Beheading Ned - It's Good To Be The Khal

Welcome back to CardGameDB's Nedliest series! Be warned: this column focuses on story-based play and thus might produce plot spoilers at any moment! If you haven't read all of the books, then get started already! I promise if you read them all I'll stop using exclamation points!

Over the past few months, Beheading Ned has meandered down several different paths. We took a look at "macro-level" Nedly play by examining the playstyles of the houses. After that thrilling, edge-of-your-seat series, we looked at an approach to Nedly deckbuilding, culminating in a Jaime vs. Ned showdown. Most recently, we've done some looks at Nedly play in terms of trait-based deck builds and one story-theme based deckbuild. But have I run out of ideas? Never!

One aspect of Nedly play that is perhaps the most interesting to me is in terms of individual cards and their characteristics. Oftentimes, you'll see a card with an ability that just so well mirrors that character's personality or role within the story, but other times you'll wonder what the designer was thinking by giving that ability to that character. Since I'm nothing if not judgmental, I thought that we would spend the next few weeks looking at some individual characters and seeing how their particular abilities match the persona from Martin's epic saga.

For this first installment, we'll look at a single unique character and judge the Nedliness of the card across its different iterations. I'll move in a loose chronological order (in terms of how the cards were released) just to give us some organization. The young man who's been selected for this initial closeup is none other than Khal Drogo. As one of the chiefs of the Dothraki, Khal Drogo plays a central role in the story, appearing as a sort of brief and bright meteor of awesome. It was he who helped Danaerys begin to believe in herself as a queen and he who put an end to the pretending of Viserys. Fearsome in battle and fierce in love, it stands to reason that Khal Drogo would be a central card for House Targaryen. In their infinite wisdom, the designers have given us three versions so far.


1. Khal Drogo (Core)

Right from the beginning, the Khal was in the fray, as befits his status within the story. Looking at his text box, you see that he has Stealth. I guess I never really thought of the Khal as a sneaky fellow but more as the type of guy who would announce himself openly on the battlefield. I guess his identity as a Horselord would mean that he could surprise you by riding down from the hills before you expect him--Nedly points, then, for the keyword. His icons also suit, as Khal certainly isn't participating in too many Intrigue type displays. He's more of a pawn than anything--but whose pawn is he? Illyrio's? Varys'? Doran Martell's? Only time will tell.....

His Response: is well-known in the LCG: hopping onto the field after his House has won a challenge. Though the idea of him sweeping in via ambush persists, as before I've often thought of his personality as leading from the front, working to win that initial challenge rather than sweeping up after the hard work of others. There is quite a bit of room for interpretation in this ability, it seems. Regardless, such hopping in and out of play makes him strong and effective (very Khal-like) and suits the themes of the House in terms of playstyle, instilling him as the most-played Khal by a long sight.

Verdict: 3 out of 5 Beheaded Neds. He feels like a Khal, but is that because I'm so used to playing him?

2. Khal Drogo (WotN)

Defenders Khal (or, as I like to call him, Old Spice Khal) attempts to celebrate that oft-overlooked House Targaryen subtheme of Power challenge excellence. A quick glance shows that the keyword on this Khal differs from before, being Renown in this incarnation. Surely Khal Drogo as the most powerful Khal deserves this most powerful of keywords. His icons suit his personality, as before, and he bears the Noble crest. While it's fair to say that Dothraki society differed from Westerosi nobility in almost every way, Khals enjoyed status and power among their own people well-suited to the Noble crest. The difference here is that Khals earned it by might rather than assuming it by birthright (here's looking at you, Lord Robert Arryn!) He's one of the few Targaryen characters with printed Renown, so you know when they get a character with the keyword they really deserve it.

His Response: is what really sets this Khal apart to me. This Khal turns dominance in a Power challenge into a deadly affair for your opponents. Gleaning power while killing dudes is what the Dothraki are all about, and this Khal typifies that lifestyle. Upping his strength by using a Bloodrider's Arakh (QoD) is a great idea for effectiveness, but suffers a bit since Drogo isn't a Bloodrider at all but rather a Khal (of course). Still, winning a power challenge and destroying a 2 STR character is VERY Nedly.

Verdict: 4 out of 5 Beheaded Neds. Strong, Renowny, and Violent. Just what a Khal should be.

3. Khal Drogo (QoD)

War Crest Khal to his friends, this iteration of Drogo changes keywords yet again, this time to Deadly. You know, the big guy seems to suit all three of them! Here's hoping for a Khal in this cycle with all three! The biggest change in the frame of the character is away from the Noble crest and towards a War crest. I think this suits the Dothraki lifestyle even better than the Noble crest (as discussed above). You can totally see Khal Drogo running amok and burning things to the ground on a regular basis. This War crest lets him do that with impunity.

Then, just look at that response: when Khal is killed, search for Dothraki and add them to your hand. That's just exactly what happened after Khal Drogo died in the books--Dothraki rallied to the Targaryen cause! Not all of them, mind you, but enough. Similarly, Khal doesn't let you find ALL the Dothraki (No Use for Grief-style) but enough to rally around your True Queen. At 4 cost, it's a bit expensive, but still perhaps the best card advantage that Targaryen has (if a tad narrow as well).

I think this version encapsulates who the Khal Drogo from the story the actually was, while the other versions encapsulate who he could have been had he remained alive, or perhaps who he was in his prime. But it wasn't Khal's life that moved Dany forward towards the throne; it was his death. As Mirri Miz Man Dur once said, "Only death can pay for life."

Verdict: 5 out of 5 Beheaded Neds. Not only the Nedliest Khal but perhaps the Nedliest card in the game.

Bonus Discussion: Maegi's Promise (QoD)

This event takes its name from the circumstances surrounding Khal Drogo's demise. As you recall, Dany tried to get the Maegi to bring him back to life from his terminal wound. Thus, this ability brings a character back from the dead pile.

There's just one problem with that: the Maegi in the story failed to perform that which she actually promised. Khal was not brought back in a vital state (such as the card gives) but rather in such a sad, sorry, comatose brink of life that Dany ended up euthanizing him. In other words, Maegi's Promise in the game is effective; the maegi's promise in the story somewhat less so.

Verdict: 2 out of 5 Beheaded Neds. Good effort, but too good of an effect for its name.

So that about does it for this week's edition. I'd love to hear your comments on the Khal, on the new format, or on anything else Nedly.

One other note of note: as I swing into the dissertation phase of my studies, my time for writing on Thrones is becoming little and less (I know, right? I was shocked to discover there was life outside of Thrones, too). I'd love to have any of you loyal readers interested in doing a guest spot for Beheading Ned contact either me or Darksbane about the opportunity.

Until next time, thanks for reading!