At the Gates, the first Chapter Pack in the King’s Landing cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game

Over the course of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, you have followed your most beloved and most reviled characters from the first pages of A Game of Thrones to the closing chapters of A Dance with Dragons. You have led the hosts of Westeros through the War of the Five Kings and witnessed the fallout of their struggle for the Iron Throne. Characters you may have once thought safe have perished before your eyes and the meek have grown mighty. The only constant in the world of Westeros is change.

But the realm lives on, and now, the A Game of Thrones: The Card Game takes a new direction with the themes of this cycle. Rather than following the events of A Song of Ice and Fire by moving through the books of the saga, this new cycle draws the spotlight to the vibrant capital of Westeros—King's Landing itself. You'll find all kinds of cards throughout the cycle with a tie to King's Landing and the battle for the throne, as well as the continued development of the shadows keyword established in the fifth cycle! With a host of new shadows cards and support for your shadows decks, the game's sixth cycle promises to bring an exciting new direction to your battles and intrigues across the Seven Kingdoms.

The City Watch
At the Gates marks the beginning of the sixth cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game. The King’s Landing cycle is firmly centered on the capital of Westeros, focusing on the people, places, and events tied to this location across the entirety of A Song of Ice and Fire, as well as continuing to develop the shadows keyword and the cards that hide in the darkness. The shadows have grown over the years, and the city of King’s Landing has changed since the Starks first traveled south at the command of King Robert, and now you have the chance to explore its twisting alleys like never before.

Your journey begins at the great wall that surrounds the city and the scattered gates that connect the capital to the outside world. The number seven is sacred to the Faith, and as such Aegon I Targaryen had seven gates built as the entrances to his grand metropolis. Now, in the At the Gates Chapter Pack, the great Houses of Westeros gain access to these locations. Each gate is a low-cost location that provide you with income from their tolls. If card draw is more important to you than gold, however, you have the chance to sacrifice these locations in exchange for cards. For example, when House Stark is in control of the Old Gate (At the Gates, 2), they may sacrifice the Old Gate to draw two cards if each of their characters are loyal Northmen, while the Gate of the Gods (At the Gates, 4) requires House Tyrell to control the strongest character in play, and the King's Gate (At the Gates, 8) can only be used if House Baratheon has five or more power on their faction card.

Bringing these locations into play early is made all the easier with the new plot card, At the Gates (At the Gates, 20). This plot lets you search your deck for a limited location with a cost of one or lower and add it to your hand. If this is your first time using a City plot in the game, you can even put the location into play, allowing you to immediately begin taking advantage of the location. Whether you're searching for one of the new gates or a location like The Kingsroad (Core Set, 39), At the Gates can ensure you get your economy when you need it.

Climbing the Ladder
Throughout A Song of Ice and Fire, King’s Landing has been likened to a pit of snakes or a city of spiders—all with good cause. The King’s Landing cycle continues the use of the shadow keyword, which was first introduced to the game's second edition during the Dance of Shadows cycle. By paying two gold, you can marshal a card with the shadow (x) keyword facedown into the separate shadow area, keeping your precious schemes protected until you're ready to strike.

If ever there was a character destined for the shadows, it would be the Master of Coin, Littlefinger (At the Gates, 17). Lord Baelish knows that you must play the game of thrones everywhere, at all times, and he is always ready to alter strategies and alliances the moment it suits him. If you can convince Littlefinger to support your claim, he can help you find alternate strategies with his Reaction. After one of your characters comes out of shadows, whether it's Littlefinger himself or another scheming ally, you can move up to three cards from your hand on the bottom of your deck, then draw an equal number of cards, helping you easily cycle through your deck and find the best cards for your current plans.

But perhaps the character who has undergone one of the greatest changes, at least physically, is the dragon Viserion (At the Gates, 13). Growing from his fledgling form (Core Set, 166), the beast’s strength has doubled, and he now bear the ambush (5) keyword, which lets you bring him into play in the midst of the challenges phase. With well laid plans and a touch of luck, you can surprise your opponent with Viserion’s new ability, gaining intimidate after you win a challenge for the miniscule price of a discarded card. After all, the mere sight of a full-grown dragon could be enough to make even a king cower and kneel.

A Pit of Snakes
As a new cycle begins, you are invited to return to King’s Landing and find serenity in its shadows. But be wary—many have met their end in the ruthless capital of Westeros. Still, if you can turn the chaos to your advantage, glory and power await!

The second Chapter Pack in the King’s Landing cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game

Throughout your conquests in A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, you have journeyed to the farthest reaches of Westeros, following those vying for the Iron Throne through George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series. But in the sixth cycle of the A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, the game steps beyond the page and into the world.

In the King’s Landing cycle, you are no longer tied to a set time, but to a place—the capital of King's Landing. You have approached the grand city and stood before the walls that surround the pit of snakes. Now, you are invited to move past the gates and begin your exploration of the treacherous and majestic city within.

City of Shadows
As A Game of Thrones: The Card Game continues to progress in the King’s Landing cycle, you have the chance to lay new schemes with the continued exploration of the shadows keyword. In every corner of the city, the twisting streets and hidden alleys conceal dangers. Your cards in shadows act as almost a second hand, one protected from intrigue claim and reserve restrictions. There's no telling what traps you have hidden away until you are ready to spring them.

But you are not the only one with their eye set on the capital of the Seven Kingdoms. Threats gather in every corner of the realm, with a new set of events that lurk in the shadows. The Shadow of the South (City of Secrets, 36) lets House Martell steal a challenge icon from a character, while across the Narrow Sea, the Shadow of the East (City of Secrets, 34) gives House Targaryen the chance to destroy one of their opponent’s attachments. Even the Night’s Watch have grown impatient with the meaningless squabbles between Houses and Shadow of the Wall (City of Secrets, 26) lets you stand a character with one or fewer challenge icons.

Each of these events bear a "—" in place of their gold cost, meaning that they can only be played from shadows. But each also has a condition under which you can return the event to your hand, giving you another chance to use its ability in the future. If there is a Scheme plot, like The Long Plan (Taking the Black, 16) revealed, Shadow of the South is returned to your hand, while a Targaryen player may wish to fill their plot deck with Summer cards, and the Night’s Watch waits for Winter plots to divide the weak from the worthy.

No Surprises
Beyond these events that lend each House a tailored advantage, City of Secrets also offers cards that interact with the shadows in new and powerful ways. City of Secrets introduces some characters (found throughout the King's Landing cycle) that can work around their shadow cost, allowing you to spring deadly traps even if you are low on funds. For example, the Red Keep Gaoler (City of Secrets, 27) has a shadow cost of four—but if you'd rather not pay, you can move two power from your faction card to a Baratheon character in order to put the goaler into play. Meanwhile, Cersei and the Lannisters can recall a non-Lannister Ally worth four or more gold to put The Regent's Guard (City of Secrets, 29) into play from shadows.

But even those who don't wish to rely on the underhanded intrigues of King’s Landing find powerful new tools and allies in the City of Secrets. House Stark can ensure that there are No Surprises (City of Secrets, 22) for a round before sending out warriors like the hasty Smalljon Umber (City of Secrets, 21). But perhaps the best way to defeat your secretive enemies is by joining them, engaging in Shadow Politics (City of Shadows, 38). While the card itself can only be played from shadows, one of its greatest uses is to discard a card from the largely protected shadows. But even if your enemy proves a straightforward opponent, this card can still be a worthy addition as you purge five cards from an opponent’s discard pile, or look at your enemy’s hand, reading their plans and forming a counterstrike.

Lies and Treachery
King’s Landing is not a place for the weak of spirit. Do you have what it takes to stand amongst the plotting courtiers of the capital, or will you meet your end in the capital as so many have before you? Assemble your allies, plan your schemes, and prepare to navigate the City of Secrets!

