is totally nuts! Wow…

A+++++ in my opinion. Playing field leveled. Game starts new in 2013. Well done FFG on both the restricted list and explicit tourney rules. Flawless execution, can't wait for regionals.

I'm literally building some new decks to bring to play tomorrow night. I haven't played thrones in like 3 months, LoL.

So… a while back I posted an FAQ wishlist, and the only thing on that list they didn't do is list the upcoming erratas to Compelled/Jaqen, up to and including poor Maester Cressen (to my surprise, acknowledging the increasing card pool problems). And then it did more… a fair bit more!

This is a phenomenal FAQ. A *huge* thank you to FFG.

Because it wouldnt be an faq thread without complaining; street waif and the good targ hill should have been on the list too :)

This new faq should make regionals exciting with the ways it will require staple cards to be built around, and cards that previously had to be built around will not be the same level of threat when considering cards to replace those refugees.

It's a very strong hit to Martell with cyvasse, orphan, and scourge all being added. I would say that cyvasse probably should have been on there well before some of the other cards that were restricted instead. If you look at the current meta, Martell is much weaker than it was a year ago, and it took one of the stronest hits from the new faq.

New FAQ: take the top decks, put all the good cards from them on the list.

If that's the approach, then I agree with Dennis; should have put Street Waif and good hill on, or maybe KotHH. Looks like Targ is top dog this regionals.

But I think this approach is a little ham-handed, as it just makes so many cards soft-banned. After seeing the list and picking my jaw up from the ground, I wanted to read that you could choose 2 from the list. But no, still just 1.

mdc273 said:

Yup … And I had wanted to go to bed early tonight.  Sigh.

Great FAQ, just what the game needed I think.

Had just bought the A time of ravens cycle for my Martell Deck to play with friends and try new options. I guess that's the last time I waste my money… Restricted list should not restrict your options because you have a lesser card pool and haven't payed 600+$ yet.

Danigral said:

Well, I just read the announcement that goes with the FAQ, and I see that they are making it like a pseudo-rotation, which makes sense, so I can get behind it.

BUT, I still don't understand refugees. They are a staple in those respective houses' trait-based decks right now, like Lanni Clansman, Martell Maesters, and Even House Bolton. And God, Dothraki certainly didn't improve.

This has the biggest effect on House of Dreams, which is even more dependent on a great setup than any other agenda, and Dissension, which got a little worse since it won't have easy targets in refugees.

I'm pretty happy with it overall at first glance but I'm not getting the Refugees being on there. That's going to take a while to process.

Still, the meta is definitely being shaken up and that's all to the good.

I miss the city that kneels and threat from the north

could really have done with KotHH making the list too. The concern stands that Targ has plenty of tools even if they lose S&D or whatever restricted plot they were running to keep Long Lances. Sure, triple non-terminal event burn is a big thing to lose too, but it's not the engine that makes their deck unfun to play against: KotHH is. With weaker setups from the other houses, it only further emphasizes jumping burn's perpetual advantage. It's a good, brutal, meta changing list. Just not sold it went far enough (for all the houses)

First reaction: wow. While I regard these wholesale changes with cautious optimism, I still wish for rotation. All the reprints put the kaibosh on that I suppose.  It is also tough to explain to your group (some who just bought a lot of cards) that at first the restricted list was to slow power creep and balance the meta is now responsible for soft banning years of releases that could very well grow to over 100 cards sooner than later. It just keeps getting tougher to sell the game to new people, in my opinion.

The not so subtle hint of “play with the new stuff” excites me, but I can’t help but think we are back to where we were between 09-10.  Many of you think this means new decks. I see it as Lanni kneel back near the top, Targ is no longer broken, Greyjoy winter or bust, Martell and Stark are knocked back into the proverbial stone age. Bara? Well they still suck.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for the most part. I just think it went a little far.  Some cards needed restriction, but if anything this FAQ changed how the restricted list functioned as a balancing tool. Now we have rotation without rotation? Did we need to soft ban that many cards? I guess the jury is still out until regionals.

Not to sound too gloomy, but I am willing to bet that this year’s lists look similar to old school kneel, burn, and winter. So instead of playing new decks, you’re just running what was best like 2-3 years ago with new cards. Yeah HOD and Black Sails. I like them both. Do they stand a chance now? I doubt it. And if they do? Well, the precedent is set; here comes the ban.

Again, I want to make it clear I support the choice that R&D made given their options. I just hope something more elegant comes along soon.