TM

Rules Reference The Only Game Glossary

That Matters The following is an alphabetical list of entries for game rules, terms, and situations that may occur during play. Too many strange faces, Tyrion thought, too many new players. The game changed while I lay rotting in Abilities my bed, and no one will tell me the rules. An ability is the special game text that a card contributes to the game. Card abilities fall into one of the following —George R.R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire types: actions, constant abilities, interrupts, keywords, reactions, or when revealed abilities. xxThe initiation of action, interrupt, and reaction Halt! abilities is optional. The word “may” also incorporates a player option into the resolution of an ability. The player who controls the card on which an optional ability exists determines whether or not he or she wishes to use that ability at the appropriate time. xxThe application or initiation of the following types of abilities is mandatory: constant abilities, when revealed abilities, forced interrupt abilities, and forced reaction abilities. xx This document is intended as the definitive source for The initiation of any keyword which uses the word rules information, but does not teach players how to “may” in its keyword description is optional. The play the game. Players should first read the Learn to application of all other keywords is mandatory. Play book in its entirety and use this Rules Reference xxCard abilities only interact with, and can only as needed while playing the game. target, cards that are in play, unless the ability The majority of this guide consists of the glossary, text specifically refers to an out of play area or which provides an alphabetical listing of terms and element. Card abilities on characters, locations, and situations a player might encounter during a game. attachments can only be initiated or affect the game This section should be the first destination for players from an in play area unless they specifically refer who have a rules question. to being used from an out of play area, or require that the card be out of play for the ability to resolve. The latter part of this guide contains two appendices. Event cards and agenda cards implicitly interact with The first appendix provides detailed timing diagrams the game from an out of play area, as established by that illustrate the structure of an entire game round, as the rules of their cardtypes. well as a detailed explanation on how to handle each game step presented in those diagrams. The second xxA card ability can only be initiated if its effect provides a detailed anatomy of each cardtype. has the potential to change the game state. This potential is assessed without taking into account The Golden Rules the consequences of the cost payment or any other ability interactions. If the text of this Rules Reference directly contradicts xx the text of the Learn to Play book, the text of the A card ability can only be initiated if its cost (after Rules Reference takes precedence. modifiers) has the potential to be paid in full. If the text of a card directly contradicts the text of Related: Actions, Effects, Constant Abilities, Costs, either the Rules Reference or the Learn to Play book, Delayed Effects, Forced Interrupts/Forced Reactions, the text of the card takes precedence. In Play and Out of Play, Interrupts, Keywords, Lasting Effects, Reactions, Triggered Abilities, When Revealed

2 [ Rules Reference ] Actions Ambush (X) An action is a triggered ability that contains the Ambush is a keyword ability. A player may, as a player boldface “Action:” precursor. These abilities can only action during the challenges phase, pay gold equal to be initiated by a player during an action window. For the (X) value of a card with ambush to put that card details on when action windows occur during each into play from his or her hand. A card that enters play round, see the timing charts in Appendix I. using ambush is not considered to have been marshaled. Some Action abilities have a phase name as a qualifier xxIf a card has multiple instances of ambush, each with to the word “Action.” Such abilities are still considered a different (X) value, the player controlling the card Action abilities, with the restriction that they can only be may choose which instance of ambush is used to put initiated during an action window in the specified phase. the card into play. An action must be resolved completely before the next Related: Keywords, Put into Play action can be initiated. Attachment Cards Related: In Play and Out of Play Attachment cards represent weapons, armor, items, Active Player skills, conditions, and titles. These cards enter play In some phases, the game creates an active player, who standing and attached to another card or game element, is granted permission to perform a specified task. and remain in play unless removed by an ability, or xx unless the attached card leaves play. An attachment During the marshaling phase, the active player cannot enter play if there is no eligible card or game collects income and is also permitted to marshal element to which it can attach. character, location, attachment, and duplicate cards xx from his or her hand. An attachment can only attach to a character, unless otherwise specified by the attachment's text. xx During the challenges phase, the active player is xx permitted to initiate challenges. There is no limit on the number of attachments that may be attached to a card or game element. Related: Marshaling Phase, Challenges Phase xxIf a card to which an attachment is attached leaves Against play, return the attachment to its owner’s hand. During a challenge, the attacking player and the This occurs simultaneously with the attached card defending player are considered to be taking part in the leaving play. challenge “against” each other. xxIf a situation arises in which an attachment is not Agenda Cards legally attached, discard the attachment. Agenda cards are placed alongside a player’s faction xxAn attachment a player controls remains under his card, and provide specialized abilities and limitations or her control even if the card or game element to for his or her deck. A player may use a single agenda which it is attached is under an opponent’s control. card in conjunction with his or her faction card when x assembling a deck. The agenda card starts the game xAn attachment card stands and kneels independently next to a player’s faction card and is revealed along with of the card to which it is attached. the faction card during setup. For attachment card anatomy, see Appendix II xxAgenda cards are not considered “in play.” Their text Related: Ownership and Control affects the game state from the out of play area while they are active beside a player’s faction card. Attacker, Attacking Character, xxCards with the printed agenda cardtype cannot be Attacking Player removed from the game by other card abilities. The term “attacking character” refers to a character that is participating in a challenge on the side of the player For agenda card anatomy, see Appendix II who initiated the challenge. The term “attacker” is also Related: In Play and Out of Play, Deckbuilding used as shorthand for “attacking character.”

[ Rules Reference ] 3 The term “attacking player” refers to the player that xxIf an ability causes a card to change its cardtype initiated the challenge that is currently resolving. (such as an event card that changes into an attachment), it loses all other cardtypes it might Related: Challenges Phase, Defender, Participating possess and functions as would any card of the Base Value new cardtype. The value of a quantity before any modifiers are applied. For most quantities, it is also the printed value. Challenge Icons These icons appear on most character cards and indicate Related: Printed, Modifiers which challenge types the character may be declared for Blank as an attacker or defender. The challenge icons are: If a card’s printed text box is considered “blank” by an Challenge Graphic Icon In Text ability, that text box is treated as if it did not have any

of its printed content. Text and/or icons gained from Military another source are not blanked. Intrigue xxA card’s text box includes: traits, keywords, card text and abilities, and non-challenge icons (such as Power gold, initiative, and reserve modifiers). Related: Printed Challenges Phase See Appendix I, “4. Challenges phase” on page 27. Cancel Some card abilities (usually interrupt abilities) can Character Cards “cancel” other card or game effects. Cancel abilities Character cards represent the lords, ladies, knights, interrupt the initiation of an effect, and prevent the armies, mercenaries, creatures, and other personalities effect from initiating. Because of this, cancel abilities and groups one might encounter in the A Song of Ice have timing priority over all other interrupts to the and Fire setting. These cards enter play in the front effect that is attempting to initiate. row of a player’s play area and remain in play unless removed by an ability or game effect. xxWhen an effect is canceled, that effect is no longer imminent, and further interrupts For character card anatomy, see Appendix II (including cancels) cannot be initiated in reference Choose to the canceled effect. The word “choose” indicates that one or more targets xxWhen the effects of an ability are canceled, the must be chosen in order to resolve an ability. ability is still considered to have been used, and any Related: Target costs have still been paid. xxIf the effects of an event card are canceled, the card Claim or Claim Value is still considered to have been played, and it is still Claim represents the consequences a player must face placed in its owner’s discard pile. upon losing a challenge as the defending player. The claim value on a player’s revealed plot card (which Related: Costs, Initiating Abilities, Interrupts, Limits incorporates all relevant claim modifiers) determines and Maxima, Triggering Condition the potency of each challenge that player initiates if he Cannot or she wins the challenge. The word cannot”“ is absolute, and cannot be Claim value determines: how many different countermanded by other abilities. characters the losing opponent must kill (for a challenge), how many cards are discarded from the Cardtypes losing opponent’s hand (for an challenge), or how The game’s cardtypes are presented in Appendix II, much power is taken from the losing opponent’s with detailed card anatomies, on page 30. faction card (for a challenge).

4 [ Rules Reference ] Related: Intrigue Claim, Military Claim, xxAn ability cannot initiate (and therefore its costs Power Claim cannot be paid) if the resolution of its effect will not change the game state. Constant Abilities A constant ability is any non-keyword ability whose text Related: In Play and Out of Play, Ownership contains no boldface precursor defining its ability type. and Control A constant ability becomes active as soon as its card enters play and remains active while that card is in play. Dead Pile The dead pile is an out of play area. It is distinct from xx Some constant abilities continuously seek a specific the discard pile. condition (denoted by words such as “during,” “if,” xx or “while”). The effects of such abilities are active Any time a character in play is “killed,” that any time the specified condition is met. character is placed faceup on top of its owner’s dead pile. xx If multiple instances of the same constant ability are xx in play, each instance affects the game state. A player cannot marshal, play, put into play, or take control of a copy of any unique (​) card that is in Related: In Play and Out of Play his or her dead pile. x Control xA single instance of a unique card in a player’s dead See “Ownership and Control” on page 14. pile does not prevent an effect that would cause the card to enter play directly from the dead pile. This is Copy (of a card) because such an effect removes the only instance of A copy of a card is defined by title: any other card that the card from the dead pile. shares the same title is considered a copy, regardless of xx cardtype, text, artwork, or any other characteristic of Each player’s dead pile is open information, and may the card(s). be looked at by any player at any time. xx Related: Deckbuilding, Ownership and Control, The order of the cards in a dead pile may not be Unique Cards, Self-Referential Text altered unless a player is instructed to do so by a card ability. Costs xx A card’s gold cost is the numerical value that must be If multiple characters are killed simultaneously, the paid to marshal or play the card. owner of the cards may physically place them into his or her dead pile one at a time, in any order. Some card abilities are presented in a “do X to do Y” construct. In such a construct, the “do X” aspect Related: Discard Pile, Leaves Play, Unique Cards (preceding the word “to”) is a cost, and the “do Y” aspect Deck, Draw Deck (following the word “to”) is an effect. When the word “deck” appears by itself in rules or in xx An opponent’s game elements may not be used to card text, it refers to the deck that contains a player’s pay a cost. attachment, character, event, and location cards. This is also known as the “draw deck.” xxIf a cost requires a game element that is not in play, the player paying the cost may only use game Any rule or ability that refers to a plot deck uses the elements that are in his or her out of play areas and/ term “plot deck.” or gold pool to pay the cost. Related: Plot Deck xx If multiple costs for a single card or ability require Deckbuilding payment, those costs must be paid simultaneously. To build a custom deck for sanctioned tournament play: xxIf any part of a cost payment is prevented, once xxA player must choose exactly 1 faction card. all costs that can be paid are paid, the process of initiating the ability or marshaling/playing the card xxA player may choose 1 agenda card, or may choose immediately ends without further resolution. (The to not use an agenda. card remains unplayed in its owner's hand.) [ Rules Reference ] 5 xxA player’s plot deck must contain exactly 7 xxDelayed effects resolve automatically and cards. Up to one of the chosen plot cards may be immediately after their timing point/future duplicated once (by title) within the plot deck. No condition occurs, before reactions to that moment more than 1 copy of each of the other plot cards may be used. may be in the plot deck. xxWhen a delayed effect resolves, it is not treated as a xxA player’s draw deck must contain a minimum of new triggered ability, even if the delayed effect was 60 cards. originally created by a triggered ability. xxThere is no upper limit on a player’s draw deck size. xxRelated: Abilities, Effects, Triggered Abilities xx A player’s draw deck can only contain up to 3 Discard Pile copies (by title) of any given card. The discard pile is an out of play area. It is distinct xxUnless instructed otherwise by a card ability, from the dead pile. each card in a player’s deck and plot deck must be xxAny time a card is “discarded” (from play or from neutral or its affiliation must match the affiliation an out of play area such as a hand or deck), it is of that player’s faction card. placed faceup on top of its owner’s discard pile. Related: Copy, Deck, Deck Limits, Faction, Plot Deck xxEach player’s discard pile is open information, and may be looked at by any player at any time. Deck Limits, Deck Limit: X Up to 3 copies of most cards (by title) may be included xxThe order of the cards in a discard pile may not be in a player’s deck. If a card has the text “Deck Limit: altered unless a player is instructed to do so by a X” no more than X copies of that card may be included card ability. in a player’s deck. xxIf multiple cards are discarded simultaneously, the xx If X is 2 or lower, this phrase acts as a owner of the cards may physically place them into deckbuilding restriction. his or her discard pile one at a time, in any order. xx If X is 4 or higher, this phrase acts as a permission Related: Dead Pile, Leaves Play, Sacrifice that enables a player to include more than the standard 3 copies. Dominance Phase See Appendix I, “5. Dominance phase” on page 29. Related: Plot Deck Limit: X Drawing Cards Defender, Defending Character, When a player is instructed to draw one or more Defending Player cards, those cards are drawn from the top of his or her The term “defending character” refers to a character draw deck. that is participating in a challenge on the side of the xxWhen a player draws 2 or more cards as the result defending player. The term “defender” may also be of a single ability or game step, those cards are all used as shorthand for “defending character.” drawn simultaneously. The term “defending player” refers to the opponent of xx the attacking player against whom (from the attacking Drawn cards are added to a player’s hand. player's perspective) the challenge is resolving. xxThere is no limit to the number of cards a player Related: Attacker, Challenges Phase, Participating may draw each round. Delayed Effects Related: Reserve Value Some abilities contain delayed effects. Such abilities Draw Phase specify a future timing point, or indicate a future See Appendix I, “2. Draw phase” on page 27. condition that may arise, and dictate an effect that is to happen at that time.

