This was Robert Moore’s idea from years ago, and the Ents have finally found their home in this LOTR set. I think we figured out a deck with some interesting movement restrictions but a lot of power.
TREEBEARD
based on ideas by Robert Moore and JAG
Treebeard
18 HP
Blue Melee Deck (10 cards, melee)
2 Minor Ents
5 HP each
Minor Blue Deck
Treebeard: 18 HP, Blue Deck
2x Ents: 5 HP, Minor Orange+ Deck
3x Last March
A5. After attacking, you may move Treebeard up to 4 spaces. Then move Ent #1 up to 4 spaces and move Ent #2 up to 4 spaces.
2x Nasty Little Orc
A4*: If Treebeard did not move this turn, then this card’s value is 8 instead of 4.
2x Furious Kick
A6: Move the defender up to 1 space for each point of damage from FURIOUS KICK.
2x Boulder Toss
THROW BOULDER does 2 damage to a character Treebeard or an Ent could attack at range. That character may not move on their controller’s next turn.
2x Entmoot
Draw 4 cards. For every space Treebeard has moved this turn, draw 1 less card.
1x Release the River!
Choose a straight line away from Treebeard. All characters in that line receive 4 damage. Treebeard may not move until your next turn.
Notes: For LOTRED, this is a Tier 1 deck. That’s a ton of HP to carve through, even without power defense. They have steady defense with their blue decks, Treebeard’s offense is potentially pretty good, and he has some good draw power. You just have to manage your away around the movement restrictions, but he has plenty of movement too.
This is Robert Moore’s original draft, saved for posterity:
3x GOING TO WAR A5;
After attacking, you may move Treebeard up to 4 spaces. Then move Super Ent #1 up to 4 spaces and move Ent #2 up to 4 spaces.
1x NASTY LITTLE ORC A8*;
*After attacking, if you destroy the defending character, draw 3 cards. If Treebeard destroyed an Orc, Goblin, or Uruk, draw 4 cards instead of 3.
1x ENTMOOT
Draw 3 cards. Draw an extra card for each Ent Minor adjacent to Treebeard.
1x SEARCH FOR THE ENTWIVES
Reveal the top card from the draw pile of EVERY player. Put each card back onto their draw pile, into the controlling player’s hand, OR discard it.
2x FURIOUS KICK A6;
Move the defender up to 1 space for each point of damage from FURIOUS KICK. Ignore obstacles during this movement.
2x BROKEN DAM
Move all non-Ent characters up to 4 spaces each. Those characters take 2 damage. Ents and Allies who end adjacent to an Ent take no damage.
2x BOULDER TOSS
BOULDER TOSS does 4 damage to any one character Treebeard could attack at range. All characters adjacent to that character also receive 4 damage.
If you’re interested in this I’ll put together a .PDF or something.
Any thoughts on this Treebeard deck? It’s kind of fun even if it lacks a strong deck theme.
Note that I’ve udpated Elrond to have more of an “action manipulation” theme. I haven’t tested that deck out and it looks very strong, but otherwise I’m happy with where it is landing. As for Isildur, I wouldn’t mind seeing better ideas, but his is a working deck as well. I’m satisfied with all 3 bad guy decks.
So once we finish this Treebeard deck, we’ve got a 6-set expansion, bringing this LOTRED set to 32 total decks. That’s a good number that allows for endless possible matches.
I’m pretty much on the same page as you. My only minor problems with this deck is it has a few “unfair” combos and cards. Like THERMAL DETONATOR is a pretty good card and it will be even more so in LOTRED and this deck has a card like BROKEN DAM to set it up; meaning Treebeard can inflict 6 damage to most (if not all) enemies and because of the high move of BD can avoid hurting his teammate.
I might suggest at least reducing the move on BD and maybe lowering BOULDER TOSS to 3 damage.
It’s also pretty easy to draw 5 cards with ENTMOOT unless you draw it late in the game. Maybe change it so Treebeard only gets one extra draw if at least one Ent is adjacent? That makes it pretty similar to a card Gothmog has.
Finally, I could complain about how GOING TO WAR is too similar to Isildur’s card and not very original (although the name is great), but it’s not a huge deal to me.
Also, I like the changes to Elrond!
I dunno, this deck is fun but not very interesting. It’s an old school deck in that the cards work and use quotes and do what we expect Ents to do, but there’s no real deck theme here.
I’m thinking about some kind of “move and root” concept, or maybe a “build a wall then break the dam” concept. Lowbacca’s MIGHTY SWING card, that does more damage if you don’t move, might work here.
Hmm, I don’t know what a “build the wall then break the dam,” would look like, but I took a look at that Lowbacca deck and you’re thinking of something like this right?
Treebeard: 18 HP, Blue Deck
2x Ents: 5 HP, Minor Orange+ Deck
3x Nasty Little Orc
A4*: If Treebeard did not move using the move die this turn, then this card’s value is 8 instead of 4.
3x ????
2x Boulder Toss
THROW BOULDER does 2 damage to a character Treebeard could attack at range. That character may not move on their controller’s next turn.
2x Furious Kick
A6: [same effect]
1x Entmoot
Draw 4 cards. For every space Treebeard has moved this turn, draw 1 less card.
1x Release the River!
Treebeard may not move until this effect resolves. At the beginning of your next turn, all characters in a straight line away from Treebeard receive 4 damage.
Love the Boulder Toss joke! There are enough ideas there to put together a deck so I’ve made one available.