I read this article on CardGameDB, and became depressed. I'd previously only caught a glimpse of the boxset's packaging during one of FFG's montage videos, and was immediately excited at the attempt at drawing fans of the HBO series into the game. The fact is that Game of Thrones has given the book series widespread exposure, and has generated a significant amount of interest in FFG's games based on the setting. This boxset threatens to bring in even more, but only if the experience does not alienate those who pick it up.

Though I can understand some of the reasoning behind it, it is a poor decision to make all cards in this boxset illegal for tournament play. As for the reasons for it, there is the obvious issue of some of the cards (e.g. Jon Snow) being unidentical to their LCG counterparts, as well as the fact that these cards almost certainly have distinct backs featuring the series logo. Keeping the cards out of the game essentially restricts players who have bought this game from playing their new game in a sanctioned environment, and while there is no perfect answer for this, I feel that there should be some attempt made not to piss off a good number of otherwise-interested fans of the TV series.

Thus, I propose a solution: Make some of the cards legal, so long as each affected card shares an identical-gameplay counterpart in the LCG (just as pre-LCG cards are legal if there is an identical-gameplay version in the LCG). Also, require players who are using cards from the boxset in their tournament decks to sleeve their cards in opaque sleeves, so that cards from the boxset are indistinguishable from LCG cards when facedown.

This is admittedly only a partial solution, as some of the cards are exclusive to this boxset, and it doesn't help players who use pennysleeves, or no sleeves at all. But I believe that making this compromise would go a long way towards making players who pick up this boxset feel welcome to join the LCG community, and that they weren't enticed to make a purchase that will afford them nothing should they choose to expand into the LCG.

MarthWMaster said:

I think this is a really narrow view of the target audience for the HBO set. Setting aside the assumption that the rules will be identical and that FFG will not sanction events separately (they way they would a board game), I really doubt this product is aimed at the kind of game player that seeks out sanctioned events, league play, or even competitive deck building. It is more likely aimed at an audience far more like a board game. It's going for casual game players at best, who are unlikely to pull the thing out more than 3-4 times a year.

I would put money on the probability that fewer than 1 in 100 of the players who discover the game through the HBO product (as opposed to current LCG players who want the HBO art cards) would consider playing a tournament game - even if they could use the HBO cards.

If more competitive game players discover the LCG through the set, they have the whole LCG itself to get in on. Not being able to play the "gateway" cards in the LCG sanctioned events is not likely to be big for most of the people who are being targeted by this product.

MarthWMaster said:

Personally, I think this partial solution is more likely to please current LCG players who want to use the pretty HBO pictures than it is to make the vast majority of people who discover the card game through the product feel welcome in the LCG community.

If people don't feel welcome in the LCG community because they cannot use the HBO cards at a tournament (casual play is still fine, of course), then there is something wrong with us as a community.

I think that if they sanctioned them during a tournament it would be kinda tricky to play against that cards.

While everyone is playing with open cards i do think that when u get to be more experienced with the game you stop reading every single card played because u already know it's specifics. Now if you'd allow the HBO version there might be confusion and it would certainly take more time in the game as the cards would have to be read as to not confuse them with others.

I can see a scenario where they print LCG legal promo cards from the set. That would be awesome!