The Deck
After four quests, I wanted a little bit of a break from our dwarven friends. Also, I remember this quest (fairly) well and know it takes a pretty specialized deck to get through it. In fact, as well-tuned deck should be able to conquer the challenge rather quickly. The keys are: questing power, the ability to peek at the encounter deck, and a lot of cards that start with the right letter of the alphabet. Need help? Try starting with this post, which will help you knowing what letters are likely to be needed during a crucial stage of the quest.
Or you could just try to kill the Watcher.
Go for it; you're more than welcome to try.
Legend of the Watcher
Heroes
Elrond
Denethor
Glorfindel (Core)
Allies
Bifur (On the Doorstep) x2
Bombur (Road to Rivendell) x2
Silvan Tracker x3
Warden of Healing x3
White Tower Watchman x3
Gandalf x3
Henamarth Riversong x2
Isengard Messanger x3
Attachments
Self Preservation x3
Thror's Map x2
Asfaloth x3
Protector of Lorien x3
Events
Daeron's Runes x3
Deep Knowledge x3
Mithrandir's Advice x3
Risk Some Light x3
Secret Paths x3
The Seeing-stone x3
Sets Used
Core
The Dead Marshes
Road to Rivendell
The Long Dark
Foundations of Stone
Shadow and Flame
Over Hill and Under Hill
The Steward's Fear
The Druadan Forest
The Voice of Isengard
The Journey
Player Setup
Set starting threat to 33
Draw: Warden of Healing, Mithrandir's Advice, Self Preservation, Henamarth Riversong, White Tower Watchman, Risk Some Light
Nice to see most of the key starting letter's show up: M, S, T,
Encounter Setup
Reveal: Thrashing Tentacle
Round 1
Resource Phase
+1 Elrond (1), +1 Denethor (1), +1 Glorfiendel (1)
Draw: Bombur
Planning Phase
Play: Henamarth Riversong (Elrond -1)
Play: Warden of Healing (Denethor -1, Glorfindel -1)
Quest Phase
Commit: Glorfindel, Elrond, Henamrth Riversong, Warden of Healing
Total willpower: 8
Reveal: Disturbed Waters (raise threat to 38)
Total threat: 2
Place 6 progress on stage 1B (6/13)
Travel Phase
None
Encounter Phase
Engage Thrashing Tentacle
Combat Phase
Deal shadow card to Thrashing Tentacle
Thrashing Tentacle attacks. Denathor defends. Shadow: Wrapped! (no effect). No damage dealt.
Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 39
Round 2
Resource Phase
+1 Elrond (1), +1 Denethor (1), +1 Glofindel (1)
Draw: Henamarth Riversong
Planning Phase
Play: White Tower Watchman (Elrond -1, Denethor -1, Glorfindel -1)
I would really like to have some additional questing power, with the added bonus of help with undefended attacks
Quest Phase
Commit: Elrond, Glorfindel, Henamarth Riversong, Warden of Healing, White Tower Watchman
Total willpower: 9
Reveal: Disturbed Waters (threat raised to 44)
I hope things go quickly from here on out and that no more of these show up.
Total threat: 0
Place 9 progress on stage 1B, clearing it and advancing to stage 2B
Make Door of Durin the active location.
Add The Watcher to the staging area.
Look through the encounter discard and shuffle Wrapped! back into the encounter deck.
Flip to stage 2B
Travel Phase
None
Encounter Phase
None
Combat Phase
Deal shadow card to Thrashing Tentacle
Thrashing Tentacle attacks. Shadow: Black Uruks (no effect). No damage dealt.
Place three damage on Elrond (The Watcher's effect)
Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 45
Exhaust Henamarth Riversong to peek at top card of encounter deck: Grasping Tentacle
Hmm...I don't have any G's hiding in my deck. Looks like I need to Risk Some Light next turn
Round 3
Resource Phase
+1 Elrond (1), +1 Denethor (1), +1 Glorfindel (1)
Draw: Henamarth Riversong
Planning Phase
Play: Risk Some Light (Elrond -1, Denethor -1, Glorfindel -1)
It's a bit of a risk playing this now instead of gathering more cards with Mithrandir's Advice, but The Watcher's effect is going to start taking out my heroes soon.
Look at: Grasping Tentacle, Turbulent Waters, Striking Tentacle
Move Turbulent Waters to the bottom of the encounter deck.
Place Striking Tentacle on the top of the encounter deck, with Grasping Tentacle beneath it
Discard Self Preservation to trigger Doors of Durin's action. Discard Striking Tentacle from the Encounter deck. Add Doors of Durin to my victory display.
Quest Phase
Commit: Elrond, Glorfindel, Warden of Healing, White Tower Watchman
Tough decision to commit Warden of Healing instead of using him to help out Elrond, but I know I'm dealing with 6 in the staging area this next turn and I would like to push past the finish line next turn.
Total willpower: 8
Reveal: Grasping Tentacle
Total threat: 6
Place 2 progress on stage 2B (2/5)
Travel Phase
None
Encounter Phase
Engage Grasping Tentacle
Combat Phase
Deal shadow cards to Thrashing Tentacle and Grasping Tentacle
Grasping Tentacle attacks. White Tower Watchman defends. Shadow: Bitter Wind (no resources to discard). One damage dealt to White Tower Watchman.
Thrashing Tentacle attacks. Shadow: Wrapped! (no effect). No damage dealt.
Three damage dealt to Glorfindel (The Watcher's effect).
Refresh Phase
Ready all
Raise threat to 46
Round 4
Resource Phase
+1 Elrond (1), +1 Denethor (1), +1 Glorfindel (1)
Draw: Silvan Tracker
Planning Phase
Play: White Tower Watchman (Elrond -1, Denethor -1, Glorfindel -1)
Quest Phase
Commit: Elrond, Denethor, Glorfindel, Warden of Healing, Henamarth Riversong, White Tower Watchman x2
The nice thing about the Watchmen is that I can go all in for this quest phase and still have a back-up plan for at least two undefended attacks.
Total willpower: 11
Reveal: Bitter Wind (no resources to remove)
Total threat: 4
Place 7 progress on stage 2B, clearing it an winning the game!
Final Score
3 Completed Rounds x10: 30
Final Threat: 46
Damage on Heroes: 6
Threat of Defeated Heroes: 0
Victory Display: -3
Total: 79
The Recap
As hoped, that was fast. The high threat almost did me in, though, as did the decision to continue questing with Warden of Healing (vs. using his phenomenal ability to combo with Elrond and take care of some major healing).
I cannot imagine going against this quest without a specifically tailored deck, for one attempt at victory or the other. And either way, major questing and defensive capabilities are a must. Encounter decks that specific don't get a whole lot of love from me. But I may return one day to see if I can finally take out The Watcher in the Water.
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