6 [ Rules Reference ] Duplicates the number of entities that currently exist in the A player may use additional copies, by title, of any specified game area, the effect engages as many unique card (indicated by a “​” symbol in its title) he entities as possible. or she owns and controls in play as duplicates. When xxThe expiration of a lasting effect (or the cessation of a card enters play as a duplicate, it is placed faceup, a constant ability) is not considered to be generating overlapped by (i.e. partially visible beneath) the copy of a game state change by a card effect. the card that was already in play. Related: Abilities, Costs, Delayed Effects, Lasting A duplicate grants its controller the following triggered Effects, May, Initiating Abilities, Play Restrictions and game ability: “Interrupt: When the overlapping unique Permissions, Triggering Condition card would leave play, discard this duplicate to save that card. (Cannot be canceled.)” Enters Play xxThere is no cost to marshal a card as a duplicate. The phrase “enters play” refers to any time a card makes xx a transition from an out of play area into a play area. Duplicates are not considered attachments. Marshaling a card and putting a card into play by using Duplicates are not affected by and do not interact a card ability are two means by which a card may with text that refers to attachments. enter play. x xDuplicates have no text, titles, characteristics, type, Related: In Play and Out of Play, Marshal, Put Into Play or traits. A duplicate is only considered a blank “duplicate card” while it is in play. Event Cards xx Event cards represent tactical actions, schemes, twists It is possible to have more than one duplicate on a of fate, and other unexpected developments that might single card. occur during the game. xx A different version of a unique card may be used as xxAn event card’s ability type, triggering condition (if a duplicate on the card. The version of the card that any), and play permissions/restrictions (if any) define was first in play remains as the active version once when and how the card can be played. the duplicate is attached. A player may not switch a xx card with its duplicate. When a player plays an event card, its costs are paid, its effects are resolved (or canceled), and the xx Marshaling a duplicate is not considered marshaling card is placed in its owner's discard pile prior to a card of the duplicate’s printed type. It is only opening the reaction window which follows the considered “marshaling a duplicate card.” ability's resolution. Related: Ownership and Control, Save, Unique Cards xxEvent card effects engage the game state at the time they resolve. If an event card creates a lasting Effects effect on a set of cards, only cards that are in play at A card effect is any effect that arises from the resolution the time the event card is played are eligible to be of ability text printed on, or gained by, affected. Cards that enter play after the resolution of a card. A framework effect is any effect that arises from the event are not affected by its lasting effect. the resolution of a framework event. xxIf the effects of an event card are canceled, the card xxCard effects might be preceded by costs, triggering is still considered to have been played, and its costs conditions, play restrictions, and/or play permissions; remain paid. Only the effects have been canceled. such elements are not considered effects. xxUnless the ability that puts it into play also changes xxOnce initiated, players must resolve as much of each its cardtype to a cardtype that is permitted in play, aspect of the effect as they are able, unless the effect an event card cannot enter play. uses the word “may.” For event card anatomy, see Appendix II xxWhen a non-targeting effect attempts to engage a number of entities (such as “draw 3 cards” or Related: Cancel, Costs, Delayed Effects, Lasting “search the top 10 cards of your deck”) that exceeds Effects, Play Restrictions and Permissions, Triggering Condition [ Rules Reference ] 7 Facedown Cards First Player, First Player Token Some abilities put cards into play facedown. A facedown A first player is chosen at random during setup. A new card has no inherent attributes other than “facedown first player is chosen each plot phase by the player who card,” but it may be granted attributes by the card ability wins initiative. The chosen player remains the first that put it into play. player until a new first player is chosen. The first player xxA player may look at the identity of any facedown token is used to indicate which player is the first player. card that is in play and under his or her control. xxThe first player becomes the active player first during the marshaling and challenges phases. Faction, Faction Cards There are 8 factions in the game, shown in the xxDuring all framework event and action/reaction/ chart below. interrupt windows the first player has the first opportunity to initiate action, interrupt, or reaction Thefaction card signals which faction a player has abilities at each appropriate game moment. chosen as the primary faction for his or her deck. An in-faction card bears the loyal or non-loyal faction xxFor any question as to who should perform an act symbol that matches the affiliation indicated by his or or make a decision first, in the absence of any other her faction card. direction by card or rules text, the first player does For faction card anatomy, see Appendix II so first, and other players follow in player order. xx Related: Deckbuilding, For Your Faction, Loyal If the first player is eliminated from a game, the player to his or her left becomes the first player. Related: Active Player, Setup, Initiative, Faction Loyal Non-Loyal In Text Plot Phase, Priority of Simultaneous Resolution House Forced Interrupts/Forced Reactions Stark While most triggered abilities are optional, some interrupt and reaction abilities are preceded by House the word “Forced.” Such abilities must be resolved Lannister immediately whenever the triggering condition specified in the ability text occurs. House xxFor any given triggering condition, forced Baratheon interrupts take priority and initiate before non- forced interrupts, and forced reactions take priority House and initiate before non-forced reactions. Greyjoy xxIf two or more forced abilities would initiate at the same moment, the first player determines the order House in which the abilities initiate, regardless of who Tyrell controls the cards bearing those abilities. xxEach forced ability must resolve completely before House the next forced ability to the same triggering Martell condition may initiate. Related: Interrupts, Reactions House Targaryen For Your Faction The phrase “for your faction” is used to instruct a The Night’s player to place the power just gained on his or her Watch faction card.

8 [ Rules Reference ] Framework Effects and Framework Events immune card (such as attachments, tokens, abilities A framework event is a mandatory occurrence originating from an immune card, or duplicates) are not dictated by the structure of the game. A framework themselves immune. effect is any effect that arises from the resolution of If a card gains immunity to an effect, pre-existing a framework event. lasting effects that have been applied to the card are Related: Appendix I: Timing and Gameplay, Effects not removed. Gains Immunity only protects a card from effects. It does not prevent a card from being used to pay costs. The word “gains” is used in multiple contexts. Related: Costs, Lasting Effects xxIf a player gains gold, the player takes the specified amount of gold from the treasury and adds it to his In Play and Out of Play or her gold pool. The cards (generally characters, locations, attachments, xxIf a player gains power for a card under his or her duplicates, and the faction card) that a player controls in control, the player takes the specified amount of the play area, the title card a player currently bears in a power from the treasury and adds it to the card. melee game, as well as a player’s revealed plot card, are considered “in play.” xxIf a card gains a characteristic (such as an icon, a “Out of play” refers to all other cards and areas involved Trait, a keyword, or ability text), the card functions in the game environment, including: cards in a player’s as if it possesses the gained characteristic. Gained hand, deck, discard pile, dead pile, plot deck, used pile, characteristics are not considered to be printed on agendas, and any cards that have been removed from the card. the game. Related: Gold, Power, Printed xxA card enters play when it transitions from an out of play origin to a play area. Gold x Gold is the game’s currency and xA card leaves play when it transitions from a play is used to pay for cards and card area to an out of play destination. abilities. The amount of gold a xxA player’s faction card cannot leave play. player has available at any given xx time is represented (as open Gold Tokens Outside of the process by which a player reveals a information) by gold tokens new plot his or her previously revealed plot card in his or her gold pool. enters the used pile, a player's plot card cannot Gold begins the game in the treasury. When a player leave play. gains gold, that player takes an equivalent amount of Related: Abilities, Dead Pile, Deck, Discard Pile, gold from the treasury and adds it to his or her gold Plot Card pool. When gold is spent it is returned to the treasury from a player's gold pool. Income Related: Marshaling Phase, Taxation Phase When a player becomes the active player during the marshaling phase, that player collects income by Gold Modifier gaining an amount of gold from the treasury equal See “Plot Value Modifiers” on page 16. to the gold value on his or her revealed plot card (which incorporates the total value of all relevant Immune gold modifiers). If a card is immune to a specified set of effects (for Related: Gold, Gold Modifier, Marshaling Phase example, “immune to event card effects,” or “immune to card effects”), it cannot be targeted or affected by effects that belong to that set. Only the card itself is protected, and peripheral entities associated with an

