Hi, I`m a new player and I have some doubts about some rules concerning the effects of plot cards.

If not specified in the card, do they generally effect all players or just the card ower?

Example 1 : Planning Ahead - skip the taxation phase this round - Do all players skip the taxation or just the player who revealed the plot?

Example 2: Power of blood - noble caracters cannot be killed - Are all noble characters protected, including my opponent's?

Example 3: Holding the trident - While you control fewer characters than any opponent, each character you control gets +2 str - Does this apply to all players? If i have more cards then my opponent in a 2 player game, does he get +2 str? Why?

Now for the big problem. Example 4: Snowed under - At the beggining of the standing phase, choose one kneeling character or location controlled by each player. Return all chosen cards to their owner's hands - Only I choose the cards? Or in a 2 player game, do both players choose a kneeling card from each player (4 total cards)? Why? Why is it different then "Planning Ahead".

Thanks in advance.

Kzar Otto said:

Consider Winterfell Castle: "Each of your Stark characters gets +1 STR." Plain to see that this only refers to Stark characters that you control because that's what it specifically says. Compare that to Melisandre from the Core Set: "While Melisandre is standing, Asshai characters get +1 STR." That just talks about Asshai characters without any reference to who controls them. You don't get to add in or assume details that are not provided in the card text, so her "get +1 STR" will apply to any Asshai character in play, whether it is controlled by the same player who controls Mel or not.

The other thing to keep in mind here is that those examples are all constant effects. A passive or triggered effect is going to be different. You have to consider the context of a passive or triggered effect, which typically activate or initiate at a particular point in game-time. When an effect initiates and tells a player to do something (like "kill" or "choose"), it typically refers only to the controller of the effect - unless it specifies something global (like, say, Valar Morghulis which says "kill all characters in play" or Westeros Bleeds which says "discard all characters from play").

Fairly easy to see on non-plot cards, right? Well, plots are the same way. Let's take a look at the individual plots you name:

Kzar Otto said:

BTW: Don't confuse each player's "turn" in the Marshaling or Challenge phase for separate phases for each player; there is just one phase with each player taking a turn. You could skip your "turn" in the phase without affecting the other players, but you cannot skip the "phase" for just one player. (And note that players do not take "turns" in the Taxation phase.)

Kzar Otto said:

Kzar Otto said:

Kzar Otto said:

Hope that helps. The cliff-note version of all that is:

1. Constant effects apply to every eligible card in the game unless otherwise specified.
2. The words "you" and "your" are very basic examples of "otherwise specified."
3. Passive effects and triggered effects are assumed to only initiate for their controllers unless otherwise specified.

Thank you very much for the explanation. So it`s basically the assumption that constant effects apply to all and passive and triggered effects apply to you. Off to play then... Thanks again

Since we're on the topic of Plot effects I have a few questions

1) theres a plot (I can't remember the name) that only allows each player to put one card into play during the turn. Does this affect cards coming into shadows, cards going into shadows, playing an epic plot card or using event cards during the challenges phase?

2) City Cards: these usually have a "Do X where X is the number of plot cards in your used pile". My question here is once a plot card is revealed does it immediately go to the used pile, or is it only in the used pile once the turn in which it was revealed is over?

Thanks for the info.

Winged_Human said:

You're probably thinking of Fear of Winter, which reads "Each player cannot play or put into play more than 1 card from his or her hand until you reveal a new plot card." Playing a card into Shadows does count against this limitation (you are playing it from your hand). Bringing a card out of Shadows does not count against this limitation (you are not playing it from your hand, you are putting it into play from Shadows). All events, with Epic Battle trait or without (there's no "epic" plot), count against this limitation when they are played from your hand.

Winged_Human said:

The FAQ says: "During the game a plot card exists in one of three possible states: in your plot deck, in your used pile, or revealed. Unless prevented by other card effects, a player's revealed plot card moves to his or her used pile immediately whenever a new plot card is revealed from that player's plot deck."

So the first City plot you play will not count itself for its effect.

Saturnine said:

Just to be clear: neither (currently revealed) City plot counts itself for its X effect.

Rogue30 said:

Very true.

So then regardless of how you play it, there will always be a city plot where it's text box is effectivly "0"?

Winged_Human said:

Except for City of Shadows, 3-6-1, which puts up to 2 cards into shadows from your hand, without regard to the number of City plots in your used pile.

Also, with regard to the Epic Battle event cards, there is a Player Action Window both Before & After revealing your plot card, so you can play the event then, subsequently reveal Fear of Winter and still be able to play/put into play one more card that turn.

which is what starkepicsiege used, because they would mulligan into an epic event if necessary, setup lots of military weenies (Hungry Mob, Bolton Refugees, Shaggydog, Direwolf Pup, The Hound) play it, reveal Fear of Winter turn 1, claim 2 military, get some power, epic military, claim some power, follow with a second turn Rule by Decree for hand destruction, and by that point you are usually about 6 power south of them.