What is A Game of Thrones?A Game of Thrones is a collectible card game based on George Martin's well-known fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. A Game of Thrones takes place in the world of Westeros, during an age of glory, intrigue and betrayal. Each player takes on the role of one of the six great houses: Lannister, Baratheon, Stark, Greyjoy, Targaryen or Martell, in an epic struggle to control the Iron Throne and the ultimate fate of the world!
Quick Beginner's GuideThe War For Westeros (-- taken from Seeker Issue 2 -- Article is kinda old, but still informative) by Manny "Darkness" NepomucenoBased on George R.R. Martin's fantasy epic, A Song of Ice and Fire, the A Game of Thrones CCG is Fantasy Flight Games's foray into the fantasy-based CCG market. With nine expansions under its belt, AGOT can be considered a mature CCG, with a fan base of more than a thousand players worldwide.
In the Philippines, the local AGOT community consists of around thirty plus players (10 - 15 being active), headquartered at X-tended Play in Greenhills. Tournaments are held every Saturday night at X-tended Play, with a good deal of promo card support from FFG. Says diehard AGOT veteran and 2004 National Champion David Javier, The game is very accessible, especially with the new set. It's very promising.
A Song of Ice and FireGeorge RR Martin's epic series, A Song of Ice and Fire, is set in Westeros, an empire under attack from forces both within and without. Although the series is only less than halfway done (three of a projected seven books have been published,) the books have acquired a loyal following, a number of whom have gone on to play the CCG. Martin made a name for himself in the world of television as an editor and producer, although he is better known in the field of science fiction for his award-winning short fiction. He is a recipient of the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards, as well as a number of other, lesser awards. Westeros is home to the Seven Kingdoms, once ruled by the Targaryen family, who were descended from the ancient race of the Valyrians.
Background:At the beginning of his novels, we learn that the Targaryens have been deposed by the Baratheons, one of the Great Houses of the Realms, with the assistance of two other Houses, the noble yet overly-idealistic Starks and the cunning, amoral Lannisters. The last remaining Targaryens, a boy and a girl, have since fled to the lands east of Westeros and are trying to raise an army to retake their throne.
When King Robert Baratheon comes to the Stark castle at Winterfell to convince his old friend Eddard Stark to become Hand of the King, the stage is set for a tragedy of terrible proportions. Subsequent books will see Eddard's son Robb crowned King in the North and Robert's brothers Renly and Stannis squabbling over the right to rule. The Queen, Cersei Lannister, hides dark secrets that she will not give up easily, but they are known by the sinister spymaster Varys the eunuch. In the lands to the northwest, the defeated House Greyjoy struggles for the right to rule itself again. And an ancient foe menaces Westeros from the North -- a foe that will not stay dead.
The novels are personal in feel, yet epic in scope. Armies wheel and clash, and over and over again the series' main characters give in to their basic human weaknesses, but are forced into situations demanding superhuman valor. Characters live, wed, love, and war. And characters die. Even the favorites pass on, as brutally or as gently as they lived.
It is in the center of this conflict, the struggle for the Iron Throne of Westeros, that the CCG sets its scene.
A Game of Thrones: The CCGIn the A Game of Thrones (AGOT) CCG, players swear allegiance to one of six Great Houses of the Realm. These Great Houses are taken directly from those detailed in the novels, although the newest, House Martell, is mostly based on released preview chapters from the fourth book and interviews with the author himself. The goal of the game is simple: reach 15 power first. Power is gained by winning challenges and by ensuring your dominance over the board. These challenges occur during the challenge phase, which occurs after players draw and put down character and location cards. There are three kinds of challenges: military challenges, where players struggle to remove characters from the table, intrigue challenges, where they try to force their opponent to discard from their hand, and power challenges, where they try to take power away from their opponents. Only characters with the appropriate icons may participate in a challenge, and have only one value, strength, which represents its influence in those challenges. Each Great House follows certain characteristics:
HOUSE BARATHEON“Ours is the Fury.
The Baratheons focus on power grabbing during power challenges. They also dominate in an ability called renown which grants power for characters who participate and win in challenges.
Background:When Aerys II went mad, it was Robert Baratheon who raised his banner against his rightful king. It was the Baratheons of Storm’s End who rallied the other houses and smashed Prince Rhaegar on the Trident, wresting the Iron Throne away from House Targaryen where it had stayed for nearly three hundred years. Baratheon valor and might are legendary, and it is to their banner that the knights of the Seven Kingdoms flock.
Although new to the throne, House Baratheon has earned it with blood and will defend it with steel. The valor of their knights and the strange powers of their new allies from the far east will ensure their victory.
HOUSE LANNISTER“Hear me roar!???The Lannisters, on the other hand, are more intrigue-oriented, and focus on an ability called stealth which allows them to avoid opposing characters. They also have the most control-oriented cards, focusing on kneeling opponents' characters and canceling their event cards (and even character and location cards).