[ Rules Reference ] 9 Influence Tokens When new plot cards are revealed for the plot phase, Influence tokens are generic tokens the players compare initiative. The player with the that can be used to track a variety highest initiative value wins initiative, and chooses of different game states and statuses. which player is the “first player” until a new first player Influence Tokens They have no inherent rules. is chosen. (double-sided) xxCard abilities can create and If there is a tie at that time for initiative, the tied define a number of different token types, such player with the lowest power total wins initiative. If as “betrayal tokens,” “poison tokens,” and “stand the lowest power total is also tied, a random method tokens.” When such a token is called for, an should be used to break this tie. influence token is used to track its presence in Related: First Player the game. Initiative Modifier Initiating Abilities/Marshaling Cards See “Plot Value Modifiers” on page 16. When a player wishes to marshal or play a card, or initiate a triggered ability, that player first declares Insight his or her intent (and shows the card to be used, if Insight is a challenge resolution keyword. After necessary). The following steps are then observed, a player wins a challenge, for each participating in order: character with the insight keyword he or she controls, that player may draw 1 card. 1. Check play restrictions: can the card be marshaled or played, or the ability initiated, at this time? Related: Challenges Phase, Keywords 2. Determine the cost (or costs, if multiple costs Instead are required) to marshal/play the card or initiate See “Replacement Effects” on page 18. the ability. If it is established that the cost (taking modifiers into account) can be paid, proceed with Interrupts the remaining steps of this sequence. An interrupt is a triggered ability whose text contains the boldface “Interrupt:” precursor. An interrupt 3. Apply any modifiers to the cost(s). ability interrupts the resolution of its triggering condition, sometimes canceling or changing the 4. Pay the cost(s). resolution of that condition. Always resolve interrupts 5. Choose target(s), if applicable. to a triggering condition before resolving the consequences of the triggering condition itself. 6. The card is marshaled/played, or the effects of the ability attempt to initiate. An interrupt ability that Unlike actions, which may be initiated during action cancels this initiation may be used at this time. windows, each interrupt may be initiated once each time its specified triggering condition occurs, as 7. The effects of the ability (if not canceled in described in the interrupt’s ability text. step 6) complete their initiation, and resolve. When a triggering condition initiates (but before Interrupts and Reactions may be used throughout it begins resolving), an interrupt window for that this process as normal, should their triggering triggering condition opens. conditions occur. Within the interrupt window, the first player always Related: Abilities, Cancel, Costs, Play Restrictions has the first opportunity to initiate an eligible interrupt and Permissions, Target (to this triggering condition), or pass. Opportunities to initiate an eligible interrupt, or pass, continue in player Initiative order until all players consecutively pass, at which A player’s initiative is the initiative value on his or her point the interrupt window closes. Passing does not revealed plot card (which incorporates the total value prevent a player from initiating an eligible interrupt of all relevant initiative modifiers). later in that same interrupt window.

10 [ Rules Reference ] Once an interrupt window closes, further interrupts to Keywords that specific triggering condition cannot be initiated. A keyword is a card ability which conveys specific rules The triggering condition now completes its resolution to its card. (as long as its effects have not been canceled). xx xx Sometimes a keyword is followed by reminder text, It is possible for multiple interrupts to be initiated which is presented in italics. Reminder text is a from the same triggering condition. Each interrupt shorthand explanation of how a keyword works, but must resolve completely before the next interrupt to it is not rules text and does not replace the rules for the same triggering condition may initiate. that keyword in this glossary. xx If multiple copies of the same interrupt are eligible xxCards are considered to have a keyword or to not to be initiated, each copy may be initiated once have that keyword. A single card that has and/or is against that triggering condition. gaining the same keyword from multiple sources Related: Cancel, First Player, Forced Interrupts/Forced functions as if it has one instance of that keyword. Reactions, Nested Ability Sequences, Would (Note: Instances of Ambush (X) with different values for X are considered different keywords.) Intimidate xxThe keywords in the game are: ambush (X), insight, Intimidate is a challenge resolution keyword. After intimidate, limited, no attachments, pillage, renown, a player wins a challenge as the attacking player in stealth, and terminal. which he or she controls a character with the intimidate keyword, that player may choose and kneel a character, Related: Ambush (X), Insight, Intimidate, Limited, controlled by the losing opponent, with equal or lower No Attachments, Pillage, Renown, Stealth, Terminal STR than the amount of STR by which the challenge was won. (The chosen character is not required to be Kill, Killed participating in the challenge.) Characters can be killed by framework effects and by xx card abilities. When a character is killed, it leaves play No more than one instance of intimidate can and is placed faceup on top of its owner’s dead pile. successfully resolve during each challenge. Related: Dead Pile, Leaves Play, Save Related: Challenges Phase, Keywords Kneel, Kneeling, Knelt Intrigue Claim Cards often kneel in order to attack, defend, or use When a player loses an intrigue ( ) challenge as the certain card abilities. When a card is knelt, it is defending player, that player must discard a number of rotated 90 degrees. A card in this latter state is random cards from his or her hand equal to the claim considered kneeling. value on the attacking player’s revealed plot card. xxA kneeling card cannot kneel again until it is If the player has fewer cards in hand than would standing (typically by a game step or card ability). satisfy claim, as much of the claim as possible must be satisfied. Related: Stand, Standing Related: Challenges Phase Lasting Effects Some card abilities create effects or conditions that Joust Game affect the game state for a specified duration (such as A joust game is a head-to-head game between “until the end of the challenge” or “until the end of the two players. phase”). Such effects are known as lasting effects. xx Melee title cards, and their associated framework xxA lasting effect persists beyond the resolution of the steps (1.4 and 7.4, see Appendix I), are not used in a ability that created it, for the duration specified by joust game. the effect. The effect continues to affect the game Related: Melee Game state for the specified duration regardless of whether the card that created the lasting effect is or remains in play.

[ Rules Reference ] 11 xxA lasting effect expires as soon as the timing point “Limit X copies per [card/game element]” is a limit specified by its duration is reached. This means that that appears on attachment cards, and restricts the an “until the end of the round” lasting effect expires number of copies of that card (by title) that can be just before an “at the end of the round” ability attached to each designated card or game element. may initiate. “Max X per [period]” is a maximum that appears on xxAny “until the end of the X” effects that would cards that do not enter or remain in play through the initiate after the end of X (via the resolution of resolution of their effect. (An event card, for example.) an interrupt or reaction ability to something that Such a phrase imposes a maximum number of times occurred at the end of X) would expire immediately that ability can be initiated from all copies (by title) of without affecting the game state, and therefore fail cards bearing the ability (including itself), during the to initiate. designated period. Initiating an ability on a card counts towards the maximum for all copies of that card. Leaves Play xxAll limits and maxima are player specific. The phrase “leaves play” refers to any time a card x makes a transition from an in play state to an out of xIf the effects of a card or ability with a limit or a play state. maximum are canceled, it is still counted against the limit/maximum. If a card leaves play, the following consequences occur simultaneously with the card leaving play: Related: Deck Limits, Plot Deck Limits xx All tokens on the card are returned to the treasury. Location Cards xxAll duplicates on the card are discarded. Location cards represent the castles, cities, forests, xx shops, taverns, brothels, streets, and other places one All attachments that are on the card are returned might discover in the A Song of Ice and Fire setting. to their owners’ hands. These cards enter play in the back row of a player’s play xxAll lasting effects and/or delayed effects affecting area and remain in play unless removed by an ability. the card while it is in play expire for that card. For location card anatomy, see Appendix II Related: In Play and Out of Play Look Limited When a player is instructed to “look” at one or more cards, that player does not show the cards to his or her Limited is a keyword ability. No more than 1 card opponents. A card is not considered to leave its play in total with the limited keyword can be marshaled area while it is being looked at. A look instruction ends (or played, if the card is an event) by each player each when a card is returned to its prior state of concealment, round. No more than 1 limited card can be placed by or reaches a new destination. each player during setup. xxLimited cards that are “put into play” via card Loyal, Loyalty effects ignore and are ignored by this restriction. Loyalty is a deckbuilding restriction that limits which cards Related: Keywords, Put into Play can be used out-of-faction. A House Baratheon, Limits and Maxima card is loyal to its faction if it has Loyal “Limit X per [period]” is a limit that appears on a scroll of parchment below its cards that remain in play through the resolution of shield. A loyal card’s affiliation an ability’s effect. Each copy of an ability with such must match the affiliation of a deck’s faction card in order to a limit may be used X times during the designated House Baratheon, be included in the deck. Certain period. If a card leaves play and re-enters play during Non-Loyal the same period, the card is considered to be bringing card abilities (such as the Banner a new copy of the ability to the game. agenda cards) permit players to use non-loyal cards out-of-faction in a deck. Related: Deckbuilding 12 [ Rules Reference ] xx Marshal If a character chosen to be killed for military claim In the Marshaling phase, the active player can (as is saved, the choice still serves to satisfy the claim. a player action) marshal a character, location, or Related: Challenges Phase, Save attachment card (or a duplicate) from his or her hand by paying that card’s gold cost and placing the card in his Modifiers or her play area. A player pays a gold cost by returning Some abilities may ask players to modify values. the indicated amount of gold from his or her gold pool The game state constantly checks and (if necessary) to the treasury. updates the count of any variable quantity that is being xxWhen a card is marshaled, it is considered to have modified. entered play. Any time a new modifier is applied (or removed), the entire quantity is recalculated from the start, xxEvent cards are not marshaled, they are played. considering the unmodified base value and all active xxCard abilities that put a card directly into play are modifiers. not considered to be marshaling the card. xxThe calculation of a value should treat all modifiers Related: Costs, Duplicates, Enters Play, as being applied simultaneously. However, while Event Cards, Initiating Abilities/Marshaling Cards, performing the calculation, all additive and Put into Play subtractive modifiers should be calculated before doubling and/or halving modifiers are calculated. Marshaling Phase xx See Appendix I, “3. Marshaling phase” on page 27. Fractional values are rounded up after all modifiers have been applied. Max X (copies) (per period) xxWhen a value is “set” to a specific number, the set See “Limits and Maxima” on page 12. modifier overrides all non-set modifiers (including May any new non-set modifiers that are added during the The word “may” indicates that a specified player has duration of the set value). If multiple set modifiers the option to do that which follows. If no player is are in conflict, the most recently applied set modifier specified, the option is granted to the controller of the takes precedence. card with the ability in question. xxA quantity cannot be reduced so that it functions Melee Game with a value below zero: a card cannot have “negative” icons, STR, traits, cost, or keywords. A melee game is a game with three or more players. Negative modifiers in excess of a value’s current x xMelee games use the title cards and the framework quantity can be applied, but, after all active steps (1.4 and 7.4, see Appendix I) associated modifiers have been applied, any resultant value with them. below zero is treated as zero. Related: Joust Game, Title Cards Related: Base Value Military Claim Move

