[Deck Dwarf-lord Balin] Reconquest of Khazad-dum

[Fangorn]

This deck is designed for the Reconquest of Khazad-dûm scenario.

Deck requirements : none.
Winning requirements :
- Moria is a Free-hold ("Reconquest of Khazad-dum" gives MP).
- "Lord of Dwarrowdelf" and "Folk of Durin" are in play.

[DC] stands for a DreamCard.

Character Pool

Starting Company
[DC MEDF] Thorin + [DC MEFB] Trusted Councellor
[DC MEDF] Dworin + Cram
Gulla + [DC MENE] Fizzling Torch
Nain + [DC MEDF] Pipe
+ [DC MEDF] Son of Fundin + [DC MEDF] Crimson Hood

In deck
[DC MEDF] Nali
[DC MEDF] Frerin

In sideboard
[DC MEDF] Pathfinder
[DC MEDF] Attack-lord
[DC MEDF] Dwarven Miner
[DC MEDF] King's Advisor


Avatar and Characters

[DC MEDF] Balin
[DC MEDF] Balin
[DC MEDF] Balin
Dror
Broin
[DC MEDF] Borin


Resources

Durin's Axe
[DC MEDF] Dwarven Axe
[DC MEDF] Dwarven Axe
[DC MEDF] Khazadshatur
High Helm

Blue Mountain Dwarves
Petty Dwarves

[DC MEDF] A More or Less Decent Giant
[DC MEDF] A More or Less Decent Giant

[DC MEDF] Balin, Dwarf of All Trades
[DC MEDF] Clad for War
[DC MEDF] Oakenshield
[DC MEFB] Sworn to the Lord
[DC MEDF] Clan Bonds
[DC MEDF] Clan Bonds

[DC MEDF] Desperate Strike
[DC MEDF] Old Grudge
[DC MEDF] Old Grudge
[DC MEDF] Old Grudge
[DC MEDF] Origin of Stone
I'll Report You
Many Foes He Fought
The Dwarves are upon You !
The Dwarves are upon You !
The Dwarves are upon You !
We Have Come to Kill

A Friend or Three
Marvels Told
Marvels Told
Marvels Told


Hazards

Abductor
Ambusher
Assassin
Assassin
Lawless Men
Lawless Men
Lawless Men
Pirates
Pirates
Pirates
Sellswords between Charters
Sellswords between Charters
Sellswords between Charters
Thief
Thief

Rank upon Rank
Rank upon Rank
Rank upon Rank
[DC MENE] Ambushed !
[DC MENE] Ambushed !
[DC MENE] Ambushed !
[DC MENE] Ransom
[DC MENE] Ransom
[DC MENE] Ransom
[DC MENE] Fruitless Victory
[DC MENE] Forgot His Orders

Mouth of Sauron
My Precious
An Unexpected Outpost
An Unexpected Outpost


Sideboard

vs. all
[DC MEDF] Return to Old Dwellings
[DC MEDF] Kingdom of Old Restored
[DC MEDF] Halls of Khazad-dum
[DC MEDF] Reconquest of Khazad-dum
[DC MEDF] Lord of Dwarrowdelf
[DC MEDF] Folk of Durin
[DC MEDF] Durin's Crown
Reforging
Book of Mazarbul
Legacy of Smiths
[DC MEDF] Pipe Weed
Smoke Rings
Longbottom Leaf
Longbottom Leaf
Longbottom Leaf
Block
[DC MEDF] Dwarven Cunning
Secret Entrance
[DC MEDF] Desperate Strike
The Old Thrush
Balrog of Moria
[DC MENE] Ring-chained
[DC MENE] Many Burdens (replace by [DC MENE] Lure of Magic against Black/Grey Players)
Call of Home (replace by [DC MENE] Ash-drake against Black/Grey Players)
[DC MENE] Men of the Wood
[DC MEFB] Lord of the Woods
Spider of the Morlat
Lure of the Senses (replace by Heedless Revelry against Black/Grey Players)
The Roving Eye (replace by Lord of the Carrock against Black/Grey Players)
Beorning Toll

vs. Fallen
[DC MEDF] Fear of Kin
[DC MEDF] Tarin
The Way is Shut
[DC MEFB] Choked with Vanity
Diminish and Depart
Drowning Seas
Corsairs of Umbar
Something Else at Work
The Will of the Ring
[DC MENE] Politics


