Ok, so my topic sums it up... I'm wondering if this is the game for me and I was hoping for some help. A little background... I'm a lapsed RPGer from years ago. Now married with small children. I have little free time and no game group to speak of. No real like-minded friends actually. And that's not to fish for sympathy - it's just relative to the discussion. I love the fantasy genre and I'm an avid fan of the Song of Ice and Fire series. Who am I going to play with? My wife. We're looking for some games to play on nights after the kids have gone to bed. But she's not quite the fantasy lover that I am. But I think this lower fantasy setting may be of interest to her. And frankly, I'm trying to get her to read the books because I think she'd really like them.

I did order Warhammer: Invasion after reading some reviews, but I have another birthday gift cert to spend and think I may pick this up too.

Now for the problem... I've never played CCGs, LCGs etc. We'd be doing so casually. And I want a game we can have fun with. Add to. But not need to get every single expansion in order to keep up with it...

Thoughts?

Hello and welcome to the forums.

From what you've said, I think you would enjoy the game. The designers have done a very good job of translating the books to the card game in my opinion. They really capture the feeling of each of the great houses vying for the Iron Throne.

For myself, I loved the books as you did, and if not for them, would not have ever started playing the card game (it was the books that alerted me to the existence of the game). The game has sustained my interest in the world of Westeros absent a new book to read in the series. I've played other card games, but found that GoT was better than all the rest for my taste, and I play it exclusively now in the card game space.

It isn't a huge investment to buy the Core Set, and if you play it and decide you and the wife like it, you can add to it as you see fit. Since you will be playing casually, there will be no need to go round up every single card ever printed. You can add (or not) as you see fit. There are "how to play" videos available which will help you to learn the game, and of course you can always post here on the forums if you have questions about the game.

Give it a shot! I think you'll be glad you did. I know I am.

For what its worth my fiance has never played a ccg in her life and never even heard of them until we got together and she plays now with a Stark House Tully deck and has beat me every time we have played. She learned by watching the videos.

Also if your wife won't read the books as my fiance won't, the HBO series should help a lot with the interest level.

My thought is...

My wife doesn't like AGOT LCG, even though she loved the books. It's an intense game that is aggressive as soon as you play the cards. It's not something to expect wife to enjoy for long (at least not mine). Warhammer Invasion is a little easier to learn, and has more humor. Or even more wife-friendly are cooperative board games with fantasy theme. Maybe Runewars or something like that.

How is Runewars cooperative?

Touché? I never played Runewars but I brought it up for a reason that is beyond this topic.

I bought AGOT core set because I thought my wife would like it, and in the long run, she didn't. But in the end it worked out anyways because it's a great game, and there are people in my area that play. However, to the original post I think it is probably difficult to only buy the core set and I would definitely advise anyone NOT to expect wife to be a long-running fan of the game.

In the end, I had every single chapter pack and my wife will never touch one of those cards, ever.

Have fun!

I had to do considerable arm-twisting to get my wife to start reading the first book... she then quickly devoured the entire series in about 3 weeks. Although not into LCGs/CCGs etc. she will now happily play regularly, although with a strong book-influence behind many of her thought processes. (Always wants to be Stark, refuses to kill Tommen if he's in play, and thinks Ned should be immune to 'stinking drunk.')

It's generally me that picks expansions, builds decks, wastes time on forums etc. but if you can get your wife hooked on the books, I reckon you'll be able to get yourself an opponent for actually playing the games.

Don't forget that there are demo decks to print and try. And do it after she read the books.

Mighty Jim said:

I like your wife Of course Ned should be immune to it!

I envy you guys - my wife will NEVER pick up these cards. it will be all i can expect to get her to watch the series - she's just not a gamer.

But to the original question: will it just be you and your wife? Because the Core set may not be for you - it is designed more for four players and the decks kind of don't work really well in head to head games, out of the box.

Thanks so much for all of the advice. I'm hoping we'll get into it and like it.

But I'm surprised to hear that it's more for 4 players. It seemed that 2 players was valid as well. Are there problems with a 2 player game?

Bibliomane74 said:

Some of the plots are tailored for multi-player, Bib. I'd suggest picking your plots out of all of them available in the core set. You should be able to make a couple decent decks for two player with what's in the core set. The game is fun in both melee and joust (melee is what GoT calls multi-player, and joust is how they refer to head to head).

Just change out the plots that refer to more than one player, mutual cause, mutual... etc. Then you are fine for just two players, and any of the deluxe expansions(lords of winter, kings of the storm for now)would be good add on as they have decklists you can build with one deluxe and one core that are full size decks

Might wanna download the free demo decks on the support page to give it a test and I would recommend watching the videos for both you and your wife.

Stag Lord said:

Toqtamish said:

The 'mutual' plots don't have any text effect in joust, but they're still a reasonable set of stats (i.e. claim 2) there's no particular need to take them out in a 2-player game, so long as you remember that they don't do anything.

The one you really want to get rid of, is 'condemned by the realm'

Sure but for someone only learning the plots abilities not working is boring, I know from experience when we were learning.