EP: 13 Lotr pre-con battle Eowyn v Galadriel v Frodo v Sauron

Deck Strategies

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  Éowyn, Shieldmaiden

  Focuses on human tribal synergies, generating multiple human Knight tokens with first strike and trample, and drawing cards by controlling a large number of humans to maintain pressure and board presence.

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  Galadriel, Elven-Queen

  Elf tribal deck that uses scrying and combat triggers to boost elves and involves a voting mechanic (Dominion or Guidance) that influences the ring bearer, aiming for card draw and board control through elves.

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  Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit

  Combines life gain and food token synergies, gaining benefits from tempting the ring and generating food tokens that reduce activation costs, aiming to outlast opponents and chip away with commander damage.

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  Sauron, Lord of the Rings

  A Grixis-colored deck focusing on casting large creatures, graveyard recursion, and dealing damage to opponents, with triggers that tempt the ring when opponents' creatures die, aiming for a powerful board and commander damage.

Gameplay Insights

• 1

  Utilizing tribal synergies to maximize token generation and card draw was critical, as seen with Éowyn creating multiple human knights and Galadriel benefiting from elf combat triggers and scrying.

• 2

  The Monarch mechanic introduced strategic targeting choices, influencing how players attacked and controlled the board, adding a layer of complexity to combat decisions.

• 3

  Frodo’s food token generation allowed for efficient resource management and life gain synergies that helped trigger the ring’s temptation for card draw.

• 4

  Sauron’s ability to return creatures from the graveyard and tempt the ring upon opponents' creatures dying encouraged aggressive board wipes and creature trading.

• 5

  Players leveraged cycling and card draw effects early on to ensure a steady flow of resources, setting up midgame plays with important creatures and ramp spells.

Notable Cards

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  Path of Ancestry

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  Growth Spiral

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  Gimli of the Glittering Caves

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  Rapacious Guest

Summary

The game began with players setting up their respective Lord of the Rings pre-constructed decks, each led by iconic commanders representing different Middle-earth factions. Early turns focused on ramping mana and establishing board presence with lands like Path of Ancestry, exotic Orchards, and cycling mechanics to improve hand quality. Éowyn's deck capitalized on human tribal synergies, generating multiple human Knight tokens and aiming to draw cards with a large human board. Galadriel's deck worked around elf tribal synergies and introduced a unique voting mechanic on Dominion or Guidance that affected the ring bearer. Frodo's deck built around food tokens and life gain triggers to tempt the ring and draw cards, while Sauron's deck sought to leverage powerful creatures, graveyard recursion, and commander damage to apply pressure. Midgame saw key plays such as Gimli of the Glittering Caves entering the battlefield to create treasures and bolster combat effectiveness, and Tab4 Celebron, the Wise enhancing elves through scrying and combat boosts. Rapacious Guest added menace and food token generation, tying into Frodo's strategy and increasing board threat and potential damage. Players jockeyed for advantage using damage, token generation, and card draw, while the ring's temptation mechanic loomed as a recurring influence to draw cards and manipulate board states. The Monarch mechanic and other interactive elements kept the game dynamic, with players balancing aggression and resource development. The game emphasized tribal synergies and thematic interactions reflective of the LotR universe, with multiple avenues for victory through overwhelming board presence, commander damage, or leveraging the ring's effects.