Quill & Tankard Regulars

Quill & Tankard Regulars - Issue 1

Welcome to the first issue of Quill & Tankard Regulars, a unique AGOT column concentrating on that most obscure of subjects: the rules of the game. We'll be covering a wide variety of topics from actual gameplay examples and the newest rulings from the FFG Rules Forum to individual cards with particularly complex behaviour and interactions.

Our content will be organized through various segments, so that everyone can find topics relevant to their interests. We will also be analyzing new cards as they come out, so that players can more quickly understand both what they do and why they do it.

So, grab a tankard, find a cozy place to sit, and let us commence.

Citadel Custom - Plots, Chapter 1

Citadel Custom is a set of articles presenting game mechanics through illustrated gameplay examples. It is aimed at all players from initiates to self-proclaimed Archmaesters. Each article will consist of a short recap of the relevant rules, followed by a detailed example with a more or less complex starting situation.

One of the unique aspects of AGoT is the Plot phase, which largely contributes to giving the game its characteristic flavor of difficult choices and trying to outwit your opponent. Since the plot phase is also the very first phase in each and every AGoT game, it is only fitting to start off our first Citadel Custom with it. If you consider your knowledge of the rules in question impeccable, feel free to proceed directly into the example.

Rules Recap

Plot Phase: Structure

FRAMEWORK ACTION
1. Plot Phase Begins

PLAYER ACTIONS

FRAMEWORK ACTION
1. Choose and reveal plots.
2. Initiative is counted.
3. Higher initiative player appoints "First Player".
Passive "When revealed" plot effects resolve, in order determined by First Player.

PLAYER ACTIONS

FRAMEWORK ACTION
1. Plot Phase Ends

Resolving a Framework Action

Each Framework Action consists of one or more Framework Events. A Framework Action is resolved so that each Framework Event is resolved in turn, and they all go through a cycle of:
- Framework Event initiates (Step 1)
- Save/Cancel responses to the framework event (Step 2)
- Framework Event resolves (Step 3)

Next, when all of the Framework Events have resolved, all passive effects initiated by anything that has happened during the Framework Action up to this point are resolved (Step 4). In a case of conflicting passives, the first player decides the order in which they resolve. Note that passive effects are not triggered, and are not optional even though they can allow player choice, for example via a 'may' clause.

Finally, players are allowed to trigger any Response: effects that have their play restrictions met by anything that has happened during the Framework Action window up to this point, including passives (Step 5). The responses are played in order, starting with the first player, until all players have consecutively passed. Then, the Framework Action ends and moribund cards leave play (Step 6).

Moribund

When a card is removed from play during any action window, it enters a state known as Moribund. Effectively the card remains on the table until the end of the action window in question, and leaves play at the end of the action window. This happens regardless of the type of effect removing it from play (killing, discarding, returning to hand or shadows etc.). For moribund cards we will use a shorthand of moribund:destination, to note where the card will go after the action window ends. A card already in moribund cannot be removed from play a second time, but can otherwise interact with the game
normally.

When Revealed Plot Effects

When Revealed plot effects are passive effects that have a special status, in that they are resolved (in Step 4) before regular passives resolve. As usual for conflicting passive effects, the First Player decides the order in which they resolve.

NOTE: There is a slight discrepancy (just a technicality that does not have any effect) in the official FFG FAQ regarding When Revealed effects between entry §2.2 on page 7 and the flowchart for the Plot Phase on page 19. Conversation on the topic can be found here. We have decided to go with Ktom's interpretation, since it also helps in understanding how plots revealed outside of the Framework Action (such as by
Citadel Law (MotA)) are resolved.

Starting Situation

Imagine a heated battle between a Greyjoy and a Baratheon player. Tentacles rising from the deep to claim red acolytes, towns getting sacked, knights and mariners being slaughtered in equal amounts. The usual stuff. It's now Turn 4, and the Baratheon player has played two consecutive turns of The Power of Blood (Core) and managed to obtain quite a nice board position and a comfortable lead in power. However, the Greyjoy player has wisely withheld his Valar Morghulis (Core) and plans to bring down the infamous Fat Bob, once and for all.

[lightbox='quill-CC_Plots1_1.jpg']tn_quill-CC_Plots1_1.jpg[/lightbox]

Image 1: The starting situation for our plot phase example.

