So I was going to start a thread on what themes/game-mechanics people thought the various houses should have further developed but then I wondered what people would do if they had the opportunity to decide the themes and mechanics of a house if they were Eric Lang.

Rather than starting two threads I figured I'd wrap them together. What theme would you like to see more fully explored for the 6 Houses and if you had to reassign or redesign an existing them who would it go to and how would you work it?

Stark - I'd have done them as the honorable house, some sort of mechanic where they gained power by fighting fair, putting the realm first. Maybe have them give power to the House card as they entered and/or left play.

Baratheon - I would have liked to see their House keyword reversed so they stand when they win as the defender

Martell I would have reversed their keyword so they stood when they lost as the attacker.

I'd like to see Lannister with a strong Intrigue build. Maybe with some sort of delayed rush component.

Ironborn - The best and only true Greyjoy theme. You're not a real Greyjoy unless your from the Iron Islands. Plain and simple. Raiders are nothing but savages serving Iron Men.

Lannister: Gregor Clegane and his band of merry followers. Tears of Lys reprint

Targaryen: some more gold + mercenary effects

Baratheon: more dominance related effects

Greyjoy: a bit of ambush here and thre

Martell: effects that triggers by refusing to draw cards during your turn

Greyjoy: An effect that gives them more STR and additional icons (usually Power) as they win more challenges, they'd keep up with the number of challenges by taking X gold from opponent's gold pool, and if they have no gold taking X cards from the top of their plot deck.

Baratheon: A charisma-based effect. As Robert, Renly, and even Stannis were able to have a group of followers that had a great deal of loyalty to them, so too should any Baratheon lord be able to have a come in to play ability that grants them the loyalty of an opposing player's character. The Baratheon lords, would in turn, return control upon death, and would cost more than they currently do.

Targaryen: Khal(s) of the Dothraki should come in to play with Bloodrider tokens that fight when they do, and die as they do. You can kill the tokens separately, but it is generally more advantageous to kill the Khal in question. This should also be extended to the horde of liberated slaves Daenerys is gathering. She could either have characters that gain when they win, or locations that produce each turn, slave tokens that require either gold or victory upkeep to maintain. As long as the horde is winning, or you have gold to sustain them then you can have a huge force to reckon with, with tokens to soak up military defeats as needed, or watch as you over extend, and as the hordes die around you the morale loss and disease causes -1 STR to your own, non-token characters until you literally burn your own armies to death. I think this would greater show the precarious situation Daenerys is in.

Lannister: Revenge effects, due to the fact they do not take insult or slight towards their house lightly. "A Lannister Pays His Debts"

Stark: Perhaps more emphasis on the fact most of the north still follow the old gods and a greater emphasis on Godswood than just being a cost reducer.

Martell: They fight differently than everyone else in Westeros, I think there should be more to show it. Perhaps a "if the attackers STR is greater than 4 when [insert Name] is attacking, kill defenders before the challenge resolves." (showing they use spears), and balancing it by their generally avg. STR to Cost ratio. - or have "When an opponent declares defenders, choose one of the defending characters, that character (either) does not stand /(or)/ is killed at the beginning of the standing phase." (showing use of poison).

I would like to see Martell do something along the lines of Doran's Patience. Effects that get more powerful the later in the game it gets (until, say, plots reset). For example, a character or attachment that gets +1 STR for each plot in your used pile, or a Doran that claims a power when you reveal a plot, but can discard his power to cancel an event/triggered effect. These would be in direct contrast to the Red Viper and the Sand Snakes (and Darkstar), who could be the aggressors of the house. I really think Martell could use a Location that provided X influence, where X is the number of plots in the used pile.

Stark - Defense. And maybe House Reed or House Umber

Lanni - Trait manipulation

Bara - Dominance and standing control

GJ - The Kingsmoot (from the books). Multiple characters trying to be the leader, each giving a different boost when they are the only one out.

Martell - Icon control

Targ - Dragon/burn focus

Well, as I'm the designer for this exercise, there will be 9 Houses. I'd re-arrange mechanics round a couple of major themes for each house and a few minor themes (usually another house would have as a major theme):

Stark: I see "Tactics" (claim raising, jump into/remove from challenges type effects) as their main strength. Targeted kill fits into this (I wouldn't go quite so prevalent with it as it is now). Search effects and Military challenge other major themes. I've never understood the Defense mechanic they currently have - makes very little sense in the context of the books. I'd strongly consider making powerful attachments a major theme for them (Ice, Needle, the direwolves, etc).

Greyjoy: Perhaps the house that's done best currently (Ned-wise). Unopposed Challenges, Saves, and they should have many powerful locations (centered on the warship theme), fewer characters. Minors in Military, location steal.

Lannister: Gold, Kneel, and masters of the intrigue challenge. Lannister should lose the Draw theme.

Baratheon: I'd give them more/bring back Character stealing/take control to highlight Robert's/Renly's charisma/abilities. This would complement a lot of renown and Power challenge effects. A stronger minor theme should be the warship theme, and standing.

Arryn: I'd give them effects centering on winning Dominance. Also, ''joust' type effects, allowing only 1 player to attack/participate in challenges. Minor theme centering on power challenges, defense.

Targaryen: Keep Burn/Kill. Allow them to excel when they control fewer characters than opponents. Minor themes around Power challenge, and attachment removal.

Tyrell: They should be the main Draw house, and have effects centering on Knights. Minor themes centering on armies, and they should have high influence providing cards to power effects.

Martell: Revenge and Cancel. I'd focus a minor theme around them being able to reduce strength/discard opposing characters, and their own character being immune to strength reduction.

Tully: I'd make them the standing effects house, and card recursion with a minor theme on armies and defense/ anti-gold effects.

Probably have to tweak those some, but a good start, and would still keep other minor themes (House Bolton, Clansmen would go to Arryn, Sand Snakes, add a House Frey minor theme to Tully, etc).

I'd use Night's Watch and Wildlings can be used for toolbox type effects - specifically, Night's Watch would have many locations, and excellent location save effects and defensive effects. Wildlings would have location discard.

For Lannister I really like to see Gregor clegane and the bloody mummers theme, with maybe strong characters that can be bought during marshalling phase with gold (change controller), of course the one who pays the more gold has the control of those strong characters. I'd also like to see more deadly for lannister instead of stealth.

For Baratheon I'd like to see an emphasis on house tyrell trait, we need a Mace that works with the others tyrell. A deadly queen of thorns should be nice.

For greyjoy, the only card I really wish to come back is the reader, intrigue is nice, learned brings attachment control (against frozen solid on our lovely ships) and draw with a mechanic that is becoming an endanger specy (new dothraki character that prevents save during militay challenge, Brienne of tarth, cannot be save effects like routing the charge), it would strengthen the theme back.