A Game of Thrones: The Card Game has taken you from the opening pages of A Game of Thrones to the closing chapters of A Dance with Dragons, fighting alongside the greatest warriors of Westeros on the battlefield and plotting courtly intrigues with the finest schemers of the realm. You have stepped beyond the pages to explore the world of A Song of Ice and Fire free from the bounds of time. Through six cycles, you have seen the game evolve, inviting you to find new ways to fight your battles and challenge you to change alongside the world of Westeros.

Now, a new era has arrived for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game—the release model for this game is changing from cycles of monthly Chapter Packs to larger Premium Packs, released at more sporadic intervals. These Premium Packs are a new size of expansion for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, matching the size of Clan Packs in Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game.

A Change of Seasons
The Things We Do for Love is an expansion for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game containing 88 cards, drawing on the game’s rich history as both a collectible card game and a Living Card Game, and bringing powerful and iconic cards from earlier eras of the game’s life to the second edition of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game. Whether it be the return of the Master of Coin, Littlefinger (The Things We Do for Love, 17), or the haunted Harrenhal (The Things We Do for Love, 21), players will find plenty to be excited about.

Each of these carefully selected cards have been updated to fit within the current meta while still holding true to the original spirit of the card. For some, this simply means updating traits or cleaning up text while others, like Catelyn Stark (The Things We Do for Love, 11) have new costs or STR values to better align with how the card would fit in the current state of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game.

In either case, the card’s original art is maintained to celebrate the game’s past as we look forward to its future. The Things We Do for Love also includes a comprehensive insert with a letter to fans from lead designer Nate French, as well as a look at the game’s rich history and an explanation of each included card’s place within that history—offering you a peek behind the curtain at the decision-making process and a chance to see how the game has touched the life of one of its creators.

Wheels Within Wheels
Beyond giving new life to beloved cards, The Things We Do for Love also introduces a new keyword to the second edition of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game in the form of prized. When a character, location, or attachment with the prized (X) keyword leaves play, each opponent of that card’s controller gains X power for his or her faction. But this is no easy task. The Targaryens have always built their armies around a few key characters they must protect, and the return of Mad King Aerys (The Things We Do for Love, 13) offers their House a character who cannot be killed unless your opponent controls a Lord or Lady character, or the Kingslayer Ser Jaime Lannister (Core Set, 87). Furthermore, the king may himself choose to kill one of those few who may stand against him by simply kneeling during the dominance phase. If a traitor can murder their rightful ruler, they will gain one power for their side, but the rage this will awaken within House Targaryen is not to be underestimated—their words are Fire and Blood, and they will ensure that any who stand against them will be reduced to ash.

As a final way to shake up the game, The Things We Do for Love also brings four agendas to customize your games. For example, you may choose to run Dark Wings, Dark Words (The Things We Do for Love, 28), the card originally designed by 2011 Melee World Champion Corey Faherty to focus your deck around devastating events. Or perhaps you wish to increase your deck size even further and run the classic agenda The Long Voyage (The Things We Do for Love, 30). Regardless of which faction you favor, this increased deck size lets you collect the largest assortment of warriors, servitors, lords, and ladies in all of Westeros, loading your deck with powerful characters and events along with the resources to pay for them. Add in some redundancy and a few key plots like Summons (Core Set, 22), At the Gates (At the Gates, 20), or Wheels within Wheels (Oberyn’s Revenge, 100) that allow you to easily search your deck, and you will be nigh unstoppable in the battle for the Iron Throne!

The Final Feast
The Things We Do for Love Premium Pack​ marks the beginning of a new release model for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game and it also designates the end of Organized Play support for the game.

In addition to Season 3 kits, which will be making their way into stores soon, the final Prime Championship season will kick off in November and will carry on into early next year. Beyond that, the last planned event with official support for the game will be the culmination of all Organized Play events, the World Championship, taking place at the Fantasy Flight Games Center from February 7–9. As a World Championship that's solely dedicated to A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, this is sure to be a memorable experience: one final celebration and one final World Champion.

While these are the last events we have planned for the game, it's entirely possible that it could receive more support in the future, such as at select fan events. If that happens, we will be sure to announce it.

With deluxe expansions, dozens of Chapter Packs, and countless tournaments, the world of Westeros has been brought to life by A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, but this game would not be what it is today without the incredible community behind it. Through your passion and creativity, you have turned a great game into something truly special, that players around the world have enjoyed for years and will continue to enjoy. Thank you so much! We can't wait to celebrate this game and its community in February.

The Realm Lives On
Just as the world of Westeros continues to shift with each rotation of the sun, A Game of Thrones: The Card Game will continue to evolve and change. We hope that you will continue to find new cards to delight and intrigue you as the game moves into a new phase of its life. You have made this game what it is, and we wish you well in all your battles to come!

The third deluxe expansion for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game!

At the northern edge of the Seven Kingdoms, there is the Wall. Built from massive blocks of ice and guarded by ancient, forgotten spells, it towers over 700 feet tall, forbidding entry to all who dwell beyond. A wall is only as strong as its defenders, though, and here, those defenders are the Night’s Watch. In the Night’s Watch, all men are brothers. Knights, lords, and the cousins of kings rub shoulders with slavers, murderers, and the scum of Westeros. Their task is grim and cold and thankless—no songs will ever be sung for them. Yet their vigilance is all that protects the southern lands from wildlings and the Others.

Travel north and join the Night’s Watch with Watchers on the Wall! Within this expansion, the Night’s Watch explores new and existing themes, as you find new ways to defend the Wall, new ways to conscript your opponent’s characters, and plenty of rewards for focusing on the three branches of the Night’s Watch: Rangers, Stewards, and Builders. Along with the nameless men who swell the ranks of the Night’s Watch, you’ll find new versions of iconic characters from throughout the saga, including Jon Snow, Old Bear Mormont, Maester Aemon, and Samwell Tarly.

And although the focus of this expansion rests on the Night’s Watch, you’ll find two new non-loyal cards for every other faction, expanding your options for any alliance. You’ll also receive an assortment of neutral cards portraying the Night’s Watch’s most common enemies, the Wildlings. With seven new plots (one loyal to the Night’s Watch) rounding out the expansion, Watchers on the Wall offers new pathways to victory for every deck.

Guarding the Realm
The men of the Night’s Watch have only one sworn duty: to defend the Wall and protect the Seven Kingdoms. Even when the Night’s Watch is drawn into the intrigues and power struggles that define the game of thrones, they play the game much differently than the Great Houses of Westeros. In fact, most of their power comes not from winning challenges, but from defending The Wall (Core Set, 137). The Wall gives you a significant source of power, but defending it against a concerted enemy assault can be difficult. Fortunately, Watchers on the Wall gives you the tools to strengthen your defenses, beginning with a new version of Jon Snow (Watcher on the Walls, 1).

In contrast to the Core Set version of Jon Snow (Core Set, 124), which was purely offensive, the newest Jon Snow is equally useful on attack or defense. For seven gold, you receive military and intrigue icons and six STR, making him powerful enough to oppose someone like Balon Greyjoy (Core Set, 68) in a military challenge. More importantly, though, Jon Snow’s ability reads, “Reaction: After you win a challenge in which Jon Snow is participating, either: stand each attacking Wildling character, or stand each defending Night’s Watch character. (Limit once per phase.)”

When you’re fighting to defend The Wall, any card that stands your defenders is worth its weight in gold. It even allows you to overcommit on defense to trigger The Shadow Tower (Wolves of the North, 34) or Thoren Smallwood (For Family Honor, 45), and then stand all of your defenders with Jon Snow, readying you to block another assault. Jon Snow even has stealth, ensuring that your opponent can’t simply slip past him to scale the Wall!

