Section 1: The Cards:

Aftermaths: Martyr, Stolen Spoils(S)*3, To The Victor(S)*3, Shadow Retribution(S)*3, The Long Night(S)*3
Total # of aftermaths: 13

Agendas: Forced Evolution*3, A Higher Calling*3
Total # of agendas: 6

Characters: Jeffrey Sinclair, John Sheridan, Morden, Miagi Hidoshi, Frederick Lantz, Luis Santiago, Senator Voudreau, Sarah, Michael Garibaldi, Susan Ivanova, Commander Ivanova(S), Bester, William Morgan Clark(S), General Hague, Sandra Hiroshi, Lord Refa
Total # of Characters: 15

Diplomacy Conflicts: Statement of Position(S)
Total # of Diplomacy Conflicts: 1

Intrigue Conflicts: Shadow Strike*3, Attacking Pawns*3
Total # of Intrigue Conflicts: 6

Military Conflicts: None
Total # of Military Conflicts: 0

Enhancements: Planetary Defenses, Fleet Support Base
Total # of Enhancements: 2

Events: Destiny Fulfilled*3, Underworld Connections*3, Hire Raiders*3, Shadow Strike*3, Popular Support*3, Victory In My Grasp*3, Affirm Alliance*3, Decisive Tactics*3, Contact With Shadows*3, What Do You Want?*3, Forces Collide*3, Confusion in Chaos*3
Total # of Events: 36

Fleets: First Battle Fleet, Second Battle Fleet, Homeworld Fleet, Utility Fleet*3, Deep Space Fleet*3, Expeditionary Fleet, Fleet of the Line, Shadow Ship(S)
Total # of Fleets: 12

Groups: Spin Doctors, Counterintelligence, Psi Corps Intelligence
Total # of Groups: 3

Locations: Sleeping Z'Ha'Dum
Total # of Locations: 1

Total # of cards in deck: 95

Section 2: Strategy

Opening Hand: Jeffrey Sinclair, John Sheridan,  What Do You Want?,  Sleeping Z'Ha'Dum

Opening Strategy: Build Influence up to 6.  Next turn, play Sleeping Z'Ha'Dum, replace your ambassador(you lose the doom mark [interesting note]), and play What Do You Want?  Continue to play cards to gain Shadow Marks.

Midgame Strategy: When you draw Morden, play A Higher Calling to increase your Shadow Marks so you can play him(guaranteed to have enough in opening hand).  Bring him out (with 9 intrigue) and prepare to support Intrigue Conflicts.  Play Miagi Hidoshi, Senator Voudreau, and Luis Santiago to support Diplomacy conflicts.  DO NOT support with Shadow-Marked characters unless you have The Long Night.  Get fleets out to support Military Conflicts.  Use Sleeping Z'Ha'Dum whenever possible.  Use To The Victor and Stolen Spoils to take away the victor's gains from conflicts.  Affirm Alliance is for Refa.  Use Shadow Retribution whenever a Vorlon-marked character supports a won conflict (if you have it).  [gee, doesn't Delenn have a Vorlon mark?]
 
Endgame Strategy: If anyone has used Test of Merit on you, Forces Collide it.  Switch to Forced Evolution when Shadow Influence gets high to win.

Weaknesses: Vorlon Decks...Shadow Retribution can only counter so much.
Fast decks, they can gain influence faster than you can take it away from
them.  Another Shadow deck can keep you from winning by forcing a tie or
being within 10 Power.  This deck would rule against a Diplomacy, Intrigue,
or War deck, which is what I often have to play against, which is why I
came up with it.

Section 3: Variations
 
You can change characters and events in response to what your opponents' decks are.
 

Deck Commentary by Lorne Kates

>Aftermaths: Martyr, Stolen Spoils(S)*3, To The Victor(S)*3,
>Shadow Retribution(S)*3, The Long Night(S)*3

The Martyr really isn't needed.  There are so few cards in here that give
Doom marks, and even less that provide Destiny marks, that it is just a
worthless card.

Only two To The Victor are really needed.  Most non-influence results of a
conflict you won't need.  Same with Shadow Retribution, since there is
no guarentee that you will be playing against a deck with Vorlon marks.
Sure, Delenn has a Vorlon mark, but unless there actualy is a Vorlon
player in the game, why lower the Vorlon influence?

>Total # of aftermaths: 13
After modification:  10

>Agendas: Forced Evolution*3, A Higher Calling*3
It's kinda silly to play A Higher Calling if all you're trying to do is
get enough marks to bring out Morden.  Sure, it doubles all your Shadow
Marks,but it also doubles all your opponent's Vorlon marks.  If you're
really looking for more Shadow Marks, use Lure of Shadows, keeping it in
your oppening hand instead of What Do You Want?.  It will provide Sheridan
with two Shadow Marks when sponsored, and you can then apply 7 influence
as an action to gain another Mark.  Still keep the Contact With Shadows
and What Do You Wants? in your deck to build Shadow Influence.

