By Factor

This time around, we have a WCQ winner with a little more high-level experience under his belt, but this time it's in real-life LOTR TCG play. April's winner is Pawel "Walther13" Sobczak. Pawel won all of his games, going 6-0 among 51 players to take the tournament and win the bye into day 2 of October's Online World Championships.

I recently interviewed Walther13 about his victory and his unusual Ithilien Blade/Evil Men build.

FACTOR: You've been playing the online game for awhile now, correct? Is this your first major tournament win?

WALTHER13: In LOTRO, yes. In real life, I have won a bye into day 2 of Continentals in Amsterdam, 2003. Great city, by the way :)

FACTOR: You have an interesting variation on the Ithilien Blade deck with Shadowplay, paired with an unusual Bill Ferny deck with more site control elements than usual. Can you explain how it works, including bidding strategy and site selection? Did you usually get a Free Peoples win or a Shadow win in the WCQ?

WALTHER13: It is a child of my own, created to deal with Ferny Kill and site control decks. I bid 0, because it's irrelevant whether I go first or second. I start with East Wall of Rohan to pull out Aragorn or, if I go second, I play Mount Doom for the 2nd site and East Wall of Rohan for 3rd, to ensure Aragorn will be there. Depending on what is on the table, I usually run into site 5 or even 6 (with Last Throw) to stay way ahead of my opponent and make him run too. It's important to free sites for controlling possibility. Shadowplay is a key card in this deck, because it can block Ferny, even played from Last Days, and gives 4 more archery wounds, which is great itself. As for the sites, it is crucial to play Neekerbreeker's Bog, because it provides a free sanctuary when needed! Shadow is build to take as many sites as possible, so opponent cant control them and Last Throw will work. Sure, it has big potential of killing, wounding and overwhelming, but it's only purpose is to keep opponent slow on the adventure path. Ferny is a last-minute decision, because he can get to the Ring-bearer, and if paired with Chieftain of Dunland, can win a game instantly. I got 4 Free peoples wins, 1 Shadow kill and one timeout in the WCQ.

FACTOR: You went undefeated. Were any of your games really close? If so, tell me about them.

WALTHER13: The worst match i got in the WCQ was with Staszek (my teammate, BTW). He played Forest Nazgûl, and i knew it would be a tough game from the very start. His Free Peoples, by site 3, had 12 cards in the support area (Hobbits) and he managed to set up very fast, so the rest of the game, he had a good Shadow hand all the time. I got 3 - 4 Nazgûl at a site, so it was an amount not for squishing with Ithilien Blades. Besides I could not get them roaming, since every turn one of my companions hit the ground and threats were spreading out. It lasted until site 9, at which Staszek ran out of Nazgûl and we both merely ran out of time (less than 1 minute).

FACTOR: If someone wanted to beat your deck, how would they go about it?

WALTHER13: There are two ways to kill my fellowship. One is Forest Nazgûl with Úlairë Enquëa, Sixth of the Nine Rinders and They Feel The Precious (killer card, no doubt about it). The Second way is with Uruks with Mauhur to finish Merry and Madril quickly, and with Invincible Uruk to prevent all wounds on Uruks. As for my Shadow side, it is easily beaten by Rangers, Hobbits and choke decks (although, choke sometimes doesn't work and loses).

FACTOR: Thanks, Walther13!

WALTHER13: Thanks, Steve! I have one favor to ask you: I want to thank my wife Iga, because she is probably the Best Woman On The Globe, and supported my LOTRO passion for the entire time, cheers for me and is my biggest fan! :)

Here's the deck:

Ring-bearer and One Ring
Frodo, Protected by Many
The One Ring, The Ring of Doom

Free Peoples (30)
1 Gondorian Prowler
1 Mablung, Ranger of Ithilien
1 Madril, Defender of Osgiliath
1 Pippin, Wearer of Black and Silver
1 Seeing Stone of Orthanc
1 Aragorn, Thorongil
3 Derufin
1 Garrison of Gondor
2 Éowyn, Lady of Ithilien
4 Shadowplay
1 Last Throw
4 Well-travelled
1 Dínedal, Mirkwood Archer
2 Aragorn's Bow, Ranger's Longbow
1 Coif
4 Ithilien Blade
1 Rohirrim Mount

Shadow (30)
3 Pavise
3 Bill Ferny, Agent of Saruman
4 Chieftain of Dunland
2 Engrossed Hillman
2 Grousing Hillman
3 Rapt Hillman
4 The Mouth of Sauron, Messenger of Mordor
3 Countless Companies
1 Last Days
4 Pursuing Horde
1 Rapid Reload

Adventure Path (9)
1 Caves of Aglarond
1 East Wall of Rohan
1 Mount Doom
1 Neekerbreeker's Bog
1 Pelennor Fields
1 Redhorn Pass
1 Slag Mounds
1 Stables
1 Wold Battlefield

-Factor