I wanted to get some player input. If you have already played in a Regional, great. If not, please feel free to add your input as well.

What are the events that most often show up in Joust as "power cards." Meaning, events that help you to significantly swing a game in your favor. Are people playing Westeros Bleeds? Seductive Promise? Is it Make an Example?

Try to think about non-house specific events, but if there is a house specific event that is noteworthy, lets hear it.

For my two cents, I have a healthy fear of Seductive Promise, and for that reason am ALWAYS wary of power challenges initiated with high STR. Character steal is probably the most powerful character control, because it represents a two char shift (+1 for winner/-1 for loser).

So, tournament players: What events did you count on to get the 'W' and what events were the cause of the losses you sustained?

Well since I used Martell for my joust deck, the two events that were most effective for me were "Game of Cyvasse" and "Red Vengeance". I didn't use neutral events in my deck.

Oh, and I forgot to respond to the second part of the question regarding what events caused me to lose. Well, I don't think any events caused me to lose. The crazy Lannister Hyper-kneel machine is what caused my losses.

Writ Small - sucks big. Its a nasty, nasty event that can swing games.

Seductive is very strong as well. Scary, scary card.

Red Vengeance. He Calls it thinking - kept a Bannerman in my hand for four turns and I never got to play him.

Not so much Bleeds - i'm a fan, but not sure there is enough INF to rely on it. Tehre are ltos though - IMO, most agmes turn on events right now since there is so little cancel.

In the Chicago regional there were alot of folks running Valar as the reset rather than Wildfire. (At least anecdotaly I don't have the numbers to back that up) In fact in my match with Mallesh the Valar was the victory point when my Red Viper went bye-bye. (I had saves just couldn't draw them) Red Vengence was in most decks. And Cyvasse really messed with me as well.

Wait, if the bannerman is canceled, you can just initiate his response again can't you?

also, I tend not to use events to win but to use them in a support role, so events that draw cards, or events that cancel. As such I haven't used very many in the LCG. I have been using make an example more often though. It seems to fit a few houses rather well. and westeros bleeds has found its way into my deck, but not sure if it will make the final cut.

the events that I fear the most are pretty much all of them! I'm constantly paranoid that my opponent has some event or another that will give him the swing he needs to win the game. some that I am more afraid to see than others are he calls it thinking, I'm you writ small, and the new pttt.

Stag Lord said:

I tend to actually agree with this. Aside from Valar, which I still argue is the most important card in the game, events represent that X factor that can swing a game either way. Everyone I play with now expects Valar to be run. I don't think many players (speaking for my play group only of course) expect Westeros Bleeds. Even with four influence on the table. The more aware players will see four influence and be wary, but most look at me like I started speaking another langauge when I say I have an action in the Dominance phase...

I do think that Westeros Bleeds really shines in Multiplayer though. It is easy to forget that a player has two more influence to play with when they have the Hand of the Kind title. Plus, watching a table go all googly-eyed when it hits in Dominance is awesome.

My most feared event? A Lannister Pays His Debts. I hate losing a character after I win a challenge...it's a tough pill to swallow.

goshdarnstud said:

I actually won't even play Viper without a dupe or a bodyguard...been burned too many times in the same way. As a rule now, I never put a character on the table that I can't protect or that I can't afford to lose. Nine times out of ten when I spend the resources to get the Viper out, I can't afford to lose him immediately.

Stag Lord said:

Seductive? I have a bias since I don't play many non-unique cards in my deck. But is it played that often? If its a problem chuck the non-uniques.

Staton said:

I think it depends on if he is in play (which you could) or if he is in your hand (which discards him like a canceled event I believe)

Syd said:

That's because you are an intelligent player, I apparently am not. However I have since modified my plot deck to include power of blood as well.

Lars said:

IDK - Bannerman is a trigger rsponding to an action. deson't the window close after you respond and then the opponent responds with a cacnel? I mena - can you really respond multiple times to the same trigger with teh same effect? seems counterintutive.

maybe we should copy/paste (~not with actual scissors and glue, Stag) over to the rules thread then.

goshdarnstud said:

If there is a card however that you can't afford to lose take it out of the deck, you're obviously spending too many resources protecting it. This is Agot everyone and everything is expendable.

Stag Lord said:

Between I'm You Writ Small and A Lannister Pays His Debts, I still find it odd that Stark doesn't have as simple a targeted kill card. There two closest choices involve kneeling characters (who aren't on their way out in Moribund) for Counterattack! or character/influence (in Guilty's case) later in the round. :/

Icy Catapult?

Didn't we see a kill event in the Stark box?

the win as defender kill someone, i think. Its not as good as surprise deadly/pays his debts, but better then guilty.

I miss Swing the Sword (Put to the Sword's original replacement). Die by the Sword takes dedication to the (War) crest, but I'm not a fan of the available war characters for Stark, though none of the houses have great selections outside of Greyjoy and Stark at the moment.

Routing the Charge at least works in any challenge, which is pretty groovy, but an offensive weapon to support a Siege of Winterfell deck would be nice. But, that could be too powerful. Lot of fun toys to play with in the box.

Agreed on Swing the Sword.

BTW Bear Island is still the best targeted removal in the game IMHO.

Good info y'all! Making me rethink taking Seductive out of my decks (even though it always is useful).

Maester_LUke said:

Same way I felt regarding Martell until Red Vengence about not having the best revenge card in the game (and whether it is equal to or better is a matter of debate).

Hmm... at the moment, I'd very much vote that Red Vengeance is better. I frakking love that card.