When a player loses a military ( ) challenge as the Some effects allow players to move cards or tokens. defending player, that player must choose a number xxWhen an entity moves, it cannot move to its same of different characters he or she controls equal to the (current) placement. If there is no valid destination claim value on the attacking player’s revealed plot card, for a move, the move attempt cannot be made. and kill those characters. The chosen characters are all killed simultaneously. Moving Power If the player controls fewer characters than would Some effects (such as a power challenge claim) allow satisfy claim, as much of the claim as possible must players to move power from one card to another. Power be satisfied. that is moved is not considered “gained.” xxThe same character cannot be chosen more than once to satisfy claim for a single challenge. [ Rules Reference ] 13 xx Power that is moved to a card under a different Neutral player’s control counts toward that player’s Some cards are not affiliated with any faction; these victory condition. cards are neutral. Any deck may include neutral cards. Related: Gains, Power Claim xxNeutral cards are not considered to be in-faction or out-of-faction. Mulligan After a player draws a starting hand during setup (but Related: Deckbuilding, Faction before placing any cards in setup), that player has a one-time option to declare a mulligan draw. After Next Player doing so, the player reshuffles his or her starting hand See “Player Order” on page 15 into his or her deck and draws a new starting hand of 7 No Attachments cards. The player must keep this second hand. No attachments is a keyword ability. A card with this x xPlayers decide in player order whether or not to keyword cannot have an attachment card attached. take a mulligan. xxIf one or more traits precedes the word Related: Setup “attachments,” the card cannot have an attachment that possesses one of the specified traits, but it can Negative Quantities have attachments possessing none of those traits. See “Modifiers” on page 13. xxIf the word “attachments” is followed by the word Nested Ability Sequences “except” and one or more traits, the card can Each time a triggering condition occurs, the following have attachments that possess one or more of the sequence is followed: (1) execute any interrupts to specified traits, but it cannot have attachments that triggering condition, (2) resolve the triggering possessing none of those traits. condition, and then (3) execute any reactions to that xxIf a card has multiple variants of the “no triggering condition. attachments” keyword, any variant that would Within this sequence, if an interrupt or a reaction prevent a card from having a given attachment to the original triggering condition generates a new prevails. triggering condition, the game pauses and starts a new Related: Attachment Cards, Keywords, Trait sequence: (1) execute interrupts to the new triggering condition, (2) resolve the new triggering condition, Out of Play and then (3) execute reactions to the new triggering See “In Play and Out of Play” on page 9. condition. Once this nested sequence is fully completed, the game returns to where it left Ownership and Control off, continuing with the original triggering A card’s owner is the player whose deck held the card condition’s sequence. at the start of the game. xx It is possible that a nested sequence generates further Cards by default enter play under their owner’s triggering conditions (and hence more nested control. Some abilities may cause cards to change sequences). There is no limit to the number of nested control during a game. sequences that may occur, but each nested sequence xxA player controls the cards located in his or her out must complete before returning to the sequence that of play game areas (such as the hand, deck, discard spawned it. In effect, these sequences are resolved in a pile, and dead pile). Last In, First Out (LIFO) manner. xx In each interrupt window and each reaction window, If a card would enter an out of play area of a player nested or not, the first player always has the first who does not own the card, the card is placed in opportunity to initiate an interrupt or reaction its owner's equivalent out of play area instead. (For (respectively). all associated card ability and framework effect Related: Interrupts, Reactions

14 [ Rules Reference ] purposes, the card is considered to have entered that Play Restrictions and Permissions opponent's out of play area, and only the physical Many cards or abilities contain specific instructions placement of the card is adjusted.) pertaining to when or how they may or may not be used, xxIf a participating character changes control during or to specific conditions that must be true in order to the resolution of a challenge, it is immediately use them. In order to use such an ability or play/marshal removed from the challenge. such a card, these play restrictions must be observed. A permission is an optional play restriction, which Related: Deck, Leaves Play allows a player to play/marshal a card or use an ability Participating outside the timing or specifications provided by the Any character that has been declared as an attacker or as game rules. a defender for a challenge is considered participating in Related: Event Cards, Initiating Abilities/ that challenge through the resolution of the challenge. Marshaling Cards xx A character is either participating or not Player Order participating in a challenge. If the players are instructed to perform a sequence in xxIf an ability explicitly removes a character from a “player order,” the first player performs his or her part challenge, that character is no longer participating of the sequence first, followed by the other players in in the challenge. clockwise order. The phrase “the next player” is used in xx this context to refer to the next player (clockwise) to act If a participating character leaves play for any reason, in player order. it is no longer participating in the challenge. Related: First Player xxOnce a character is participating in a challenge, losing the challenge icon of that type does not remove Plot Card the character from the challenge. Plot cards represent the round-by-round strategic decisions and plans a player makes throughout the Related: Attacker, Challenges Phase, Defender course of a game. A player’s plot deck begins the game Pass with exactly seven plot cards. Each plot card possesses a gold, initiative, claim, and reserve value. Many plot There are numerous points in the game where a player cards also possess an ability. has an option between performing an act (such as taking an action, triggering an ability, or executing a game xxEach plot card exists in one of three states: in the step) or passing. Passing in such a situation forfeits the plot deck, revealed, or in the used pile. player’s right to perform that act at that moment. xxWhen a player reveals a new plot card, it leaves the xx Many game sequences continue until all players plot deck and enters the revealed state. Place it on pass consecutively. Should one player perform top of that player's previously revealed plot card. This the function (i.e., not pass) during his or her removes the previously revealed plot card from play, opportunity, opportunities to perform or pass and replaces it with the newly revealed plot card. All continue clockwise in player order until a state of plot cards under a player’s currently revealed plot consecutive passes by all players is achieved. Passing card are considered that player’s used pile. an opportunity does not prevent a player from acting xx during his or her next opportunity in the same A player’s revealed plot card is considered in play sequence, as long as a state of consecutive passes by and interacts with the game state. all players does not occur. xxWhen a player reveals the final card of his or her Pillage plot deck, after all just revealed plot cards have entered play and all necessary “When Revealed” Pillage is a challenge resolution keyword. After a player abilities have resolved, each plot card in that wins a challenge, for each participating character with player's used pile is returned to his or her plot deck. the pillage keyword he or she controls, that player may The just revealed plot card is not yet in the used discard 1 card from the top of the losing opponent’s deck. pile, and remains revealed. Related: Challenges Phase, Keywords [ Rules Reference ] 15 For plot card anatomy, see Appendix II Power Related: In Play and Out of Play, Plot Deck, The object of the game is for a player When Revealed to have 15 (or more) power. A player's power total is equal to the amount of Power Plot Deck power amassed on cards under his or Counter Each player uses his or her own plot deck. A player’s her control, and is tracked using plot deck begins the game with exactly seven cards. power counters. One of those plot cards may have an additional copy Related: Winning the Game (by title) within the plot deck. No more than one copy of each of the other plot cards may be included in the Power Claim plot deck. When a player loses a power ( ) challenge as the Related: Deckbuilding, Plot Card, Plot Deck Limit: X defending player, that player must remove a number of power from his or her faction card equal to the claim Plot Deck Limit: X value on the attacking player’s revealed plot card, and If a plot card bears the phrase, “Plot Deck Limit: X,” move it to the attacking player’s faction card. no more than X copies (by title) of the plot card may If the player controls less power than would satisfy be included in a plot deck. claim, as much of the claim as possible must be satisfied. xxIf X is 1, this phrase acts as a deckbuilding Related: Challenges Phase restriction. A player cannot include an additional copy of this plot card in his or her plot deck. Printed xxIf X is 3 or higher, this phrase acts as a The word “printed” refers to the text, characteristic, deckbuilding permission. A player may include up icon, or value that is physically printed on the card. to X copies of this plot card in his or her plot deck, Related: Blank should this plot card be selected by the player as the one card for which additional copies are permitted. Priority of Simultaneous Resolution If a single effect affects multiple players simultaneously, Plot Phase but the players must individually make choices See Appendix I, “1. Plot phase” on page 26. to resolve the effect, the first player chooses first, followed by the other players in player order. Once all Plot Value Modifiers necessary choices have been made, the effect resolves The following icons modify the values of various simultaneously upon all affected entities. statistics on their controller’s revealed plot card. Such xxIf the resolution of two or more when revealed modifications are mandatory. abilities, delayed effects, or forced abilities would resolve at the same time, the first player decides the order in which the abilities resolve, regardless of who +1 +1 +1 controls the cards bearing the conflicting abilities. xx Gold Initiative Reserve If two or more constant abilities and/or lasting Modifier Modifier Modifier effects cannot be applied simultaneously, the first player determines the order in which the constant xxAll active plot value modifiers under a player’s abilities are applied. control are cumulative in their effect upon that player’s revealed plot card. Related: First Player x xIf a card’s printed text box is considered blank, any Put into Play modifiers printed in that text box are not active. Some card abilities may cause a card to be “put into play.” Such abilities place the card directly into play from an out of play state.

16 [ Rules Reference ] xxThe gold cost of the card being “put into play” is xxIf multiple copies of the same reaction are eligible to not paid. be initiated, each copy may be initiated once against xx that triggering condition. Each eligible reaction may Unless otherwise instructed by the “put into play” be used once per trigger. (If multiple copies of the effect, cards that enter play in this manner must do same reaction are eligible, each copy may be used so in a play area or attachment state that satisfies the once.) rules of marshaling the card. Related: Interrupts, Nested Ability Sequences xxA card that has been put into play is not considered to have been “marshaled.” Redirect (Melee game only) The Crown Regent title card can be used to redirect a xxIf an additional copy of a unique card a player single challenge each round. This ability is used after already owns and controls is put into play under his a challenge is initiated, before any reactions to that or her control, it enters play as a duplicate. challenge’s initiation can be triggered. Related: Dead pile, Duplicates, In Play and Out of If a challenge is redirected, the player who is initiating Play, Marshal, Unique Cards the challenge must immediately choose a new opponent Qualifiers to resolve the challenge against. The attacking player If card text includes a qualifier followed by multiple may also choose new stealth targets (controlled by terms, the qualifier applies to each item in the list, if it the new defending player) if he or she desires. Any is applicable. For example, in the phrase “each unique originally declared stealth targets are not considered to character and location,” the word “unique” applies both have been bypassed by stealth; any new targets are. to “character” and to “location.” The challenge is still considered to have been initiated against the original opponent, but it resolves against the Reactions new opponent. A reaction is a triggered ability whose text contains the boldface “Reaction:” precursor. Always resolve a A redirected challenge may not be resolved against the triggering condition before initiating any reactions to same opponent it was originally initiated against. that triggering condition. Any effect that would prevent a challenge from being Unlike actions, which are resolved during action initiated against a player does not prevent a redirected windows, each reaction may be initiated once each time challenge from resolving against that player. (This its specified triggering condition occurs, as described in means that a redirected challenge may resolve against the reaction’s ability text. an opponent the attacking player supports.) After a triggering condition resolves, a reaction window The player initiating the challenge cannot change which for that triggering condition opens. characters he or she has declared, or the challenge type that has been announced, when a challenge has been Within the reaction window, the first player always has redirected. the first opportunity to initiate an eligible reaction (to this triggering condition), or pass. Opportunities to Related: Melee Game initiate an eligible reaction, or pass, continue in player Removed from Game order until all players consecutively pass, at which point A card that has been removed from the game is set aside the reaction window closes. Passing does not prevent a and has no further interaction with the game in any player from initiating an eligible reaction later in that manner for the duration of its removal. same reaction window. If there is no specified duration, a card that has been Once a reaction window closes, further reactions to that removed from the game is considered removed until the specific triggering condition cannot be initiated. end of the game. xxIt is possible for multiple reactions to be initiated Related: In Play and Out of Play from the same triggering condition. Each reaction must resolve completely before the next reaction to the same triggering condition may initiate.