The Night’s Watch gains another exceptional tool for defense with their new plot, The Fire That Burns (Watchers on the Wall, 46). This loyal plot features above-average initiative and reserve with an ability that’s truly stunning for any deck that defends The Wall. While you have The Fire That Burns revealed, your Night’s Watch characters don’t kneel to defend challenges! Obviously, this makes defending The Wall much easier, but there’s still a drawback—this plot has zero claim, making your own challenges mostly insignificant. Still, it’s often worth giving up your attacks to protect the rest of Westeros.

We Take What Is Offered
At the Wall, many resources are scarce. There is no glory to be won, nor lands to be given as prizes for valor. The Night’s Watch cannot afford to be proud; they take what is offered, even if those offerings are nothing more than the dregs and the leavings of the Great Houses.

In A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, the Night’s Watch has a tradition of pulling characters from their opponent’s discard pile with cards like Yoren (Core Set, 129) or Night Gathers… (For Family Honor, 46). In Watchers on the Wall, the Night’s Watch gains more options for conscripting characters, such as a new version of Old Bear Mormont (Watchers on the Wall, 3).

When it comes to finding new recruits for the Night’s Watch, few characters are better than Old Bear Mormont—simply by winning a challenge with the Old Bear, you’ll be able to choose any non-unique character in the losing opponent’s discard pile and put it into play under your control! The non-unique restriction means that you won’t be stealing the Lords and Ladies of another faction, but you can still gain powerful characters like City Watch (True Steel, 108) or Starfall Cavalry (Called to Arms, 35).

Though Old Bear Mormont can only summon non-unique characters to fight for the Night’s Watch, there’s no such restriction on Now My Watch Begins (Watchers on the Wall, 23). You can play this event whenever a character that costs five gold or less enters your opponent’s discard pile. Instead of being discarded, you bring that character into play under your control! It’s easy to imagine the power of units like Nymeria Sand (The Road to Winterfell, 35) or Tyrion Lannister (Core Set, 89) in the Night’s Watch. Ultimately, Now My Watch Begins is the perfect way to swell your ranks with more recruits.

The Fury of the Wild
Watchers on the Wall is primarily focused on the Night’s Watch, but alongside new cards for the seven other factions, you’ll also find a horde of neutral cards that invite you to play as the fearsome enemies of the Night’s Watch—the Wildlings.

You may begin your assault on the Wall by placing your forces under the command of Rattleshirt (Watcher on the Walls, 39). The Lord of Bones is well accustomed to raiding the Night’s Watch, and in A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, he turns their greatest strengths against them. Many Night’s Watch characters bear the “No attachments” or “No attachments except Weapons” keywords, which is normally an advantage—but while Rattleshirt is attacking alone, characters without attachments can’t be declared as defenders! Even if your opponent has the full strength of the Watch behind him, he may be unable to stop Rattleshirt from making unopposed challenges without the proper preparation. And if you add Rattleshirt's Raiders (Core Set, 30) into the picture, you may even clear out attachments before you attack with Rattleshirt.

Then, once you’ve broken through the Wall, you need to ensure you can hit the Night’s Watch where it hurts—their locations. For instance, after you win a challenge with an attacking Wildling character, you may play Scaling the Wall (Watchers on the Wall, 44) to choose a non-limited location and return it to its owner’s hand. Most importantly, you don’t need to be unopposed to play Scaling the Wall—you just have to win. Even winning a single challenge with a Wildling would be enough to send The Wall or Castle Black (Core Set, 136) back to your opponent’s hand.

Speak Your Vows
The men of the Night’s Watch take no wives, hold no lands, and father no children. They wear no crowns and win no glory. They live and die at their post. Night is gathering, and your watch will soon begin.

• The third deluxe expansion for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game
• Highlights the Night’s Watch faction by offering them new characters, locations, attachments, and events
• Join new versions of iconic characters like Jon Snow, Old Bear Mormont, Maester Aemon, and Samwell Tarly
• Wilding cards invite you to assault the Night’s Watch and bring down the Wall
• Seven new plots expand the utility of your plot decks

The first Chapter Pack in the Westeros cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game Second Edition!

As A Song of Ice and Fire begins, King Robert Baratheon rides north to visit his old friend Eddard Stark in Winterfell. Westeros is at peace. But this deceptive calm will not long remain. Already, the seeds of unrest are growing with the ambitions of House Lannister, with the wedding of Daenerys Targaryen to a Dothraki khal, with the apparent murder of the Hand, Jon Arryn. Conflict between the Great Houses looms on the horizon as the high lords and ladies of Westeros begin to play their game of thrones.

You can take your place at the very beginning of the story with Taking the Black, the first Chapter Pack in the Westeros cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game. As part of the Westeros cycle, Taking the Black explores the first chapters of A Game of Thrones with iconic characters like Renly Baratheon, the Hound, and Maester Luwin entering the game for the first time. In Taking the Black, each faction begins its journey through A Game of Thrones towards the Iron Throne!

For more on Taking the Black and the entire Westeros cycle, we turn to the designer of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, Nate French.

Nate French on the Westeros Cycle
The Westeros cycle (that title is an homage to the first CCG base set) is the first expansion to the second edition of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, and we tried to draw heavily from the events of the first book in A Song of Ice and Fire. Naturally, this doesn’t mean that everything in these Chapter Packs is tied to the first book, but wherever possible, we turned to the beginning of the series for inspiration. (Don’t worry Martell and Greyjoy fans – those factions weren’t prominently featured in the book, but all factions get equal treatment in the cycle.)

As this is the first cycle, our primary design goal was to expand the possibilities of the Core Set without adding additional rules to the game. At a very basic level, there are two types of cards that you’ll find in the Westeros cycle: cards that easily slot into a core deck, and cards that pull a player’s understanding of a core theme in a new direction.

Another important design goal of the set was to rapidly increase the number of plot cards in the environment. Constructing and piloting a plot deck is one of the most enjoyable aspects of A Game of Thrones, and we felt that investing heavily in new plot cards would rapidly increase the strategic scope of the game. This cycle introduces eighteen new plots to the game, including a loyal plot for each faction. Each of these loyal plots – like For the Watch! – supports its faction’s core strategies, inviting players to further embrace each faction’s unique playstyle.

Working on this set and the young, second edition card pool was a lot of fun, and I’m looking forward to seeing these cards influence the early metagame.

Join the Watch
More than any other faction, the Night’s Watch relies on defense. The Wall (Core Set, 137) grants additional power when you oppose every challenge, and powerful characters like Old Bear Mormont (Core Set, 126) can bring other Night’s Watch characters into play, provided you haven’t lost a challenge as the defending player.

The exception to the Watch’s focus on defense are its Rangers. They walk the lands beyond the Wall, gathering information and scouting for possible threats to the Watch. In the prologue of A Game of Thrones, the first characters you encounter belong to the Night’s Watch, so it only makes sense that the first character you see in Taking the Black is one of these Night’s Watch Rangers: Will (Taking the Black, 1). Will bears both the military and intrigue challenge icons, as well as two important keywords. Stealth allows Will to choose an opponent’s character who cannot defend the challenge, and insight invites you to draw a card if you win the challenge.

This combination of challenge icons and keywords can be formidable, especially for only four gold, but Will is not without drawbacks. The Rangers of the Watch accomplish nothing if enemies still get past the Wall. Because of this, Will also bears a Forced Reaction: “After you lose an unopposed challenge, sacrifice a Ranger character you control.” In other words, as long as you have a defender to oppose every challenge, Will is free to sneak by your opponent’s characters and learn their plans. As soon as enemies begin to slip by you, however, Will can quickly become a liability that must be sacrificed for the greater good.

Will isn’t the only card the Night’s Watch gains in Taking the Black. These defenders of Westeros also gain an event that allows you to gather new recruits wherever you find them. You can swell your hand with new brothers for the Night’s Watch by playing The Watch Has Need (Taking the Black, 2). Playing this event allows you to name a trait: either Ranger, Steward, or Builder. Then, you may search a number of cards from the top of your deck equal to your plot’s reserve value, and add all cards that bear the named trait to you hand.

