Drafting Tales of Middle Earth

The various draft events currently on Arena

Continuing the month's theme, today I look at drafting Tales of Middle Earth. All drafts were done in Arena.

Jump Into Middle-Earth

This is effectively a Jumpstart event: you select two themed packs (that include lands), shuffle them, and play as long as you like with them. I did this a few times; one example follows. I enjoy these events; though you get very little say in deck construction, it is a good way to explore a new set.

Tokens Breakfast

1 Frodo, Sauron's Bane (LTR) 18

1 Shadow Summoning (LTR) 226

1 Westfold Rider (LTR) 37

1 Denethor, Ruling Steward (LTR) 198

1 Dunland Crebain (LTR) 82

1 Faramir, Field Commander (LTR) 14

1 Protector of Gondor (LTR) 25

1 Cirith Ungol Patrol (LTR) 80

1 Lash of the Balrog (LTR) 92

1 Morgul-Knife Wound (LTR) 98

1 Now for Wrath, Now for Ruin! (LTR) 24

1 Banish from Edoras (LTR) 1

1 Samwise the Stouthearted (LTR) 28

1 Nimble Hobbit (LTR) 23

1 Took Reaper (LTR) 35

1 Eastfarthing Farmer (LTR) 8

1 Rosie Cotton of South Lane (LTR) 27

1 Bill the Pony (LTR) 3

1 Soldier of the Grey Host (LTR) 32

1 Eagles of the North (LTR) 7

1 Reprieve (LTR) 26

1 Second Breakfast (LTR) 29

1 The Battle of Bywater (LTR) 2

1 Fog on the Barrow-Downs (LTR) 16

2 Scoured Barrens (NEO) 274

8 Plains (LTR) 263

6 Swamp (LTR) 266

Premier Draft

I participated in this draft event twice. The first (red/green) fared poorly; the second (white/black/green) started 3-0 before ending up 4-3. 

Entish Farmers (1-3)

1 Strider, Ranger of the North (LTR) 232

1 Oliphaunt (LTR) 139

1 Dúnedain Rangers (LTR) 159

2 Relentless Rohirrim (LTR) 144

2 Many Partings (LTR) 176

1 Mushroom Watchdogs (LTR) 180

2 Shower of Arrows (LTR) 188

2 Brandywine Farmer (LTR) 155

2 Generous Ent (LTR) 169

1 Enraged Huorn (LTR) 162

1 Wose Pathfinder (LTR) 190

2 Friendly Rivalry (LTR) 204

1 Pippin's Bravery (LTR) 182

1 Battle-Scarred Goblin (LTR) 115

1 Quickbeam, Upstart Ent (LTR) 183

1 Entish Restoration (LTR) 163

1 Smite the Deathless (LTR) 148

1 Elven Farsight (LTR) 161

1 Galadhrim Guide (LTR) 168

1 Revive the Shire (LTR) 185

1 Mirkwood Spider (LTR) 178

9 Forest (LTR) 271

8 Mountain (LTR) 269

White/Black/Green Spirits (4-3)

2 Oath of the Grey Host (LTR) 101

1 Troll of Khazad-dûm (LTR) 111

3 Mirkwood Bats (LTR) 95

1 Morgul-Knife Wound (LTR) 98

2 Shelob's Ambush (LTR) 108

1 Uruk-hai Berserker (LTR) 112

1 Soldier of the Grey Host (LTR) 32

1 Eagles of the North (LTR) 7

1 Shadow Summoning (LTR) 226

1 Mordor Trebuchet (LTR) 97

2 Second Breakfast (LTR) 29

1 Fog on the Barrow-Downs (LTR) 16

1 Gorbag of Minas Morgul (LTR) 86

1 Mordor Muster (LTR) 96

2 Haunt of the Dead Marshes (LTR) 90

1 Hobbit's Sting (LTR) 20

1 Dunland Crebain (LTR) 82

1 Sam's Desperate Rescue (LTR) 105

1 Cirith Ungol Patrol (LTR) 80

1 Old Man Willow (LTR) 217

2 Forest (LTR) 271

8 Swamp (LTR) 267

6 Plains (LTR) 263

Sealed

Noticing the white/green power of the set during my previous drafts, I focused on those colors (and the corresponding 'food' theme) for my sealed experience. I didn't do as well as I hoped, going 2-3.

Food for Thought (2-3)

1 Celeborn the Wise (LTR) 156

8 Plains (LTR) 263

2 Bombadil's Song (LTR) 154

1 Mushroom Watchdogs (LTR) 180

3 Brandywine Farmer (LTR) 155

1 Pippin's Bravery (LTR) 182

1 Mirkwood Spider (LTR) 178

2 Elven Farsight (LTR) 161

1 The Shire (LTR) 260

1 Eagles of the North (LTR) 7

7 Forest (LTR) 271

1 Stalwarts of Osgiliath (LTR) 33

1 Escape from Orthanc (LTR) 12

2 Fog on the Barrow-Downs (LTR) 16

1 The Battle of Bywater (LTR) 2

1 Faramir, Field Commander (LTR) 14

1 East-Mark Cavalier (LTR) 9

1 Took Reaper (LTR) 35

1 Slip On the Ring (LTR) 31

1 Flowering of the White Tree (LTR) 15

1 Dúnedain Blade (LTR) 6

1 Landroval, Horizon Witness (LTR) 21

Thoughts on LTR Draftings

Wizards advertises this set as two-color pairings, and gives clues as to the synergistic strategies for each:

Originally seen on a card; image from here

I did the best with combining white/black (tokens) and black/green (sacrifice); that deck had potential. I didn't get the cards to fully explore the other strategies in the draft environment, but will in Constructed. From what I have seen of this set, though, it seems underpowered.