[ Rules Reference ] 17 Renown Reveal Renown is a challenge resolution keyword. After a When a player is instructed to reveal cards, that player player wins a challenge, each participating character is obliged to show those cards to his or her opponents. with the renown keyword he or she controls may gain If there is no specified duration for the reveal, the 1 power. revealed cards remain revealed until they reach a new destination (as specified by the ability), or through the Related: Challenges Phase, Keywords completion of the ability's resolution. Replacement Effects xxWhile it is revealed, a revealed card is still A replacement effect is an effect (usually an interrupt) considered to be located in the game area (such as a that replaces the resolution of a triggering condition player's hand or deck) from which it is revealed. with a different means of resolving that same triggering condition, but in such a manner that the Revealed Plot triggering condition is still considered to occur. The See “Plot Card” on page 15. word “instead” is frequently indicative of a such an effect. After all interrupts to the triggering condition Rivals (Melee game only) have resolved and it is time to resolve the triggering If a player’s title card lists another title as a “rival,” condition itself, the replacement effect resolves instead. that player gains 1 power for his or her faction after winning a challenge against an opponent who bears If multiple replacement effects are initiated against that rival title. This occurs during framework step the same triggering condition, the most recent 4.2.3 (see Appendix I) and is known as a rivals bonus. replacement effect is the one that is used for the x resolution of the triggering condition. xA player can gain a maximum of 1 rivals bonus per rival opponent by winning a challenge against that For example, Benjen Stark has the following replacement opponent each round. effect, “Interrupt: When Benjen Stark is killed, gain 2 power for your faction. Then, shuffle him back into Related: Melee Game, Title Cards your deck instead of placing him in your dead pile.” The triggering condition (i.e. the killing of Benjen Stark) Sacrifice will still occur, but the triggering condition will resolve When a player is instructed to sacrifice a card, that differently from normal because the card will be shuffled player must choose a card in play that he or she back into its owner's deck rather than being placed in its controls and that matches the requirements of the owner’s dead pile. sacrifice, and place it in his or her discard pile. xx Related: Interrupts If the chosen card does not leave play, the sacrifice is not considered to have been made. Reserve Value xx Each plot card has a reserve value. During the taxation Sacrificing a card does not satisfy any other means phase, each player compares his or her current hand (such as “kill” or “discard”) of a card leaving play. size (i.e., the number of cards in the player’s hand) with xxA sacrificed card cannot be saved. the reserve value on his or her currently revealed plot (which incorporates all relevant reserve modifiers). If Related: Ownership and Control, Save a player’s hand size is higher than his or her reserve value, that player must choose and discard cards from Save his or her hand until the hand size is equal to the When a card is saved from an effect that attempts to reserve value. All players perform this process in remove that card from play, the card remains in play as player order. the effect resolves and is not considered to have been killed, discarded, or otherwise removed from play by Related: Plot Value Modifiers the effect. x Reserve Modifier xIf a card is saved from claim, the card was still

See “Plot Value Modifiers” on page 16. chosen for claim, and therefore is still counted towards the fulfillment of the claim.

18 [ Rules Reference ] xx If an aspect of an ability that removes a card from Setup play is followed by the text “cannot be saved,” players cannot attempt to save that card. To setup a game, perform the following steps in order: 1. Determine game format and select decks. Games xxIf a constant ability or lasting effect imposes a with two players use the joust format. Games with condition upon a card that would continually drive three or more players use the melee format. it from play (for example, a lasting effect that applies to a character over a period of time, and kills that character 2. Determine first player. Randomly determine a if its STR is 0), any attempt to save the card must player to be denoted as first player while setting up also remedy the ongoing condition. Otherwise, upon the game. Place the first player token in front of resolution of the save attempt, the card is immediately this player. re-exposed to the ongoing condition, and removed from play. Therefore, if the save effect does not also 3. Announce factions and agendas (if any). In player remedy the ongoing condition, it cannot be initiated, order, each player announces the faction and agenda as the effect has no potential to change the game (if any) that his or her deck uses, and places the state. As such, using a duplicate to save from such an faction card and agenda (if any) faceup in his or her ongoing condition is also prohibited. play area. Related: Effects, Military Claim, Would 4. Create treasury. Place the gold tokens, power counters, and influence tokens in a pile within reach Search of each player. This area is known as the treasury. When a player is instructed to search for a card, that 5. Place plot decks. Each player places his or her plot player is permitted to look at all of the cards in the deck facedown next to his or her faction card. searched area without revealing those cards to his or her opponents. 6. Shuffle draw decks. Each player shuffles his or her xxIf an effect searches an entire deck, the deck must draw deck to the satisfaction of all opponents. be shuffled to the satisfaction of each opponent upon 7. Draw setup hands. Each player draws seven cards completion of the search. from his or her draw deck. Each player, in player xxA player is not obliged to find the object of a search order, has the option to take a single mulligan by effect, even if the searched cards contain a card that shuffling those seven cards back into his or her deck meets the eligibility requirements of the search. and drawing seven new cards. xxIf a search effect would add a card with specified 8. Place setup cards. Each player, in player order, characteristics to a hidden game area, the player may place up to a total of 8 cost worth of character, fulfilling the search must reveal the card to his or location, and attachment cards from his or her hand her opponent to verify that the card is eligible to be as setup cards. Setup cards are placed facedown in found by the search. a player’s play area. When placing setup cards, the following restrictions must be observed: xx While cards are being searched, they are not ✦ ✦ considered to have left their play area of origin. No more than 8 total cost worth of cards may be placed.

Related: Deck ✦ ✦ No more than 1 card with the “Limited” keyword Self-Referential Text may be placed. When a card’s ability text refers to its own title, it is ✦ ✦ Only character, location, and attachment cards referring to itself only, and not to other copies (by title) may be placed. of the card. ✦ ✦ Related: Copy Each attachment that is placed must be eligible to be attached to a valid card or game element that Set will be under its owner’s control when the setup See “Modifiers” on page 13. cards are revealed in the next step.

[ Rules Reference ] 19 ✦ ✦ Additional copies of unique cards may be placed Strength, Strength Modifiers in setup at no cost, and revealed as duplicates in A character’s strength (abbreviated “STR”) represents the following step. its effectiveness in challenges. The higher the STR, 9. Reveal setup cards. All players turn their setup the more effective the character. A character’s printed cards faceup simultaneously. Then, each player STR can be found in the shield to the left of its title. attaches his or her attachments and places his or Total attacking STR is the sum of each participating her duplicates, in player order. Note: Cards are not character’s STR on the attacking player's side, plus any considered to have been marshaled, played, put into relevant modifiers. play, or to have entered play when they are revealed or Total defending STR is the sum of each participating announced in setup, and card abilities that reference character’s STR on the defending player's side, plus those terms are ignored during this step. These cards are any relevant modifiers. considered “already in play” when the game begins. A player is not able to win a challenge with a total 10. Replenish opening hand. Each player draws cards attacking or defending STR of zero. until there are seven cards in his or her hand. Related: Challenges Phase Related: Duplicates, Mulligan, Appendix II: Card Anatomy Supports (Melee game only) If a player’s melee title card “supports” another title, Stand, Standing the bearer of that title cannot initiate a challenge A card that is in an upright state so that its against the bearer of the title he or she supports. controller can read its text from left to right is considered standing. Related: Title cards xxThe default state in which cards enter play Switch is standing. Some abilities use the word “switch.” In order to xx resolve such an ability, switched items must exist on A standing card is knelt by rotating it 90 degrees to each side of the switch. the side. Target Related: Enters Play, Kneel, Kneeling The term “choose” indicates that a target must be Standing Phase chosen in order for an ability to resolve. The player See Appendix I, “6. Standing phase” on page 29. resolving the effect must choose a game element (usually a card) that meets the targeting requirements Stealth of the ability. Stealth is a keyword ability. When a player initiates xxThe controller of a targeting ability chooses all a challenge, for each character with stealth he or she targets for the effect unless otherwise specified by declares as an attacker, that player may choose one the card. character without stealth controlled by the defending player. Each chosen character is considered bypassed xxIf an ability requires the choosing of a target (or by stealth, and is not eligible to be declared as a targets), and there is no valid target (or not enough defender for that challenge. valid targets), then the ability cannot be initiated. Related: Challenges Phase, Keywords This initiation check is made at the same time the ability’s play restrictions are checked. STR xxAt the time targets are chosen, any currently valid The abbreviation for “strength.” targets are eligible to be chosen. (This choice is not restricted only to targets that were present during the initiation check.) xxIf multiple targets are required to be chosen by the same player, these are chosen simultaneously.

