So, I've just got the Time of Ravens chapter packs, and decided that the best way to try out the seasons rules in practice, was to build a pair of decks. Stark for Winter and Lannister for summer seemed like an obvious choice.

I like to keep the decks fairly thematic in terms of which house various people end up in.

Now, I'm not expecting these decks to be world-beaters, nor am I wanting to know how I could make my Stark deck more deadly by forcing in an unlikely Dragon/Dornishman etc.

That said, these are the first decks I've created from scratch, so I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts on them as reasonably balanced joust decks for playing against each other, and getting the hang of the Seasons mechanic.

House Stark

Agenda
Kings of Winter (TWoW) x1
Plot
Battle of Oxcross (PotS) x1
Building Season (Core) x1
Calm Over Westeros (Core) x1
Holding the Trident (Core) x1
Mutual Enemies (Core) x1
The Power of Arms (Core) x1
The Winds of Winter (TWoW) x1

Character
Carrion Bird (TWoW) x3
Maester Vyman (TWoW) x1
Northern Cavalry Flank (SA) x1
Northern Infantry (SA) x1
Ranger of Winter (TWoW) x2
Bolton Refugee (RoW) x2
Vanguard Scouts (TWot5K) x2
The Bastard of Bolton (IG) x1
House Tully Recruiter (Core) x1
Trident Reinforcements (Core) x1
Greatjon Umber (Core) x1
Knight of the Tumblestone (Core) x1
Grey Wind (Core) x1
Ser Rodrik Cassel (Core) x1
Catelyn Stark (Core) x1
Lady (Core) x1
Bran Stark (Core) x1
Direwolf Pup (Core) x1
Shaggydog (Core) x1
Arya Stark (Core) x1
Eddard Stark (Core) x1
Sansa Stark (Core) x1
Robb Stark (Core) x1
Hodor (Core) x1
War Host of the North (Core) x1

Location
Crossroads (Core) x1
Godswood (Core) x1
Great Keep (Core) x3
Lord Eddard's Chambers (Core) x1
Narrow Sea (Core) x1
Northern Fiefdoms (Core) x2
Street of Steel (Core) x1
Winterfell Castle (Core) x1
Northern Cave (TWoW) x1

Event
Bran the Builder's Legacy (Core) x1
Lethal Counterattack (Core) x1
Winter is Coming (Core) x1
Distinct Mastery (Core) x1
Guilty! (Core) x1
Distraction (Core) x1
Kings in the North (Core) x1

Attachment
Court Advisor (PotS) x1
War Horn (TWoW) x1
White Raven (TWoW) x3
The Long Winter (ACoS) x1
Nymeria (Core) x1
Summer (Core) x1
Ice (Core) x1
Icy Catapult (TWot5K) x2

House Lannister

Agenda
Kings of Summer (TWoW) x1
Plot
A Song of Summer (ASoS) x1
Hear Me Roar (Core) x1
The Power of Blood (Core) x1
Mutual Blackmail (Core) x1
A Time for Ravens (ACoS) x1
Wildfire Assault (Core) x1
Planning Ahead (Core) x1

Character
Carrion Bird (ASoS) x3
Cersei Lannister (Core) x1
Grand Maester Pycelle (Core) x1
Ser Jaime Lannister (Core) x1
Ser Ilyn Payne (Core) x1
Tyrion Lannister (Core) x1
Tywin Lannister (Core) x1
Jhalabar Xho (TWot5K) x1
Janos Slynt (TWoW) x1
Mountain Refugee (RoW) x2
Painted Dogs (IG) x2
Lannisport Steward (Core) x1
Lannisport Weaponsmith (Core) x1
Lurkers at Harrenhal (Core) x1
Qyburn's Informers (Core) x1
Ser Jacelyn Bywater (Core) x1
Cersei's Attendant (Core) x1
Weary Swordsmen (SA) x2
Scavengers of King's Landing (TWoW) x2
Tommen Baratheon (SA) x1
King Joffrey's Guard (TWot5K) x1
Bronn (Core) x1
Chella, Daughter of Cheyk (Core) x1
Enemy Informer (Core) x1
Lannisport Honor Guard (Core) x1

Location
Queen Cersei's Chambers (Core) x1
Lannisport Brothel (Core) x1
The Goldroad (Core) x3
Hall of Heroes (Core) x1
Western Fiefdoms (Core) x2
Sunset Sea (Core) x1
Street of Steel (Core) x1
Shadowblack Lane (Core) x1
Crossroads (Core) x1
Lion's Gate (ASoS) x1
Golden Tooth Mines (Core) x1

Event
A Lannister Pays His Debts (Core) x1
Distinct Mastery (Core) x1
I Never Bet Against My Family (Core) x1
Insidious Ways (Core) x1
You've Killed the Wrong Dwarf! (Core) x1
The Lion's Will (Core) x1

Attachment
Black Raven (ASoS) x3
Taxed Dry (ACoS) x2
Summer Tax (ASoS) x1
Gilded Plate (Core) x1
Gutter Rat's Cunning (Core) x1
Lordship (Core) x1

Before I make a couple of comments, bear in mind that I made my first deck from scratch last week, and it was embarrassingly bad (Greyjoy/white book - who would have thought?!?), so by no means take my word for gospel. I'm assuming you only have the core set, PotS and the Ravens chapter packs.

I don't see why you have put Holding the Trident in the Stark deck - surely you are going to be dominating militarily? Maybe put in Drunken Allegations instead - force your opponent to kneel one of the few characters he has left after a devastating military challenge.

Also, put in a third refugee in each deck - I haven't used them myself as I don't have those chapter packs, but from what I've read most people put 3 refugees in any deck - and I can understand that, they are pretty awesome!

Well there's my two cents. Other than that I can't really comment - I'm not that experienced!

Rydo72 said:

Note that this plot has no "you control" restriction. You and opponent can kneel any character as long as he's standing. That means that opponent will choose your character unless there is no other choice (and vice versa).

So it does! Been playing that one wrong then! Thanx Rogue - sometimes it can be so easy to overlook some of these details.

Rydo72 said:

I generally find that Stark struggles (particularly against Lannister) to get a decent number of characters into play in the first place. There's just not as much moeny being generated. So Holding the trident feels like a useful early-game card to establish a footing. That said, drunken allegations might have a more even whole-game benefit to it.