Hello and Welcome Back, Loyal A Game of Thrones Fans!

This week we continue our previews of the first Chapter Pack in the Secrets of Oldtown cycle, Gates of the Citadel. As stated in previous card previews, we will not only be looking at the interesting cards coming out to boost the Maester, Citadel, and Chain traits that form the core themes of the Oldtown cycle; we will also be looking at new or continuing themes for the other Houses.

This week we look at Greyjoy income denial through Gylbert Farwynd. Gylbert Farwynd's ability is simple but effective: the cost to play anything except Noble-crested characters cannot be reduced. With Gylbert in play, the Streets, the Seas, Seat of Power, etc. can't reduce costs unless they're being used for Noble characters. Paying full price for everything, of course, cuts into the amount of stuff you can bring into play turn by turn, slowing you down, limiting your options. The effect is global, so the Greyjoy player controlling Gylbert has to put up with it as well, but low income is not new for House Greyjoy and they have the means to cope, for example cards like First Mate and Blackwater Raiders, which can put cards into play through alternative means.

There are other resource/income denial cards for House Greyjoy, and there will be more, but Gylbert's ability is cool because you can throw him into challenges, use him to trigger Balon Greyjoy's effect*, etc., and you are still cutting into your opponent's income. Moreover, those cards that only reduce costs (Seat of Power, Summer Port, the Streets, etc.) suddenly become dead weight in your opponent's deck so long as Gylbert is in play. As both a character and a passive, global effect, Gylbert Farwynd is nice card that can find its way into a lot of different kinds of Greyjoy decks.

So that's it for this week's card spoiler. Hopefully you've got plenty to discuss here in the comments or on the A Game of Thrones forums. Until next time!

* The Balon Greyjoy of A Time of Trials, that is.