Sites

Blue Mountain Dwarf-hold => Blue Mountain Dwarves
[DC MEDF] Bar-en-ibun, The Worthy Hills => Petty Dwarves
Goblin-gate => [DC MEDF] Khazadshatur, [DC MEDF] A More or Less Decent Giant
Barrow-downs [M] => High Helm
Isles of the Dead that Lives, Ruined Signal Tower, Isengard, Glittering Caves => Durin's Axe, [DC MEDF] Dwarven Axe
Moria => [DC MEDF] Return to Old Dwellings, [DC MEDF] Kingdom of Old Restored, [DC MEDF] Halls of Khazad-dum, [DC MEDF] Reconquest of Khazad-dum, [DC MEDF] Folk of Durin, [DC MEDF] Durin's Crown, Book of Mazarbul
[DC MEDF] Durin's Tower => Reforging



Play tips

Thorin is naturally Balin's most Trusted Councellor, costing 6 GI for 8 DI !
Dworin is very useful to keep Old Grudge in play, his Cram giving an additional chance to keep it.
The ranger Gulla bears a Fizzling Torch useful in the great wildernesses of Eriador and against aa at Ruined Signal Tower and Isengard.
The sage Nain bears the key starting item, the Pipe.

Starting company costs only 9 GI.
But keep in mind Balin has only 17 GI until having Kingdom of Old Restored (+3 GI).
Sworn to the Lord protects key character Thorin to abort mission.
On the other side, Balin has a whopping 10 DI with his Crimson Hood.
Being Son of Fundin, Pathfinder, Attack-lord, Dwarven Miner and King's Advisor (back-up of Nain) go to sideboard to be played latter when needed.

Frerin is the back-up of his brother Thorin for Trusted Councellor, and a very good ranger.
Otherwise few rangers are in deck, because most part of the game is a squat at Moria.
Nali is a very strong warrior.
Dror is great at influencing the Blue Moutain Dwarves.
Broin knows tunnels of Moria to avoid aa there.
Borin has knowledge of Traps, probably numerous at Moria.


Resource part rely on brutal force to drive denizens and minions out of Moria.

Thorin and Balin are both leaders able to use Origin of Stone and I'll Report You.
For numerous batlles, Many Foes He Fought and The Dwarves are upon You ! will help too.

Items are only battle-gear.
Remember Dwarves may naturally use minion items (non-ring) thus the great High Helm.
Items give full MP thanks to Clad for War and Oakenshield.

Ally is the huge A More or Less Decent Giant which deals traps with ease.
If opponent plays Pit-trap, sideboard Dwarven Cunning.

3 Marvels Told are straight in deck, fearing the worst hazard against this mission : Flooded to the surface.
Save the first Marvels Told drawn, otherwise Flooded to the surface only ruined up entirely the mission, replacing laughing 4@7 Orcs by devastating 2@16 Balrog.
Redoubled Force is a nasty one too : if you don't have a Marvels Told, defeat normal aa to remove it.


Hazard is an heavy Man creature theme.
Ambushed ensures choosing defending characters at no HL cost.
Ramson is very cool by taking prisoner.
If possible, attack with the Mouth of Sauron !
An attack without Rank upon Rank may be weak, but nethertheless a possible Fruitless Victory.
Man creature are easily keyable, allowing a good card flow necessary to counterbalance the squat at Moria.

If opponent's area is around Anduin Vales, think about sideboard with Men of the Wood, Lord of the Carrock and Beorning Toll.

My Precious must be played face-up in Mordor. Otherwise he'll be very nasty at opponent's Moria !



Mission

Quick preparations

Gather axes and helms in Eriador.
Don't forget to use minion version of Barrow-downs to play High Helm (thus drawing a second card).

Let Thorin as diplomat ask A More or Less Decent Giant to join the company.
He'll be very useful in Moria : imagine him fighting against the Cave-troll !

When waiting for Balin, Dwarves may also recruit factions, ideally Frerin or Dror for Blue Mountain Dwarves.
Early reinforcements may be played with Clan Bonds at Blue Moutain Dwarf-hold.

Abort preparations as soon as Balin enters play, because mission is long and difficult.
Wasting a turn searching for an axe isn't worth it.