20 [ Rules Reference ] xxAn effect that can choose “any number” of targets The title pool is created during game setup. It contains does not successfully resolve (and cannot change the all of the title cards not currently controlled by a player. game state) if zero of those targets are chosen. Players select a title from the title pool each round xx during the plot phase, and bear it throughout the round. The resolution of some effects (such as post-then While a player bears a title, it is in play under his or effects, or delayed effects) requires that targets are her control. chosen after the initiation of the effect. Such targets need not be verified when checking play restrictions In addition to creating rival and support relationships and determining whether or not the entire ability among the players (and to the textual or iconic abilities may initiate. If there are no valid targets at the time described on the cards), each of the following titles such targets would be chosen, that aspect of the also provides its bearer with a unique STR bonus for a effect fails to resolve. specified part of the round. xxA card is not an eligible target for an ability if the The Crown Regent contributes 2 additional STR to its resolution of that ability's effect could not affect the bearer’s total for dominance. target at all. (For example, a kneeling character cannot The Hand of the King contributes 1 additional STR to be chosen as the target for an effect that reads, “choose and its bearer’s total during any challenge in which he or kneel a character.”) she controls a participating character. Related: Delayed Effects, Initiating Abilities, TheMaster of Ships contributes 1 additional STR to its The word “Then” bearer’s total during any challenge in which he or she controls a participating character. Ta xation Phase See Appendix I, “7. Taxation phase” on page 29. The Master of Whispers contributes 1 additional STR to its bearer’s total during any challenge in which he Termina l or she controls a participating character. Terminal is a keyword ability that appears on xxIf a player's title card leaves play, it must be returned attachment cards. If the card or game element to which to the title pool. a terminal card is attached leaves play, the attachment does not return to its owner's hand, and is discarded For title card anatomy, see Appendix II from play. Related: Melee Game, Plot Phase, Redirect, Related: Attachment Cards, Keywords Rivals, Supports The word “Then” Tokens, Running out of If the effect text of an ability includes the word “then,” There is no limit to the number of gold, power, or the text preceding the word “then” must be successfully influence tokens which can be in the play area at a resolved in full (i.e. the game state changes to reflect the given time. If players run out of the provided tokens, intent of the pre-then aspect of the effect in its entirety) other tokens, counters, or coins may be used to track the before the remainder of the effect described after the current game state. word “then” can be resolved. xx Traits If the pre-then aspect of an effect does successfully Most cards have one or more traits listed at the top of resolve in full, the resolution of the post-then aspect the text box and printed in bold italics. of the effect must also attempt to resolve. xxTraits have no inherent effect on the game. Instead, xx If the pre-then aspect of an effect does not some card abilities reference cards that possess successfully resolve in full, the post-then aspect does specific traits. not attempt to resolve. Treasury Title Cards, Title Pool (Melee game only) The treasury is created during game setup and contains The title cards are used only in the melee game. Each all of the tokens and counters not currently controlled title provides unique capabilities to its bearer, and by any player. fosters political relationships among the players.

[ Rules Reference ] 21 xxWhen a player gains gold, that gold is taken from effect. “Cancel” interrupts are the only type that the treasury and added to the player’s gold pool. will reference the initiation of an effect.) If the When a player spends gold to marshal a card or pay imminent triggering condition is canceled, none for an ability, that gold is returned to the treasury. of the subsequent steps in this sequence occur. If xx the triggering condition is changed, the original When a card with any tokens or counters on it triggering condition is no longer imminent, but leaves play, those tokens or counters are returned the newly established triggering condition is now to the treasury. imminent (usually, this will mean that a card that Related: Setup, Gold, Influence Tokens, Power was about to leave play is now about to be saved). Triggered Abilities 3. Forced interrupts to the imminent triggering A triggered ability is any ability with a boldface condition must resolve, in the order determined by precursor followed by a colon and the rest of the the first player. ability. This incudes actions, phase specific actions, 4. The interrupt window to the imminent triggering interrupts, reactions, forced interrupts or reactions, condition opens, and closes after all players and when revealed abilities. consecutively pass. Related: Abilities, Triggering Condition 5. The triggering condition itself occurs. Triggering Condition 6. Forced reactions to the triggering condition must A triggering condition is a specific occurrence resolve, in the order determined by the first player. that takes place in the game. On card abilities, the triggering condition is the element of the ability that 7. The reaction window to the triggering condition references such an occurrence, indicating the timing opens, and closes after all players consecutively pass. point at which the ability may be used. The description Related: Cancel, Initiating Abilities, Interrupts, of an ability's triggering condition often follows the Reactions, Would word “when” (for interrupt abilities) or the word “after” (for reaction abilities). Unique Cards ​ If a single occurrence creates multiple triggering A card with the symbol before its card title is a conditions (such as two characters being killed “unique” card. Each player may only have a maximum simultaneously by a claim 2 military challenge), those of one instance of each unique card, by title, in play. triggering conditions are handled in shared interrupt/ xxA player may marshal (or put into play by a card reaction windows, in which abilities that refer to any ability) additional copies of each unique card he or of the triggering conditions created by that occurrence she owns and controls, placed as a duplicate on that may be used. card, for no cost. The following is a sequence of possible interrupt xxA player cannot take control of a unique card if he and reaction opportunities that exists around each or she already controls or owns an in-play copy of triggering condition that may arise in a game: that card. 1. The triggering condition becomes imminent. (In xxA player cannot bring into play or take control of other words, if it is not canceled, changed, or a unique card if a copy of that card is in his or her otherwise pre-empted by interrupt abilities, the dead pile. triggering condition is the next thing that will occur in the game.) Related: Dead Pile, Duplicates, Ownership and Control 2. Interrupt abilities referencing when the imminent Unopposed, Unopposed Challenge triggering condition “would” occur may be used. A challenge is “unopposed” if the defending (Note that for effects, a “cancel” interrupt may player counts 0 STR when the challenge winner is prevent the effect from initiating, and that the determined. This can occur if the defending player initiation of an effect is a separate triggering controls no participating characters, or if there are condition, that comes before the resolution of the defending characters but the total defending STR is 0. 22 [ Rules Reference ] xxWhen a player wins an unopposed challenge as remaining player wins the game. (If all remaining the attacker, that player gains 1 power for his or players would be eliminated simultaneously, the first her faction card. This occurs during framework player determines the order in which those players step 4.2.3 (see Appendix I), and is known as an are eliminated.) unopposed bonus. Would Used Pile The word “would” is used to define the triggering See “Plot Card” on page 15. condition of some interrupt abilities, and establishes a higher priority for those abilities than interrupts to the When Revealed same triggering condition that lack the word “would.” A When Revealed ability contains the boldface “When Revealed:” precursor. Such an ability must resolve All “would be X” interrupts are eligibly to be used whenever a plot card bearing it is revealed. before any “is X” interrupts. This means that an interrupt with the word “would” (such as “when a See timing step “1.3 Reveal plots” on page 26. character would be killed”) has timing priority over Winning a Challenge an interrupt without the word “would” to the same occurrence (such as “when a character is killed”). Each challenge is won by the player who counts the x highest total STR for his or her side when the challenge xIf an interrupt to a triggering condition that would result is determined. occur changes the nature of that which is about to occur (such as saving a character that would be xxA player's total STR is the sum of the STR of each killed), no further interrupts to the original trigger participating character on his or her side of the may be used, as the resolution of that trigger is no challenge, along with any other modifiers that are longer imminent. affecting the amount of STR that player counts for that challenge. Related: Cancel, Interrupts, Replacement Effects, Save xx A player must count at least 1 total STR and there The letter “X” must be at least 1 participating character on his or Unless specified by a card ability or granted player her side in order to win a challenge. choice, the letter X is always equal to 0. For costs xxIf the total STR counted on each side is tied at a involving the letter X, the value of X is defined by card value of 1 or greater (and the attacker controls at ability or player choice, after which the amount paid may least 1 participating character), the attacker wins be modified by effects without altering the value of X. the challenge. Component List xxIf neither player can meet the requirements of winning a challenge, neither player wins (or loses) For reference, the game components included in the that challenge. core set are: xx28 Plot cards xx31 Neutral cards Related: Challenges Phase, Claim, Unopposed xx20 Stark cards xx1 Fealty Agenda card Winning the Game xx20 Lannister cards xx8 Faction/Agenda cards The first player to have 15 (or more) power on cards xx20 Baratheon cards xx6 Melee title cards he or she controls wins the game. The game ends xx xx immediately if a player meets the victory condition of 20 Greyjoy cards 30 Gold tokens x x having 15 (or more) power. x20 Targaryen cards x30 Power counters xx xx xxIf multiple players would reach this victory condition 20 Martell cards 10 Influence tokens simultaneously, the first player determines which of xx20 Tyrell cards xx1 First Player token those players wins the game. xx20 Night’s Watch cards xxA player is eliminated from the game when his or her draw deck has no cards remaining. If all of a player’s opponents are eliminated from the game, the [ Rules Reference ] 23 Appendix I: Timing 1. PLOT PHASE

and Gameplay 1.1 Round begins. Plot phase begins.

Numbered items presented in the darker boxes are 1.2 Choose plots. known as framework events. Framework events are mandatory occurrences dictated by the structure of the 1.3 Reveal plots. game. Yellow windows are framework events that only I. Count initiative. occur when playing the melee format of the game. Grey II. Determine first player. windows are special framework events that indicate III. Resolve “when revealed” abilities. the possibility of the game returning to an earlier framework event in the chart. These repetitive sequences 1.4 Select titles (Melee format only). can end in various ways, such as when all players have performed the steps in the sequence, or when a player ACTION WINDOW makes a specific decision. Each grey window explains when and how the game either loops back or progresses 1.5 Plot phase ends. to a later framework event. Proceed to Draw phase Action Windows

An Action may only be initiated during an action 2. DRAW PHASE window. Action windows are presented in red boxes on the chart. When an action window opens, the 2.1 Draw phase begins. first player has the first opportunity to initiate an action, or pass. Opportunities to initiate actions 2.2 Each player draws 2 cards. rotate between the players in player order until all players consecutively pass, at which point the action ACTION WINDOW window closes. (Note that if a player passes his or her opportunity to act, but the other opponents do 2.3 Draw phase ends. not consecutively pass in sequence, the original player may still take an action when the rotation of action Proceed to Marshaling phase opportunities comes back around to the original player.) Resolve each action completely before the next action opportunity. 3. MARSHALING PHASE

Reactions and Interrupts 3.1 Marshaling phase begins.

An Interrupt or Reaction ability can interrupt or react 3.2 Active player collects income (first player starts as to the resolution of a framework event if the triggering active player). condition of the ability is met. Each reaction or interrupt must resolve completely SPECIAL ACTION WINDOW All players may use actions, but only the before the next interrupt or reaction to the same active player can marshal cards into play. triggering condition may initiate. For example: An ability that reads, “Reaction: After 3.3 Next player becomes active player, until each player you win a challenge…” initiates after step (4.2.2) of the has been active player. challenge resolution framework event is complete. 3.4 Marshaling phase ends.

Proceed to Challenges phase

24 [ Rules Reference ] 4. CHALLENGES PHASE 5. DOMINANCE PHASE

5.1 Dominance phase begins. 4.1 Challenges phase begins. 5.2 Count standing STR (and unspent gold) and ACTION WINDOW reward dominance.

4.2 Active player may initiate a challenge, if able ACTION WINDOW (first player starts as active player). If the active player initiates a challenge, move to challenge resolution flow 5.3 Dominance phase ends. chart. Proceed to Standing phase. 4.3 If the active player does not initiate further chal- lenges, the next player in player order becomes active player; proceed to “Action Window.” If all players have been active player, proceed to 4.4.

4.4 Challenges phase ends. 6. STANDING PHASE

Proceed to Dominance phase. 6.1 Standing phase begins.