In many ways, playing The Watch Has Need can help you shore up any weaknesses in the strengths of the Night’s Watch. Each of the three branches of the Night’s Watch – Rangers, Stewards, and Builders – loosely corresponds to the three challenge icons: military, intrigue, and power. Because of this, if you desperately need more characters with the intrigue icon, you may name Steward, whereas if you’re short on military icons, you may choose Ranger. It’s also important to consider the reserve of your plot when you play the card. Counting Coppers (Core Set, 10) allows you to search ten cards for your recruits, but offers little gold to play them. A Feast for Crows (Core Set, 2), on the other hand, only allows you to search four cards, but gives you enough gold to play even the most expensive characters.

Say Your Vows
Taking the Black begins the Westeros cycle’s journey through the first book of A Song of Ice and Fire with powerful new cards for every faction. You range the lands beyond the Wall with Will and the Night’s Watch, journey to the Dothraki city of Vaes Dothrak, or sit the Seastone Chair with the Lord Reavers of House Greyjoy. Begin the story of A Game of Thrones anew with the first Chapter Pack for the second edition!

• The first Chapter Pack in the Westeros cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game Second Edition
• Follows the events of A Game of Thrones, the first book in A Song of Ice and Fire
• Iconic characters like the Hound and Renly Baratheon make their debut
• Offers sixty new cards (three copies each of twenty distinct cards), including four new plot cards that dramatically increase your deck-building options

The fourth Chapter Pack in the Westeros cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game!

In the aftermath of the Tourney for the Hand, Eddard Stark searches for answers to the questions that caused Jon Arryn’s death. Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys Targaryen rides across the Dothraki sea to Vaes Dothrak with a massive khalasar and her husband, Khal Drogo. The Great Houses stir restlessly across Westeros, watching and plotting their own bids for power. From the sands of Dorne to the icy forests beyond the Wall, tension grows with every passing day.

Enter the unrest and intrigue of A Game of Thrones with No Middle Ground, the fourth Chapter Pack in the Westeros cycle! Like the other packs of this cycle, No Middle Ground follows the events of the first book in A Song of Ice and Fire, introducing iconic characters like Hodor and Gendry to the game for the first time. In addition, you’ll find five new plots in this Chapter Pack—three faction-specific and two neutral—that vastly increase your options for building any faction’s plot deck.

Iron Raiders
As new intrigues fester in the alleys and courts of King’s Landing, the men and women of the Iron Isles return to the old ways. The ironborn never embraced the faith of the Seven that is followed throughout Westeros, and now, you can bring the blessing of the Drowned God to your own decks with the Priest of the Drowned God (No Middle Ground, 72).

Priest of the Drowned God can prove extremely useful to any deck that focuses on the faith of the Drowned God. Not only does Priest of the Drowned God offer a valuable intrigue icon to House Greyjoy, but this character’s ability reads, “Each Drowned God character you control get +1 STR.” Obviously, this effect boosts the STR of the Priest of the Drowned God himself, but it also makes Aeron Damphair (Core Set, 65) and the Drowned Men (Core Set, 73) more imposing. As you play more Priests of the Drowned God, you can increase the fervor and zeal of the ironborn, making your Drowned God characters more dangerous in challenges and less vulnerable to STR reducing effects like Dracarys! (Core Set, 176).

Once your devotion to the Drowned God is at its height, you’re free to raid the helpless, weakened inhabitants of the green lands to the east. You can play Loot (No Middle Ground, 73) to pay the iron price and take your rightful spoils after you win any unopposed challenge. When you play Loot, you can discard a number of cards from your opponent’s deck equal to the cost that you paid for the event. Most importantly, however, you can only use gold from your opponent’s gold pool to pay the cost of this event! By playing Loot, you essentially strip your opponent of gold, removing his ability to play many events, and discard cards from the top of his deck, potentially providing more potent locations for Euron Crow's Eye (Core Set, 69) to steal.

The Threat of Winter
As House Greyjoy returns to the Drowned God and the old ways of its past, chill winds blow across Westeros. Winter approaches and those too weak to withstand the cold will freeze.

In your games of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, you can use winter’s cold to your advantage with The First Snow of Winter (No Middle Ground, 79). This powerful plot, inspired by a champion-designed card in the first edition of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, returns every character with a cost of three or lower to its owner’s hand at the beginning of the challenges phase, which gives you a useful way to destroy a swarm of cheap characters or re-center the game on your high-cost characters. Although The First Snow of Winter hits your own characters as well as your opponent’s, you can gain some unexpected advantages: for instance, you may use The First Snow of Winter to “reset” Ser Jorah Mormont (Core Set, 165), returning him to hand only to play him again.

If your opponent is holding powerful characters in hand for fear of Wildfire Assault (Core Set, 26), or if you’re just trying to destroy your opponent’s hand as fast as possible, you may get some benefit from Wraiths in Their Midst (No Middle Ground, 80). This plot reduces the reserve on each opponent’s revealed plot card by two, potentially forcing them to discard cards that they had wished to keep. What’s more, Wraiths in Their Midst can tempt your opponent to overextend and play more characters than he otherwise would have, giving you the chance to follow up with Wildfire Assault or The First Snow of Winter.

You Win or You Die
Join the plot of A Game of Thrones as it advances with No Middle Ground, the newest Chapter Pack in the Westeros cycle. Prepare your schemes and gather your warriors!

• The fourth Chapter Pack in the Westeros cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game
• Continue to follow the events of A Game of Thrones and the beginning of A Song of Ice and Fire
• Two notable characters––Hodor and Gendry––make their debut in the game
• Five new plots—three faction specific and two neutral—expand your plot deck options
• A popular champion-designed card from the first edition of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game reenters the game, updated for the new edition

The fifth Chapter Pack in the Westeros cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game!

Westeros lies under a deceptive calm. In King’s Landing, Eddard Stark pulls another layer away from the lies surrounding Robert Baratheon’s children. The Eyrie is shaken by the arrival of Tyrion Lannister and his desperate gambit to win his freedom. Across the Narrow Sea, a maegi plots her vengeance against Khal Drogo for the destruction of her peaceful village. Everywhere, events are set in motion that will bear terrible consequences.

In the Calm over Westeros Chapter Pack, the first cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game approaches the end of the first book in A Song of Ice and Fire. Like the other Chapter Packs of the Westeros cycle, this expansion offers new cards and plots to increase your deckbuilding options. You’ll also find instantly recognizable characters and locations entering the game for the first time, including Bronn, Mirri Maz Duur, and The Eyrie. With the further addition of two new plots—one loyal to House Tyrell and one neutral—this Chapter Pack will fuel your future decks and strategies.

Blood Magic Rituals
The unlikeliest person can tip the fate of hundreds in Westeros. Surely none would expect a peaceful Lhazareen healer to undermine the conquering ambitions of a Dothraki khal, but even the most benevolent men and women can be driven to dark schemes.

In Calm over Westeros, you can turn the arcane skills of Mirri Maz Duur (Calm over Westeros, 93) against your enemies. This new seven-cost character for House Targaryen offers you the chance to utterly destroy those who stand against you—not through military might, but through insidious magic. Mirri Maz Duur bears intrigue and power icons and five STR, making her a respectable force on the field of battle. Her true worth lies in her ability, however, which reads, “Interrupt: When claim is applied for a challenge in which Mirri Maz Duur is attacking alone, choose a character controlled by the losing opponent. Instead of the normal claim effects, kill that character.”

Obviously, targeted kill is incredibly powerful, but you still need to win a challenge with only Mirri Maz Duur, and since she doesn’t have stealth, this can be difficult. Fortunately, you don’t need to actually use Mirri Maz Duur for her to make her presence felt. With this deadly Maegi in play, your opponent must successfully defend every attack she makes or risk losing his best character. When you combine Mirri Maz Duur with Khal Drogo (Core Set, 162) and a significant military presence, you can put an unbelievable amount of pressure on your opponent’s characters with every challenge you make.

