[Deck Elf-lord Elrond] Celebrimbor's Vault Chambers

Moderators: Thorsten the Traveller, Vastor Peredhil

Post Reply
Fangorn
Ex Council Member
Posts: 362
Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2009 10:57 pm
Location: Nantes, France

Elrond is quite disturbed about recent and near events which are usually very rare.
All patrols are reporting Hurling Rocks thrown by Giants and Arda Angered with Pukel-men, Rock Falls and Lava Flows.
Additionally he doesn't want to use Vilya for the moment because he feels weird vibrations with it.
He's convinced the link between all these events is the One Ring itself !
Which shouldn't be very far from his peaceful domain.
He remembered the foundation of Imladris, some millenia ago, while fleeing the sack of the Gwaith-i-Mirdain.
Wait ... should The One Ring be in the forging complex of Celebrimbor ?


The whole deck is only based on the coolest site card : Osteledan.

OSTELEDAN - Ruins & Lairs [ [-me_rl-] ] (Dungeon)
[opponent draws/you draw : 4/2]
Adjacent Site : Ost-in-Edhil (6)
Playable : Information, Items (minor, major, gold ring)
Automatic-attacks (2) : (1st) Traps - 2 strikes with 11 prowess ;
(2nd) Opponent may play as an automatic-attack one Nameless Thing, Watcher in the Water or an Elf creature from his hand ;
keep the creature with the site (as a 2nd automatic-attack) until it is defeated or the site leaves active play.
Special : Hidden site. Discard a Stolen Knowledge from the company to reveal this site.
When a gold ring is tested in a company at this site, the result of the roll is modified by +3.
Contains a hoard.



[DC] stands for a DreamCard.

Character Pool

Starting Company
Glorfindel + [DC MEFB] Trusted Councellor
[DC MEFB] Bladorthin + Healing Herbs
[DC MEFB] Wood-Elf + [DC MEFB] Bow of Yew
+ Whispers of Ring
+ [DC MEFB] Sworn to the Lord

In deck
Gildor Inglorion
[DC MEFB] Celebrian
[DC MEFB] Ascarnil

Not in deck
[DC MEFB] Elven Handmaid
[DC MEFB] Elven Handmaid
[DC MEFB] Erestor
Thranduil


Avatar and Characters

[DC MEFB] Elrond Half-elven
[DC MEFB] Elrond Half-elven
[DC MEFB] Elrond Half-elven
Elladan
Elrohir
[DC MEFB] Aegnor


Resources

Precious Gold Ring
Precious Gold Ring
Precious Gold Ring
Fair Gold Ring
Fair Gold Ring
Scroll of Isildur

[DC MEFB] Elves of the House

A Short Rest
Hidden Haven
Hidden Haven
[DC MEFB] Ancient Knowledge
[DC MEFB] Ancient Knowledge
[DC MEFB] Ancient Knowledge
[DC MEFB] Ancient Skill or Wisdom
[DC MEFB] Looking from Mind to Mind

[DC MEFB] Well Aimed
[DC MEDF] Desperate Strike
[DC MEDF] Desperate Strike
Crept Along Cleverly
Crept Along Cleverly
A Chance Meeting
A Chance Meeting

Marvels Told
Marvels Told
Smoke Rings
Smoke Rings
Smoke Rings
Longbottom Leaf
Longbottom Leaf
Longbottom Leaf


Hazards

Pukel-men
Pukel-men
Pukel-men
Silent Watcher

Giant
Giant
Giant
Thunder's Companion
Thunder's Companion
Thunder's Companion

Assassin
Assassin

[DC MEDF] Arda Angered
[DC MEDF] Arda Angered
[DC MEDF] Arda Angered
[DC MEDF] Hurling Rocks
[DC MEDF] Hurling Rocks
[DC MEDF] Hurling Rocks
The Black Enemy's Wrath
The Black Enemy's Wrath
Rank upon Rank
Rank upon Rank
Doors of Night
Doors of Night

An Unexpected Outpost
An Unexpected Outpost
[DC MEDF] Out of Practise
[DC MEDF] Out of Practise
Bane of the Ithil-stone
Bane of the Ithil-stone