Greyjoy Player

Locations: Iron Island Fiefdoms (KotS), Sunset Sea (Core), Frostfang Peaks (TWH), River Blockade (RoR)
Characters: Maester Wendamyr (KotS), Asha Greyjoy (WLL) (2 power)
Attachments: Burned and Pillaged (FtC) (On a Bay of Ice (KotS))
Hand: Seasick (KotS), Baelor Blacktyde (TIoR)

Baratheon Player

Locations: 2x Bay of Ice (KotS)
Characters: Maester Lomys (CbtC), Robert Baratheon (Core) (8 power), 2x Royal Entourage (TTotH)

Hand: House Tyrell Guard (Core), Narrow Escape (KotStorm)

First Player: GJ

Gameplay Resolution

Pre-plot Actions: The plot phase starts, and players quickly move to the first player action window. The Greyjoy player has the first opportunity to play a player action and elects to pass. The Baratheon player suspects an incoming Valar Morghulis (Core) from the Greyjoy player and elects to trigger Maester Lomys (CbtC)' ability to protect the power on Robert Baratheon (Core). He first pays the costs for the action by kneeling Maester Lomys (CbtC) and discarding one power from Robert Baratheon (Core). Then it is the time for Save/Cancel responses. Our Greyjoy player is having none of that, and decides to cancel the action using Seasick (KotS). The action is cancelled, Lomys is left knelt and Robert has one less power. Both players then consecutively pass on playing any more player actions.

Framework Event 1: The first Framework Event is choosing and revealing plot cards. With no save/cancel responses to this Framework Event, the players move forward. Predictably our Greyjoy player reveals Valar Morghulis (Core), while our Baratheon player chooses Search and Detain (HtS).

Framework Event 2: The second Framework Event is counting initiative. The Greyjoy player will be counting 0 initiative, while the Baratheon player will have 5+2(from Bay of Ice)-1(from Burned and Pillaged)=6 initiative. Since the Greyjoy player does not have an Ahead of the Tide (WotN) handy to cancel the initiative count, the players count initiative normally.

Framework Event 3: In the next Framework Event our Baratheon player nominates himself as 'First Player' (FP), and since there are no save/cancel Responses to play here from either player, the players move onwards.

When Revealed Passive Abilities: Now, that all of the Framework Events have been resolved, the players move to Step 4 and start resolving the "When Revealed" effects from their revealed plot cards. Since the Baratheon player is FP, he chooses his own Search and Detain (HtS) to resolve first. He has to choose one of his own cards (without attachments) to return to hand, and chooses to return Robert Baratheon (Core). Robert now enters the moribund state with the destination "hand" (moribund:hand), but will stay on the table until the end of the Framework Action. Next, the "When Revealed" effect of Valar Morghulis (Core) is resolved. All characters on the table are scheduled to be killed - except one: Robert!

Now, this is important, so bear with us. Why is Robert not killed by Valar? Because he is already moribund, and the FAQ tells us (page 16) that a moribund character cannot be removed from the game again.

Now, after Valar's kill effect has initiated, and it has been determined which characters are affected by it, but before it resolves, players have the chance to trigger save/cancel responses. We're in a Framework Action Window, so the First Player has the first chance to do so. Since our Baratheon player has no applicable Responses, he passes. The Greyjoy player uses Wendamyr's own save response to save him from being killed. She first kneels Wendamyr for the cost, then resolves the save effect entirely. Since she happens to have 2 Influence handy, she decides to resolve the optional "Then"-effect, and stands Wendamyr. Next, she kneels Wendamyr again to save Asha.

Now the effect resolves. All characters that were affected by Valar and haven't been saved are killed. That is: the two Royal Entourages and Lomys. They are now in a moribund:dead state, but remain on the table for the duration of the framework action.

