Hi to all!

My Girlfriend gave me the "A Game of Thrones LCG: Core Set" 2 days ago and i´m trying to learn the basics at the moment. I have played Magic for quite some time (10 years ago), really enjoyed that time but had to leave the game because it was very expensive to keep track of all cards and expansions, also its was random, each deck we bought had different cards, back then i was studing so its was impossible to keep playing with the new stuff.

What i want to know is if this Card game is like Magic, do we have 3/4/5 expansions per year? Does each deck we buy from the same type have different cards inside?

For example :I buy one Core Set with x decks inside, if i buy other does it have the same cards? and the chapetrs packs? She also game me the Rituals of R'hllor and they had a lot of different cards, and at least of card that Core set had "Melisandre" but with other skill. Same question as the previous one, does Rituals of R'hllor Chapter Pack have the same cards?

Sorry about my english and thanks for the help

If you buy a new Core Set (or Rituals of R'hllor) it will have the same cards. There's no random packs like in Magic. That's why they call Game of Thrones an LCG, a living card game, instead of a CCG like Magic.

There are three kinds of products available for AGoT. All products contain a set group of cards.

1) The Core Set. You have this already, it's the basic starter set.

2) Chapter Packs, which always contain the same 20 cards. The expansions in AGoT are cycles of six packs, the Rituals of R'hllor pack you have coming from the Brotherhood without Banners cycle. A new chapter pack comes out roughly every month. The last pack of the current cycle, The Secrets of Oldtown, just came out, and next month we will likely see the release of the first pack of the new cycle. The newer packs come with 3 copies of each card, while older packs contained a mix of singles and triplicates; some of the older packs are getting reprinted in triplicate.

3) Deluxe Expansions. These are larger sets that focus on a single house. Two of them add a house to the 4 available in the Core Set: House Martell through Princes of the Sun, House Greyjoy through Kings of the Sea. The other four Deluxe Expansions focus on the 4 Core Set houses, though at the moment the Stark expansion is out-of-print and the Lannister expansion will be released around Christmas. Like the newer chapter packs, you get 3 copies of each card.

Thanks a lot for the answers, so we can play this with less investiment (money wise) that we need with magic?

Yes. It's still a money sink, but there's a very finite number of things you would have to buy.

What is a Living Card Game (LCG)?

An LCG basically describes the distribution model Fantasy Flight Games uses for certain card games. The selling point of an LCG is that there is no blind buy model (think booster packs in MTG). Fantasy Flight releases monthly packs of predetermined cards. This removes “chase rares” (e.g. super expensive cards that are needed to be competitive) that plague other CCGs like Magic. With this model, a player knows exactly what they will get with each pack, and as such can purchase only packs with cards they are interested in using. In general the cost to start playing and stay current is a fraction of the cost of a collectable card game."

Mirimo said:

Some characters have diffrent versions, some even 3 to 4. All versions are legal but they count as the same card for deck construction (so a max of 3 melisandre's per deck)

Hey, I am right here with you. So, with that being said, are there houses that are more powerful than the others? Are the Houses designed differently with one thing or another in mind...?

Thanks....

The houses are pretty balanced (if one house gets TOO powerful, new cards are released to deal with that -- or overly powerful cards are limited).

Each house has its strengths and weaknesses. Stark is strong in Military Challenges, Lannister in Intrigue, Baratheon often uses a "Power Rush" strategy.

Check out the articles and decks @ www.cardgamedb.com

Thanks again for the answers

So, after the first game i have a few questions!

1 - In a challenge Draw, the attacker wins a long he have 1 total str? i did not understand this.. So.. I attack with 4 str and the defender chooses a character with 4 as well, if i have another character in play with 1str i win the challenge?

2- The deadly keyword, it works in Military, intrigue and power challenge? or it's only in military?

3- If i my oponent dont defend a challenge what happens?

Military - he pick a character and put it on the dead pile. I win a power token?

Intrigue - i pick a random card in his hand and discard it. i win a power token?

Power - I take one power token from his house. If he dont have any? I gain one? And if he dont defend?

4- Picking the Plot in each Round. I have 7 plot cards and i cant repeat the same plot in the next round, correct? And after i use them all? I can choose from the other 6 (and let the previous used plot in the used pile?

5 - Challenge phase. I have more initiative in my plot so i'm obligated to attack first? Or i can pass the attack to my opponent?

Enough questions for now, going to play other game.

Mirimo said:

1. You win a challenge by having more strength than the opponent, and the attacker wins ties, but to win at all you must have at least 1 strength (participating). This means that if you attacked with a strength 0 character, you don't win EVEN if it's not blocked.

2. The deadly keyword works in all challenges. If it didn't, it would specify otherwise.

3. Provided you are attacking with at least 1 total STR (see Question 1) you win. In addition to winning the challenge, you claim the reward for an "unopposed challenge" (see core rules). That means that the claim resolves as normal (for M, I or P challenges), and IN addition to that effect, you claim one power from the power pool for your house.

4. Yes. You use a plot, that plot stays in your "used" pile until you've used your last (7th) plot. Upon using it you return the other 6 to your plot deck). For some further information, see the rules on "active" and "used" plots.

5. If you win initiative (during the plot phase), you win the right to choose who will be the first player. If you choose yourself, from then until the next plot phase you are the first player (and get the first opportunity to attack during the challenges phase). You're never forced to attack - you could pass the opportunity on to your opponent and keep characters standing for defense, but you'll get no further opportunity that round to initiate challenges.