Sideboard

vs. all
Trifling Ring
Trifling Ring
The One Ring
[DC MEDF] Mithrandir
Wizard's Test
Wizard's Test
Wizard's Test
[DC MEFB] Order of Jewel and Rings-smiths
[DC MEFB] Gwaith-i-Mirdan
[DC MEFB] Against All Counsel
I'll Be at Your Heels
Fellowship
Old Friendship
Old Friendship
Pledge of Conduct
Bridge
Secret Ways
Guarded Haven
[DC MEFB] Elenya
The Warg-king
Reforging
Vanishment
Wizard's Laughter
Wizard's Uncloaked
Wizard's River Horses
Thief
The Roving Eye
Lure of Power
News of Doom
Twilight

vs. Fallen
[DC MEFB] Chocked with Vanity
Diminish and Depart
Something Else at Work
The Will of the Ring
Blind to the West
[DC MEDF] Tarin
[DC MEDF] Call of the Deeps
[DC MEDF] Fear of Kin
Neither so Ancient nor so Potent
Earth-tremors


Sites

[DC MEFB] Rivendell => [DC MEFB] Elves of the House
[DC MEFB] Amon Lind, Isles of the Dead that Lives => Precious Gold Ring, Fair Gold Ring
Ost-in-edhil => Precious Gold Ring, Fair Gold Ring, The Warg-king
[DC MEFB] Telpemar, [DC MEFB] Osteledan => Precious Gold Ring, Fair Gold Ring, Reforging, [DC MEFB] Elenya
[DC MEFB] Mount Rerir => Scroll of Isildur



Play tips

Glorfindel is naturally Elrond's Trusted Councellor, moreover 8-minded.
Bladorthin is a strong ranger, moreover 8-minded too.
Wood-elf is a must-have ranger in the great wildernesses of Eriador, where Awakened Plants may roam.
Starting company costs 13 GI.

A true Wood-elf always travels with a Bow of Yew to strike creatures.
If it isn't enough, an Healing Herbs heals a bad wound.
Whispers of Rings is intended to link the Trifling Rings.
Characters are Sworn to the Lord Elrond, as a defense against Call of Home.

In addition to the starting company, Elrond Half-elven relies on his family (Celebrian and their twin sons Elladan and Elrohir).
He relies too on strong characters of his kin, such as Gildor, the 8-minded councellor Erestor, and the ring-master Aegnor.
All of them are skilled in Ancient Knowledge, Skill and Wisdom, and able Looking from Mind to Mind.
They can Told Marvels to avoid the nasty Diminish and Depart.

During journey starting company will need reinforcement thanks to A Chance Meeting.
Combat card like Well Aimed, Crept Along Cleverly, Desperate Strike help facing attacks.
Note that the latter was chosen in deck due to artwork with the One Ring.

Mission of the deck is a step by step journey.
It's the reason why all Smoke Rings and Longbottom Leaf are within it, to sideboard cards for the following step.


Hazard is an heavy Pukel-creature and Giant theme, Arda Angered being the key card.

Pukel-creatures cover shadow-holds and dark-holds, boosted by Arda Angered (over-boosted with Doors of Night).
Arda Angered additionnally boosts The Black Enemy's Wrath to make shadow-holds and dark-holds very unsafe.
Send dwarves under-deeps with Call of the Deeps and launch Earth-tremors afterwards !

Arda Angered is again useful to increase range of giants Hurling Rocks (just as Doors of Night).
It's thus a nasty surprise for company moving through regions alongside Misty Mountains :
- Angmar and Gundabad (next to Misty Mountain Northern Spur)
- Anduin Vales (next to High Pass)
- Wold and Foothills (next to Redhorn Gate)
- Fangorn and Gap of Isen (next to Misty Mountain Southern Spur)
But be careful when playing Hurling Rocks because it backfires in Rhudaur and Hollin, where most turns will spent.
Giants cover wilderness, boosted by Rank upon Rank (with requirement of Doors of Night, which may be protected by Twilight).

Assassins benefit from Rank upon Rank to cover free-holds and border-holds.
Ranked Thief is devastating too.

Aside from the main hazard theme, Out of Practise was chosen due to artwork, Elrond being the Avatar.
Searching into discard pile is not needed for Elrond, whereas Lords, just as Fallen-wizards, are usually master of recycling.
Thus Bane of the Ithil-stone has no effect on resource part.
White opponent slows down, and his strategy may entirely fizzle ... imagine for example :
- Galadriel wanting to Rules upon Arda, prevented to use Lady of Many Gifts
- Balin, Son of Fundin, unable to Return to Old Dwellings
- Thorin, Son of Thror, not remembering Last of the Seven

If opponent relies alot on factions, sideboard Lure of Power and News of Doom.

Generally speaking, hazards are easy to play, very important for card flow.