6.2 Stand each kneeling card.

CHALLENGE RESOLUTION ACTION WINDOW

6.3 Standing phase ends. 4.2 Challenge is initiated. Proceed to Taxation phase. ACTION WINDOW

4.2.1 Defending player declares defenders.

ACTION WINDOW 7. TAXATION PHASE

4.2.2 Compare STR to determine challenge winner. 7.1 Taxation phase begins.

4.2.3 Gain challenge bonuses. 7.2 Return unspent gold to treasury.

4.2.4 Apply claim result. 7.3 Each player discards cards in hand down to his or her reserve value. 4.2.5 Process challenge resolution keywords. 7.4 Return all titles to the title pool. 4.2.6 Challenge ends. (Melee format only.)

ACTION WINDOW

7.5 Taxation phase ends. Round ends.

Proceed to Plot phase of next game round.

[ Rules Reference ] 25 Framework Event Details II. Choose first player. The player who won initiative in step I chooses a player to be the first player. The This section provides a detailed explanation on how chosen player takes the first player token and keeps it to handle each framework event step presented on the until another card or game effect (usually this step in game’s flow chart, in the order that the framework the following round) selects a new first player. events occur throughout the round. Note: If a player reveals a new plot card outside the 1. Plot phase standard plot phase framework step (for instance, by resolving a card ability), steps I and II are 1.1 Plot phase begins skipped: there is no new initiative comparison or This step formalizes the beginning of the plot phase. determination of a new first player. As this is the first framework event of the round, it also formalizes the beginning of a new game round. III. Initiate When Revealed abilities. Any when revealed abilities on plot cards that have just been The beginning of a phase is an important game revealed must now initiate. If multiple players milestone that may be referenced in card text, either have When revealed abilities on their plot cards, as a point at which an ability may or must resolve, or the first player determines the order in which these as a point at which a lasting effect or constant ability abilities initiate. Resolve each when revealed ability begins or expires. before initiating the next. 1.2 Choose plots Once these steps are complete, the players have Each player looks at the cards remaining in his or her completed the process of revealing plots. If a player has plot deck, and chooses one to reveal during the next no cards in his or her plot deck, that player's used pile framework step. The chosen plot is placed facedown now returns to his or her plot deck. (The just revealed apart from the plot deck, and not revealed to other plot is not yet in the used pile and does not return at players during this step. this time.) Once each player has chosen a plot and placed it TIMING NOTE: Any reaction abilities that read “After facedown away from his or her plot deck, this step you reveal a plot card” or “After a player reveals a plot card” is complete. may be initiated after the completion of the above step III. 1.3 Reveal plots 1.4 Select titles (melee format only) The players simultaneously reveal each of the plot cards If the players are playing a melee game, they now that were chosen during step 1.2 by turning those select titles for the round. In a joust game, this cards faceup. framework step is skipped. When a player's plot card is revealed, it is placed on First, shuffle the six titles facedown and remove one top of his or her previously revealed plot card. All plot at random from the title pool. If three players are cards beneath a player’s currently revealed plot card are playing, remove two at random instead. If six or more considered that player’s “used pile.” players are playing, no titles are removed. The act of revealing plot cards for this framework event The first player then looks at the remaining titles in involves three steps, performed in this order: the title pool, and takes one without revealing his I. Compare initiative. The player with the highest or her selection to the other players. The remaining initiative value on his or her revealed plot card (which titles are passed in player order, with each player incorporates all relevant reserve modifiers) wins selecting one title in this manner. After all players initiative. If multiple players have the same initiative have selected, any unselected titles (including the value, the tied player with the lowest power total wins titles that were randomly removed at the beginning initiative. If the players’ initiative and power totals are of this step) are returned facedown to the title pool, both tied, the tie is broken by randomly selecting one and each selected title is turned face up in front of the of the tied players. player who selected it. Each selected title enters play simultaneously, is considered in play under its bearer's control, and may interact with the game state until it is returned to the title pool. 26 [ Rules Reference ] If more than six players are playing in a melee game, TIMING NOTE: Any player may also initiate Interrupt any player who would be selecting a title from an empty or Reaction abilities if the appropriate triggering title pool plays the round without a title. condition occurs. 1.5 Plot phase ends To marshal a card, a player returns an amount of gold This step formalizes the end of the plot phase. equal to the card’s gold cost from his or her gold pool to the treasury. The end of a phase is an important game milestone that may be referenced in card text, either as a point at When a player marshals a character card, the card is which an ability may or must resolve, or as a point at placed in the front row of that player’s play area. which a lasting effect or constant ability expires When a player marshals a location card, the card is or begins. placed in the back row of that player’s play area. 2. Draw phase When a player marshals an attachment card, the card is 2.1 Draw phase begins attached to another card or game element in play. Some This step formalizes the beginning of the draw phase. attachments have play restrictions or permissions that describe the type of card or game element to which they 2.2 Draw must be attached. If an attachment does not have any Each player must simultaneously draw 2 cards from the such restriction or permission, the default state for an top of his or her draw deck. attachment is that it attaches to a character. Note: A player is eliminated from the game When a player marshals a duplicate, it is placed faceup, immediately if there are no cards remaining in his or overlapped by (i.e. partially visible beneath) the copy her deck. If all remaining players are eliminated while of the card that was already in play. There is no cost to fulfilling this step, the first player determines which of marshal a duplicate. those players is the winner of the game. Action opportunities continue clockwise in player order 2.3 Draw phase ends among the players until all players consecutively pass, at This step formalizes the end of the draw phase. which point the action window closes. As such, there is no upper limit on the number of opportunities an active 3. Marshaling phase player may have to marshal his or her cards. 3.1 Marshaling phase begins 3.3 Next player becomes active player This step formalizes the beginning of the If upon reaching this step all players have been the marshaling phase. active player this phase, proceed to step 3.4. 3.2 Active player collects income Otherwise, the next player (in player order) becomes the The first player is first to be the active player in the active player. Return to step 3.2. marshaling phase. 3.4 Marshaling phase ends The active player collectsincome equal to the gold value on his or her revealed plot card (which incorporates all This step formalizes the end of the marshaling phase. relevant gold modifiers), and gains that much gold from 4. Challenges phase the treasury, adding it to his or her gold pool. 4.1 Challenges phase begins Marshaling phase player action window This step formalizes the beginning of the The first player always has the first opportunity to act challenges phase. during this action window. 4.2 Active player may initiate a challenge In addition to being permitted to initiate “Action” and The first player is the first to be the active player in the “Marshaling Action” abilities (like all players), the challenges phase. active player is also permitted (when it is his or her The game permits the active player toinitiate one , turn to act) to, as a player action, marshal a character, location, attachment, or duplicate. Action opportunities one , and one challenge (in any order) while he or in this window continue in player order until each she is the active player during the challenges phase. player has consecutively passed. [ Rules Reference ] 27 If the active player passes this opportunity to initiate have a total STR of 1 or higher, and/or if there are no a challenge, or cannot initiate a challenge, proceed to participating characters on this player’s side when this step 4.3. step (i.e., the STR comparison) occurs, neither player wins (or loses) the challenge. To initiate a challenge, the active player does the following. The game treats these criteria as being If the attacking player is the winner, and the total performed atomically (all at once), and they must all be STR on the defending side of the challenge was 0, the completed together in order to initiate a challenge. challenge is considered “unopposed.” xxAnnounces the type of challenge ( , , or ) TIMING NOTE: Reactions to winning and/or losing the being initiated. challenge may be initiated after the completion of this step. xxAnnounces the opponent against whom the 4.2.3 Gain challenge bonuses challenge is being initiated. If the challenge was unopposed in the previous step, the attacking player gains 1 power for his or her xxAnnounces which characters (under his or her faction card for winning an unopposed challenge. This control) are being declared as attackers, and kneels is known as an unopposed bonus. them simultaneously. In order to be eligible as an attacker, a character must have a challenge icon In a melee game, if the challenge was won against an that corresponds with the type of challenge being opponent bearing a title which is denoted as a Rival initiated, and the character must be standing. At on the winning player’s title (and the challenge winner least one character must be declared as an attacker has not already claimed power for defeating that Rival to initiate a challenge. Any character with the this round), the challenge winner gains 1 power for his stealth keyword that has been declared as an or her faction. This is known as a rivals bonus. attacker also chooses its stealth targets at this time All challenge bonuses a player receives for this step are if its controller desires to use the stealth keyword. gained simultaneously. TIMING NOTE: Once a challenge is initiated, reactions 4.2.4 Apply claim result. to any of the above announcements may be initiated. If the attacking player is the challenge winner, the TIMING NOTE: Once a challenge is initiated, it is claim result of the challenge is now applied. The claim considered to be resolving until the challenge ends in result for each challenge type resolves as follows, using step 4.2.6. the claim value on the attacking player's revealed plot card (and incorporating all relevant claim modifiers): 4.2.1 Defending player declares defenders

The defending player has the option to declare eligible Military: The defending player must choose characters he or she controls as defenders, and kneels a number of different characters under his or her them simultaneously. In order to be eligible as a control equal to the claim value, and kill those defender, a character must have a challenge icon characters. (The chosen characters do not have to that corresponds with the type of challenge that be characters that participated in the challenge.) is currently underway, and the character must be Intrigue: The defending player must discard, at standing. A character that was chosen as a stealth random, a number of cards from his or her hand target in step 4.2 is not eligible to be declared as a equal to the claim value. defender. Power: The defending player removes a number 4.2.2 Compare STR to determine challenge winner of power counters from his or her faction card Compare the combined STR of all attacking equal to the claim value, and moves them to the characters (plus any active modifiers) to the combined attacking player’s faction card. STR of all defending characters (plus any active If the defending player wins the challenge, no claim modifiers) to determine the challenge winner. result occurs. The player whose side has the higher total STR wins the challenge (or in the case of a tie, the challenge is won by the attacking player). If this player does not

28 [ Rules Reference ] 4.2.5 Process challenge resolution keywords 6. Standing phase Challenge resolution keywords (e.g. insight, intimidate, 6.1 Standing phase begins pillage, and renown) take effect at this time. The This step formalizes the beginning of the standing phase. first player determines the order, by keyword type, in which these keywords are processed. The first player 6.2 Stand cards chooses one keyword type (for instance, renown), and Simultaneously stand each kneeling card in play. then all relevant instances of that keyword resolve 6.3 Standing phase ends simultaneously. The first player then chooses the next keyword type to resolve, and so on, until all keyword This step formalizes the end of the standing phase. types that need to resolve upon the resolution of the 7. Taxation phase challenge have been processed. 7.1 Taxation phase begins 4.2.6 Challenge ends This step formalizes the beginning of the taxation phase. This step formalizes the end of the challenge. All characters that were participating in the challenge are 7.2 Return unspent gold no longer participating. Proceed to the action window Each player simultaneously returns all unspent gold in between framework steps 4.1 and 4.2. his or her gold pool to the treasury. 4.3 Next player becomes active player 7.3 Check reserve If the active player does not declare a challenge, or Each player, in player order, checks his or her reserve. cannot initiate any more challenges, the next player in Any player with more cards in hand than the player order becomes the active player. Proceed to the reserve value on his or her revealed plot card (which player action window between framework steps 4.1 incorporates all relevant reserve modifiers) chooses and and 4.2. discards cards from his or her hand until that player’s If all players have been the active player this phase, hand size and reserve value are equal. proceed to 4.4. A player is not permitted to discard cards from his 4.4 Challenges phase ends or her hand at this time while at or below his or her reserve value. This step formalizes the end of the challenges phase. 7.4 Return melee title cards (melee format only) 5. Dominance phase Each player returns his or her title to the title pool. All 5.1 Dominance phase begins titles leave play simultaneously. (In a joust game, this This step formalizes the beginning of the step is skipped.) dominance phase. 7.5 Taxation phase ends 5.2 Determine dominance This step formalizes the end of the taxation phase. Each player simultaneously counts the total combined As the taxation phase is the final phase in the round, STR of all of his or her standing characters, and adds this step also formalizes the end of the round. Any 1 to this total for each gold token in his or her gold active “until the end of the round” lasting effects expire pool. The player with the highest total wins dominance at this time. for the round, and gains 1 power for his or her faction. (Note: a player may win dominance with no After this step is complete, play proceeds to the standing characters.) beginning of the plot phase of the next game round. If there is a tie for the highest total, no player wins dominance. 5.3 Dominance phase ends This step formalizes the end of the dominance phase.