If you choose to focus your deck’s strategy around powerful high-cost characters like Khal Drogo and Mirri Maz Duur, your opponent will certainly try to kill them however he can. In the face of devious enemy tricks, you may be forced to perform a Blood Magic Ritual (Calm over Westeros, 94). This event costs one gold, and whenever a non-Army character would be killed, you can play Blood Magic Ritual to save it. After that, however, you must attach Blood Magic Ritual to the saved character as a Condition attachment that blanks the character’s text!

Essentially, Blood Magic Ritual can give one of your characters a second lease on life—at the cost of losing any special abilities. For some characters, like Ser Jorah Mormont (Core Set, 165), permanently blanking the character’s text may actually be a better outcome. Other characters, like Daenerys’s hatchlings, have the no attachments keyword, which keeps Blood Magic Ritual from attaching to them after it saves them. Finally, if you do save a powerful, heavy-hitting character like Daenerys Targaryen (Core Set, 160), you can still use cards like Confiscation (Core Set, 9) or Maester Cressen (Core Set, 46) to remove the attachment. No matter what circumstances, you must decide for yourself if a Blood Magic Ritual is worth the price that it demands.

Take Your Revenge
The world of Westeros appears peaceful and quiet, but beneath the surface, forces are stirring that will launch the Seven Kingdoms into open war. Which side will you choose?

• The fifth Chapter Pack in the Westeros cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game
• Continues to follow the narrative events of the first book in A Song of Ice and Fire
• Introduces recognizable characters and locations to the game for the first time, including Bronn, Mirri Maz Duur, and the Eyrie
• Offers two new plots to expand your deckbuilding options

The first Chapter Pack in the War of Five Kings cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game!

In the aftermath of Robert and Eddard’s deaths in King’s Landing, the Great Houses of Westeros have pulled away from each other. Joffrey Baratheon has been crowned king, and now sits the Iron Throne. Robb Stark has already been proclaimed King in the North, and Stannis plots from Dragonstone, brooding on a throne that should have been his. It is the calm before the tempest: war in Westeros is imminent, and above it all, the Dragon’s Tail burns a blood-red trail across the sky.

Enter the War of the Five Kings with Across the Seven Kingdoms and the War of Five Kings cycle! As the Westeros cycle broadly followed the events of A Game of Thrones, so the War of Five Kings cycle moves forward to highlight the thrilling battles and intrigue of A Clash of Kings. Each House calls upon its loyal bannermen in this cycle, and a multitude of new Kings arise to claim the Iron Throne. What’s more, Across the Seven Kingdoms begins to introduce effects based on the Summer and Winter plot traits, allowing the long-lived seasons of Westeros to play a more integral role in the game. With new King versions of Robb Stark and Viserys Targaryen entering the game alongside characters like Arry and Janos Slynt, this Chapter Pack is an explosive beginning to the War of Five Kings cycle!

A Tale of Two Kings
One of the principal components of the War of Five Kings cycle is the fact that new King characters will join six of the eight factions over the course of the cycle. In Across the Seven Kingdoms, you’ll find two of these Kings, but each presents a very different approach to your struggle for power.

The first King you’ll encounter in this Chapter Pack is none other than Robb Stark (Across the Seven Kingdoms, 2). With a cost of seven gold, Robb takes his place among the most expensive characters in A Game of Thrones: The Card Game. He bears the renown keyword, and during military challenges, his already formidable STR is increased by one for each loyal character you control. Of course, Robb himself is a loyal character, so he can boost his own STR during military challenges.

If that weren’t enough to make Robb a dangerous opponent on the battlefield, Robb Stark also has an ability, which reads, “Action: While Robb Stark is participating in a military challenge, choose a participating non-King character. Stand that character and remove it from the challenge. (Limit once per challenge.)” Combine this ability with Robb’s inherent STR boosts, it’s going to be almost impossible for your opponent to gain an advantage during a military challenge when Robb is participating, whether you push out your opponent’s forces or pull back your own characters that aren’t needed to win. This military superiority can naturally translate into a superior board presence, and with Robb Stark on your side, it’s easier than ever to trigger powerful effects like Put to the Sword (Core Set, 41) or Ice (Core Set, 153).

The other King featured in Across the Seven Kingdoms is nearly the polar opposite of Robb Stark, but you may discover that he’s no less irritating for your opponent to face across the table. Viserys Targaryen lived for years among the Free Cities of Essos, all while attempting to gather an army to return and conquer Westeros. Though he commanded no massive armies, the threat of his presence was felt even by Robert Baratheon in King’s Landing, and he can pose a similar threat to your opponent’s Kings.

In game terms, Viserys Targaryen (Across the Seven Kingdoms, 14) ranks among the very cheapest characters—costing only two gold and providing only a single power icon and one STR. Once you read his ability, however, it quickly becomes apparent that Viserys can be a massive irritation: while Viserys Targaryen is attacking, each King character must be declared as a defender, if able.

Although any other King would overpower Viserys in a challenge, winning the challenge isn’t the point. If your opponent has a King like Robb Stark or Robert Baratheon (Core Set, 48) in play, they certainly don’t want to waste his abilities defending a tiny power challenge, but they’ll be forced to do that very thing. And if your opponent has no King characters in play, Viserys is no less a thorn in their side. When the dominance phase ends, if no opponent controls a King character, Viserys immediately gains one power, pushing you immediately closer to victory.

War Is Coming
As A Game of Thrones: The Card Game moves closer to A Clash of Kings, political tensions run high. Call your banners, gather your armies, and stand beside your king.

• The first Chapter Pack in the War of Five Kings cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game
• Follow the events of A Clash of Kings, the second book in A Song of Ice and Fire
• New Kings enter the game and offer powerful effects for their factions
• Summer and Winter plots introduce the long-lived seasons of Westeros to the game
• Play with new versions of iconic characters like Robb Stark and Viserys Targaryen

The second Chapter Pack in the War of Five Kings cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game!

The banners have been called in the War of the Five Kings. In the north, Robb Stark gathers his armies around Riverrun, preparing to strike out at Tywin Lannister’s forces. Joffrey Baratheon has ascended the Iron Throne in King’s Landing, Renly Baratheon has been crowned in Highgarden, and on the islands of Dragonstone and Pyke, Stannis Baratheon and Balon Greyjoy plot their own rise to power. Before long, great armies will march onto the field of battle, while subtle intrigues and assassins’ daggers decide the fates of countless others.

Like Across the Seven Kingdoms before it, the Called to Arms Chapter Pack continues to follow the events of A Clash of Kings. A new King version of Balon Greyjoy challenges all enemies of the Iron Isles, even as two new attachments give you ways to crown your other characters and make them Kings. You’ll also find iconic characters like Dolorous Edd and Shae entering the game for the first time, even as other cards lend new importance to loyal cards. Finally, this pack continues to introduce a focus on the seasons of Westeros with two new agendas!

Kings of Summer, Kings of Winter
In Westeros, seasons can last for years. A long summer means bounteous harvests and prosperity, even for the smallfolk. A harsh winter can doom hundreds to death through cold and starvation. As A Clash of Kings begins, white ravens fly out from the Citadel in Oldtown, bringing word of summer’s end. Soon, everyone in Westeros, from the greatest lord to the lowliest servant will need to contend with the howling winds of winter. It’s fitting, therefore, that summer and winter begin to play a larger role in your games of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game.

Called to Arms introduces two new agendas to the game: Kings of Summer (Called to Arms, 37) and Kings of Winter (Called to Arms, 38). Each of these agendas calls you to champion the season of Winter or Summer and gives you benefits in keeping with your chosen season.

For instance, you may choose the Kings of Summer agenda. With this as your agenda, you are prevented from including any Winter plots in your plot deck, and the reserve on each player’s revealed plot card is increased by one. Furthermore, while there are no Winter plot cards revealed, you can increase the gold on your revealed Summer plot by one.