Mission

Mission of the deck is a step by step journey :
1) seeking for rings in Ruins of Eriador, and making Ost-in-edhil a basecamp
2) finding The One Ring in Osteledan
3) keeping The One Ring forever


1st step

Gather the Precious Gold Rings (and Fair ones doomed to be Rolled Down to the Sea).
Dig up Isles of the Dead that Lives, Amon Lind, Telpemar and lastly Ost-in-edhil.
Have A Short Rest between sites.

If drawn early, you may search for the Scroll of Isildur in Mount Rerir.
In this case beware of backfire of The Black Enemy's Wrath or Arda Angered (Pukel-men being a popular creature).
Mission is very long, so don't waste time searching fot the Scroll if not drawn early ... Paths may be Shifting !

Reconstruct Ost-in-edhil as a Hidden Haven (be sure to play a Ring here before).
Guarded Haven will protect against agents and opponent lured to influence.
In Ost-en-edhil Ancient Knowledge is acquired by Bladorthin and Ancient Skill or Wisdom by Glorfindel.

As a backup, Celebrian may learn Ancient Knowledge in Rivendell and travel there as reinforcement ... hoping not be killed by Orcs.
Ideally Elrond Half-elven should escort his wife.


2nd step

Discover the old way to Ostedelan, found thanks to Ancient Knowledge acquired by Bladorthin (or Celebrian).
In Ostedelan you may consider playing a last Gold Ring, if you feels strong enough to face automatic-attacks.
It would be extra-cool if the Gold Ring tested as The One Ring is played there !

Rings should be tested in Ostedelan with Wizard's Test by 3 spellcasters :
- Elrond Half-elven himself, if he joined
- Glorfindel with Ancient Skill or Wisdom
- Mithrandir
The last back-up to test ring is Aegnor ability, usable in Ostedelan because of Information playable.

Note the spellcasters may use other spells if needed :
- Vanishment against attacks
- Wizard's Laughter against opponent influence attempt
- Wizard's Uncloaked against corruption theme
- Wizard's River Horses against Khamul Machine

The One Ring is found with a dice roll of 8+ :
- Precious Gold Ring 10+
- Ostedelan +3 => 7+
- Lord just as Fallen-Wizard +1 => 8+
With an early draw of Scroll of Isildur +2, The One Ring is found with a dice roll of 6+ !

The One Ring should thus be found in Celebrimbor's Vault Chambers.
The tested Gold Ring should have been worn by Elrond if present, to save a nasty cc to transfer (otherwise use Pledge of Conduct).
Failed ring test attempt bring a Trifling Ring used to save GI Gwaith-i-Mirdan (Elves have innate ability to use minion rings).


3rd step

Go upstairs across the maze (6+ needed), if possible with Secret Ways to ensure auto-move.
Travel to Rivendell, if possible in one turn thanks to the new Bridge in Ost-in-edhil.

Gather all characters in Rivendell.
Most important are 8-minded characters, which should be 4 : Elrond himself, Glorfindel, Bladorthin and the wise Erestor.
You might consider discarding a character to save GI before playing Erestor.

Most important too are cards giving each +1 cc permanent :
- I'll Be at Your Heels
- Elven Handmaid
- Looking from Mind to Mind to double the effect of the Handmaid
- Fellowship
Don't forget Old Friendship which is useful against the Roving Eye.

With such preparation, cc should finally not be a great issue.
The main problem is the 7+ roll dice needed to win.
Elrond Half-Elven may keep The One Ring forever Against All Counsel !


Other stuff

This mission is very hard, because very long, and relies alot on roll-dice luck :
- testing The One Ring 8+
- way up from Osteledan 6+
- Against all Counsel 7+

Thus mission woun't very often be fulfilled to win the game.
Try at least to find The One Ring !
Play Order of Jewel and Rings-smiths for a whopping 6 MPs, otherwise The One Ring would be worth a mere Gold Ring.
Order of Jewel and Rings-smiths recycles Gwaith-i-Mirdan, which is the alternate way to find The One Ring with +1 roll dice.

Additionally, play Reforging and Elenya for thematic play.
Find The Warg-king to prevent opponent doubling MP (Elves have innate ability to play wolf allies).

Finally, if The Necromancer set is allowed, add the marvelous Rings of Power card.
It's a great counter of Rolled Down to the Sea aside from taking back to hand a Gold Ring (even if Bane of Ithil-stone is in play).



MP overview (expected / max)


Characters : 11 / 18
Items : 8 / 18
Factions : 1 / 1
Allies : 0 / 1
Miscellanous : 1 / 3
Kill : 1 / 2
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Total : 22 / 43
Hrum, Hoom ! Do not be hasty, that is my motto.
Post Reply

Return to “Elf-lords”