Lord Balin

When Balin enters play, sideboard immediately to discard :
- Return to Old Dwellings
- Lord of Dwarrowdelf
- Block
- Smoke Rings
- Longbottom Leaf

Balin mustn't leave his home site alone.
Unless you're lucky drawing him the first turn, another character should thus wait for him (for example Nain with the Pipe).

Always use Dwarf of All Trades during organization phase to look at some opponent's cards.
Just imagine huge benefit if drawn early and for example a True Cold-drake or a Cave Worm goes away before Balin's first move !
Afterwards it'll be helpful squatting at Moria (Cave-Worm, Cave-drake, Sellswords, Assassin).

Give Balin the Pipe he's mastering with his Crimsom Hood.

Join or travel with Thorin's company at a site in Eriador to play an axe, helm or Giant.

During end of turn, take Return to Old Dwellings to hand thanks to Son of Fundin.


Entering Moria

Call reinforcement with We Have Come to Kill.
Automatic-attack is to weak to be noticed : just tap Dworin to save Old Grudge.
Play Return to Old Dwellings.
With help of Old Grudge, bonus against Orcs (+2 Balin, Thorin, Frerin), command and support cards, enhanced aa is even unnoticed.
Most characters should still be untapped, and the worst creature afterwards is Durin's Bane itself with 2 strikes.

If Balin is still untapped or untapped by another copy of his card, use Pipe to take Longbottom Leaf to hand.
Play Longbottom Leaf to sideboard Kingdom of Old Restored and Halls of Khazad-dum.


Restoring Moria

Moria is now a Ruins and Lairs.

Balin may sideboard to discard :
- Pipe Weed
- 2 Longbottom Leaf
- 2 non-unique Dwarves (latter taken to hand with Son of Fundin)

Play an axe if anyone is drawn.
Don't forget the ridiculous aa 1@7, regarding Old Grudge.
Tap Dworin to save it or cancel aa with Broin.

As soon as Kingdom of Old Restored is played :
- Balin has +3 GI (so the "normal" 20)
- Moria becomes a border-hold, thus protected from Cave-drake, but now open to Sellswords and Assassins
- Moria becomes a Dwarf-hold, thus allowing reinforcements with Clan Bonds

During end of turn, take Block to hand thanks to Oakenshield.


Cleaning Moria

With Origin of Stone, I'll Report You and Old Grudge, preparations are done for Halls of Khazad-dum.
Thorin should easily Block the last attack of the Troll (don't forget his +2 against Trolls, just as Balin).

Moria is now a Border-hold, if it wasn't already the case with Kingdom of Old Restored.

During end of turn, take Lord of Dwarrowdelf to hand thanks to Son of Fundin.

(Ab)use the combo Crimson Hood / Pipe / Longbottom Leaf for Reconquest of Khazad-dum, Folk of Durin, The Old Thrush, Desperate Strike.


Populating new realm

Play Reconquest of Khazad-dum.
Balin becomes Lord of Dwarrowdelf because he should now have enough SP.
Don't forget now the additional card in hand !

Balin as Lord of Dwarrowdelf almost automatically influences Folk of Durin.


Defeating the Greatest Foe

Sideboard and play Balrog of Moria.

Challenge the Balrog of Moria with your Dwarf-champion, helped with The Old Thrush and Desperate Strike.
Pray for a 5+ body dice roll.

Moria is now a Free-hold.

Quest is finally completed !


Other stuff

Game should be over for a standard game.
For longer game there's one further step.

If no battle-gear was played at Moria, play Durin's Crown.
Go for Reforging at Durin's Tower to restore it as a sign of great might.

You may opt to play Book of Mazarbul instead Durin's Crown, for an easy whopping 5 MP with Legacy of Smiths.
But it's cooler to play a new DC card and use a new DC site (Durin's Tower).

Secret Entrance is in the sideboard just for theme but is normally not needed.
On the opposite, Behind Doors of Stone isn't in deck : reducing Folk of Durin to 1 MP would be wasted !



MP overview (expected / max)

Characters : 10 / 16
Items : 8 / 21
Factions : 5 / 7
Allies : 1 / 2
Miscellanous : 12 / 17
Kill : 2 / 5
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Total : 38 / 68