The key event in a Sauron mill strategy, Desperate Measures can discard five cards for the removal of a single burden in the maneuver phase. Very few strategies function without a draw deck or the ability to replenish cards when reconciling, making the discarding strategy a borderline negative playing experience. Desperate Defense of the Ring, another powerful milling card, can add the burdens necessary to play Desperate Measures. The Irresistible Shadow is one of very few “win condition” cards, automatically granting the Shadow player the win if the opponent has five burdens and no draw deck.

With the addition of Frodo, Courteous Halfling in the Two Towers base set, the mill strategy took a nearly unrecoverable hit. Additionally, access to stronger companions and abilities left the Shadow discard strategy one of the least played archetypes beyond Fellowship block. With the expensive roaming penalties of the [relatively] weak minions, very little could stop a Free Peoples' player from simply outrunning his or her opponent.

• Anyone with a draw deck
• Pairs well with free peoples discard strategies, such as The White Arrows of Lorien or Nobody Tosses a DWarf

• Frodo, Courteous Halfling
• Preparations and Rest By Blind Night can recycle discarded cards
• Extremely large decks, or decks that play from discard such as Swarm or Constantly Threatening

Fellowship Block “Cruel Discard” by Kralik

Ring and Bearer:
Frodo, Reluctant Adventurer
The One Ring, Isildur's Bane

Adventure Deck:
1 The Prancing Pony*
2 Trollshaw Forest*
3 Rivendell Waterfall
4 Eregion Hills
5 The Bridge of Khazad-dum*
6 Valley of the Silverlode*
7 The Great River
8 Gates of Argonath
9 Tol Brandir

Free Peoples (35 cards):
1x Arwen, Daughter Of Elrond (starting)
1x Legolas, Son of Thranduil (starting)
1x Aragorn, King in Exile
3x Haldir, Elf Of The Golden Wood

3x Elrond, Herald to Gil-galad

1x Gwemegil
1x Long-knives of Legolas
1x Ranger's Sword
2x Aragorn's Bow
1x Bow of the Galadhrim
3x Elven Bow**

2x Gift of Boats
2x Songs of the Blessed Realm
1x The Choice of Luthien
1x The Last Alliance of Elves and Men
3x The White Arrows of Lorien

2x Hobbit Stealth
2x Might of Numenor
2x Secret Sentinels
2x The Council of Elrond

Shadow (35 cards):
3x Morgul Hunter
4x Orc Ambusher
4x Orc Inquisitor
4x Orc Warrior
2x Tower Assassin

3x Desperate Defense of the Ring
3x His Cruelty and Malice
2x Thin and Stretched
3x Tower of Barad-dur

3x Desperate Measures
2x Enduring Evil
2x Shadow's Reach

• This card's game text contains an error; it should say “discard the top 5 cards” instead of “discard top 5 cards”.