The Kings of Winter agenda, on the other hand, diametrically opposes the Kings of Summer agenda. Kings of Winter prevents from including any Summer plots in your plot deck, and it reduces the reserve on each player’s plot card by one. Furthermore, while you have a Winter plot revealed, you can reduce the gold on each opponent’s non-Summer plot card by one.

Ultimately, these two agendas institute a season—either the balmy heat of summer, which blesses both players with increased reserve, or the freezing chill of winter, which may force you to discard cards you would have rather kept. Of course, the agenda wouldn’t be very useful if it didn’t give you some kind of benefit over your opponent. Deciding if your deck cares more about benefitting itself or hurting your opponent can be a useful way of determining which agenda best suits your deck.

It’s also important to consider the greater impact of increased or reduced reserve. For instance, the Kings of Summer agenda increases each player’s reserve, but that won’t do your opponent much good if you’re playing House Lannister and discarding your enemy’s cards as fast as he draws them. Holding extra cards in your own hand can prove extremely valuable, however, and the extra gold from Kings of Summer is always useful for ambushing characters or fueling Tywin Lannister (Core Set, 90).

Alternatively, you might want to use the Kings of Winter agenda to reduce both players’ reserve and attack your opponent’s gold supplies. House Stark has already shown its preference for Winter with cards like Winterfell (Wolves of the North, 17) and As Hard as Winter (Wolves of the North, 22). A reduced reserve only hurts if you’re close to your reserve in the first place, and factions like House Stark and House Greyjoy are well known for running out of cards relatively quickly. In these circumstances a reduced reserve and less gold can hurt your opponent much more than yourself.

Of course, you’ll need plenty of Summer and Winter plots to gain the full benefit of these agendas, and this Chapter Pack introduces a new plot for each season. On one side, you gain Summer Harvest (Called to Arms, 39). This plot has a gold value of X, and when it’s revealed, you can choose an opponent. The value of X is then two higher than the printed gold value on your opponent’s revealed plot—almost guaranteeing that you come out ahead, at least economically.

On the Winter side, we encounter Winter Festival (Called to Arms, 40). These seasonal celebrations advance you much more directly towards victory, but they can also be easily disrupted by the opposite season. If you have Winter Festival in play, when the challenges phase ends, you immediately gain two power for your faction, provided there are no Summer plots revealed. When you get close to victory, Winter Festival may just give you the tools you need to seal the game in your favor, especially for factions like the Night’s Watch that prefer to sit back and defend challenges.

The Ravens Are Flying
Ravens have been loosed from the Citadel, bringing news of a change in season. Will your faction bask in the sun and take full advantage of summer’s bounty? Or will you harden yourself to the winter snows and destroy your enemy in his time of weakness? With the Called to Arms Chapter Pack, you can call upon the power of these agendas for any faction.

• The second Chapter Pack in the War of Five Kings cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game
• New Kings enter the game and emphasize the importance of loyal cards
• Follow the events of A Clash of Kings through the lens of this Living Card Game
• Iconic characters like Balon Greyjoy, Shae, and Dolorous Edd enter the game in this expansion
• Two new agendas challenge you to harness the seasons of Westeros

The third Chapter Pack in the War of Five Kings cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game!

The War of Five Kings has already begun to shape the future of Westeros. Robb Stark marches on Lannister holdings, even as Tywin Lannister menaces the Riverlands from Harrenhal. To the south, Stannis Baratheon lays siege to Storm’s End and Renly Baratheon calls upon the might of Highgarden to break his brother’s armies. Yet in the midst of these kingly conflicts, another drama unfolds far to the north. From Castle Black, the Night’s Watch rides forth in a great ranging and ventures beyond the Wall to confront Mance Rayder and brave the fury of the wild. If they fail to defend the realms of men, the consequences could reach far beyond the icy heights of the Wall.

For Family Honor is an upcoming Chapter Pack in the War of Five Kings cycle that continues to follow the storyline of A Clash of Kings. Throughout this Chapter Pack, you’ll find plenty of new cards that support the major themes of the cycle. New Kings and Crowns invite you to stake your own claim to the Iron Throne, even as other cards heighten the importance of loyal cards—the characters you can truly trust, the locations that would never fall, the events and tactics that you utterly control. Finally, For Family Honor introduces iconic characters to join the game, including Ser Edmure Tully, a House Tyrell version of Renly Baratheon, and Hot Pie.

Night Gathers...
In A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, the Night’s Watch are known for their differences from the other factions in the game. Unlike the Great Houses of Westeros, the Night’s Watch has sworn to hold no lands. Their greatest deeds go unsung and unnoticed. Their war is not against the other Great Houses. Instead, they struggle against the nameless threat that stirs in the lands beyond the Wall.

The unique perspective of the Night’s Watch is more than just skin deep: it shapes every battle they fight. While the other Great Houses ride out with a fanfare, challenging their foes on the field of battle and in dark intrigues, the Night’s Watch cares about only one thing—defending The Wall (Core Set, 137) and protecting the rest of Westeros.

For much of the faction’s life up to this point, the primary source of power for the Night’s Watch has been The Wall. Of course, if an enemy leaves an opening in his forces, the Night’s Watch can take advantage of it, but their first priority is to defend The Wall. Now, For Family Honor offers the Night’s Watch an additional way to gain power from defense with Thoren Smallwood (For Family Honor, 45).

At first glance, Thoren Smallwood appears fairly typical for a Night’s Watch Ranger—though it is important to note that his higher cost offers him protection from The First Snow of Winter (No Middle Ground, 79). The real reason you want Thoren fighting for the Night’s Watch, however, lies in his Reaction: “After you win a challenge as the defending player, gain 1 power for your faction.” As we noted above, the Night’s Watch is a primarily defensive faction, but in most cases, the only reward you gain for defending is to deflect another challenge that could kneel The Wall. Now, however, successfully defending actually brings you closer to your victory condition—and when you combine Thoren with cards like For the Watch! (No Middle Ground, 67), you’ll be able to gain power much faster than you otherwise could.

You’ll need more than Thoren Smallwood to defend The Wall, and the Night’s Watch can draw men from across the realm of Westeros. Bastards, thieves, lords, and knights all become brothers when they take the black and join the Night’s Watch. Now, you can call the dregs of the realm to join the Watch with Night Gathers… (For Family Honor, 46). This loyal event can be played in the marshaling phase, and it allows you to choose any opponent whose reserve value is lower than yours. Until the end of the phase, you can marshal characters from that player’s discard pile as if they were in your hand!

Using the strengths of your opponent’s faction against him is just one of the ways Night Gathers… can turn the tide of a game. Not only does this powerful event give you access to additional characters with powerful abilities, it allows you to shore up holes in your defenses almost on command. For instance, if you know you’ll need more power icons or intrigue icons to defend The Wall, Night Gathers... allows you to choose the best-suited characters from your opponent’s discard pile. The characters you find may have been discarded and cast aside by their owner, but they’re still worth their weight for the Night’s Watch.

...And Now My Watch Begins
As Lord Commander Mormont leads the Night’s Watch into the wild, the great lords of Westeros crown kings and fight wars across the rest of Westeros. Whether you support your chosen faction with Hot Pie (For Family Honor, 57) or you lead your armies into battle, you can enter a new chapter of A Clash of Kings with this new Chapter Pack.

• The third Chapter Pack in the War of Five Kings cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game
• New Kings and Crowns give players new ways to contend for the Iron Throne
• Loyal cards become even more important as players are rewarded for staying loyal to their faction
• Iconic characters enter the game, including Ser Edmure Tully, Renly Baratheon, and Hot Pie
• Contains 60 new cards (three copies each of twenty distinct cards)

The fourth Chapter Pack in the War of Five Kings cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game!

