Quill & Tankard Regulars - Volume 2, Issue 13

Quill & Tankard Regulars - Volume 2, Issue 13

Nice suit, where’d you get it?
Ung’ wido Fernwillow. Unlucky lass, ‘ost ‘er ‘rd ‘usban.
Huh. The jacket one of theirs?
Aye! Fron’ tha ‘nd un. Strappin’ innit?
Huh… Awfully friendly of her?
Aye! Gav ‘e beer ‘un rost beef too!
Huh… Anything else?
Aye! ‘ed to call ‘er M’gg’e!
Huh. Wait. Her name’s Ester isn’t it… You sure she said Maggie? Not… err… Maegi for instance?
M’gg’e! M’gg’e! Ez wut ic sed!
Huh.

The Raven’s Message
The Raven’s Message exclusively reveals and discusses an up-and-coming, either mechanically or rules-wise interesting, card. The cards are from future products, and have been obtained directly via raven from the Archmaesters at the (FFG) Citadel.

One of the interesting facets of the "unique" mechanic in AGOT is the ability to release alternate versions of pre-existing cards. Sometimes the new versions will prove significantly more powerful than the older version (i.e. Eddard Stark Wolves > Core); other times the new version will fall short of the mark, or be competing with a version so powerful that almost anything would seem weak in comparison (Viserys Targaryen Core > Kings, Tywin Lannister Core > Lions).

There are, however, rare occasions where the two versions will both be tremendous, creating a real decision point. Though she is competing with one of Tyrell's most powerful and versatile cards in the pool to date, we believe that this new version of Margaery Tyrell (All Men Are Fools #3) is up to the challenge:

If Margaery's prime characteristic in the novels is that of being a supportive wife to her King, then while the Core version shows how Margaery likes to present herself - supportive, innocuous, helpful, a boon for anyone to have - this new version represents her at her most nakedly ambitious - all men are fools, and Margaery really isn't that fussed about who is alongside her, as long as they're important. Her renown will be enhanced either way. As a loyal card she's also explicitly working for House Tyrell's interests here - make no mistake, her revolving carousel of men are there to serve her, not the other way around.

The first thing we notice about Speed Dating Margaery, as we like to call her, is that the art is absolutely gorgeous. She's playing the part of the noble queen to perfection here, looking resplendent and charitable and inviting the love of those around her - just look at how chuffed the guy in the bottom-right is to even be in the picture! We're not entirely sure if he's meant to be a passerby or someone specific, possibly King Tommen. If it is the latter though, it perfectly summarises the theme of the card. Between this art, the art on Core Margaery, and presumably a future reprint of the champ card Margaery on the horizon as well, she may well be the character with the most consistently amazing art in the game.

Just as amazing as that artwork though, of course, is the ability. As we alluded to earlier, the effect needed to be fantastic to allow Margaery to compete with her core version, and boy does this ever deliver - the effect is so powerful that there's actually a chance this version becomes the norm over the core one!

But before we let JC wax further about her fragrant hair, fair disposition and lovely smile… or even the minute details of why she’ll build some strong decks, let’s go through what *really* matters. The rules, always the rules:

• She is a Reaction not an Interrupt, so off a mass-extinction event (like Valar Morghulis) she needs to first be saved, for her to trigger.
• The character put into play can trigger off the same reaction as Margaery, f.ex. Core Joffrey.
• Her reaction can trigger off the death of a character holding an attachment that grant one of these traits, f.ex. Beggar King or Wolf King.
• Naturally she cannot replace a dead character with another copy of the same one.

What makes her so good, though? Well, let's look at what that reaction offers:

• Card advantage. Normally when a character of yours is killed, you've lost a card; by immediately replacing it from your deck, Margaery is gaining you cards.
• Economy advantage. The card you gain doesn't just go to your hand but directly into play. With Renly Baratheon and Randyll Tarly being two of Tyrell's most powerful cards, this can easily be 6 or 7 gold's worth of character, effectively for free.
• Variance reduction. You're not just getting any old card, but getting to cherry-pick (contingent on the traits) exactly the character you want. Do you need card advantage and beef? Get Renly. Do you have your STR pump engine set up but nothing to benefit? Get Randyll. Is your opponent's board sprawling out of control? Get Varys.
• Anti-snowball capabilities. In a weird, abstract way she's like a form of claim-soak, only instead of saving a character like Maester Aemon, she's replacing it. This is significantly better, as the character you fetch can be better than the character you lose for the situation at hand, and comes in standing to boot. In comparison to the likes of Mirri Maz Duur, Jaqen H’ghar or Ser Gregor Clegane, finally we have a big centrepiece card that is designed to be purely Constructive, not Destructive, and it’s incredibly fitting for Tyrell’s mechanics that she works this way.
• Potential for trickery. Note that it's not "killed for military claim", and it's not even "killed by an opponent's card effect". If you play Wildfire Assault, you can deliberately choose not to keep one of your Lords/Kings, trigger Margaery to replace them and come out 4-3 up on characters - fitting, given that Tyrell benefited fromthe Wildfire in the books themselves. Even better will be Valar Morghulis when Margaery has a save, as you can keep Margaery and fetch a second bomb character to impose themselves on the now-empty board.
• Ultimate Anti-Crown of Gold effect. Oh, you want to crown our exciting 4 STR character do you? Well unfortunately for you, you made them a King in the process, and now you have to answer to Randyll!

