With Stahleck getting ever closer, so does the debut of our new draft set! In anticipation of this exciting event, we got a few members of the community to take a look at the set in advance and review all of the new cards.
Click here for part 2: Baratheon through Night’s Watch
Click here for part 3: Stark and the Rest
Since this set is designed for draft, the ratings are a bit different from usual standard sets. Here’s the scale with some examples from the Valyrian Draft Set for comparison:
5 – A very powerful card that will almost always make the cut in your final deck. Either a standalone wincon or incredible utility. Examples: Feast or Famine, Victarion Greyjoy
4 – A buildaround wincon, good standalone body, or a helpful but fair utility card you’re happy to play in most decks. Examples: Arya Stark, Silent Sisters
3 – A perfectly playable card that you won’t mind picking and playing most of the time but won’t win you the game on its own. Examples: Even Handed Justice, Red Cloaks
2 – Mediocre filler card that will often end up getting cut unless you’re short on playables or have some specific synergies that it enables. Examples: Salty Navigator, Unsworn Apprentice
1 – Bad filler that you actively want to avoid picking and playing in your deck. Examples: Without His Beard, Crone of Vaes Dothrak
With that out of the way, let’s dive into the reviews. For part 1, we have the new Draft Starter!
Agendas
Sealing the Pact (4.0 Average)
Xelcor – 5 out of 5
If you can build for it, it might be the best agenda because it gives you power and that’s rare to get. Shoutout to Warrior’s Sons, it’s amazing with them.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 5 out of 5
This will be the agenda seeing the most play. It accelerates games through its built-in power gain, and you’ll probably see enough cards to build a solid two-faction deck. Plus, it’s very flavorful that you need both an in-faction and an out-of-faction character for it to work.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 5 out of 5
I think this will probably be the most commonly-run agenda. Drafting strong cards for only two factions is fairly easy to do, and the power-gain payoff is strong enough to make you want to run this agenda. I also like that the nature of the effect means youʼll want roughly half and half of each factionʼs characters.
IljaMuromez – 3 out of 5
Solid agenda that guarantees power, especially since opponents have hardly any way to kneel the faction card.
Francis Cote – 2 out of 5
This Agenda is fairly limiting in deck building while offering power acceleration. The issue is that you need to win the challenge with an In faction character, to then have an out of faction character gain power. That character has to then find a way to stick on the board. I don’t see this as a very popular pick compared to the variety of other Agendas available.
Unknown and Unknowable (3.0 Average)
Xelcor – 4 out of 5
Overall having access to 3 factions is good and i would say the default agenda if you don’t get something more specific. There will be enough trait synergy that you can always get use out of it.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 4 out of 5
This agenda allows you to play three factions, which is very powerful and may enable interesting interactions. Being able to manipulate traits is also very strong when paired with the right drafted cards. Need another King or Cat? This agenda makes it easy.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 3 out of 5
This one seems to be less strong to me but if you draft good cards for three different factions I can see this one being good. The trait-granting ability can be quite strong I think, but the range of which synergies youʼll use it on is huge. That makes it fun. This will be the agenda for people that like to find weird combos. Which probably means Iʼll be playing this one a lot.
IljaMuromez – 2 out of 5
Traits can sometimes matter but are rarely decisive. Will probably be played less often.
Francis Cote – 2 out of 5
This Agenda interacts with one of the best thing from this draft set, traits. I am just unsure on how much giving a character a certain trait will pay off in the long run.
Pass Beneath the Shadow (3.0 Average)
Xelcor – 3 out of 5
Having access to all shadow card is great but it can get quite expensive sometimes to use all your tricks. Sometimes you might not see the good shadow cards so forcing it isn’t the best.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 5 out of 5
The draft set is full of powerful shadow cards. Being able to play them all together and be rewarded for it in multiple ways is very strong. You’ll see this agenda in a lot of decks.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 4 out of 5
This agenda lets you run Shadow tribal, and I also think itʼs quite strong. The versatile nature of the agenda gives you a lot of flexibility. The threat of +2 STR being held up at pretty much all times if you have gold and stuff in shadows will make your opponent play the challenge phase sub-optimally a lot, I think. Seems very fun, Iʼm excited to play with this agenda.
IljaMuromez – 1 out of 5
Shadow is always expensive. Whether you draw the required cards for it in draft is more than doubtful.
Francis Cote – 2 out of 5
If Shadow is your main focus in the draft, this Agenda gives you immense flexibility. However someone uses those abilities will determine how good it can pay off.
