatever that doesn't. There's not a ton of gear for your Rohirrim though, if one of your Elite Riders doesn't look like he'll make it much farther remember to move possessions to someone else first. I find that Mustering for Battle has been mostly used to replay Firefoot at site 9, so typically I don't worry about exerting for it. Leowyn can offer a ton of healing though, and if you play Brego on the companion you exert then it only costs one wound to use. You've got to spot 3 Rohan characters, which can include Leowyn. Still, you start with 2 of them and there are only 5 total, so if you pull it before you can play it I probably wouldn't recommend keeping it in hand if you've got nothing better to reconcile.

Simbelmyne allows most Rohan decks to be very streamlined. Firefoot is always a great pull, not just for strength on Eomer but for the defender. Leowyn's healing will keep you in the game and cycle to pull the other gear you might want. Merry's Sword rounds out the 3 cards you want to get out ASAP. The exact order of them depends on matchup and playstyle, but by and large there's not going to be anything better to grab until they're all out.

The unique part of the deck is the reliance on Merry, Friend to Sam. In theory he'll take the edge off of Rohan's less favorable matches: Merry's Sword exerts Easterlings and his ability protects Frodo from Moria and perhaps Morgul Orcs. Remember that An Honorable Charge can be played on Merry or Pippin, not just your Rohan companions. If necessary, you can even use it pump Merry before using his text to aid Frodo!

Severed His Bonds and There and Back Again are both essential swarm protection and good for keeping Merry (or even Pippin) alive in a pinch. Escape will give you yet another use for his vitality, a way out of a tricky situation if your opponent had to drain the twilight pool in creating it. If the Swarm player goes for Merry knowing that Frodo will survive as long as he's on the table, you've got some options. And if all else fails, Frodo still has a shot even after Merry is gone.

Shadow:
Weary is the frightening card in this deck. When your opponent assigns your minions, he winds up with a wound same as if he lost the skirmish -- and that's before anything even happens. Your minions are fierce and tend to come back stronger, plus Vengeance is one of the strongest Shadow pumps in the game. If you allow the first skirmish to be lost and play it in the second, you will have put 2 wounds on a companion from Weary and the won skirmish will be a kill for most characters.

Your minions are all pretty tough in their own rights too, so winning skirmishes isn't usually hard. Mauhur will keep your minions alive too, especially helpful for your weaker minions or to ensure that you get the most out of Ugluk's text. What Did You Discover? is a powerful tool for keeping your opponent from getting too far ahead of you, double moves are always dangerous regardless of what you've got in hand.

I haven't fully vetted it against the other Free Peoples yet. On paper, the only decks that might be able to shrug these trackers off are Fangorn's Ents and Minas Tirith's Noble Leaders. Everyone else ought to have a good fight ahead of them. The Hobbit decks in particular are in some trouble, no damage bonuses and no easy way to get rid of Weary, so choke to prevent you from playing the scariest minions is their only real asset. Your cheap minions will get you wounds the same way more costly minions would get you wounds against a stronger deck, and this way you'll be able to cycle your cards better so your Free Peoples draws what they need. Remember Leowyn in these instances! Pull her at first sign of need with Simbelmyne and turn all those basically-unplayable minions into heals for your companions.