War wracks the Seven Kingdoms. Baratheon, Tyrell, Lannister, and Stark armies march into battle against each other, while Greyjoy raiders prey upon the coast and strike at undefended strongholds. Five kings have been crowned, and each will pursue his claim as long as he draws breath. Death is everywhere, in the gory aftermath of battles and the carnage wrought by pillaging soldiers. In the midst of all this tumult and destruction, one young girl receives a worn metal coin and first hears the fateful words: “Valar morghulis.”

There Is My Claim is the fourth Chapter Pack in the War of Five Kings cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, and it continues your journey through A Clash of Kings, the second book in George R.R. Martin’s epic saga. Here, you can evoke the turmoil of the War of the Five Kings with plenty of new cards that interact with Kings, even as the winter winds rise and the Summer and Winter plot traits become more important to your strategy. Finally, you also gain access to powerful new unique characters, including Jojen Reed, Pyat Pree, Jaqen H’ghar, and new versions of Stannis Baratheon and Aeron Damphair.

Valar Morghulis
Over the years of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, from the original collectible card game to the second edition of the Living Card Game, many things have changed. Strategies were forged in battle, and counter-strategies were formed to answer those decks. The fortunes of the Great Houses rose and fell with changing times—after all, the very nature of the game as an LCG meant that a faction can never rest on its laurels. As the game changes and adapts, all factions and players must grow or die.

Still, there are some core aspects that have remained constant over the years. The plot deck guides your turns and gives you a measure of control over how your deck performs from game to game. Three distinct types of challenges give you three ways to attack your opponent’s position. And when characters die, they stay dead.

The nature of death in A Game of Thrones: The Card Game has made the ability to kill your opponent’s characters very powerful—an entire game can hinge on a brilliant sword strike or a glass of poison. So it’s understandable why a plot like Valar Morghulis (There Is My Claim, 80) can be expected to shape how the game is played for years to come.

On its surface, this plot is incredibly simple. It only reads, “When Revealed: Kill each character.” Obviously, the ability to wipe the board on demand is almost unbelievably powerful, but it’s balanced in a variety of ways. First, Valar Morghulis only offers you two gold—barely enough to afford even the cheapest characters. Although there are ways to gain more income with economy locations or plots like The Long Plan (Taking the Black, 16) or Ranger's Cache (Wolves of the North, 52), in most circumstances, you’ll be unable to play more than a single character the turn that you play Valar Morghulis.

What’s more, Valar Morghulis has a claim value of zero, which essentially dictates that your challenges cannot touch your opponent unless you have ways to raise your claim like Winter Is Coming (Core Set, 159). Finally, a relatively low reserve value of five means you won’t be able to keep many cards over into your next turn, potentially forcing you to discard cards you would rather have kept.

Is the powerful effect of Valar Morghulis worth the cost of its statistical drawbacks? The answer, of course, depends on your deck. If you’re playing Valar Morghulis, you don’t want to flood the board with characters, only for them to be wiped out by this plot—you want to lure your opponent into overextending, destroy his hand to reduce his options, then strike with Valar Morghulis to create an opening. For more controlling decks, Valar Morghulis can be truly dangerous, allowing you to prolong the game, negating your opponent’s advantages until you’re ready to make your move.

Valar Morghulis can also give you the chance to come back from a losing position. For instance, if you have two unique characters with duplicates and your opponent has a more powerful range of characters but no way to save them, you can play Valar Morghulis, save your own characters, and kill your enemies. Alternatively, factions like House Greyjoy may use Valar Morghulis more offensively, relying on an arsenal of save effects like Risen from the Sea (Core Set, 81) and Iron Mines (Calm over Westeros, 92) to protect your own characters while wiping out your opponent’s.

All Men Must Die
How will you use Valar Morghulis? What kinds of decks will harness its power, and what new decks will this plot unlock?

• The fourth Chapter Pack in the War of Five Kings cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game
• Delve deeper into the thrilling battles and dramatic events of A Clash of Kings, the second book in A Song of Ice and Fire
• New Kings stake their claim to the Iron Throne, while the seasons of summer and winter grow more prominent
• Iconic characters like Jojen Reed, Jaqen H’ghar, Stannis Baratheon, and Aeron Damphair enter the game
• Introduces a new neutral plot that will undoubtedly shape the future of the game

The fifth Chapter Pack in the War of Five Kings cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game!

The War of the Five Kings has utterly reshaped the face of the Seven Kingdoms. Though Joffrey still sits enthroned in King’s Landing, Stannis Baratheon is quickly approaching by land and by sea. Renly Baratheon has been assassinated, leaving the might of Highgarden temporarily leaderless. And in the Riverlands, the cursed and twisted stronghold of Harrenhal has passed back and forth between House Stark and House Lannister. Many have died within its walls. More will die before the war ends.

Now, you can enter your own name in contention for this sprawling castle with Ghosts of Harrenhal. As the War of the Five Kings has touched every corner of Westeros, you’ll find plenty of new cards in this expansion that interact with the King trait, while other cards help you counter the drastic bloodshed of Valar Morghulis (There Is My Claim, 80). Finally, you’ll encounter plenty of iconic characters in this Chapter Pack, including Roose Bolton, Brienne of Tarth, Craster, Ser Davos Seaworth, Joffrey Baratheon, and Myrcella Baratheon.

The Tower of Dread
Though Harrenhal has a dark reputation in the world of Westeros, there are few men better suited to hold it than Roose Bolton (Ghosts of Harrenhal, 81). The Lord of House Bolton is a cunning and unnerving man and although he has pledged his loyalty to Robb Stark in A Clash of Kings, the support of House Bolton has already proven to be a dangerous blessing.

In A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, Roose Bolton takes his place among the most deadly characters in the game. His ability reads: “Reaction: After you win a challenge in which Roose Bolton is attacking, choose up to X total STR worth of characters controlled by the losing opponent. X is Roose Bolton’s STR. Sacrifice Roose Bolton to kill each of those characters.”

Killing your opponent’s characters is important no matter where you find it, but it’s the versatility of Roose Bolton’s ability that sets him apart. You may sacrifice him to kill a single larger character, such as Melisandre (Core Set, 47), or you may use him to clear out your opponent’s low-STR characters, leaving larger characters vulnerable to military claim. And of course, the more you pump Roose Bolton’s STR, the more dangerous he becomes. House Stark has plenty of ways to increase Roose’s STR, including Winterfell Castle (The Road to Winterfell, 22), For the North! (Core Set, 157), and Winterfell (Wolves of the North, 17). You may even use Needle (Wolves of the North, 20) to increase Roose Bolton’s STR and return him to you hand after you sacrifice him!

Though Roose Bolton is known to be a man with blood on his hands, his murderous potential still cannot match the stronghold he currently rules. Some say that Harrenhal has seen more horror in its three hundred years than Casterly Rock has witnessed in three thousand, and with the Stark version of Harrenhal (Ghosts of Harrenhal, 82), you find the truth in these legends.

Harrenhal is a non-loyal Stark location that costs four gold to play, taking its place among the most expensive locations in the game. Still, its effect is more than dangerous enough to justify the cost. After any character enters play, you can kneel your faction card and sacrifice Harrenhal to immediately kill that character!

In many cases, the threat of activating Harrenhal will do more than the actual effect. Similar to Ghaston Grey (Core Set, 116), your opponent must choose whether he will work around Harrenhal, leaving his best characters in his hand, or if he will simply throw a large character into this cursed fortress, allowing you to kill it immediately. Regardless of how he chooses to play, you can be sure that there’s no correct response to the horrors of a location like Harrenhal.

All Men Must Die
With the War of the Five Kings in full swing, nothing is more uncertain than life. Death can come quickly and without warning for anyone—from the greatest king to the lowliest beggar. Choose your side, crown your king, and fight for the Iron Throne with the newest Chapter Pack for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game!

