Online Worlds are just around the corner and the G.O.T. are releasing a new restricted list to tackle the strongest decks that have risen since the last update with the help of new powerful cards. Some decks are clearly performing above average and some interactions need our attention as well. In addition, we are tuning some of the pods and restrictions to balance power between factions and to encourage different builds.
The new Restricted List will be effective from Monday, 20 May 2024. By this date, we anticipate that both ThronesDB and TIT will be updated accordingly.
Without further ado, these are new changes for the Restricted List Update v1.11.
Joust
Baratheon
A pod consisting of Azor Ahai and Warhammer has been added to the restricted list. The possibility of using intimidate three times in one turn can lead to blowout wins. Baratheon Trading with Qohor can set up this combination of cards from the first turn without difficulty. We want to remove this powerful combination from a strong without affecting its other rush cards.
Greyjoy
Balon Greyjoy (KotI) has been added to the restricted list. The previously strong GJ deck, The Kings of Winter, has entered another dimension with the recent arrival of Ralf Kenning. However, as a very recent card, we do not yet want to restrict it or put it in a pod and prefer to tackle one of the other major cards in the deck, Balon Greyjoy (KotI). This card allows strong management of opposing challenges while giving a decisive advantage post-reset. By its restriction, we force players to choose between Asha and therefore the draw and Balon.
A pod consisting of Nightflyer and Nothing Burns Like the Cold has been added to the restricted list. We are aware that restricting Balon Greyjoy (KotI) is probably insufficient compared to the power level of the GJ deck The Kings of Winter. Therefore we choose to put an end to the combination where the theoretical disadvantage in playing the plot transforms into an advantage with Nightflyer by allowing its recursion. With these decisions, we hope to end the deck’s domination without killing it.
Lannister
A pod consisting of Lionstar and Painted Dogs has been added to the restricted list. The easy recursion of Painted Dogs pairs far too well with Lionstar and Harrenhal. The possibility of using this effect three times almost for free in the same turn forces us to reduce its “easy” jump possibilities in a deck that has been outperforming for a long time now without removing all its power.
A pod consisting of Heads on Spikes and Cersei Lannister (LoCR) has been added to the restricted list. Lannister The Lord of the Crossing and The Rains of Castamere are two long-time powerful decks that have been continually improved with many recent releases. We want to put an end to this difference-maker card combination that can either ruin an entire game from the first round in the plot phase or end a game from 12 power in the plot phase. This change should reduce the power level of these decks without making them unplayable.
Martell
War Scorpion has been removed from the restricted list. We believe that the textual modification of The Many-Faced God agenda made this attachment less strong and no longer requires restriction. We do remain vigilant about its future use as it is a very strong card. Therefore:
A pod consisting of War Scorpion and The Water Gardens has been added to the restricted list. We want to keep an eye on War Scorpion and not make it immediately and freely usable by certain already very strong decks (Martell Knight of the Hollow Hill for example). We are creating this pod to force the player to pay the price for this effective card.
Someone Always Tells has been added to the restricted list. Martell Lord/Ladies decks have everything: draw, renown, and strength. But above all, they had an incredible ability to avoid resets. We want to change this to force them to choose between the draw and resistance to resets.
The Night’s Watch
Seasoned Woodsman has been added to the restricted list. NW Valyrian Steel has both an exaggerated ability to control the table with a multitude of actions that are difficult for the opponent to manage and an all-too-easily accessible draw and redraw potential. We want to complicate the task of this deck and force it to choose between a character with a stronger ability than the agenda itself and certain utility or draw plots without ruining it in the meta.
Stark
She-Bear has been removed from the Crossing pod and I Am No One has been added to the Crossing pod. Mormont decks could provide the diversity that the Starks need but they are prevented by the presence of two Mormont cards in the same pod. This modification will address this problem. However, we are aware of the power of the Stark The Lord of the Crossing deck and therefore it was not possible to release this card with no trade-off. Adding I Am No One removes easy draw and the ability for one character to make multiple challenges, compensating the tempo advantage given by She-Bear.
Targaryen
Currently we see that Targaryen is in a good spot with multiple different builds and interesting card releases. Restrictions to other factions increase Targaryen’s relative power level but no releases of the powerful restricted Targaryen cards are currently needed.
Tyrell
A pod consisting of Green-Apple Knight and The White Book agenda has been added to the restricted list. The omnipresence of the Tyrell The White Book deck and its imposing capacity to create characters, gold, and renown (notably through the A Tourney for the King plot) forces us to review its power by removing access to Green-Apple Knight which gains significant strength and a double renown that is too easy to utilize.
The pod consisting of Scheming Septon and Oldtown has been removed from the restricted list. With the decreasing presence of Tyrell decks (other than the White Book) and the Randyll/Oldtown pod, we believe the existence of this pod is no longer necessary. We hope to allow the emergence of new decks with this ability to more easily generate gold and draw for Tyrell.
Melee
No changes have been made to the Restricted List v 1.11 for melee. No new problematic cards or interactions have come to our attention and we look forward to people using the new interesting cards in their melee decks to create further diversity in the only format that matters 😉
