Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 5:06 pm
Deadline for September Issue: 16 September. Please Submit!!!!
MECCG Discussion Forum
https://www.councilofelrond.org/forum/
https://www.councilofelrond.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=36
Charles Jenkins, in an email wrote:Sealed Deck Strategies
To me, one of the most enjoyable types of meccg play is sealed deck. In sealed deck, there is always a sense of anticipation as to the sealed deck and booster contents. Plus, the sealed deck play can only loosely be construed as “constructed” allowing a more casual and carefree play atmosphere. However, the name of the game is winning (or trying one’s best to win) so a number of strategies and suggestions come to mind for both heroes and minions.
Characters, Starting Companies and Starting Items
The fixed portion of the sealed starter deck contains a character with a homesite matching one of the fixed portion factions. Such a character is a good candidate for a starting company. In general, one should choose stout characters with the warrior and ranger skills, especially characters that have a chance of standing untapped versus automatic attacks. Obviously, resource cards can further dictate choices such as the need for scouts to play scout cards, etc. Think carefully before adding all of your best characters to the starting company. Other considerations include the need to play a strong companion in the wizard’s company or the desire to pop up a character at his homesite if the wizard is not in play. Specifically, most sealed decks do not have many hazards keyable to free holds and borderholds so one can usually bring a good influencer like Imrahil into play at his homesite in utter safety. Such a strategy also brings into play another factor-the ability to free up General Influence. Easy examples are using Glorfindel or Thranduil (big guys that can take a strike untapped) to control a lower mind character. Low mind disposable characters can come in handy as a way to make up for a lack of prowess enhancers and cancellers. One mind characters such as Bombur and Barliman can easily fit into a company and provide cannon fodder. Back-up characters added to the play deck should be minimized and focus should be placed on two, maybe three quality characters with useful skills that are worth marshalling points. Since most sealed decks will not have much in the way of permanent event removal, corruption can quickly pile up. Also, many times a player will not have access to many prowess enhancers or attack cancellers. That is why disposable corruption in the form of Cram and Healing Herbs are arguably the best starting items in sealed deck play. The simple example of Gloin holding an Iron Bound Shield of Ash scoring a Sword of Gondolin (3 corruption points total) or Durin’s Axe (4 cp) suffices to demonstrate the hazard of hanging on to minor items. Other good choices are potions of prowess and miruvor.
Marshalling Point Sources
Unless one gets lucky with greater items or a big faction, available marshalling point sources will be in the two to three marshalling point range. One should focus on ease and speed of play. Cards like “Dreams of Lore”, “Rescue Prisoners” and the minion cards like “That’s Been Heard Before” are too slow to be of much use. Rings are also slow, although a well-timed ring test can bring out a Dwarven Ring. Remember that successful ring play involves play of a ring, successful test of a ring and subsequent play of a ring. Rather burdensome for sealed deck play. An exception to the slow play are the minion rings “Bright Gold Ring”, “Gleaming Gold Ring” and “Perfect Gold Ring” which allow searching of the play deck and discard pile for a Lesser Ring. Even then, one is sacrificing speed to exchange a 2 MP, 4 CP ring for a 2 MP, 1 CP lesser ring. The best hero items are cards such as Hauberk of Bright Mail (low corruption, non-unique), Glamdring (big prowess boost, low corruption) and Torque of Hues (cancel any attack). Hoard items should generally be avoided due to playability restrictions and the threat of big drakes and ahunts from The Dragons set. Any allies are highly recommended. Sealed decks are notoriously slim on allies. Many sealed decks allow the addition of one site. If one draws a good ally like Gollum, Quickbeam or Tom and lacks the appropriate site, such site is the one to add! As for factions, always include the fixed portion factions and, if possible, additional factions. Remember, attacks that can key to Free and Border Holds are few and such sites have no automatic attacks, so factions can be played in relative safety (if the characters survive the trip).