Seeking Fortunes (3.4 Average)
Xelcor – 3 out of 5
Same as Pass Beneath the Shadows, highly depended on if you draft good ones or not.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 3 out of 5
The quality of this plot will heavily depend on your draft pool. If you manage to get your hands on many bestow cards, this will be very powerful. Agenda-based gold refills will be strong in this set. I didn’t rate it higher because it’s not as easy to assemble a legal deck for this agenda compared to others.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 4 out of 5
This one is fun. Itʼs like a side-grade to Free Companies but then also lets you run a bestow tribal deck. And you can also run non-limited locations from any faction! That second part of it seems very fun. There are a lot of cool little ‘non-limited location’ synergies in the draft pool, which makes me excited to build around. And I think it will see a good amount of play!
IljaMuromez – 2 out of 5
Solid agenda that generates reliable income.
Francis Cote – 5 out of 5
Bestow being popular in this draft set, I expect this agenda to thrive and help those decks to have an engine, especially if you can get Casterly Rock to go with it. I expect this to be a popular pick for those seeking bestow as their gameplan.
Join Forces (3.8 Average)
Xelcor – 4 out of 5
Similar to the others but having all Knights might just be a better high roll.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 3 out of 5
This agenda is very straightforward: draft one trait and try to build your deck around it. This can be very powerful, e.g., for Armies or Raiders. It will probably be situational, though – going for extra power or trait manipulation may be your preferred choice.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 3 out of 5
This one is fun, and I like that itʼs so open. If you find yourself drafting a bunch of The Seven characters, or Knights, or Armies, or Mercenaries, go wild. And thereʼs probably some fun ones out there that you wouldnʼt think of right away, like Lords or Allies. Or some weird Weapons deck? Who knows. I like that it works on plots too. Maybe someone will draft a bunch of faction-specific Legacy plots and run them all together with this. That deck would be bad, but I would respect it.
IljaMuromez – 4 out of 5
This agenda will likely be played more often. Armies, lords, ladies, bastards, or small councils — there’s a broad selection, sweetened by lower costs.
Francis Cote – 5 out of 5
Unlike Unknown and Unknowable, Join Forces utilizes the strong aspect of traits in this draft set to really elevate the deck and give it economy. I expect this to be the main choice of agenda once people get used to the draft set.
Desperate Hope (1.2 Average)
Xelcor – 2 out of 5
So this one is weird, on average the worst agenda, but sometimes you get good cards or combos that you need more then 3 factions then you might choose this and break something.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 1 out of 5
This card doesn’t deserve such a low rating, since it’s not terrible to begin with. Having unrestricted access to every card is powerful. However, it’s not called Desperate Hope for no reason – you’ll only include this agenda if nothing else worked out during your draft.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 1 out of 5
I think this one is pretty bad. I can only ever see this being run if you somehow have a god draft and take like 20 insanely strong cards from all factions. Itʼs a good thing that the downside for running a rainbow deck is high. Plus, if you canʼt make a playable Unknown and Unknowable deck in four draft packs and youʼre forced into running this, you kinda deserve it.
IljaMuromez – 1 out of 5
You’d have to be pretty desperate to choose this agenda. I see no advantages at all.
Francis Cote – 1 out of 5
While this agenda offers great flexibility in deck building, the lack of proper set up and lost of econ, initiative and reserve all hurt it a lot. I think the decks that want cards from many factions will do so with agendas that have a proper gameplan in mind.
Draw Deck Cards
Note: You will have a full 3 copies of each of these available in the Draft Starter.
Faceless Man (3.4 Average)
Xelcor – 3 out of 5
Pretty average but if you get some good trait synergy it can be a 3/5 otherwise 2/5 (maybe a 4/5 with Cats xD)
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 2 out of 5
This seems rather like a filler card, and you’ll most likely only play it if you need extra cards for your agenda. However, in trait-heavy decks, this may very well be just what you need.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 4 out of 5
Having this guy in the starter helps a lot to smooth out all the potential trait synergies that you might want to draft. Heʼs perhaps the most versatile a card can possibly be because heʼs a complete wildcard character. He can be whatever trait or icon you need in the moment without needing to commit to it first. Also makes him a great topdeck on a small board or later in the game. The only thing holding me back from giving him full points is that he might get pushed out if you draft
enough good 2-costers. But the fact that you have three of this guy also means you might not need to?
IljaMuromez – 3 out of 5
This is a universal weapon. A pity it only gives one icon. But it will definitely see play.
Francis Cote – 5 out of 5
Cheap trait bot, as well as picking the icon of choice in a time of need. This card fits very well in the theme of the set in every way possible.