[ Rules Reference ] 29 Appendix II: Card Anatomy

This section presents a detailed anatomy of each cardtype. Definitions of each element can be found in the glossary.

Card Anatomy Key House Lannister Banner of the Rose

Agenda

Banner. You may include non-loyal 󲀃󲀃 cards in your deck. You must include at least 12 󲀃󲀃 cards in your deck. Renly swept a hand across the campfires that burned from horizon to horizon. "Well, there is my claim, as good as Robert's ever was."

Illus. David Griffith ©George R.R. Martin © 2015 Illus.FFG David Griffith 200A ©George R.R. Martin © 2015 FFG 205B Factions & 10 Agendas 6 11

Master of Coin

Title Supported by Master of Laws Supports: Master of Ships Rivals: Hand of the King, Master of Whispers Within three years of his coming to court, he was master of coin and a member of the small council, and today the crown’s revenues were ten times what they had been under his beleaguered predecessor… though the crown’s debts had grown vast as well.

+2

Illus. Chris Pritchard ©George R.R. Martin © 2015 FFG 209

Titles

30 [ Rules Reference ] 7 1 Treachery Character 5 Event 8 6 6

6 󲀋󲀋Tywin Lannister Lord. 7 Renown. Play only if you control a unique 󲀅󲀅 Tywin Lannister gets +1 STR for each gold in character. your gold pool. Interrupt: When the effects of a triggered character, location, or +2 attachment ability initiate, cancel 9 those effects.

Illus. Tommy Arnold ©George R.R. Martin ©FFG 90 Illus. Gabrielle Portal ©George R.R. Martin ©FFG 102

Characters Events

2

1 4 7 1 Wildfire Assault Scheme. War. 6 When Revealed: Each player chooses up to 3 characters he or she controls. Kill each character not chosen (cannot be saved). 3 6 4 Illus. Tomasz Jedruszek ©George R.R. Martin ©FFG X 26## Plots

2 1 Location Attachment

Casterly Rock Casterly 6 󲀋󲀋 10 Valyrian Steel. Weapon. Stronghold. The Westerlands. Ambush (1). You may initiate an additional 󲀊󲀊 challenge Attached character gets +2 STR. If attached character is Joffrey Baratheon, during the challenges phase. 󲀈󲀈 “They say there is naught but stone 11 he gains a icon. at the heart of Casterly Rock.” –Catelyn Stark

󲀋󲀋Widow’s Wail

Illus. Sergey Glushakov ©George R.R. Martin ©FFG 97 6 Illus. Joshua Cairós ©George R.R. Martin ©FFG 96 12 Locations Attachments [ Rules Reference ] 31 Index

A F M S action...... 24 faction cards...... 8, 30 marshal...... 10, 13, 27 sacrifice...... 18 active player...... 3 first player...... 8, 26 marshaling phase...... 27 save...... 18 agenda cards...... 3, 30 forced...... 8 melee game...... 13 search...... 19 ambush...... 3 for your faction...... 8 military challenge.....13, 28 setup...... 19 attachment cards...... 3 framework effects and mulligan...... 14 simultaneous...... 16 attacker...... 3, 28 framework events...... 9, 24 standing phase...... 29 N stealth...... 20 B G no attachments...... 14 strength (STR)...... 20 blank...... 4 gold...... 9, 27 supports...... 20 golden rules...... 2 O C out of play...... 9 T cancel...... 4 I ownership...... 14 taxation phase...... 29 cannot...... 4 income...... 9, 27 terminal...... 21 challenge...... 4 influence tokens...... 10 P participating character....15 title cards...... 21, 26, 29 challenges phase...... 27 initiate a challenge...... 27 traits...... 21 character cards...... 4, 31 initiative...... 10, 26 pillage...... 15 play a card...... 10 treasury...... 21 claim, claim value...... 4 in play...... 10 triggered abilities...... 22 component list...... 23 insight...... 10 player order...... 15 control...... 14 interrupt...... 10, 24 plot card...... 15, 31 U cost...... 5 intimidate...... 11 plot phase...... 26 unique cards...... 22 intrigue challenge.....11, 28 power...... 16 unopposed challenge...... 22 D power challenge...... 16, 28 dead pile...... 5 J put into play...... 16 W deck...... 5 joust game...... 11 when revealed...... 23, 26 deckbuilding...... 5 R winning the game...... 23 defender...... 6, 28 K reaction...... 17, 24 would...... 23 discard pile...... 6 keyword...... 11 redirect...... 17 dominance phase...... 29 kneel...... 11 renown...... 18 reserve value...... 18, 29 draw phase...... 27 L duplicates...... 7 reveal...... 18 limited...... 12 rivals...... 18 E location cards...... 12, 31 effects...... 7 event cards...... 7 Playtesting Credits

For the second edition of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, we marshaled Schingen, Jesse Sutherland, Jessica Hamburger, Jim Thomas, Jimi Lawson, Joe Oberbeck, a huge amount of playtesting strength. Our testers are our watchers on the Joey Huskinson, John Bruno, John Kraus, John R. Barber, John Salas, Jon Lenz, Jonas Wall, and they have our undying thanks: Henriksson, Jonathan Andrews, Josephine Fowler, Josh Forbes, Jukka Raninen, Julien Menuet Justen Reddick, Justin Tholl, Kai Tai Chan, Kaleb Phillips, Keith Wigner, A. Grenier, A.P. Hynes, Aaron Broderick, Aaron Glazer, Aaron Settles, Adam “Bomb” Ken Keller, Kevin McClure, Kyle Szklenski, Lauren Fitch, Liisa Ronkainen, Luca Cerbone, Adam DeWulf, Adam Zuback, Allen Haas, Alex Esposito, Alex Filewood, Manfredini, Lukas Litzsinger, Luke Whitehurst, M-A. Marcotte, M-L. Lemay, Marin Alex Kern, Álvaro Rodríguez, Amy Mangrich, Andrea Gualdoni, Andreas Aldrin, Christensen, Mark Downing-Heese, Mark Larson, Mark Moore, Mark Yocius, Martin Anette Hall, Antti “WWDrakey” Korventausta, Ben Comstock, Ben DeWitt, Ben Tully, Carlsson, Martin Henmark, Massimo Lizzori, Mat Armstrong, Matt Jenkins, Matt Ben Wesolowski, Björn Jorner, Brad “ELSM” Andres, Brad Zimmerman, Brandon Mareck, Matt Newman, Matt Phillips, Matthew Gehman, Matthew Ley, Matthew Zimmer, Bret Kelso, Brian Aurelio, Brian Brimmer, Brian Cloonan, Brian Fred , Rogers, Matthew Vercant, Max Meier, Michael Clarke, Michael K. Spaulding, Michael Brian Gerken, Britt Fitch, Brooks Mitchell, Buz Hannon, Caleb “Bulldog” Grace, Norman, Michael Sibilia, Michael Wallace, Miguel Tarín, Mike Hantsch, Morgan Cameron Davisson, Charles Haring, Chris ‘Leo’ Garder, Chris Gerber, Chris Kizer, Stana, Myron Mychal, Nate Torok, Nathan Tarantelli, Nathaniel Dean, Neil Kimball, Chris Schoenthal, Chris Thompson, Christopher Lavin, Colby Cram, Cory Glenn, Curt Nicolò Merusi, Patrick Brennan, Patrick Haynes, Peter Wilson, Pontus Strimling, Shumaker, D. Tremblay, Dakota Zimmer, Damon Stone, Dan “Kid” Seefeldt, Dan R.E. Hynes, Rachel Houk, Rheece Kennedy, Rich Meade, Richard Skelton, Rob Hayes, Strouhal, Daniel Ach, Daniel Creed, Darlene Plis, Darryl Loyd, Dennis Harrison, Robert Kopp, Ronnie Rivas Jr., Rowan Gavin, Roy Rogers, Ryan Jones, Ryan Lenard, Derrick Billings, Diego Iotti, Doug Knollenberg, Doug Pearson, Eddie Westdal, Elwe, Ryan Ritter, Sam Braatz, Samuel Bailey, Scott Awesome, Sean Becker, Sean Clemons, Eric Lawell, Eric S. Wood, Erick Butzlaff, Erik Dahlman, Evan Craig, Evan Johnson, Sean Emberly, Sean Pacer Stringfellow, Shayne Lindeman, Stefan Hoard, Stephan Evn Tomeny, Federico Pasolini, G. Rousseau, Greg Atkinson, Gregory Sztain, Guy Pennington, Stephen McNamara, Steven Cantrell, Steven Francisco, Stuart Wilson, Hancock, Hannah Kane, Harold Jean, Hodor!, Iiro “Ire” Jalonen, Ingrid Henmark, Tabitha Hastie, Tagore Nakornchai, Talieson Solmon, Tasslehoff, Tiny Grimes, Tommy Jaclyn Wilson, Jacob Kern, Jakob Hultman, James Plank, James Randall Barnes, James Plis, Tony Reische, Travis Pinter, Travis White, Tyler Hockman, Tyson Villa, Vince Speck, James Waumsley, Jamie Bamfield, Jason Aubry, Jason Cerbone, Jeff Molander, Acceturro, Will “Kennon” Lentz, and Zach Nichols. Very special thanks to each of our Jere Tuovinen, Jeremy Hogan, Jeremy Zwirn, Jesse James Slater, Jesse Mariona, Jesse beta testers! 32 [ Rules Reference ]