August 2006 Newsletter Contributions (prep and discussion)
Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 3:24 pm
Gollum’s Grotto, August 2006
By Mark Alfano
Low-tech counters to high-tech decks
Wes all hates squatting deckses. Perhaps the worst offenders are Fallen Radagast squatting at Weathertop for wolves, animal factions, and barrow-blades on the one hand, and the Red Hills squatter deck on the other. Radagast’s deck seems invulnerable because the company plays a Hiding card each turn, canceling all creatures played on them. They don’t have much corruption either, so there’s not much one can do against them. Heedless Revelry is an option, of course, but either way of playing it still allows the squatters to rack up at least a couple points per turn. The Red Hills doesn’t cancel attacks, but the characters are so strong (one reaches 11 prowess!) that creatures are nearly meaningless. In this case, too, Heedless Revelry helps a little, but the big trolls can usually score two or more MPs per turn even with the play of Heedless.
Two problems; one solution.
All of Radagast’s resources (War Wolf, War Warg, The Warg King, Wild Hounds, Barrow Blade) are playable at a Ruins and Lairs (R) site. Since Radagast doesn’t have to worry about most environment problems like Snowstorm, Long Winter, Foul Fumes, he usually will not have any Twilights in his deck. This is where the low-tech counter comes in: Choking Shadow. The alternate effect of this card – available when Doors of Night is in play – transforms a (R) site into a Shadowhold (S). Although changing the site type of Weathertop has no direct effect on the company stationed there, it does prevent the play of all typical MP-resources at the site. Since Radagast will most likely have no Twilights, you are free to shut him down over and over. The moral of the story: if you’re playing a Doors of Night hazard strategy, put 2 Choking Shadows in your sideboard (or the bonus sideboard against fallen wizards) and bring them over when you run into a boring Radagast squatter deck.
A similar solution presents itself in the case of the Red Hills deck. This deck is likewise unaffected by most environment hazards, so there is a very low probability of your opponent having Twilights. Unfortunately, not all of the Red Hills MP-resources are playable at a (S), but many are (Tempest of Fire, A Few Recruits, and Great Bats require a shadowhold, though Maker’s Map and Blasting Fire can be played at a darkhold as well). Moral: if you’re playing a Doors of Night hazard strategy, put 2 Awaken the Earth’s fire in your sideboard and bring them over when you face a boring Red Hills squatter deck. In addition, The Witch-King of Angmar can do the same thing to shadowholds, and he is worth playing for other reasons (to allow sideboarding, to prevent the play of the Ancient Black Axe, to protect a run to Mount Doom, etc.), so it’s often worth your while to put him straight into a hazard deck versus minions. Note that Ben "Bandrobras Took" Sorensen has already constructed a hazard deck like this.
Tune in next time for converse tips: high-tech counters to low-tech, all-too-common hazards.
By Mark Alfano
Low-tech counters to high-tech decks
Wes all hates squatting deckses. Perhaps the worst offenders are Fallen Radagast squatting at Weathertop for wolves, animal factions, and barrow-blades on the one hand, and the Red Hills squatter deck on the other. Radagast’s deck seems invulnerable because the company plays a Hiding card each turn, canceling all creatures played on them. They don’t have much corruption either, so there’s not much one can do against them. Heedless Revelry is an option, of course, but either way of playing it still allows the squatters to rack up at least a couple points per turn. The Red Hills doesn’t cancel attacks, but the characters are so strong (one reaches 11 prowess!) that creatures are nearly meaningless. In this case, too, Heedless Revelry helps a little, but the big trolls can usually score two or more MPs per turn even with the play of Heedless.
Two problems; one solution.
All of Radagast’s resources (War Wolf, War Warg, The Warg King, Wild Hounds, Barrow Blade) are playable at a Ruins and Lairs (R) site. Since Radagast doesn’t have to worry about most environment problems like Snowstorm, Long Winter, Foul Fumes, he usually will not have any Twilights in his deck. This is where the low-tech counter comes in: Choking Shadow. The alternate effect of this card – available when Doors of Night is in play – transforms a (R) site into a Shadowhold (S). Although changing the site type of Weathertop has no direct effect on the company stationed there, it does prevent the play of all typical MP-resources at the site. Since Radagast will most likely have no Twilights, you are free to shut him down over and over. The moral of the story: if you’re playing a Doors of Night hazard strategy, put 2 Choking Shadows in your sideboard (or the bonus sideboard against fallen wizards) and bring them over when you run into a boring Radagast squatter deck.
A similar solution presents itself in the case of the Red Hills deck. This deck is likewise unaffected by most environment hazards, so there is a very low probability of your opponent having Twilights. Unfortunately, not all of the Red Hills MP-resources are playable at a (S), but many are (Tempest of Fire, A Few Recruits, and Great Bats require a shadowhold, though Maker’s Map and Blasting Fire can be played at a darkhold as well). Moral: if you’re playing a Doors of Night hazard strategy, put 2 Awaken the Earth’s fire in your sideboard and bring them over when you face a boring Red Hills squatter deck. In addition, The Witch-King of Angmar can do the same thing to shadowholds, and he is worth playing for other reasons (to allow sideboarding, to prevent the play of the Ancient Black Axe, to protect a run to Mount Doom, etc.), so it’s often worth your while to put him straight into a hazard deck versus minions. Note that Ben "Bandrobras Took" Sorensen has already constructed a hazard deck like this.
Tune in next time for converse tips: high-tech counters to low-tech, all-too-common hazards.