Background:The Lannisters trace their line back to Lann the Clever, from the Age of Heroes, and it shows. The only thing the Lannisters of Casterly Rock are better known for than their cunning and treachery is their conspicuous wealth. Long the most powerful of all the Great Houses, the Lannisters have fought hard to keep themselves on top and are not above making a gruesome example of those who defy them. “I wouldn’t cross a Lannister,??? begins a common expression in Westeros. “Not for all the gold in Casterly Rock!???
With a claim to the Iron Throne as strong as any other, House Lannister is at last poised to reign supreme over all of the Seven Kingdoms. With guile, treachery, and the best army money can buy, woe betide any who would stand in the way of the lion!
House Stark“Winter is coming.The Starks are primarily military-oriented, with the ability to clear the board of enemy characters quickly. They possess the most army character cards, which tend to have higher strength values than other characters of the same cost.
Background:The blood of the First Men still flows in the veins of the Starks of Winterfell. Descended from the Kings of Winter, the men and women of House Stark are respected throughout Westeros as fierce, honorable, and just. The vast, harsh regions of the north breed hard people and valiant warriors, and although northern knights are rare, none can deny the skill of northmen soldiers, or of the generals who lead them.
Fed up with the corruption and treachery of the south, the Starks have cast off the domination of the Iron Throne and crowned one of their own the King in the North once more. Northmen might and determination will protect their lands and their people from those in the south who would seek to deny them that freedom.
HOUSE GREYJOY“We do not sow.The Greyjoys were the first “new??? House to be introduced in the game's first expansion. Patterned after Norse raiders, the Greyjoys are similar to the Starks, focusing primarily on military challenges, but they also have some control elements. They can destroy locations, something the other Houses cannot do easily.
Background:The lord of House Greyjoy has the titles Lord of the Iron Islands, King of Salt and Rock, Son of the Sea Winds, and Lord Reaper of Pyke. Not one of those titles is undeserved. Long forced to forego their ancient ways of reaving and pillaging from their terrible longships, the ironmen of the Iron Islands are justly feared throughout Westeros to this day. Their raiders can strike anywhere without warning, and their Drowned God does not take prisoners.
Now that the Seven Kingdoms are in disarray, the Greyjoys are seizing the opportunity to resume their ancient ways. As sudden and unexpected as the kraken, ironborn raiders will once again ride the waves, bringing death and fear to Westeros.
HOUSE TARGARYEN“Fire and blood.Introduced early last year, the Targaryens excel at character removal and disintegration, with multi-icon characters dominating its stable. Unique to this house are Dragons, which reflect the Targaryens' traditional affinity with the great creatures. A single Dragon is as powerful as a regular army.
Background:Nearly three hundred years ago, Aegon the Conqueror came across the water and subdued Westeros. He had skill, and soldiers, and initiative, but most of all he had dragons. Westeros burned and the Seven Kingdoms now had one king – a Targaryen king. The dragons are gone now, and House Targaryen has fallen on hard times. Where once they ruled, now they exist in exile. Where once all the knights of Westeros were at their command, now they must rely on foreign mercenaries and the terrible Dothraki horselords. Where once they sat secure atop the Iron Throne, now House Targaryen is nomadic, moving from place to place across the water to the east, gathering strength for their inevitable return.
The Usurper may be gone, but the throne remains usurped and House Targaryen will have it back. They do not have the strength of arms or the support of the people, but they do have the only weapon they have ever needed: the dragons have returned.
HOUSE MARTELL“Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken.The newest House in the game, the Martells focus on revenge. Martell characters are as prone to dying as anyone else's, although they often take others with them to the grave. Also, Martell characters are usually multi-icon, allowing them to participate in more than one challenge.
Background:The Martells have ruled Dorne since the days of Nymeria, the warrior-queen. Even after accepting the supremacy of the Iron Throne, the Princes of Dorne have retained the title of “prince,??? refusing to lower themselves to the level of common lords and ladies. In their hot and sandy southern realm, the people of House Martell seem exotic and strange to the rest of Westeros … and dangerous. From their seat at Sunspear, the Dornishmen have harbored old resentments and long-lived grudges, waiting like a viper in the sand for their time of vengeance.
That time is now. The Dornishmen do not desire the Iron Throne, but with force of arms and deadly trickery they will make Westeros pay for the wrongs they have suffered.
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AGOT decks actually consist of two decks: the plot deck, a 7-card set that details special effects in a turn, and the main deck, which must be at least 60 cards in size. In addition, an AGOT deck features a House card to denote which Great House the player serves. Alliance decks are possible, with alliances predetermined by the availability of the appropriate Alliance card, but alliance decks need 20 power to win.
The interaction between the plot deck and the main deck is the innovation that drives the game. The plot card in play determines a player's starting gold, turn order, and claim value (the amount of impact winning a challenge has on the game). Plot cards can assist players by allowing them to search their decks or prevent them from initiating challenges of a certain type, or cancel entire phases outright. Plot cards determine the pace and flow of the game. A good Stark player, for example, knows when to play A Storm of Swords, which will allow him a second military challenge and help him clear the board. Conversely, a Baratheon player will know when to play No More Games!, which prevents intrigue challenges, a weakness of House Baratheon.
