Alright,so I know some people don't like posts like these, but I'm asking it anyways

Whos your favorite house to play and why? (Expansions Included)

If you haven't gathered already, I like House Stark. They were my favorite characters in the book, and while they are not drastically different from any other House in the game, they are my favorite.

Depends on the game. w/ 3-4 I like the Lannisters since they've got good cards in each variant and a decent starting position but in 5 they're too boxed in. In the second and third exansions the Baratheons get some good cards and are positioned so they can avoid conflict early on and work out alliances or help finish what another starts or take the strong houses from behind. Unfortunately this also makes them slow to gain momentum. Overall though I'd go with Greyjoy for their ability to quickly take out the Lannister fleet and take the Riverlands in the first turn. Without having to worry about Tyrells (very poor positioning in GoT) or Baratheons the Greyjoys can generally make any alliance they want and dictate the game if they get a mustering quickly enough to hold the Riverlands.

I haven't had a chance to play the Martells but I'm sure they're pretty good.

Yup Gatha...that told us all about why You like to play certain houses....to win...Depressing.

I'm not sure if I have any favorites. Maybe all of them

Baratheons are a bit dry if it comes to roleplay, Lannisters have Tyrion (one of my favorite - as an character not as a house card), Starks are so bloody honest but they also are noble and Greyjoys are just so brutally cool. Once I had a chance to also play Tyrell - smarmy little bastard I was. Never said certain yes or no. But I'm fed up with Martells. Last 3 or 4 times I've always been in the south growing lemons. Not that I don't like Red Viper but I'm bored of them.

So no certain favorite...

Ove said:

That's a matter of perspective. Most of the people I play with are still used to Risk where they can sit tight and amass armies by creeping forward then whipping out a set. If the person who's played the most has the best house and is nearing victory by the third turn it gets them to act, form alliances, backstab, and generally play as the game is supposed to be played. With other houses I find it hard to expand and get them to come into conflict with each other before the last couple turns.

As for favourite house outside the game it's too hard to judge. Martin made sure EVERY house had a critical failing or unlikeable quality so rather than getting off topic explaining my views of each house I looked at which house lets me have the best game.

Gatha said:

He's right. I didn't ask what was your favorite and why, exception being because you can win with them, I was just asking why. If its because you can win with them,and thats your reason, great. I have a particular attachment to House Stark, doesn't mean Im going to win with them, I just like them. Actually, I just lost with them against my fiancee again and her **** lannisters...

I'm not sure which house I'd mark as my favourite, so I'll just start rambling and see where that leads me.

I really like the agressive style of play that Greyjoy provides. As has been mentioned before, being able to cripple Lannister on turn 1 makes for a brutal start of the game and a sure way of preventing an early stalemate. If they can manage to get in line in front of Stark before the first mustering, they can prevent a Stark naval presence in the west as well. That would leave them with only Tyrell in the south, who also needs to worry about Martell (if playing) or occasionally Baratheon. As Greyjoy, you have the power to dictate where the battles will be fought, which I find appealing.

I dislike playing Lannister. From the very beginning, you have nowhere to go. You need to form alliances as soon as possible, or a particularly cruel combination of Tyrell and Greyjoy players will wipe you off the board by turn 3 (yes, that happened to me) and have you sit out the remaining 5 hours fetching drinks. The problem is that the only player who can safely enter into an alliance with you is Stark. Maybe Baratheon, but they can only protect you from Tyrell, who have ample space in a 5-man game.

Who's next? Tyrell, I guess. I can't say I like them very much, either. They have lots of space, that is true, but most of it is useless. They are hemmed in between the two true naval powers, which doesn't help them much. They can push up north against Lannister, but that's hardly ever interesting. Tyrell isn't nasty per se , but it's the lack of viable options that puts me off a bit.

I'm going to skip Martell here, as I've only played with 6 players once. I'm sure the addition of a Martell player will make the game more interesting for Tyrell and will afford Lannister with some air to breathe again. I'll give it a whirl some day.

Baratheon. I'm never lucky enough to draw these guys. In fact, I usually get stuck with either Lannister or Tyrell. Baratheon has all the options and that appeals greatly to me. They have the choice to go for King's Landing on turn 1, or perhaps push Stark back into the North. They can go south and put pressure on Tyrell (or Martell, of course). A Greyjoy/Baratheon alliance can go a long way before the allies get in each other's way. The only frustrating thing about Baratheon is their useless leader, Stannis. I don't like compromising. Give me swords or give me castles. I don't want to fight battles that are so precarious that I would need both.

Leaves Stark. Sitting in the North, keeping the Neck closed against land incursions from the south. All the while churning out power like crazy. Biding your time until suddenly you're in the perfect situation where you can seize the throne and the sword and make you great push south. However, there's a lot of responsibility on their shoulders. They need to keep the Greyjoys in check, or they overrun the Riverlands and win the game. They need to keep the Baratheons in check, or they snag up some coastal cities and win the game with a single push inwards. Playing Stark takes patience and cunning, knowing when to forge alliances and with whom... and when to break them in favour of another would-be ally. Uncharacteristically, playing Stark comes down to backstabbing the people who rely on you and can't touch you directly.

So I have to make a decision. Well, my problem is that nobody I play with trusts me. I have a reputation for being a treacherous bastard who can be trusted as far as he can be thrown. That doesn't have to be an impediment, but people usually solve that problem by ganging up on me. So there goes Stark out the window. Then out of Greyjoy and Baratheon, I'd choose Baratheon. They're far enough away for people to leave you alone for a turn or two. Once they've gotten into conflict with the others (a certainty, if you have an agressive player for Greyjoy), they become a lot more susceptible to common sense when it comes to making a pact with me.

Until I stab them in the back, of course. I never said that my reputation was unjustified...

Hm, favourite house...they all have their merits and flaws, but I think Lannister is rather cool. They are nearly unbeatable once they established their defense line around Stoney Sept, and you can ally with most other guys. Much choices.

Radonir said:

What do You have against fetching drinks? You don't like drinking... Here's how You should drink:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/104933

Didn't feel like to copy-paste that long text here... Anyone who cares, takes a peek

For the storyline, my favourite house is the Lannisters! Master of intrigues, they got 3 of my favourite characters : Tyrion (like everybody else for all the reasons you know), Lord Tywin (love the fact that that guy just knows how to do everything. Master in warfare, in politics, he just do what has to be done) and Gregor Clegane (awesome leader, in cards, with my favourite being the Gregor of the 4 power house cards set. I find that his rule text capted the spirit of Clegane. Be weak against him, and he will just hit you harder!).

For the game, my favourite house is Martells. They got godlike house cards but they cannot expand easily. I like the way that most players I play with fear the Martells because of their house cards, forgetting that they do not have as many cities near them, thus making that house quite hard to win with (still less than Lannisters though...). Ironicaly, the last game I won with Martells was a game in which I made deals and talked to everybody, until the final moment in which I need only 2 cities to win. The strong house cards seized me that victory.