Mono-Sphere Decks
The following decks are result of the deck-building based mostly on Heirs of Númenor and Against the Shadow cycle. The decks, of course, feature cards from other cycles also but their focus is mainly on mono-theme and Gondor.
The decks are meant primarily for 2-player coop. The idea is that players should choose two of the four decks that will fare best against the given quest. All of them have been successfully tested against Heirs of Númenor and Against the Shadow quests; however, some combinations were more successful than others in different situations. Based on the statistic review given to each of the decks, one should be able to pick their best deck(s) to succeed.
The decks below do not feature the Outlands trait, as this reviewer has quickly grown tired of their mechanic. Nor do they feature any of the Dwarven synergies (though they do contain Dwarven characters).
Even though the decks are meant to play in pairs, most of them are capable of defeating several quests on their own. Again, check the review connected to each deck for the best choice. Additionally, 3 and 4-player format should fit the decks quite well.
Leadership (details)
Tactics (details)
Lore-spirit (details)
Lore (details)
Combinations
Leadership & Tactics are mighty powerful in combat, there is little these two decks should fear as far as the regular enemy attack goes, and they dispose of foes with relative ease. Their primary weakness lies in initial willpower questing, though Leadership should be able to overcome that problem eventually. There is also no help to reduce the Tactics' threat, so the victory has to be achieved relatively quickly; both decks are specialists in swiftness though. There is no protection from treachery and no healing.
Spirit & Lore are the opposite to the above. Starting low on threat but being quite slow when dealing with obstacles, safe regular questing where Spirit shines and Lore helps. Scouting and prevention of problems are the main strengths of this combination. Healing and recovery are other nice attributes. Card draw is quite superb for Lore but will only help a little to Spirit.
Leadership & Spirit are wonderful at questing (even battle and siege questing in mid-to-end-game). And Spirit provides protection to Leadership's masses of allies with treachery and shadow cancelation. The combat prowess are limited, there's usually only ally chump blocking before sufficient support is established. In the end, Spirit has got some defence tricks whilst Leadership can accumulate great attack.
Tactics & Lore is the most intriguing combination, especially their combined direct damage. Once the decks build up, few enemies will stand a chance. However, any quest that requires early willpower will be a great struggle for these two. There is almost none for Tactics and not much for Lore. Tactics can go around the problem with Trained for War but that is not a permanent solution (and not often available). Card draw is only great for Lore, there is little support for getting cards across the table where they may quickly disappear.
Leadership & Lore should work rather nicely, combining the basic essence of the game: cards and resources. Questing is usually good too, and so is attack; thus the greatest problem often lies in defence, even though Lore has a few tricks to avoid being attacked. There is no treachery cancelation but encounter deck manipulation may help a little in that area.
Tactics & Spirit traditionally work well together, being the polar opposites. The trick lies in cooperation and trouble arises every time one side has to deal with an obstacle on its own (some scenarios try to stress that problem). These two have the greatest stats but by far the worst card draw, almost non-existent, so they do not tend to develop as well over the course of the game.
The decks are meant primarily for 2-player coop. The idea is that players should choose two of the four decks that will fare best against the given quest. All of them have been successfully tested against Heirs of Númenor and Against the Shadow quests; however, some combinations were more successful than others in different situations. Based on the statistic review given to each of the decks, one should be able to pick their best deck(s) to succeed.
The decks below do not feature the Outlands trait, as this reviewer has quickly grown tired of their mechanic. Nor do they feature any of the Dwarven synergies (though they do contain Dwarven characters).
Even though the decks are meant to play in pairs, most of them are capable of defeating several quests on their own. Again, check the review connected to each deck for the best choice. Additionally, 3 and 4-player format should fit the decks quite well.
Leadership (details)
Tactics (details)
Lore-spirit (details)
Lore (details)
Combinations
Leadership & Tactics are mighty powerful in combat, there is little these two decks should fear as far as the regular enemy attack goes, and they dispose of foes with relative ease. Their primary weakness lies in initial willpower questing, though Leadership should be able to overcome that problem eventually. There is also no help to reduce the Tactics' threat, so the victory has to be achieved relatively quickly; both decks are specialists in swiftness though. There is no protection from treachery and no healing.
Spirit & Lore are the opposite to the above. Starting low on threat but being quite slow when dealing with obstacles, safe regular questing where Spirit shines and Lore helps. Scouting and prevention of problems are the main strengths of this combination. Healing and recovery are other nice attributes. Card draw is quite superb for Lore but will only help a little to Spirit.
Leadership & Spirit are wonderful at questing (even battle and siege questing in mid-to-end-game). And Spirit provides protection to Leadership's masses of allies with treachery and shadow cancelation. The combat prowess are limited, there's usually only ally chump blocking before sufficient support is established. In the end, Spirit has got some defence tricks whilst Leadership can accumulate great attack.
Tactics & Lore is the most intriguing combination, especially their combined direct damage. Once the decks build up, few enemies will stand a chance. However, any quest that requires early willpower will be a great struggle for these two. There is almost none for Tactics and not much for Lore. Tactics can go around the problem with Trained for War but that is not a permanent solution (and not often available). Card draw is only great for Lore, there is little support for getting cards across the table where they may quickly disappear.
Leadership & Lore should work rather nicely, combining the basic essence of the game: cards and resources. Questing is usually good too, and so is attack; thus the greatest problem often lies in defence, even though Lore has a few tricks to avoid being attacked. There is no treachery cancelation but encounter deck manipulation may help a little in that area.
Tactics & Spirit traditionally work well together, being the polar opposites. The trick lies in cooperation and trouble arises every time one side has to deal with an obstacle on its own (some scenarios try to stress that problem). These two have the greatest stats but by far the worst card draw, almost non-existent, so they do not tend to develop as well over the course of the game.