Deck Set for beginners (no rares) & Demo Decks

Post your decks, discuss strategy, ask for tips, etc.
Vil_Gredin
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2020 6:39 pm
Location: Strasbourg, Fr

Hi all,

I'm grateful for these lists and insigths, they will help me to start playing quick. However, I was wondering if there was a guide (pdf or such) to help new (or not-so-new) players to get the principles of MECCG deckbuilding? I already found a map with the various places, allies, objects, etc, but was wondering if something else existed.

Thanks!
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CDavis7M
Posts: 2816
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2018 3:10 am
Location: California

Vil_Gredin wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2020 7:27 am Hi all,

I'm grateful for these lists and insigths, they will help me to start playing quick. However, I was wondering if there was a guide (pdf or such) to help new (or not-so-new) players to get the principles of MECCG deckbuilding? I already found a map with the various places, allies, objects, etc, but was wondering if something else existed.

Thanks!
Hi Vil, there is one guide I have seen over at Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/191 ... arth/files

Here is the guide itself: http://mark.random-article.com/meccg/

I think the advice in the article is pretty good, but also lacks some of the stuff I think about.I'll give a quick overview of what I do and if you want more tips maybe I can write something longer up:
  1. Find Marshalling Point (MP) cards that I want to play in my collection. These will ideally all be playable within 4 regions of each other. It is also possible to have some resources in the deck to pick up "on the way." I would not worry about about the specific number or type. This is all relative based on how many/few MPs each card has and the type. You need to get at least 25 MP total, and ideally 35-40, and maybe more with the sideboard.
  2. Find characters that can play those marshalling point cards (sometimes this comes first, and then I see what MP they can play)
    • This means looking at the automatic-attacks of the sites, and the regions, and expected creatures that I would face. I need characters having prowess to at least tackle the automatic attacks even if I cannot cancel. Ideally one or two would have a good chance (roll a 4) to face the auto untapped (at -3), or maybe you have lots of characters and the autos have few strikes. Somehow you need to have someone untapped to play a resource.
    • See how difficult the factions in the deck are to play. Ideally I would succeed with a dice roll of 4 or less, maybe a 5.
    • Have backup characters, either in the starting party or in the deck.
  3. Then look for characters to complement your "main" characters. Ideally you want some characters in the starting company to be able to control others. Maybe freeing up 3-5 GI. And you want to make sure you have certain skills. At least 1 Ranger for hazards, but 2 is nice. A Scout is useful for Concealment cancellation. Sages can play Marvels Told. This is also covered in the article. But be sure to pay attention to mind and influence. Make sure the numbers work out well so that you can bring in additional characters, maybe move them around. And potentially split companies.
  4. Then find "utility" cards that you need, or see if you can find something for those characters to do each turn.
    • The Ranger can tap for River
    • The Scout can tap for Concealment
    • The Sage can tap for Marvels Told
    • Someone can tap for the automatic attack
    • Someone can tap to play a minor item or get an ally
    • etc.
  5. Consider the 8 cards in your hand and the 1-3 cards you will draw. You need enough MP cards to keep busy and enough Utility cards to let you play the MP. Consider how dangerous the sites are. Consider the hazards. Add utility to counter those hazards.
  6. For hazards, ensure that you are not hurting your own resource strategy. But also ensure that you cover the sites that your companies go to (protect against influence attempts or Company VS Company Combat).
  7. If you like a certain type of creature, be sure to include other creatures or events to cover regions/sites that your creatures don't hit. At least in the Sideboard.
  8. Include some way to access the sideboard in your deck (Smoke Rings, Wizard, Nazgul, Unexpected Outpost, etc) and use the sideboard to hold resources having many prerequisites, or hazards that cover your gaps.

And it may help if you could tell us some more about you and your play group, because this will affect what you can do and how you go about splitting up cards and such.
  • Are you looking to play online with all cards available? Or are you looking to proxy cards?
  • If not, what cards do you have in your collection?
  • Are you looking to be competitive or do you prefer thematic roleplaying?
  • What about your opponents -- are they also beginners? Will you be building decks for them?
Vil_Gredin
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2020 6:39 pm
Location: Strasbourg, Fr

This for sure is a really helpful and detailed answer, many thanks!

I'll make sure to use the guide you linked, along with your comments. To perfectly get all the points you're making, I just need to finish reading the rules, but I get most of it; and your guidelines for deckbuilding also helped me getting some points/goals of the game. I have a question concerning the mandatory aspect of building a sideboard: coming from more classic CCGs, I mostly used sideboards while (rarely) playing in tournaments; is it a thing in MECCG?

To give you more infos on my playgroup:
• we will be a group of... two. We both are beginners in MECCG. I intend to decbuild myself, and am also planning to play alone sometimes.
• we want to play on a more casual ground, with a more thematic / roleplay approach (it's the narrative / coherent aspect of the game that interested me at first)
• I should recieve my first cards tomorrow ; I'm more into board play. I got ten starters and a Dragons booster box, but do not have the exact list of cards right now. I might grab some commons and uncommons as well if I need to expand this basis to build playable decks.

