Ranger Running Deck

Starting Fellowship:
-Frodo, Reluctant Adventurer
-The One Ring, Isildur's Bane
-Aragorn, Heir to the White City

Sites:
-Hobbiton Woods
-Bree Gate
-Rivendell Waterfall
-Hollin
-The Bridge at Khazad-Dûm
-Caras Galadhon
-Anduin Wilderland
-Gates of Argonath
-Emyn Muil

Free Peoples (36 Cards):
-An Able Guide
-Aragorn's Bow
-Armor x2
-Boromir, Defender of Minas Tirith
-Faramir, Son of Denethor
-Flaming Brand
-No Stranger to the Shadows x3
-Ranger's Sword x3
-Swordsman of the Northern Kingdom x3
-Bill the Pony x2
-Bounder x3
-Deft in their Movements x4
-Hobbit Stealth x4
-Hobbit Sword
-Mithril-Coat
-O Elbereth! Gilthoniel!
-Power According to His Stature
-Sting
-There and Back Again x2

Shadow (37 Cards):
-Abandoning Reason for Madness x3
-Bred For Battle x2
-Can You Protect Me From Yourself
-Lurtz's Battle Cry
-Palantír of Orthanc x2
-Saruman's Ambition x4
-Saruman's Power
-Savagery To Match Their Numbers x3
-Uruk Fighter
-Uruk-Hai Armory x2
-Uruk Raider x4
-Uruk Savage x4
-Uruk Shaman
-Uruk Soldier x3
-Uruk Warrior x4
-Ulaire Enguea, Lieutenant of Morgul

The deck is based on a Shadow denial premise: if possible, prevent your opponent from having enough Shadow to play more than one or two minions. Ideally, Aragorn will dispatch one of them directly, Frodo may or may not be able to take out the other one, but he is usually strong enough and resilient enough in this deck to take anything on (except Enduring Evil). If Aragorn's Bow is involved, then significantly more defense is available. The deck is designed with the intent of going second: both the Bree Gate and the Waterfall should be in play. In other words, don't hit your opponent so hard at Site 2 that they don't move...

Anyway, set up characters at Site 1 after dumping as much Shadow as possible. Go to Site 2 and stop. Ideally there will be a Bounder out, a Stealth in your hand, and a strength booster of some kind for Aragorn either in your hand or in play. On turn 2, move to Site 3, then straight through to Site 6 using the move bonuses from the Waterfall and the Gate. If you draw any Deft in their Movements or have other Shadow denial set up at this point, it should be simple to do with few minions to fight unless there is a Moria Swarm player. The Balrog is a major concern, but one that you should be set up to deal with by Site 2, as you need a combination of one card from each of the following sets: {Aragorn's Sword, Hobbit Stealth, Flaming Brand, or Swordsman of the Northern Kingdom} and {Hobbit Stealth, Armor}. So much for the Balrog. In a perfect game, of course, there won't be enough Shadow to play him at Site 5 either...

Once the Fellowship reaches Site 6 and heals, the game becomes less formulaic. At this point, it may be worth adding extra companions (especially against Moria Orcs) such as Boromir and Faramir, especially if they can get No Strangers. It is also worth trying to replace Frodo's Pony that he will have turned loose before entering the mines. Playing cards should be done carefully, however. Always use 2 Shadow each Fellowship Phase, as it cannot hurt you, and Aragorn will remove it. Other wise it may be better to not play a card than to add the one extra Shadow it will usually cost. The two companion Fellowship is extremely fine-tuned, and can explode spectacularily if you aren't careful.

It should also be noted that in a four player game, it is possible, if one's sites come out, to run to Site 6 on the first turn. If this is possible, do it. Even if you die later, it will certainly get some impressed looks to do on two people!

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