>Total # of agendas: 6
After modification: 4

>Characters: Jeffrey Sinclair, John Sheridan, Morden, Miagi
>Hidoshi, Frederick Lantz, Luis Santiago, Senator Voudreau,
>Sarah, Michael Garibaldi, Susan Ivanova, Commander
>Ivanova(S), Bester, William Morgan Clark(S), General Hague,
>Sandra Hiroshi, Lord Refa

Okay, for starters, drop Lord Refa!  16 influence for 6 Intruige?  I
don't think so.  General Hague costs more than he is worth in this deck
as well.
Sandra Hiroshi is just useless.  To keep with the theme of winning via
other player's conflicts, a couple Zathras' would be nice.  (Rotates
to steal Influence gained by another player this turn.  IE:  Trade
Windfall...).  Senator Young should be manditory in this deck as well!
She has a Shadow Mark, and Intruige!  You might also want to consider
dropping Hidoshi, just because he's one-stat (dip only), and you already
HAVE plenty of Diplomacy.  For a further boost in Intruige, play Shadow
Contact.  He's neutral.  He has a Shadow Mark.  He'll slightly annoy
a Vorlon Player.  Go for it!

If you are worried about Leadership, don't.  Ivanova has 3 (4 if she
has been promoted).  Sheridan has 4 as well!  If you are really
desperate for Leadership, add in Jha'Dur.  She has M5!  Sure, everyone
can attack you... but they're pretty much guarenteed to lose a ship or
two in the process.

>Total # of Characters: 15
After modifications:  15

>Diplomacy Conflicts: Statement of Position(S)

While Statement of Position is a great conflict, it really isn't fitting
for this deck.  I would add two Taking Credits instead, since they can
steal any Influence gained through a conflict.

>Total # of Diplomacy Conflicts: 1
After modifications: 2

>Intrigue Conflicts: Shadow Strike*3, Attacking Pawns*3
>Total # of Intrigue Conflicts: 6

(Note:  Shadow Strike should be Percision Strike)
Why play with 3 PERCISION Strikes?  Sure, you get to ditch a card or
two, but once again, doesn't really fit in with the theme, does it?  Drop
them, for sure.  Attacking Pawns are fine, since they are great for
defence.

After Modifications:  3

>Enhancements: Planetary Defenses, Fleet Support Base

Both are completely useless cards in this deck, I'm sorry to say.
Planetary Defenses on Z'Ha'Dum isn't that great anymore, since Z'Ha'Dum
has to rotate now.  And Fleet Support Base is... well... iffy unless in
a deck that you know is going to be attacking a lot.

Instead, I would reccomend adding Burocracy.  Since you're going to be
stealing most of your opponent's Influence anyways, they won't be able
to afford to keep buying more cards.  Also, I can't see any self-
respecting Shadow deck without at least three Shadow Medallions!
ESPECIALY if you are only playing ONE Morden in the deck.  Add two.
Not only do they make cards easier to play Shadow cards, but if Morden
is stuck at the bottom of the deck... or some other great Shadow card
(such as Z'Ha'Dum Awakened)... you can fish it out.  How about a Sworn
to Shadows?  It's Medallionable, and if the Centauri Shadow player
manages to get Morden out first, take him away.

>Total # of Enhancements: 2
After Modifications:  5

>Events: Destiny Fulfilled*3, Underworld Connections*3, Hire
>Raiders*3, Shadow Strike*3, Popular Support*3, Victory In My
>Grasp*3, Affirm Alliance*3, Decisive Tactics*3, Contact With
>Shadows*3, What Do You Want?*3, Forces Collide*3, Confusion
>in Chaos*3

{blink}  Exactly why do you need all these Starter Deck events?  Drop
all of the following, since they really aren't all that useful:
2 Destiny Fulfilled, 3 Hire Raiders, 1 Shadow Strike, 3 Popular Support
(you have enough Dip anyways!), 3 Underworld Connections, 3 Decisive
Tactives, 3 Victory in my Grasp.

Okay, now that we've rooted that out, let's take a look at some more
useful cards:

Evidence of Shadows x2.  You get TWO marks (via Sheridan) and the
Shadows gain an influence.  Why wouldn't you want this? Chaos Reins x3.
With all the new Shadows cards that make drawing that much more
difficult, a huge re-booting of your hand for only ONE influence
is absolutly invaluable!

Carpe Diem x3.  Like that event?  Play it again, Sam.

Force the Issue x2.  Since this deck is based mostly on stealing other
people's influence, they may be a bit... reluctant to play a conflict
until they are absolutly ready.  This event will make sure they play
that influence giving conflict next turn... or face the concequences.

Liberating Resources x2.  Another great way to steal influence gained
from Trade Windfalls, Defence in Depth, Short Term Goals or Exploration.

Eliminate Threats x2.  Not as cheap as Forces Collide, but you'll be
very glad to have more ways to kill off Enhancements.

Puppeteer.  Sure, it needs 7 Shadow marks to play, but you can use an
opponent's character for a turn!  How much better can it get than to
have Hedroon attack Durlan and neutralize BOTH of them?

Dedicated Follower.  Sheridan isn't REALLY using that Destiny Mark, is
he? Wouldn't rather have him have another Shadow Mark?

Meditate x3, as ANY deck should have.