Regular Passive Abilities: Now that all of the When Revealed passives have been resolved, the players finally resolve any regular passive effects. There are two relevant passive effects on the table, two copies of Bay of Ice (KotS). In a case of a conflicting passives, the FP would decide the order in which they happen. However, since both of the effects have the same outcome in this situation, the FP just nonchalantly picks one Bay of Ice (KotS) to trigger first. The effect has the winner of the initiative count (the Baratheon player) kneel all cards named 'Bay of Ice', then draw a card. Since this is a passive effect, it is not affected by the River Blockade (RoR) on the table. The Baratheon player proceeds to grin happily, as he draws into a Parting Blow (PotS). Next, the passive on the second Bay of Ice (KotS) is resolved. However, since the first portion of the ability (kneel all cards named Bay of Ice) does not happen succesfully, the portion after the 'then' word does not happen either, and effectively nothing happens.

Responses: Next the players move onto Step 5, playing normal Response: effects (i.e. not saves or cancels). The Baratheon player has the first opportunity to play a response, and he elects to use the Parting Blow (PotS) that he just drew. Since the requirements for the event are met, and his opponent cannot cancel it, he chooses to kneel Asha Greyjoy (WLL) and draws another card, this time another copy of Robert Baratheon (Core). Next it's the Greyjoy players turn to play a response, and she remembers to trigger her Frostfang Peaks (TWH). Again, there are no cancels and the Peaks discard a Seat of Power (WotN) from the top of the Baratheon player's deck. Our Greyjoy player sighs in relief, since this would have allowed the Baratheon player to get Robert Baratheon back into the game. The Baratheon player then elects to play another response, this time from his House Tyrell Guard (Core), putting it into play. Neither player has any more responses to play, so they both pass consecutively.

[lightbox='quill-CC_Plots1_2.jpg']tn_quill-CC_Plots1_2.jpg[/lightbox]

Image 2: The situation on the table after all of the responses have been played.

End of Framework Action: This means that the players proceed to Step 6 of the Framework action, and move all moribund cards to their destinations. The Baratheon player returns Robert Baratheon (Core) to his hand and puts the three moribund:dead characters into his dead pile.

[lightbox='quill-CC_Plots1_3.jpg']tn_quill-CC_Plots1_3.jpg[/lightbox]

Image 3: The situation on the table after the end of the Framework Action.

Post-plot actions: Now that the Framework Action is finally over, there is the second plot phase Player Action window. Our Baratheon player has the first opportunity to play an action or pass... and he decides to play Narrow Escape (KotStorm). This would cause Maester Lomys (CbtC) and the two Royal Entourage (TTotH)s to come back into play, standing. The Greyjoy player looks at the lone Baelor Blacktyde (TIoR) in her hand and decides to discard it (per the Narrow Escape (KotStorm) effect) to cancel that. Neither player has any more actions to play, so the players both pass and end the plot phase.

Will the Baratheon player draw a Narrow Sea (Core) or Seat of Power (WotN) to play Robert, or will the GJ player's chokehold prove strong enough?

Dear Archmaester

Dear Archmaester collects interesting, unusual and unexpected rulings from the FFG Rules forum.

Q: Dear Archmaester,
what happens when Threat from the North (PotS) and Valar Morghulis (Core) are flipped at the same time? All STR 0 characters are discarded immediately due to TftN and thus aren't affected by Valar, right? Right?

A: Wrong. The STR reduction imposed by Threat from the North (PotS) is a constant effect and is applied once the plot is revealed. The "discard at 0" condition, however, resolves as a passive effect. Since When Revealed effects (like the one on Valar) resolve before regular passives do, the kill effect from Valar comes before the discard effect from TftN. See this thread for more details.

Antti Korventausta (WWDrakey) is a self-proclaimed Finnish AGoT philosopher and nitpicker, who also used to practice Quantum Mechanics, but found that it paled to AGoT in both interest and complexity. As a Stahleck regular and judge, he sometimes has oddly vivid dreams of understanding portions of the game. In AGoT, he'll play anything as long as it's suitably twisted... often ending up with something that has horns on it.

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. Try triggering a Response at the end of a phase on his watch, and he'll probably invade your country. He has actually read the FAQ, and was made a judge at Stahleck 2011 and at various other events. He sometimes answers rules questions on boardgamegeek and the FFG rules board. Some of his answers haven't even been contradicted, corrected or expanded upon by ktom - there is no higher accolade for a rules board morlock.

Every Maester needs a Raven on his shoulder. As a Finn, Iiro Jalonen (Ire) got pulled under the waves by Krakens years ago, and has never looked back. 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.