More decks also available on:

https://agotfriendlyopen.com/factions/nightswatch

Core Set Cards

A Friendly Open review:

The Night's Watch Fealty.

Goal:

Learn the basics of the game starting from the Core Set. We are reviewing decks that performed well, back in 2015, and why they were good back then. The idea is to help newer player understand the existent mechanics within a faction. Some of these mechanics are still strong today, many years later.

Themes:

Defence, Builders, Rangers, Choke, Stealing

The gameplan:

The main objective of the Night's Watch player is to protect/defend The Wall (Core). As long as you defend each challenge thrown at you, you shall succeed. Since you are defending, each turn you should be second player. With Old Bear Mormont (Core) and The Wall (Core) you can benefit a free character entering play which can also help you win dominance.

• Defend, defend, defend: The Wall (Core), a center piece for going second and defend each challenge. You have 39 characters and you shouldn't be shy to marshal them. When your opponent will be done with their challenges, if you have standing characters and you can win challenges, do them. Otherwise, pass challenges and proceed to the end of the phase to trigger The Wall (Core). If you win dominance, that will be 3 : 1 for dominance and 2 for The Wall.
• Builders: this trait will be more developed with later packs as the game evolves but in the Core Set, you have access to Veteran Builder. He can help you stand the Wall if you can't defend all challenges, or you can stand Castle Black (Core) to stand a second defending character.
• Choke and Steal: This theme is light in the Core Set, but since the economy is tight, you may have benefits with A Meager Contribution, Yoren (Core) and Take the Black.

Setup:

Try to get a combination of the following in your starting hand:

• The Wall (Core), Old Bear Mormont (Core), Jon Snow (Core), Benjen Stark (Core)
• A combination of cards costing 6, 2 and 0
• A combination of cards costing 7, 1 and 0
• A combination of cards costing 5, 2, 1 and 0
• A combination of cards costing 3, 2 and 2
• A combination of cards costing 4, 2, 2, 0
• The economy of the Core Set is limited, but having access to Old Bear Mormont (Core) may help you cheat characters into play. If you can setup a Old Bear without getting Marched to the Wall by your opponent, go ahead!

As in any deck, a starting hand with an economy card (limited locations, The Kingsroad, The Roseroad) is always advantageous. Optionally Littlefinger (Core) and Steward at the Wall are there to help. Note: Littlefinger (Core) would be better if used in marshalling for his draw ability.

Plots:

• If you have a Lord in hand (Jon Snow (Core) or Old Bear Mormont (Core)), open with A Noble Cause.
• If you already have great characters on setup and you draw back to 7 cards and you find The Wall (Core), you may try to open with Calm Over Westeros to win initiative, name and go second.
• The first turns are there for you to setup your deck's main game plan (think about draw early with Messenger Raven and discard cards with Old Forest Hunter to get more gold.
  • Make sure you control your board to defend and kneel a big stealth character with Filthy Accusations.
• Fortified Position is a big Milk of the Poppy on the entire board for every player. Play it accordingly if you don't find your 2 copies of Milk.
• Confiscation is to remove the Milk on Old Bear Mormont (Core) since all of your other characters are "No attachments".
• Power Behind the Throne: a tool to stand a character to make sure you can defend each challenge. You can always defend with Jon Snow (Core) and stand him to attack.

Key cards:

• Old Bear Mormont (Core) + The Wall (Core)
• Jon Snow (Core) + Longclaw
• Messenger Raven, Maester Aemon (Core) on setup
• Benjen Stark (Core) + Wildfire Assault
• The Iron Throne (Core) + The Wall (Core)

We inspired ourselves with decks that performed well in 2015, original list made by "SteveHouston". You can contact the Friendly Open on Discord where you'll find more advanced decks, discussion with other players and you'll find information on how to join our weekly tournaments. We hope this deck will help you learn more the basics of the game. Enjoy! :)