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A Game of Thrones: The Card Game (Second Edition)

2-4 players 60-120 min 7.5 Board Game Geek Rating

Command Westeros factions in this strategic card game where players use iconic characters like Tywin Lannister and Daenerys Targaryen to battle for the Iron Throne. Each player manages two decks: cards for characters/events and plots determining resources/initiative each round. Victory comes through winning challenges across military, intrigue, and power struggles—first to fifteen power wins!

Published 2015

A Game of Thrones: The Card Game (Second Edition)

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

1
Choose a faction
Each player selects a House faction card (Stark, Lannister, Targaryen, Baratheon, Greyjoy, Martell, Tyrell, or Night's Watch)
2
Select an agenda
Optionally choose an agenda card that modifies deck-building rules and provides special abilities
3
Build your deck
Construct a draw deck of at least 60 cards and a plot deck of exactly 7 plot cards following faction loyalty rules
4
Shuffle decks
Each player shuffles their draw deck and plot deck separately
5
Draw starting hand
Each player draws 7 cards from their draw deck
6
Perform setup
Each player may place cards from hand with total printed cost of 8 or less, placing them facedown first then revealing simultaneously
7
Determine first player
Use a random method to select the starting first player for round one

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

1
Plot Phase - Select plots
Each player secretly chooses a plot card from their plot deck and reveals simultaneously
2
Draw Phase - Draw cards
Each player draws 2 cards from their draw deck
3
Marshalling Phase - Play cards
Starting with the first player, take turns spending gold to marshal characters, locations, and attachments from hand
4
Challenges Phase - Initiate challenges
The first player may initiate up to three challenges (one Military, one Intrigue, one Power) against opponents
5
Dominance Phase - Count strength
Each player totals the STR of their standing characters plus gold in their pool
6
Standing Phase - Stand cards
Each player stands all their kneeling cards
7
Taxation Phase - Return gold
All unspent gold returns to the treasury

Winning

How to claim victory.

1
Reach 15 power
The first player to accumulate 15 or more power tokens on their faction card and characters wins immediately
2
Power sources
Gain power through winning challenges, unopposed bonuses, Renown keyword, dominance phase, and card abilities
3
Immediate victory
The game ends the moment any player reaches 15 power, even during another player's turn

watch & Learn

Let the pros teach you with these top videos.

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FULL rules

Looking for the full details? Grab the complete rulebook as a downloadable PDF.

PDF RULEBOOK

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