Mounted Elves (Free Peoples Only)

[CCCORNIV]

I've played this deck a couple of times and it has worked quite well.  Any suggestions to make it better are appreciated. 

Mounted Elves (34 Cards)

    4R301 Frodo, Courteous Hafling
    4C2 The One Ring

    4C265 Elite Rider (Starting)
    5P121 Legolas, Archer of Mirkwood (Starting)

    4C265 Elite Rider
    4C71 Haldir, Emissary of the Galadhrim
4x 4C78 Lorien Swordsman
    5R116 Sting, Baggins Heirloom
    4C287 Rider's Mount
    4U263 Brego
4x 4C283 Horse of Rohan
4x 4U62 Elven Bow
2x 4C288 Rider's Spear
    5C88 Rohirrim Bow
4x 4U66 Feathered
2x 4R61 Company of Archers
2x 5R11 Break the Charge
2x 4U60 Blades Drawn
    4U82 Strength of Arms
    6C12 Agility

[ket_the_jet]

This is a pretty cool idea. I might consider adding a copy of Sam just in case burdens get out of hand...you know, you could kill Frodo and let Sam take the Ring. Stuff like that helps in a pinch.

I don't know why you would have a second Elite Rider rather than Eomer, Third Marshal of Riddermark. Was this intentional?

It wouldn't hurt to have a bit of healing, although I don't know what you could use. Maybe using That Is No Orc Horn rather than the Rider's Spears (after all, the Rohan guys don't need to get particularly big).

My last thought is why not start Haldir, Emissary of the Galadhrim?
-wtk

[CCCORNIV]

  I started Legolas to have initial archery, in case it takes a while for the other elves and bows to come out, at least that would give the elite rider a bump.  I should put Eomer, TMOR in the deck, he fits the theme perfectly.  Initially I only had the one elite rider so I could spot him to play the mounts, but Ulmo managed to kill him off before I could set everything up one time, so I threw in the second elite rider without putting to much though into it.   When things get setup the fellowship can be very powerful, especially to the 3+ vitality minions. Mounted Lorien Elf + Bow + Feathered + Blades Draw = 2 wounds/-6 strength for each. I almost need to get rid of the rider's spear for another Blades Drawn.

[ket_the_jet]

Blades Drawn is a way better pump than any weapon you could have in the deck. And consider Eomer to be carrying a sword with the little bonus.

What do you pair it with? Hopefully something that cycles...

The more I think about it, as great as Elite Rider fits into the deck, I think that you should start Eowyn, Lady of Rohan. I'd dump the other Elite Rider for Eomer and dump the Rider's Mount* for a copy of Simbelmyne. Simbelmyne can grab Eomer in a pinch (needs Eowyn's valiant without another companion) and Eowyn can prevent wounds since there is not much healing.

I would dump the two Rider's Spears for another Blades Drawn and a copy of That Is No Orc Horn or a healing ally.
-wtk

[hrcho]

I love it, but it will crash on dunland like water upon rocks. Site control dunland is not very successful in tower without Freca, but those Skirmish played dunland are. 1 Hillman Mob, 1 Hides and War Club or Saruman is enough. Especially if paired with events like War Cry of Dunland or Men played during skirmish like Dunlending Footmen. All those archers could help up to site 5 maybe. But then again, your opponent needs only 1 minion and Hides. Enough twilight left to protect him. Unless you can get some heavy possession discarding in your deck, I suggest Rohirrim Helm.

[CCCORNIV]

Yeah Dunland will own this deck.  Right now I have this deck paired with an Uruk archery deck.

[Cw0rk]

I used to have a deck like that on LOTRO but it was a 'no-rare deck', a bit like what you call Poorman here. I like the fact that it uses so little rare cards. Rider of Rohan was a fun companion to use. However, you do need some cards to help you vs Dunland as most people pointed out.

One or two rohirrim helm and one or two that his no orc horn sounds like a good idea.

[chompers]

Uruk trackers will also cause some grief if they are stocking the hand weapon that discards your mounts ....

[ket_the_jet]

Who really uses Uruk Spear? It is completely useless when compared to Broad-Bladed Sword.
-wtk

[hrcho]

Who really uses Uruk Spear? It is completely useless when compared to Broad-Bladed Sword.
-wtk

That goes for movie, but not for TT. Not many wounding before skirmish happens in TT and a lot of people go with rohan. I run 4 Uruk Spear with my trackers and Eomer, TM is not that powerful without Firefoot.

