Subtle Wording for New Players

[Subtle Wording for New Players]

I would like to colate a few things which didn't seem clear initially because of subtle wording, but can still be clarified using the the rulebook and close examination.

 

1: "Playing" a card is the same as "Marshalling", ie. Not challenging or kneeling etc, but when you initially put down the card.

 

2: A "House Lannister card" or "House Stark card" litterally means any card with the wolf or lion emblem in the corner and not one of the grey unafiliated cards, it does not have to be someone from the direct house/family in name.

Example: Tywin Lannister, Lannister Guards, and The Hound are ALL House Lannister characters. Shae and Littlefinger are not.

 

3: Lannister Guards, if the plot makes you discard cards in your hand "when the plot is revealed", then the Lannister Guards allow you to draw a card "after" you have finished discarding. Equally if the plot kills the guards "when" the plot iis revealed then they aren't around for "after".

 

4: The Direwolf is not a character and cannot be kneeled as a character by any of the Lannister cards. Yes this mean the Lannisters will almost never be able to kill anyone in a military engagement, because the defender can choose whoever has the direwolf and then just kneel the direwolf instead.

 

5: Shae. The Challenges section text on her card is an "action" and therefore can be played during the opponent's challenges turn ie.Before the opponent makes a challenge, even as first/active player with initiative.

Technically the first/active player can always play an event (not a challenge,) first, but the Starks have no event cards that can do anything to Shae, so it doen't really apply here.

 

Example the other way round: Lannisters have initiative/active/first player, Starks have "Septa Mordane" marshalled and would like to kneel her before the Lannisters attack. She CAN do this BUT the Lannisters could play "The Lion's Cunning" if they have it, to pre-kneel "Septa Mordane" because they have initiative/active/first player.

[Anyone pick this up yet?]

I hadn't played a "Living Card Game" before, and didn't realise this was a spin-off version of a standard type of game, so as someone who hadn't played battle card games before I have to say the simplified rules were NOT simple. Really people? These are simplified!? It's definitely worth looking at the second edition tutorial for basic consept rules and gameplay for anyone who isn't familiar first.

 

But the whole reason I'm here is to answer ambiguous card questions, hopefully they're here somewhere. eg. Are the Lanister Guards part of the Lanister House or just family? Who resolves first when using Shae? and when they say "Play" in the rules they mean "Marshal", that one took some figuring.

 

All that said. It looks like a REALLY fun game once you get the hang of it, but it's definitely a game for gamers. For people who like this Kind of game. I am TOTALLY going to get the second edition when it comes out. (Beautiful artwork.) I prefer the simple design of this version's cards to the first edition game though which is why I'm going to wait.

 

Final thoughts: Good game for gamers and show fans, but maybe wait for the second edition if you want more than a 2 player, and be prepared to look up clarification on a bunch of cards.