>Total # of Events: 36
After Modifications:  34

>Fleets: First Battle Fleet, Second Battle Fleet, Homeworld
>Fleet, Utility Fleet*3, Deep Space Fleet*3, Expeditionary
>Fleet, Fleet of the Line, Shadow Ship(S)

Far far too many fleets.  The First, Second, Homeworld, Fleet of the
Line, Deep Space x2 and a Shadow Ship should all you really need to keep
your borders well defended.

>Total # of Fleets: 12

After Modifications:  7

>Groups: Spin Doctors, Counterintelligence, Psi Corps Intelligence
There are a few useful groups in Shadows that should be in here:

Special Intelligence:  Give your humans a much needed boost in Intruige.

Monks:  None of your characters have a Strife mark anyways.  Help
protect them.

>Total # of Groups: 3
After Modifications:  5

>Locations: Sleeping Z'Ha'Dum

Ack!  No no no no no!  Trust me on this one... you don't want to be
playing Sleeping Z'Ha'Dum any more.  As soon as Z'Ha'Dum Awakened comes
into play, you have to discard your entire hand!  Play with Z'Ha'Dum
awakened instead.  Keep it in your opening hand.  Instead of playing
it on turn 2, wait until you've performed a few build actions, then
play it.  With it's ability to give The Shadows +1 influence EVERY TURN,
and this deck's victory depending on Forced Evolution, you won't be
sorry that you did.

> Total # of Locations: 1

> Total # of cards in deck: 95
After Modifications:  86 (still WAAAAY too much in my opinion...)

>Section 2: Strategy

>Opening Hand: Jeffrey Sinclair, John Sheridan,  What Do You
>Want?,  Sleeping Z'Ha'Dum

Change What Do You Want? with Lure of the Shadows, and Sleeping Z'Ha'Dum
for ZHD Awakened.

>Continue to play cards to gain Shadow Marks.

Instead of that, turn 1:  Build to 5.  Turn two: build to 6, replace
Sincalre with Sheridan, build to 7.  Only 3 more turns until Sleeping
Z'Ha'Dum is in play.

>Midgame Strategy: When you draw Morden, play A Higher Calling
>to increase your Shadow Marks so you can play him(guaranteed
>to have enough in opening hand).  Bring him out (with 9
>intrigue) and prepare to support Intrigue Conflicts.  Play

A silly and wasteful stradegy.  For starters, the chacnes of "drawing"
Morden are 1/95 (or 85).  That's what the three Shadow Medallions are
for.  For getting those cards out quicker.  Morden can be brought up
with it.  Forced Evolution can as well.  And so on.  Don't rely on
Morden to win.  Bring out as many characters as you can, and start
helping other people with thier conflicts.  Then, steal the influence
using one of the many many ways in this deck.  (Zathras', Stolen
Spoils, etc).

>Miagi Hidoshi, Senator Voudreau, and Luis Santiago to
>support Diplomacy conflicts.  DO NOT support with
>Shadow-Marked characters unless you have The Long Night.

Why not?  Having The Long Night is just a happy bonus to supporting
a conflict.

>Affirm Alliance is for Refa.  Use Shadow Retribution

Another silly move.  The chances of having BOTH a Affirm Alliance AND
Refa in your hand at the same time are, well, not worth playing with
them.  There's plenty of other cards which provide Humans with enough
intruige to compete.

>whenever a Vorlon-marked character supports a won conflict
>(if you have it).  [gee, doesn't Delenn have a Vorlon mark?]

As I said before, yes she has a Vorlon Mark, but unless there's a Vorlon
player in the game... who cares?

 
>Endgame Strategy: If anyone has used Test of Merit on you,
>Forces Collide it.  Switch to Forced Evolution when Shadow
>Influence gets high to win.

Agreed.  With very few conflicts of your own in this deck, it's a card
to watch out for.  Also beware of Factional Inertia, To Stand Alone and
Obsticles to Victory.  All punish you for relying heavily on Power to
win the game.

>Weaknesses: Vorlon Decks...Shadow Retribution can only counter
>so much.

Normaly, I'd say Vorlon Decks aren't that much of a bother.  However,
with Vorlon Space to aid Vorlon Influence, they should prove a bit of
a challenge.  My suggestions are either Forced Impairment (as always),
use one of the Enchancments listed above in the Weakness section, or
perhaps playing an Elder Races Triumph is an way to victory.

>Fast decks, they can gain influence faster than you can take
>it away from them.

Always a problem, but not a catastrophic one.  Just start the Shadow
War to prevent this from happening.

>Another Shadow deck can keep you from winning by forcing a tie or
>being within 10 Power.

It would be a race to see who could injure the other's Forced Evolution
first.  Or, once again, Elder Races Triumph can win you the game if you
have more marks than the other Shadow player.  Remember, with Sheridan
and Lure of Shadows running, you should almost always have more Marks
than the other player.
 

>Section 3: Variations
>You can change characters and events in response to what
>your opponents' decks are.

My Summary:  One of the many new types of decks that will be popping up
when The Shadows reaches full distribution.  Probably will be refered
to as a Lurker-Type deck.  It sits around, and waits for something to
happen... THEN takes advantage of it.  =)