• The fifth Chapter Pack in the War of Five Kings cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game
• New Kings are crowned as following your faction’s King becomes more important
• The seasons of Westeros grow in strength with Summer and Winter plot traits
• Includes iconic characters like Roose Bolton, Brienne of Tarth, Ser Davos Seaworth, and Joffrey Baratheon
• Offers sixty new cards to expand your decks (three copies each of twenty distinct cards)

The sixth Chapter Pack in the War of Five Kings cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game!

The War of the Five Kings has reached its tipping point. Stannis Baratheon marches on King’s Landing by land and by sea, sending his powerful navy up the Blackwater Rush to seal off any escape. Tywin Lannister moves south with all speed, leaving the north to House Stark and House Greyjoy, but his mighty armies will never arrive before the city is besieged. In the end, the man who sits the Iron Throne at the end of the battle may be determined by nothing more than the ingenuity of Tyrion Lannister’s defenses.

With the Tyrion’s Chain Chapter Pack, the War of Five Kings cycle approaches its dramatic conclusion. Here, you’ll find plenty of new support for Summer and Winter decks, inviting you to draw your strength from the warm zephyrs of summertime or the howling gales of winter. As the final chapters of A Clash of Kings play out in the card game, you’ll also find iconic characters entering the game for the first time, including Qhorin Halfhand, Salladhor Saan, Podrick Payne, and Ser Arys Oakheart. It’s time for you to rally behind your King and enter one of the greatest battles in the game of thrones!

Raiding from the Sea
Stannis Baratheon’s fortress of Dragonstone is an island, situated off the eastern coast of Westeros. For the early days of the war, Stannis’s powerful navy protected him from the probing attacks of his rivals, but in truth, his navy is primarily composed of mercenaries—and those mercenaries are sworn to the self-titled Prince of the Narrow Sea, Salladhor Saan.

Salladhor Saan (Tyrion’s Chain, 109) enters the game as a Baratheon card, but like any good Mercenary, he’s not above working for the highest bidder. In fact, you may quickly find that Salladhor Saan would find a warm welcome among his fellow Raiders of House Greyjoy. Though his intrigue icon can be important among the warriors of House Greyjoy, Salladhor Saan also bears an ability, which reads, “Reaction: After you win a challenge in which Salladhor Saan is participating, put a Warship location or a Weapon attachment into play from your hand.”

It’s easy to see how Salladhor Saan’s ability makes him a natural fit for House Greyjoy. With all of the game’s current Warships at their disposal, gaining a powerful location like Great Kraken (Core Set, 78) without having to pay for it could be a powerful swing in your favor. You could even trigger Great Kraken after putting it into play, provided your challenge was unopposed! And of course, you’re not just limited to Warships: Salladhor Saan can also spring Weapon attachments into play, such as a Fishing Net (The King’s Peace, 52) or a lethal Throwing Axe (Core Set, 77). Alternatively, you could remain within your home faction of Baratheon to suddenly put King Robert's Warhammer (Taking the Black, 8) or Lightbringer (Core Set, 58) onto one of your characters.

Though he’s quite skilled at gathering a navy around himself, Salladhor Saan would have little place commanding a navy without his own Warship to bring to the action. Salladhor Saan’s flagship, The Valyrian (Tyrion’s Chain, 108), offers a powerful effect for anyone who opposes the might of House Lannister. As an Action, you can kneel The Valyrian to increase an attacking character’s STR—and that increased STR is directly related to the amount of gold in the defending player’s gold pool!

Given the importance of events, many players will save gold into the challenges phase no matter which faction they play, but as the game goes on longer and fewer characters enter play, it’s not uncommon to see four or more gold sitting unspent on your opponent’s side of the table—especially if they’re playing as House Lannister. Now, The Valyrian gives you a chance to capitalize on that unspent gold, while making characters like Balon Greyjoy (Core Set, 68) practically unstoppable. As a final touch, you can hold The Valyrian in your hand until the final moment, ambushing it into play just before you use it to smash through your opponent’s defenses.

The Battle of the Blackwater
Salladhor Saan’s prowess as a captain is unrivaled, and you’ll need every advantage to turn the Battle of the Blackwater in your favor. The War of the Five Kings is approaching its explosive final chapters!

• The sixth Chapter Pack in the War of Five Kings cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game
• King characters become even more important as leaders for your faction
• New Summer and Winter traits allow you to draw strength from the seasons of Westeros
• Join iconic characters entering the game for the first time, including Quorin Halfhand, Salladhor Saan, and Podrick Payne
• Includes sixty new cards (three copies each of twenty distinct cards)

Rituals of R’hllor is the second monthly release in the Brotherhood without Banners cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game.

While the Brotherhood without Banners remain loyal to the name of Robert Baratheon, Melisandre of Asshai has worked her way into the confidence of his brother, Stannis. Under her sway, a new, fanatical sect of zealots has risen to power within the fractured ranks of House Baratheon. Featuring the manipulative red woman Melisandre, as well as a wealth of synergy for cards with the Asshai trait, Rituals of R’hllor will bring new deck-building depth to your A Game of Thrones experience.

The never-before-seen cards in this expansion will augment existing decks and add variety to the A Game of Thrones metagame.

• Includes 60 cards (3 copies each of 20 new cards)
• Features a new version of Melisandre
• Focuses on synergy for cards with the Asshai trait

The Lannisters of Casterly Rock have worked their way into a powerful position at the heart of the realm. Their authority, however, is questioned by many, including the Brotherhood Without Banners who threaten from without, and Tyrion Lannister and his mountain clansmen, who threaten from within.

Mountains of the Moon is the third monthly installment of 60 fixed cards–3 copies each of 20 different cards–for the Brotherhood Without Banners expansion to A Game of Thrones: The Card Game. The never-before-seen cards in this expansion were designed to augment existing decks and add variety to the A Game of Thrones metagame.

A A Game of Thrones LCG core set is required to play. Contains cards 41-60 of the Brotherhood Without Banners cycle.

A Song of Silence is the fourth monthly Chapter Pack in the Brotherhood Without Banners cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game!

Balon Greyjoy, the self-proclaimed King of Salt and Rock, and his Ironborn lords, have seized on the death of King Robert Baratheon as an opportunity to renounce their oaths to the Iron Throne and take the "green lands" by storm. Now, raiders in their deadly longships have set sail to choke Westeros in the arms of the Kraken.

A Song of Silence features the mysterious and power-mad Euron Crow's-Eye of House Greyjoy, as well as a wealth of synergy for cards with the Raider trait through cards like Longship Silence and Euron's Mongrel. A Song of Silence will augment existing decks and add variety to the A Game of Thrones metagame.

• Features cards emphasizing the Raiders of the Iron Islands
• Expands on existing themes and subtypes for all six Houses, plus neutral cards
• Contains 60 never-before-seen cards (3 copies each of 20 cards)

Of Sands and Snakes is the fifth monthly Chapter Pack in the Brotherhood Without Banners cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game.

The Princes of the South can hold a grudge for generations, but Doran Martell, Lord of Sunspear, declines to join the War of Five Kings immediately. Instead, he and House Martell bide their time, waiting for the moment to strike like a viper. Oberyn Martell, the Prince's brother, and his hot-blooded bastard daughters, have other ideas and are now calling the spears, calling Dorne to war for vengeance.

Of Sands and Snakes features the bastard daughters of Oberyn Martell, the Sand Snakes, mysterious and power-mad Euron Crow's-Eye of House Greyjoy, as well as a wealth of synergy for cards with the Sand

Snake trait through cards like Blood of the Viper and His Viper Eyes. Of Sand and Snakes will augment existing decks and add variety to the A Game of Thrones metagame.

• Features cards emphasizing the Sand Snakes of House Martell
• Contains 60 never-before-seen cards (3 copies each of 20 cards)
• Expands on existing themes and subfactions for all six Houses, plus neutral cards