Quest 30: Into Fangorn

Victory on the third attempt!

The Deck

After two attempts with a Rohan Lore/Tactics Doomed deck (trying to utilize Grima and Eomer), I switched tactics and quested for all I was worth.

That Old Fangorn Spirit

Heroes
Glorfindel (Foundations of Stone)
Eowyn
Frodo (Conflict at the Carrock)

Allies
Emery x2
Envoy of Pelargir x3
Escort from Edoras x3
Ethir Swordsman x3
Gandalf x3
Silvan Refugee x3
West Road Traveler x3
Westfold Horse-breeder x3

Attachments
Good Meal x3
Light of Valinor x3
Ancient Mathom x2
Leaf Brooch x3

Events
Astonishing Speed x3
Children of the Sea x3
Courage Awakened x3
Eldrond's Counsel x3
The Galadhrim's Greeting x3
Dwarven Tomb x2

Sets Used
Core
Conflict at the Carrock
A Journey to Rhosgobel
Return to Mirkwood
The Redhorn Gate
The Watcher in the Water
Foundations of Stone 
Over Hill and Under Hill
Heirs of Numenor
The Steward's Fear
The Druadan Forest
The Blood of Gondor
The Voice of Isengard
Trouble in Tharbad
The Three Trials

I highly suggest leaving out Leaf Brooch and throwing in Stand and Fight. Dark-Hearted Huron is a great enemy to choose with this deck (when given a choice), but eliminates any hope of long-term secrecy. Whereas Stand and Fight is a great addition to Emery and Eowyn.


The Journey

And uneventful jog through the woods.

Player Setup
Starting Threat: 21
Draw: Emery, Dwarven Tomb, Silvan Refugee, Astonishing Speed, Escort From Edoras, Dwarven Tomb

Encounter Setup
Add Edge of Fangorn to the staging area with Mugash attached.
Flip to side B. Add 4 Time Counters to stage 1B.

Round 1

Resource Phase
+1 Glorfindel (1), +1 Eowyn (1), +1 Frodo (1).
Draw: Envoy of Pelargir

Planning Phase
Play: Emery. Discard: Escort from Edoras, Silvan Refugee, Pelargir Shipwright
Dwarven Tomb is a great fit for a deck with Emery, but why did I not include Stand and Fight as well? Next time!
Play: Envoy of Pelargir (Frodo -1, Glorfindel -1). Add 1 resource to Eowyn's pool (2).
Play: Silvan Refugee (Eowyn -1).

Quest Phase
Commit: Glorfindel (Raise threat to 22), Eowyn, Frodo, Emery, Envoy of Pelargir, Silvan Refugee.
Total willpower: 13
Reveal: Ancient Forest
Total threat: 6
Place 7 progress on stage 1B (7/9)

Travel Phase
Travel to Edge of Fangorn. Search deck and add Dark-Hearted Huron to the staging area.

Encounter Phase
Engage Dark-Hearted Huron.

Combat Phase
Hinder 1. Remove 1 progress from stage 1B (6/9)

Refresh Phase
Ready all. Raise threat to 23.
Remove 1 Time Counter from stage 1B (3).

Round 2

Resource Phase
Raise threat to 25
+1 Glorfindel (1), +1 Eowyn (2), +1 Frodo (1).
Draw: Astonishing Speed

Planning Phase
Play: Escort from Edoras (Eowyn -2).

Quest Phase
Commit: Glorfindel (Raise threat to 26), Eowyn, Frodo, Emery, Envoy of Pelargir, Silvan Refugee.
Total willpower: 13
Reveal: Heart of the Forest
Total threat: 7
Place 2 progress on Edge of Fangorn, exploring it and adding it to the victory display (1). Add Mugash to the staging area.
Place 4 progress on stage 1B (10/9)

Travel Phase
Travel to Heart of Fangorn

Encounter Phase
No engagements.

Combat Phase
Hinder 1. Remove 1 progress from stage 1B (9/9).

Refresh Phase
Ready all. Raise threat to 27.
Exhaust Glorfindel to claim Mugash.
Advance to stage 2. Search encounter deck and add Dark-Hearted Huron to the staging area. Shuffle.
Flip to side B. Place 4 Time Counters on stage 2B.
Remove 1 Time Counter from stage 2B (3).

Round 3

Resource Phase
Raise threat to 29
+1 Glorfindel (2), +1 Eowyn (1), +1 Frodo (2).
Draw: West Road Traveler

Planning Phase
Play: West Road Traveler (Glorfindel -2).

Quest Phase
Commit: Eowyn, Frodo, West Road Traveler, Emery, Envoy of Pelargir, Silvan Refugee, Escort from Edoras
Total willpower: 16
Play: Astonishing Speed (Eowyn -1, Frodo -2). +6 total willpower.
Updated willpower: 22
Reveal: Heart of Fangorn
Total threat: 9
Place 3 progress on Heart of Fangorn, exploring it
Place 10 progress on stage 2B (10/12).
Discard Escort from Edoras from play.
Discard Silvan Refugee from play.

Travel Phase
Travel to Heart of Fangorn

Encounter Phase
Engage Dark-Hearted Huron

Combat Phase
Hinder 2. Remove 2 progress from stage 2B (8/12).

Refresh Phase
Ready all. Raise threat to 30.
Remove 1 Time Counter from stage 2B (2).

Round 4

Resource Phase
Raise threat to 36
+1 Glorfindel (1), +1 Eowyn (1), +1 Frodo (1).
Draw: Elrond's Counsel

Planning Phase
Play none.

Quest Phase
Commit: Glorfindel (raise threat to 37). Eowyn, Frodo, Emery, Envoy of Pelargir, West Road Traveler.
Total willpower: 13
Play: Elrond's Counsel. Reduce threat to 34. Give Glofindel +1 willpower.
Updated willpower: 14
Play: Astonishing Speed (Glorfindel -1, Eowyn -1, Frodo -1). +4 total willpower. Updated willpower: 18.
Reveal: Tangled Woods
Total threat: 6
Place 3 progress on Heart of Fangorn, exploring it.
Place 9 progress on stage 2B, clearing it and winning the game!

Final Scoring

3 Completed Rounds x10: 30
Ending Threat: 37
Total Damage on Heroes: 0
Threat of Defeated Heroes: 0
Victory Display: -1
Total Score: 66


The Recap

In a set that should be accessible to new players, this quest is a perfect fit. But after so much creativity and challenge lately, it was strange to find a quest where I could just quest like a madman with no challenge. Besides the Time mechanic, there was the addition of enemies doing things during the Resource Phase, but that did not seem like too much of a challenge to deal with. I may come back here to test out questing decks (instead of The Hills of Emyn Muil, the other option for that type of deck). A location-handling and high-enemy tackling deck might be worth a shot as well, but I'll likely be spending my deck-building effort on other quests.