Pentoshi Trader (5.0 Average)
Xelcor – 5 out of 5
Econ is rare, provides good setups as well. Close to no reason to not 3of this in every deck.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 5 out of 5
This card is just what reducers from the Valyrian draft should have been like. It’s clean and simple – you’ll see this in almost every deck.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 5 out of 5
This guy is kind of the pillar of your economy in draft, a universal reducer, great for setup. I donʼt see myself ever running less than three of this in whatever deck I build.
IljaMuromez – 5 out of 5
This card is an absolute must in every deck. Simple, yet irreplaceable.
Francis Cote – 5 out of 5
This card will be seen in all decks that want to play characters on the board. Simple, effective.
Holdfast Village (5.0 Average)
Xelcor – 5 out of 5
Reliable econ, just pick it, it even can be draw.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 5 out of 5
A very nice card! It pays for itself in the first round you play it, can give you a gold advantage if needed, and may draw you a card later in the game. You’ll see this in every deck. Does the town in the artwork look familiar?
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 5 out of 5
I think the first nine slots of your deck should always be these six limiteds and three Pentoshi Trader. This one is fun because it can be used for +1 money or +1 card after you’ve already used it for a reduction (not just a marshaling action!), but I would be careful about using the secondary effect too early. Getting stuck with no limiteds feels rough in draft since money plots are scarce.
IljaMuromez – 5 out of 5
This card is an absolute must in every deck. Simple, yet irreplaceable.
Francis Cote – 5 out of 5
Just like Pentoshi Trader, this card will be seen in every single deck. On top of this being econ, it also has the flexibility to gain extra gold or a card if needed in a game saving/winning situation.
Market Square (4.2 Average)
Xelcor – 4 out of 5
So that’s 1 time use econ. Still great but the first one you replace if you draft econ cards.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 4 out of 5
Out of both starter economy locations, this is the weaker one for me. However, you’ll likely still include it in most decks, depending on your drafted curve and extra economy. It feels like a Kingsroad, but the gold can be used for bestow or shadow, which is great in this set.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 5 out of 5
Basically a better Kingsroad? Not much to say here, youʼll never run less than three. This being a 1-shot effect can make the econ in draft feel slightly awkward vs something like Roseroad, if you use up all your Market Squares you might get into a situation where you donʼt have much gold for the following turns. But it also these wonʼt ever feel like a dead draw in the late game because you can always use it.
IljaMuromez – 4 out of 5
This card has only a one-time effect, but it’s very cheap and highly effective. Will certainly be played.
Francis Cote – 4 out of 5
Amazing econ, with the ability to burst when necessary. Solid when necesarry in a pinch, but less flexibility than Holdfast Village.
Plots
Note: You will have 1 copy of each of these available in the Draft Starter.
Feast or Famine (4.0 Average)
Xelcor – 4 out of 5
Either it is the highest flat gold plot or a 2-claim plot, and you can use it very flexible. A pretty default choice if you don’t find better plots to start the game with.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 5 out of 5
The classic. Most decks will start with this plot, while some may take advantage of the higher claim later. You’ll see this in nearly every deck.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 4 out of 5
A classic returns! Fans of Valyrian Draft will recall seeing this plot on turn one of pretty much every game of it that was ever played. I expect it will still see a lot of play, thought itʼs less auto-include than it previously was for two reasons: 1.) Draft decks having 7 plots means you wonʼt cycle back into it for 2 claim as often as you did previously. 2.) There are a lot more playable openers in the card pool, including one in the starter (Manning is basically 7 gold). I expect this will still see a good bit of play for its flexibility.
IljaMuromez – 4 out of 5
Solid plot with two very good and important variants. Will definitely be played.
Francis Cote – 3 out of 5
The classic plot from the first draft set that allows you to pick either gold or claim depending on what the situation calls for. The 0 claim if you pick gold makes it a tough plot to pick in my opinion, but when it’ll land, it’ll do big damage.
The Pale Mare (4.8 Average)
Xelcor – 5 out of 5
5/5 straight up, sometimes you might not want it but you will probably see it in every game and not playing around it in some form will be bad for you. Good reliable board clear and checks all the people that high rolled 5 renown 7 costers xD.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 5 out of 5
Another classic. You’ll see this in almost every deck – it’s your number-one board wipe option.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 5 out of 5
A classic from Valyrian draft, Iʼm glad this reset stuck around. It feels very iconic for draft. Importantly this got a significant nerf on initiative (used to be 8 for some godforsaken reason), which seems like a good call for a starter reset. It still beats Manning tho, which is also important. I like the dichotomy of both this and Biting Cold being in the starter, it means that neither weenie decks nor big guy decks are
completely safe (4-cost draft meta confirmed????).