[ket_the_jet]

I still exclusively use Broad-Bladed Sword over Uruk Spear. The only pony of note is Firefoot and any player worth their weight would not put a minion with an available exertion on Eomer bearing Firefoot.

Seeing as most trackers are only two vitality and Firefoot provides one, you really only have to worry about Uruk Hunters or Ugluk or Uruk Follower anyways.
-wtk

[hrcho]

You have to see things for the long run. I run 2 copies of Uruk Pursuer for both his text (preventing hobbit discard seeing as Uruk Hunter and Uruk Follower tend to be too expensive early on) and his high vitality. I play him, Uruk Spear on him and discard 2 mounts for later game purposes and then he can die (I actually made a good kill with him on an unsuspecting opponent, although I had 2 events in hand).

Also, it helps a lot when your rohan opponent runs Thundering Host, Weland, Leod or Rider of Rohan. Uruk Spear is devastating for TT Rohan decks. I found it much more useful than Broad-Bladed Sword, even though in movie, I wouldn't even consider Uruk Spear, let alone Uruk-hai Sword if I can take Broad-Bladed Sword.

[Cw0rk]

I agree with hrcho that Uruk Spear is much better in TT Block than Broad-Bladed Sword. Altough playing 4 Uruk Spear sounds like a bit crazy. Anyway, CCORNIV shouldn't worry about Uruk Spear, ket is right when he says that it is not much played, although it is still a nice splash card in any Uruk deck.

[ket_the_jet]

Considering the possibility of five archery per turn, plus the pony exertions, I don't think that Uruk Spear does that much damage against this deck as opposed to a straight deck.

It does bring up the point that an Rohirrim Bow or two might help.
-wtk

[stimpy]

I like this deck, I actually made a deck like this in a Towers Standard format back in the day that I really liked at the time.... One thing I found was that using only Feathered and Blades Drawn exclusively really puts all your eggs in the 'minions being wounded' basket. As mentioned above, Dunland (and Moria in TS) really aren't stopped much by this approach. Not to mention the cases where your opponent may have some archery fodder minions that die and then leave a big one that would only get one exertion from the mount, and the Lorien Swordsmen can die quickly. I found it best to throw in some other Elven skirmish events in case the minions aren't wounded, though I don't recall exactly what else was out there in Towers.

I also found that the deck could clog up the hand a bit, elven swords can help a lot with that as well as pairing with a shadow that flows.

Another thing mentioned above was that starting Eowyn, Lady of Rohan would be a good call - she can prevent kills to other companions and she's valiant, which means Simbelmyne can pull your Eomer or horses easily. And that reminds me - I also found personally that Eomer, TMoR is the one that benefits the most from those elven archers. He may not get the benefit of Feathered, but he is still much stronger than a Lorien Swordsman. A skirmish event you could consider if using more Rohan companions is An Honorable Charge. Versatile if your fellowship is mixed with elves and Rohan.

[ket_the_jet]

Also, Chris, don't forget that you can use the site one that grabs Legolas if you wanted...maybe makes starting Haldir and Eowyn a little more appealing...
-wtk

[CCCORNIV]

  Thanks for all the advice guys. I may change out a few cards, but I want to keep a tight focus on what this deck does well.   I also may match this with a stronger shadow side so depending on what I'm going against I can either roll with my fellowship or slow play and let my minion side do the work.

[ket_the_jet]

That's fair enough. My biggest recommendation would be to play with a cycling shadow because this has the potential to clog up with so many possessions and conditions that need to be saved until later in the game (Blades Drawn).
-wtk

[drj0000]

question, sorry if this was answered already, but

lorien swordsmen and blades drawn does not stack does it??!!?? it doesn't make them strength -4 for each wound does it!?!?!!? thats good stuff. i used to try a deck like this but was told it didn't stack because it is broken so i stopped playing it.

[macheteman]

it stacks. they are separates abilities. the Lorien swordsman makes the minion he is skirmishing -2 for each wound, then the feathered makes that minion an EXTRA -2 for each wound, then the blades drawn adds another -2 for each. so like they said -6 for each wound. 2 wounds=-12 strength.

[drj0000]

broken, I'm doing it. i guess if its two towers block no greenleaf or aragorns bow though...

[macheteman]

drop it in TS, you're gold.

[drj0000]

k so another noob question: what is difference between TS and two tower block... what's it called when you can play two tower cards and fellowship cards but there are cards from fellwship that are banned like stink and savagry and whatnot.

[LOTRFreak15]

Towers block is just sets 4-6 and TS is sets 1-6 like you said.