Even aside from the reaction, she's also another big Tyrell Renown character. Tyrell can now boast Brienne of Tarth, The Knight of Flowers, Randyll, Renly and Speed Dating Margaery all with unconditional Renown, and the economy & tutoring needed to make it all consistent. The rush is real.

So, what are the drawbacks? Well, aside from the obvious opportunity cost of not being able to run Core Margaery, the big one is that "unique King or Lord" part. Right now a mono-faction Tyrell deck can only run Paxter Redwyne, The Knight of Flowers, Randyll, Renly, Varys, Littlefinger and Mance Rayder. Additionally, once we get more unique Wildlings, they will be able to die holding the King Beyond the Wall attachment. Not a lot of choice there really, meaning that the cheapest character to die for Margaery's effect will be cost 4. This prevents the ability from being subject to real abuse - you can't just throw any old character under the bus to magic up a Renly. In the future this may change, but for now the lack of choice may hamstring Margaery in mono-faction builds.

However, this is more than made up for in Banner decks. While Banner of the Watch or Stag may not be too helpful, you'll find the other five quite accommodating with Stark and Lannister being the prime suspects.

• Stark has an array of cheap unique Lords (Rickon Stark, Bran Stark, Jojen Reed (nevermind, not a Lord), upcoming Hoster Tully) as well as the Wolf King attachment to make any Stark character a King. On top of that the North provides Eddard Stark as another juicy target for Marg to wed.
• Lannister provides the cheap fodder for the effect (Tommen Baratheon, Ser Lancel Lannister Joffrey Baratheon) and a wide array of good suitors (Tyrion Lannister, Ser Jaime Lannister, Ser Gregor Clegane). If you have a particularly janky build, Lannister even provides a way of killing your own Lords in the challenges phase (Shagga Son of Dolf) for a surprise body!
• Targaryen's Beggar King provides a similar role to the Wolf King in Stark. Oh wait, it's Loyal. Nevermind, guess Targ can go on the reject pile too.
• Greyjoy has King of the Iron Isles, Aeron Damphair both as a cheap Lord to die and a way of recycling one Ironborn Lord/King every round, and Victarion as a prime target to fetch.
• Martell has Edric Dayne and Trystane Martell as cheap fodder for the effect and Quentyn as a good fling for Margery, only to ditch him for someone else. You can also find Harmen if Sand Snakes are more your thing...

We expect Margaery to see the most play in Tyrell Wolf or Tyrell Lion... or possibly even Tyrell Alliance Lion/Wolf, as the new agenda comes out in the same pack as the speed dater herself and her variance-reducing effect combined with Ser Hobber Redwyne perfectly complement the upside of the agenda, while reducing the drawback. We look forward to killing our Rickon and triggering Margaery to fetch Gregor!

Do you have any thoughts on our promiscuous new friend? Please leave them in the comments below.

Antti Korventausta (WWDrakey) is a self-proclaimed Finnish AGoT philosopher and doomsayer hermit, who used to practice Quantum Mechanics, but found that it paled to AGoT in both interest and complexity. Having played and judged for more years than he would like to admit, he has found himself on the winning side of rules arguments more than he would expect. In any game he plays, he has a tendency of playing anything he considers to be off the beaten path, whether it makes sense to others or not.

Helmut Hohberger (Ratatoskr) started playing AGoT in September 2010 and has never looked back (although his wife has, longingly). As a German, he loves rules - and I mean *loves* 'em. He is the quintessential rules board morlock. While the others played and frolicked about outside, he sat by candlelight in a remote corner of the library and tried to get a grasp on the intricacies of the 1st edition rules. He even thought he did not do too bad at it, but then the Call of the Three-Eyed Crow drove him into the darkest depths of madness and despair. But he’s all better now, honest, and looking forward to new challenges.

Iiro Jalonen (Ire) Started AGoT in 2009, got pulled under the waves by Krakens years ago, and has never looked back. While not an Oldtown local, he has often been spotted in the Quill & Tankard Inn making sure that the rules of sportsmanship are maintained with the traditional finger dance games. A self-inflicted Shagga and active member of the global AGoT community, he has always strived to know the rules of the game, in order to make them do ridiculous things.

James Waumsley (JCWamma) is a first edition veteran who has judged at multiple large tournaments including the European championship of Stahleck. A renowned loudmouth and pedant, he will shout about the rules loud enough that he can be heard by those north of the wall.

Alex Hynes (Istaril) co-hosts Beyond the Wall, writes articles for FFG, created and curates the Annals - and even tried to fill in ktom’s shoes in the big ktom drought of 2013. When the Regulars asked him to be an honorary member, he, of course, refused and said he didn’t have the time. Or should have, anyway. Still, how much work can being an “Honorary” member be?