IljaMuromez – 4 out of 5
A classic — a reset that will and should be in every deck.
Francis Cote – 5 out of 5
This mix between Valar Morghulis and Valar Dohaeris, forcing players to be careful with how they flood the board. Important to remember that you cannot save any of the characters. It’s 10 gold of characters, and the rest dies.
City Fair (3.4 Average)
Xelcor – 2 out of 5
Pretty decent, doesnt need a City plotline but even in one you probably can get better draw.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 3 out of 5
One of the two City plots in the starter. You’ll see some play with this when players draft more City plots, but the stats aren’t too impressive for drawing just one extra card. Still, it’s a solid option.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 4 out of 5
Pretty decent, makes City plots a very worthy option to go for. Also having Manning in the starter bumps the value of this up by a lot. Open Manning for 7 gold, this on t2 or t3 to draw 2 cards, and youʼre off to the races.
IljaMuromez – 4 out of 5
For the City plotline, this is a very good card. Otherwise, simply a good one.
Francis Cote – 4 out of 5
If you’re able to get more City plots in your plot deck, this one is absolutely amazing. Draw in a smaller deck size is very important.
Manning the City Walls (4.2 Average)
Xelcor – 5 out of 5
Great plot, if you can use it, it is the highest econ plot in the format. You don’t need City plots to open with this anyway.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 3 out of 5
The second City plot in the starter. You’ll include this when drafting additional City plots, and the modification makes this one very powerful. You’ll probably see it every few games.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 5 out of 5
This one got a major buff so that it works with any character, not just non-uniques, and I think itʼs one of the best plots in the starter, if not the best. At its base value itʼs a 7 gold plot if you put in a 3-coster, and jumping that up to 10 with a City plot in the used pile is nuts. In a format where economy can be hard to come by, this is very strong. And sorry for the minor spoiler, but Gulltown is in the draft pool, which
means you could feasibly open this for 10 gold if the stars align. I think this will definitely see a lot of play.
IljaMuromez – 3 out of 5
For the City Plot line, this is a very good card. Otherwise, simply a good one.
Francis Cote – 5 out of 5
Cheating a 6 cost character in play on a 4 gold plot is quite the impact. This can swing games fast if your opponent cannot stop a couple of bombs swinging for a full turn.
Razed to the Ground (2.8 Average)
Xelcor – 2 out of 5
High initiative, but i value 2 claim MIL rather low in this format, sometimes it is so swarmy that there are enough chars out to always soak. The low reserve proably will not matter late in the game.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 3 out of 5
MIL-heavy aggro decks will love this plot. The gold may just be enough to start with it, which could heavily disrupt the opponent’s game plan. Other decks will look for better options, though (such as a general 2-claim plot).
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 3 out of 5
A nice option for more aggressive decks, and I think the initiative makes this quite playable. Compare to Retaliation – this lets you go first and attack with 2-claim MIL pretty reliably. Might get pushed out for better plots in some decks, but I think itʼs something youʼll always have to think about. I like that this serves as a good foundation for aggro decks in draft.
IljaMuromez – 3 out of 5
An important plot. The high initiative guarantees the effect.
Francis Cote – 3 out of 5
While an increase in claim for military can be absolutely devastating, I do believe that more cheap characters can be played during draft and therefore the impact might be a bit smaller. This will punish greedy players though.
Bitter Accusation (2.8 Average)
Xelcor – 2 out of 5
It is better with some claim raise, and it has more gold than average but overall, very situational.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 4 out of 5
The INT plot of the challenge-plot trio. Gold and initiative are very solid, and Scheme may also be a relevant trait. In its base case, it filters cards, but with some claim manipulation, this can become very powerful.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 2 out of 5
I think this doesnʼt stack up very well against other plots, including City Fair, also in the starter. Could be strong with some claim raise, but I think this wonʼt be played very often. Conditional card filter instead of just a straight draw 1 isnʼt worth 1 extra gold, in my opinion. Might have some slight Scheme synergy with
other cards, but thatʼs a bit of a reach I think.
IljaMuromez – 3 out of 5
Solid income. Good initiative and one extra temporary card. Will definitely be played.
Francis Cote – 3 out of 5
While I think that draw is king in draft, I do not know exactly how to get the claim value up on this plot, and therefore am unsure of how often it can be triggered to get more draw value from this plot. Does it show I haven’t seen the whole draft set yet?
