Hobbit and Ent Deck for Nightmare Conflict at the Carrock

Built for Weekly Challenge #1 at the Fantasy Flight LotR forums, this Merry / Pippin / Bilbo deck uses ents to take down the trolls in Nightmare Conflict at the Carrock.

Not listed is Scout Ahead--for some reason it won't add to the deck.

In your opening hand, you're hoping for some of the two-cost allies, preferably Wandering Ent (although Treebeard will do too, although Mablung is a better play for later in the game). You need to get some willpower down early so that you don't get location locked. Try to quest only 1-2 over the current threat in the staging area--you want to stay on stage 1 as long as possible. Use side quests to prolong it even more if you can.

9 times out of 10, if you can play an Ent, you should. You need to get them down ASAP so you have allies around to block and attack when the big trolls come out.

Typically save Elrond until you get sacked, but if you're struggling to make the willpower on a particular round (or need a pinch chump blocker) don't be too afraid to use him. In my playthroughs I only got about 1 sack per game.

Burning Brand goes on Bilbo so he can defend the Muck Adders and Savage Hill Trolls without worrying about dying. You can stick an Ent Draft on him and he can continue to block the Savage Hill Trolls even when their attack goes up to 4. (But you'll have to heal him in between, of course). Fast Hitch goes on Merry first, then Bilbo.

Which trolls you kill first depends on what you have in your hand. Typically it's best to pull the 4 threat troll down first because questing through them all is such a challenge. If you have feints, use them on the big guys if at all possible before killing the one that blocks them. If you have Secret Vigils, pick a target for them early too (they're fantastic on the Marsh Adder, but there's only one of those in the encounter deck).