{"ops":[{"insert":"A Middle-Earth Immersion Deck"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThe Lord of the Rings is probably the place where what I call \"immersion decks\" started. Tolkien wrote such a watertight and thought-through world that even today, his setting is still obsessed over. This deck focused around "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thorin, King of Durin's Folk"}},{"insert":" contains cards from the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit sets exclusively. The deck feels like it belongs together, and runs well without being overwhelmingly powerful. Playing decks like these is a great way to help balance the power levels between players. I highly recommend building this deck or one like it and having it as a more creative deck that fills similar roles as a precon does.\n\nThe game plan for this deck is to spend some early turns ramping and tossing out some early dwarves. We want to cast Thorin on turn 4, or 3 if we can get a sol ring, because when he sees a dwarf enter, he makes a treasure that buffs our whole team. From that point on we want to keep the pressure on our opponents by playing more dwarves, playing equipment and attacking. Our creatures will be able to deal a lot of damage, but cannot overcome a strong defense without a few specific cards. We want to end our opponents before their value engines turn into a sturdy board state, or luck into a card that can break a stalemate and let us win the day for Durin's-Folk!\n\nCards we want to see on turns 1-4: (Besides mana rocks)"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dáin, Lord of the Iron Hills"}},{"insert":" - Good protection until Thorin pumps our guys\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fíli and Kíli, Joyous"}},{"insert":" - Put this out and use it for an equipment, then Thorin on the next turn.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Glóin the Mighty // Easy Pickings"}},{"insert":" - Guarantees Thorin on the next turn.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fíli the Pathfinder"}},{"insert":" - Thorin arrives on the next turn and makes a dwarf and a treasure.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gimli of the Glittering Caves"}},{"insert":" - Double strike and Thorins buff make him scary.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kíli the Resourceful"}},{"insert":" - Good card draw, which is badly needed.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Horn of the Mark"}},{"insert":" - We need card draw and the discount helps.\n\nCards that help make the deck work without Thorin:"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Eagles Are Coming!"}},{"insert":" - Board wipe insurance.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ori, Plate Stacker"}},{"insert":" - Slow opponents way down.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gandalf the White"}},{"insert":" - Double treasures for dwarves and people will be afraid to attack.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vanquisher's Banner"}},{"insert":" - Card draw and giving the dwarves a little presence.\n\nCards that work really well with Thorin: "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Call for Aid"}},{"insert":" - Pick a player you can easily beat and get rid of the real competition.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Orcrist, Goblin-cleaver"}},{"insert":" - Thorin loves Dwarves and Treasure\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"An Unexpected Party // At the Door"}},{"insert":" - Make dwarves, pump dwarves\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Shared Animosity"}},{"insert":" - Pump dwarves\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bifur, Melodic Rider"}},{"insert":" - Double time for Dwarves\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Taunt from the Rampart"}},{"insert":" - Even your opponents' life totals out and let them kill each other, big dwarves cleanup the mess.\n\nThese notable cards are probably what we are hoping to see in each game, the rest of the deck is largely staples that fit around our archetypes and pretty straightforward. I hope you feel like this deck is worth playing or playing against! I appreciate having some vulnerabilities but also some backbreaking synergy.\n"}]}