Resource Events
Many cards are real no-brainers in sealed deck, such as Risky Blow, Dark Quarrels, Dodge and Concealment. But everyone has gotten hit with a sealed deck that just doesn’t seem to have much in the way of useful resource events. Risky Blows, Dark Quarrels and Concealments may not be present. What to do? Take a hard look at some cards not normally played. Ford can stop the play of wilderness keyed attacks. Sounds useful. Fast Asleep aids a burglary attempt, which is not so useful, but the alternate effect of lowering an automatic attack prowess by 2 can be the difference between entering a site untapped and getting wounded. If one has access to sages, Hey Come Merry Dol can prevent the play of deep wilderness creatures such as cave drakes, true firedrakes, giants and giant spiders. Master of Wood, Water and Hill can similarly change a site path to fizzle certain hazards. A key example would be changing a borderland to a wilderness on the way to Isengard to fizzle a Slayer. Not all considerations are combat based. Cards like A Friend or Three are no-brainers in sealed deck play as they allow bonuses to influence attempts and corruption checks. Pledge of Conduct is a great card for sealed deck play (provided the company contains a diplomat) allowing the automatic transfer of an item. Useful indeed. Withdrawn to Mordor is great in sealed deck as one can discard an onguard creature or corruption card, destroying a carefully laid trap. A Short Rest and Washed and Refreshed can both be used to great effect, allowing the draw of multiple cards or the untapping of multiple characters. Probably the least used category of resource events is Spells and that’s a shame. Where else but in the limited arena of sealed deck can a Wizard come out and dominate with his innate abilities? The ability to stay untapped or to untap is the prime considerations in resource play. And Forth He Hastened and Vanishment are great in sealed deck and the corruption checks are manageable but so are lesser-used cards like Wizard’s Flame which lowers the prowess of all attacks by 2 for the rest of the turn. Since most players run close to the GI limit in sealed play, an untapped Wizard tapping to influence away an MP source is quite devastating to the opponent. Last but not least is A Chance Meeting. This card can allow the play of a character (which will be worth MP’s) and allow the play of a marshalling point source by an otherwise tapped out company. On the minion side of things, a mode card can be just the ticket to allow the Ringwraith to move and score some points. The last category of resource are permanent events that are of dubious value but can clear the hand of cards such as Armory and Crown of Flowers.
Creatures
Ah, now the fun starts. Creatures are the backbone of sealed deck hazard play. Typically, there just won’t be enough effective hazard events to put together a good event based hazard strategy. Most sealed deck formats require a 25 resource/25 hazard deck containing at least 10 creatures (sometimes 12). The more good creatures, the better. Cave Drakes are obvious choices. Wargs are a great sealed deck creature, hitting borderland, single wilderness and shadowland with a not-to-be underestimated 2 strikes at 9 prowess. Ahunt dragons, if available, are also great choices. They speed game play and can slam a company bumbling into dragon land. Creatures with multiple strikes are also desirable. One must be wise in sealed deck and set up the hazards properly. Examples include play of a multiple strike weak creature to tap the weaker characters. The creature will probably be defeated for an opponent MP. Next, hit with a stronger creature to tap the remaining strong characters, possibly losing yet another MP. Then, sweep with a big gun like Giant, Cave Worm or a Troll Brother. Expect to lose some creature MP’s with the ultimate goal of tapping and wounding. A one deck sealed game is over very quickly and a wounded company is fatal to the opponent. One not need be quite so wise in Lidless Eye sealed deck. Since most creatures do not yield points to minions, throw in as many creatures as possible and just keep hammering away at the opponent until something gives.
Hazard Events
As always, focus on maximum effect and playability. All Rivers drawn (up to three of course) should go into the hazard portion. Any corruption cards are also prime candidates due to the relative lack of corruption defenses. However, don’t just throw limited corruption cards on the field. Hit Target-Boy with a Lure of Nature while he’s carrying a Sword of Gondolin not on turn 1 when he has nothing. The final hard hitter in sealed deck is Foolish Words. Played on guard this card will make most faction attempts into a luck-sack competition. Plus, the Foolish words are highly playable and hard to get rid of.
Gameplay
Once again, the lack of resource support dictates the gameplay. The opponent will have an assortment of creature types. Therefore, if possible restrict movement to single region types so that some of the opponent’s creatures cannot be played. An example is travelling to the Ruined Signal Tower from Rivendell (wwwR) to score a major item rather than travelling to Isengard or the Glittering Caves (wwwbR). Not only can a Slayer hit the latter site path, but so can the big, bad, ugly Cave Worm (yikes!). Staying away from shadowlands and shadow/dark holds can also limit the opponent’s creature play. Right off the bat, the stronger orcs and undead are nullified. The scatter and run strategy can be effective, using low hazard limits, generating card draw and allowing at least one company to score points. Just remember that the opponent will also be able to draw lots of cards, play his highly playable creatures and set up his hand for his turn. With everything else being equal, it usually makes sense to go after an in-hand faction rather than an item. Sealed decks don’t have many factions and they are harder to score so make the first attempt as early as possible, especially before the influencer can be wounded or die (or get Foolish Words). An often-overlooked factor is knowing one’s deck. Many players’ approach sealed deck games like every turn is a surprise, from a hazard and a resource perspective. Companies move around haphazardly and that one Lure of Nature is played early in the game on a character with no other corruption sources. Know what has already been played and what is likely to come up soon, just like in a constructed deck game.
Multiplayer Sealed Deck
Here’s a slightly cheezy tip for sealed deck play. If playing in a format where remaining hazard limit can be passed to other players, do so and let the other players use up their juicy hazards!
Conclusion
Former World Champion Brian Wong advised me long ago that there is no substitute for big and fast (and smart). Try to adhere to that advice as much as possible. Sooner or later, the dice will come into play so try to minimize the impact of the dice. Above all, have fun! Hey, it’s sealed deck, so players don’t have to take responsibility for a lousy deck and can even derive some enjoyment from watching their own guys get squished.