Royal Decree (3.4 Average)
Xelcor – 4 out of 5
Power wins games, and it has the highest initiative from the “always access cards” you might draft better plots tho to finish the game.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 4 out of 5
A very good choice for faster or POW-heavy decks. Additional challenges are never a bad thing, I heard. The only downside is that, for a closer, the initiative may be too low.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 2 out of 5
This can make a good finisher for some decks, but 3 gold is rough to justify. Will probably be cut in most lists in favor of better plots. Initiative keeps this from being a 1.
IljaMuromez – 3 out of 5
The high initiative allows double power challenges. Strong conditions to win the game.
Francis Cote – 4 out of 5
Power challenges win games, and if your deck can leverage that challenge well, then this can definitely be a difference maker. Watch out for Baratheon decks that leverage that challenge well.
Jousting Contest (3.2 Average)
Xelcor – 3 out of 5
Very good plot if you have few high STR/value chars, decent gold.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 5 out of 5
I probably rated this too high, and you won’t see it that often, but I really recommend playing it. Board states may become quite big in the draft, and this plot makes winning and calculating challenges much easier.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 3 out of 5
This slightly tweaked plot gives big guy decks a nice payoff, and 5 gold is very respectable. You wonʼt run this in every deck, but itʼs an important plot to consider across the table especially if youʼre drafting a more low-cost strategy.
IljaMuromez – 4 out of 5
Solid income. Good initiative and limited response options for the opponent. Will definitely be played.
Francis Cote – 1 out of 5
Just like in regular format, I Don’t see this as an option to be played other than a dedicated Tyrell deck that can leverage playing challenges with Willas Tyrell.
Biting Cold (3.6 Average)
Xelcor – 4 out of 5
The other reset, less reliable, stops swarming a lot but it can be saved. Depends on your deck if you can include it or not.
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 3 out of 5
This card is very interesting. I think only some decks will play it, since it heavily punishes lower curves. However, you’ll need to watch out for it and draft some attachments to get around it.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 4 out of 5
A cross between First Snow and Valar Dohaeris? Sign me the hell up. This one is very fun, and this being in the starter means that weenie decks wonʼt automatically be the best way to go like they were in Valyrian Draft. I also like that the ‘without attachments’ line here gives it some counterplay, and means that if you are drafting a weenie-centric deck, youʼll want to prioritize picking up some attachments as well to protect your key characters. Not every deck will want to play this, but youʼll see it often.
IljaMuromez – 3 out of 5
A good reset that grants at least 4 gold income.
Francis Cote – 4 out of 5
Shadow or jumper decks will leverage this plot fairly well, allowing to jump in cards and gain board advantage over decks that swarmed the board with smaller characters.
Secrets of Oldtown (2.6 Average)
Xelcor – 3 out of 5
Great flex plot, decent initiative great if you need the traits (pls give this to us in the normal game)
Flo (PitchBlecc) – 4 out of 5
This plot is very versatile and useful. Its initiative is good, and being able to gain a needed icon as an action can lead to some fun plays. Also, trait-heavy decks will want this.
Ben Barnhart (Haruspex) – 3 out of 5
Probably will get cut pretty quick if you draft something better, but the flexibility of this makes it playable. Itʼs Faceless Man on a stick, for any character. And the initiative is quite nice.
IljaMuromez – 3 out of 5
Solid plot with high initiative, though the effect is modest. The trait doesn’t add much.
Francis Cote – 3 out of 5
The flexibility between giving a trait or icon is not negligible, but uncertain on how much this plot can be leveraged properly. Decks that can stand a character for multiple challenges with intimidate or renown can use this to accelerate the game.
Card Averages
5.0 Pentoshi Trader
5.0 Holdfast Village
4.8 The Pale Mare
4.2 Market Square
4.2 Manning the City Walls
4.0 Sealing the Pact
4.0 Feast or Famine
3.8 Join Forces
3.8 Biting Cold
3.4 Seeking Fortunes
3.4 Faceless Man
3.4 City Fair
3.4 Royal Decree
3.2 Jousting Contest
3.0 Unknown and Unknowable
3.0 Pass Beneath the Shadow
2.8 Razed to the Ground
2.8 Bitter Accusation
2.6 Secrets of Oldtown
1.2 Desperate Hope
That’s it for today! If you enjoyed this review, stay tuned for part 2 as we dive into the Draft Packs!
For more information about the Tower of Joy Draft Set, check out our previous articles:
Announcing the Tower of Joy Draft Set
Revealing the Full Tower of Joy Draft Set
