C – core set M – Shadows of Mirkwood cycle M1 – Hunt for Gollum M2 – Conflict at the Carrock M3 – Journey to Rhosgobel M4 – Hills of Emyn Muil M5 – Dead Marshes M6 – Return to Mirkwood K – Khazad-dûm deluxe D – Dwarrodelf cycle D1 – Redhorn Gate D2 – Road to Rivendell D3 – Watcher in the Water D4 – Long Dark D5 – Foundations of Stone D6 – Shadow and Flame H – The Hobbit saga H1 – Over Hill and Under Hill H2 – On the Doorstep N – Heirs of Númenor deluxe S – Against the Shadow cycle S1 – Steward’s Fear S2 – Drúadan Forest S3 – Encounter
at Amon Dîn S4 – Assault on Osgiliath S5 – Blood of Gondor S6 – Morgul Vale
Retrieval and Recycling
There is an opportunity to make an effective combat strategy based around Háma (D4) and his ability to recycle Tactics events. Cards like Feint or Thicket of Spears can make certain enemy or enemies totally harmless over the length of the game, just as long as you can afford to discard cards to retrieve the ones played. The ability usually requires support from Lore’s card draw.
There are several good candidates to be Borne Aloft (M2) among the ally pool but none of them really justifies a permanent place for the card in a deck, the word situational always springs to mind.
If the above is situational, Meneldor’s Flight (M4) is exceptional at being almost never useful. Perhaps the future shall change the fact.
And the third of the Eagle-themed recycling cards, To the Eyrie (M3) will very seldom see any play.
Readying effects and theme are the last two categories but they need a mention here. For players who shy away from using thematic travesties like making a Dwarf Steward of Gondor, there is a fine recipe coming: make an Elven deck, feed all the heroes with Cram, and have them eat more of it with Second Breakfast (M2). It might win you some games but I wouldn’t like to meet the Elven Princes afterwards.
Using Sneak Attack (C) as a safety cushion is probably never a bad idea. Having allies with beneficial entry fees put in play via Sneak Attack is usually the best way to use it (look! there's the old man in a hat leaning over his staff).
To Me! O My Kinsfolk! (H2) will bring you a Dwarven ally back from the discard pile and give you a chance to find him once more later in the game. One needs a proper deck to get the best out of the card but it is one not to be overlooked.
Thematic only in name Dwarven Tomb (C) pulls back any Spirit cards, which is hardly not to be useful with the obvious choices like A Test of Will ever handy.
Fortune or Fate (C) has one of the most potent effects in the game: bring back a hero. It is expensive however and you usually want to try your best to prevent losing a hero, thus the card again becomes a tough choice for a deck.
Whilst losing a hero is a situation that shouldn’t happen much in the game, and when it does, it will almost guarantee great troubles, losing an ally is mostly a standard. Stand and Fight (C) brings those back for the same cost (though you pay in Spirit), so if your deck is packed with allies (especially Rohan or Eagles that tend to leave play so easily), and you have Spirit resources to spare, this should never be a bad choice for the deck.
Will of the West (C) can recycle them all, it shuffles a discard pile into the player’s deck. It however only makes sense with a certain strategy in mind as games don’t (or shouldn’t if you want to win them) last that long for this to make a big difference. There are cards like A Very Good Tale or the King under the Mountain that will thin the deck quicker (and possibly take some of its wanted cards out to the discard pile) but they come in a different sphere.
One of the best deals for the cost, Erebor Hammersmith (C) has an interesting ability on top of its good stats; an option for any Lore deck, a must for those that base their strategies on discard-able attachments like Good Meal, Cram, Miruvor or Ancient Mathom. As for the above, the fact that the second breakfast of Cram is served for the Sons of Elrond by a Dwarven smith makes it all the more enjoyable