I don't think Secret Passage would prevent playing Rain-drake in this case (which is a poor example anyway, as you can actually key it to the site now).zarathustra wrote:Imagine you’re moving on the first turn from Rivendell to Moria to play Gollum. During your organization phase, you played Secret Passage, and you started the m/h-phase with a different company from the Moria company. When you reveal the site, your opponent looks at you kinda funny, as though to ask “Why the Passage? You’re not moving to a ruin….” You read the card for a second and shrug. “Oops.” He throws down the creature Sellswords Between Charters, and you respond by playing Quiet Lands on your Gates of Morning to change the site type of Moria from shadowhold to ruins and lairs. “‘Oops’ indeed!” he growls, and tries to respond with a Rain-Drake before his Sellswords fizzle. “You can’t respond with a creature.” “Right, sorry.” The mercenaries go their wander off confused, and then your opponent attempts to play his Rain-Drake. “You can’t play creatures keyed to regions: my destination is a ruins and lairs.”
Effects that are played during the organization phase, and depend on the site or site path of a moving company, create an effect which is not declared until the new site is revealed. If the site or site path is not of the appropriate type when the effect resolves, the resource has no effect. If the company has multiple movement/hazard phases on the same turn, the card applies separately to each phase, having an effect only if the correct conditions are met.
Brian Min wrote:Conduct and Hobbitship Counter Argument
By Brian “Bitter Sauron” Min
In the last issue of the Council of Elrond letter Jonathan Yost wrote an article about sportsmanship. I’m here to play a bit of devil’s advocate. This is a card game. This is a game of mental prowess. One’s physical abilities have no bearing in this game. A person has to rely on their brain and some luck from the dice. In the defining tournaments of our game, nationals and worlds, I would expect people to play exactly by the rule set defined.
The idea of a take back to me shows a sign of having no pride. If I screw up during a game I eat my mistake, and -- yes this has cost me a game or two -- but I know it was my own fault and no one else’s. This game requires tremendous amounts of mental thinking. A person who practices and keeps themselves sharp should get an advantage over those who do not; just like an athlete who trains more than his competitors, some people will have an advantage over those who don’t. The idea of a take-back is to give a handicap or crutch to those who don’t stay sharp.
To play at the top echelon of this game you are required to know the rules and have the mental abilities and endurance to go with that. There are so many variables in this game that are unforeseen; how can anyone figure out if a take-back will have an unknown consequence or not?
Let’s take Jonathan’s example from his article: “For example, someone forgets to roll to remove a hazard card during their organization phase and asks to go back and do it just after drawing for another company’s movement/hazard phase.”
First it’s not my job to remind you to attempt to remove the corruption card. If you forgot to remove this during your organization phase, I should get an advantage from it. Again this is a game of mental prowess. I have no idea what you have drawn, maybe it’s Vilya and the corruption card is on Elrond, maybe it was something else. The fact is I don’t know. To ask for a take-back at this point is firstly not supported by any of the rules and secondly takes away from the tournament, where players should expect to play by the rules defined.
Let’s consider another example. Player A places a card on-guard and then says wait I put the wrong card on guard and replaces it with a different card. Player B has Withdrawn to Mordor in his hand. Does he use it against the on-guard card, or does he use it against an agent that may or may not be revealed? Was Player A bluffing? This opens a whole new host of problems.
A single take-back can mean the entire difference in a tournament. I can give an example from the North American Championships this year. Mark Alfano was playing against Alicia Zaret. Alicia was able to lower the hazard limit to stop Mark’s hazards and dunk. She used Many Turns and Doublings which requires Gates of Morning. He had a twilight in his hand and could have asked for a take back to fizzle the Many Turns. However he screwed up, it was his mental mistake and Alicia benefited from it and won the tournament. Should someone allow a take back at this point? It could cost you the tournament and it was not your fault the opponent screwed up.
I believe in Nationals and Worlds players should not allow take backs and should play by the rule set defined. To allow take backs doesn’t help a player improve his skills and takes away from the big tournaments.
Jon wrote:The concept of sportsmanship is often a personal one
that varies from person to person. The exercise of
examining such leniencies as take-backs is not one
which is meant to define a style of play or an
accepted tournament rule-set, but one to make everyone
think critically about what sportsmanship is and how
it relates to a game based on a work of literature so
rooted in the concept of goodness and honor defeating
evil and selfishness. It's an idea too complex and
personal to delve into the examples of exactly when,
why, and against who such sportsmanship should or
shouldn’t be shown. It's too situational to say that
that it's right or wrong in the final move of the
final game that would mean winning or loosing a
national championship or in the first round of a local
tournament against a new player that is still trying
hard to remember everything that goes into a game this
complex. There are far too many situations,
circumstances, and variation of personal views to ever
clearly define when it's prudent to show such
leniency. For some, it may be never and that’s their
right. For others, they may be willing to give up a
national championship to show such leniency and that’s
their right too. In the end, the hopes of these
discussions are to make people think of how they
handle themselves in those many situations and what
they really feel is right or wrong. There is no right
or wrong answer, but hopefully everyone will reach a
conclusion which is honorable and deserving of the
work of art this game is based on.