Many thanks again!
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CDavis7M
Posts: 2816
Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2018 3:10 am
Location: California

Vil_Gredin wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2020 8:41 am To perfectly get all the points you're making, I just need to finish reading the rules, but I get most of it; and your guidelines for deckbuilding also helped me getting some points/goals of the game.
If you are learning to play, there is an official set of "Abbreviated Starter Rules" that was included with 2 pre-constructed decks. These rules are very short but cover 90% of the rules. viewtopic.php?f=16&t=4029&p=33702

There is also an unofficial rewrite of the rules, but it was written by the official Assistant MECCG Series Editor: http://www.meccg.net/netherlands/meccg/ ... chabod.pdf
Vil_Gredin wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2020 8:41 am I have a question concerning the mandatory aspect of building a sideboard: coming from more classic CCGs, I mostly used sideboards while (rarely) playing in tournaments; is it a thing in MECCG?
In some games, the sideboard is used between matches. But MECCG, the sideboard is accessible DURING the game. MECCG games are longer and sort of have "matches" built into the game structure: the "2-deck" game ends when the play decks have "exhausted" (run out of cards) twice (very unlikely) OR when someone has exhausted once and has 25 Marshalling points (almost always the case). When the deck runs out, you reshuffle and continue playing. The sideboard in MECCG is not essential, especially when you have a simple deck without prerequisites. But the sideboard can be useful in making your deck flow better. Cards that you won't need until later can be left in the sideboard and then be brought to the deck just before you need them. Also, you can keep hazards in the sideboard and bring them into your deck based on what your opponent is doing. The sideboard can be extremely useful when your deck is about to be exhausted. When you only have 5-10 cards left, it is very likely that you will draw the card that you need. And you can keep sideboarding or recycling from the discard pile to get exactly the hazards, or resources, that you need.

But if your group decides not to use the sideboard, you can build simpler decks and just not worry about it. Definitely get several games in before you worry about the sideboard.
Vil_Gredin wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2020 8:41 am To give you more infos on my playgroup:
• we will be a group of... two. We both are beginners in MECCG. I intend to decbuild myself, and am also planning to play alone sometimes.
• we want to play on a more casual ground, with a more thematic / roleplay approach (it's the narrative / coherent aspect of the game that interested me at first)
• I should recieve my first cards tomorrow ; I'm more into board play. I got ten starters and a Dragons booster box, but do not have the exact list of cards right now. I might grab some commons and uncommons as well if I need to expand this basis to build playable decks.
Sounds great! There is a lot of fun to be had with just Wizards and The Dragons. For many, MECCG is a complete experience with just those sets. With a box of starters you should have most common cards, but be aware that there are "booster only" commons. Don't worry though, METW Starter Decks and MUCH more useful than boosters due to the amazing Fixed Packs. If you post here on CoE under your nation's community you may be able to find someone to get you these "booster only" commons.

When opening your cards, I would keep the "Fixed" packs from the starter decks separate at first. These packs include some of the best and most important cards in the game. These are the set of characters and factions you will likely want to use for deck building. Of course, these decks posted in the original post are a great place to start, but the fixed packs are also a good place to start.

Since you and your friend are not competitive and more into the Middle-earth narrative, I would not worry much about deck building at all. You can get pretty far just by including fun cards that you want to play. And then, going back to my post above, just make sure that the numbers on all of the cards in your deck make sense together. Make sure you have characters to face a creature attack each turn, someone to play the faction, someone to use a utility card, etc. It won't be fun if you have a deck full of hobbits and no attack cancellation utility cards. One wolf will eat them all.

For hazards, I would not worry too much about giving away "kill points" at first. It can be fun to play with lots of Orcs and Wolves just to get a lot of dice rolls going.

Have fun!
Vil_Gredin
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2020 6:39 pm
Location: Strasbourg, Fr

CDavis7M wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2020 6:15 pm If you are learning to play, there is an official set of "Abbreviated Starter Rules" that was included with 2 pre-constructed decks. These rules are very short but cover 90% of the rules. viewtopic.php?f=16&t=4029&p=33702
There is also an unofficial rewrite of the rules, but it was written by the official Assistant MECCG Series Editor: http://www.meccg.net/netherlands/meccg/ ... chabod.pdf
Thanks! I'll take a look at the short version of the rules. I also get the Wizard's companion as I like to read on paper, so I'll read it after the short version.

I just recieved my cards today, so am super happy and will try to build soon. I get some cards that work well together, and might try to build a Return of the King, Dwarf King, and One Ring decks, at a point. For now, I have a vast choice and some synergies (dunadan and elves, etc), so I'll try to hava a look and see what works well together.
CDavis7M wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2020 6:15 pm In some games, the sideboard is used between matches. ... And you can keep sideboarding or recycling from the discard pile to get exactly the hazards, or resources, that you need.
But if your group decides not to use the sideboard, you can build simpler decks and just not worry about it. Definitely get several games in before you worry about the sideboard.
This also was very helpful, thanks. I saw the exhaustion condition, but wasn't aware of the likeliness of a second exhaustion occuring. Also, I'll follow your advice and start playing without the sideboard first. However, I assume that, for rare, victory-condition cards (such as the One Ring, Return of the King,...) it is better to find some kind of sideboard mechanic helping you to get the card you need at the time you need ? (ok, this is fascinating and the opening of my boosters does not help).
CDavis7M wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2020 6:15 pm If you post here on CoE under your nation's community you may be able to find someone to get you these "booster only" commons.
Ok, I did not knew that. I got the point with the fixed sets (I got almost two of each, exceptions being fixed set one 3 times and fixed set 2 only one...) and now I'll have to look for missing uncos/rares/booster commons. But as I told you, I have the feeling that I already got some cards working pretty well together, I just have to get the point about hazards not causing troubles to your own strategy (I assume that it is related to some events affecting regions/sites mostly, and/or doors of night).
CDavis7M wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2020 6:15 pm Since you and your friend are not competitive and more into the Middle-earth narrative, I would not worry much about deck building at all.
To be honest, we are not competitive but like good and complex mechanisms, so after fun decks, I'll try to build some not-competitive-but-not-too-casual decks to find the trickiest plays we can access with our pool of cards. Still, your advice is really precious and will help a lot with my first fun decks! And I promise you I'll do whatever I can to keep these Hobbits safe.

Thanks again!
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