The main deck is handled like that of other CCGs. Random draws determine what is available to a player, and additional draws are possible, although the game's rules forbid drawing more than three additional cards. Killed characters are kept separate from discarded ones, as killed unique characters cannot be put into play again while one copy is in the dead pile. Characters can be “saved??? from dying or being discarded.
What the Future HoldsWhile the local community of AGOT is small, the potential of the game to make it big looms large. The first expansion of the game, A Sea of Storms, is largely sold out, boxes going for as much as $180 apiece whenever they're available. Older sets such as A Flight of Dragons, where the Targaryens were introduced, are likely to go the same way, restricting the availability of the older cards.
Fortunately for new players, a number of the older cards are reprinted and reissued in new editions or later expansions, ignoring the perceived rarity of the card. The rare Greyjoy card Conquer, for example, was recently reissued in a new Starter set that features the Greyjoys and the Targaryens. Another bonus for new players is the fact that the community is largely accepting. In the recently concluded AGOT National Championships, the majority of the players in the top slots were new players, having played AGOT for less than six months. The players are really nice, says Irwin Cruel, a relatively new player who placed second in the Nationals. The game was easy to get into.
An added incentive for new players is the fact that the metagame shifts with each new expansion. The latest expansion, A Crown of Suns, introduced several new mechanics that seriously changed the game.
Along with the best CCGs on the market, AGOT has proven it can go the distance -- and it has, with six expansions and at least three more planned for next year. Fortunately for the local crowd, FFG has pledged support for the local scene, with regular promo and prize support coming in to support Filipino players. The ready availability of the cards and the fanatically zealous player base practically guarantee that people will be playing the Game of Thrones for quite some time to come.
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David Javier's Common/Uncommon Greyjoy DeckA staple in the National-level tournament scene, the common/uncommon format is intended to allow new players to get into the game easily. This is the House Greyjoy deck designed and played by David Javier, 2004 AGOT National Champion.
Plots (7):
Building Orders
Clash of Kings
Filthy Accusations
Marching Orders, Regroup
Spending The Winter Stores
Summons
Main Deck:
Attachments (3):
Support of Harlaw (3)
Locations (17):
Roseroad (3)
The Iron Mines (3)
Sea Tower (3)
Gatehouse (3)
Longship Reserves (2)
Longship "Black Wind"
Longship of Pyke,
Tower of Pyke
Characters (28):
Asha Greyjoy (I&F) (3)
Oarsman (3)
Ship's Bosun (3)
Longship Navigator (3)
Iron Raiders (3)
Maester Wendamyr
Drowned Men (3)
Drowned Convert (3)
Victarion Greyjoy
Theon Greyjoy (SoS)
Balon Greyjoy (I&F) (2)
The Reader, Andrik the Unsmiling
Events (12):
Put to the Sword (3)
Distraction (3)
Berserker Fury (3)
Risen from the Sea (3)
Strategy: This is a staple Greyjoy unopposed deck, focusing on winning unopposed challenges with Asha and a Support of Harlaw. Balon and the other unique characters provide some support for power challenges, while the non-unique characters focus on providing some punch for military challenges. The Tower of Pyke accelerates the
power-generation process for Asha's unopposed attacks.
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Irwin Cruel's Constructed Stark DeckThis Stark deck focuses on murder: character elimination by any means possible. Most other Stark decks use a variety of rare cards to accomplish the task, but Irwin chose to go with virtually no rares. This deck is both reasonably cheap to construct and easy to play, and easily vanquished most opposition at the Nationals.
Plots (7):
Summons
Building Orders
Spending the Winter Stores
Marching Orders
Catastrophe
Wildfire Assault
Treacherous Passage
Main Deck:
Attachments (7):
Resilience (3)
Ward
Nymeria
Winterfell Watchtower (2)
Locations (16):
The Dreadfort
Northern Borderlands
Great Keep (2)
Winterfell Heart Tree (2)
Godswood (2)
Woods of the North (2)
The Searoad (2)
The Roseroad
Street of Steel
Street of Sisters
Characters (25):
Arya Stark (2)
Catelyn Stark (I&F) (2)
Eddard Stark (Wes)
Ser Edmure Tully (ATOB)
The Blackfish
Littlefinger (AFOD)
House Tully Recruiter (3)
House Tully Footsoldier (2)
House Mormont Spearman
House Karstark Man-at-Arms
Scouting Party (3)
Men of Greywater Watch (3)
Flayed Men
House Umber Knight (2)
Events (14):
Contested Claim
Fear Cuts Deeper Than Swords (3)
King's Justice (3)
Put To The Torch
Only Thought To Be Dead
Put To The Sword (3)
Secrets of the North (3)
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