<p>Where a player sits around the table has little influence on the turn order of the game. Straight out of the <a href="https://images-cdn.fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/a_game_of_thrones_the_board_game/media/agotbgrules.pdf" rel="noreferrer">rule book</a>, on page 7 (emphasis mine):</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Your house position on the Iron Throne influence track abstractly represents the strength of your claim to be king as seen among the minor nobles, knights, and people of Westeros. In the game, <strong>the Iron Throne Influence track determines the Order of Play</strong>, and the highest bidder also gains control of the Iron Throne token after all the bidding is resolved.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The turn order is determined by the Iron Throne track, so it changes over the course of the game, and the player that starts at position one of the Iron Throne track is determined by your starting House. If the concern is House picking, that is also covered by the rules on page 3 (emphasis mine):</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>6) Each player now <strong>randomly draws</strong> a House Start Card to determine which house he will control for the rest of the game.  </p>
</blockquote>

<p>House draw is supposed to be random, so following the rules here should prevent any shadiness among players. Randomization shouldn't favor any one player, so this should solve any problems with assignment.</p>

<p>As such, feel free to sit anywhere around the table you want, as it won't impact the flow of the game too much. Although sitting closer to your starting location on the board is always a good idea so you don't have to reach across the table for everything you do.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-24T13:18:46.937Z
2016-03-24T13:18:46.937Z
SocioMatt
<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Positions are assigned naturally, according to where people happened to be sitting when the game starts</strong>. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>In the setup phase of the game, people will have sat at the table to chat, help set up etc, or arrive later and sit without regard to the board game dynamics. </p>

<p>Announce the start of the game and tell people that's who they're playing. </p>

<p><strong>Effect</strong></p>

<ul>
<li><p>Is an interesting twist on random. </p></li>
<li><p>People may be unhappy about the position they get. </p></li>
<li><p>If people are aware of the seating process they can influence their position. </p></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-24T09:04:55.903Z
2016-03-25T10:10:29.433Z
2016-03-25T10:10:29.433Z
dwjohnston
<p>In Game of Thrones the assignment of each player to a house has a drastic impact on the way the game plays out.  </p>

<p>What are the different ways to assign houses to players, and what are their advantages or effects? </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-24T10:31:23.707Z
@Zombie_Gamer No. Why do that? They are three distinct answers.
dwjohnston
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-24T12:12:18.320Z
I don't fully remember how it plays, but does seating position actually matter? I thought turns/actions were taken based on one of the priority tracks rather than position around a table. Or did you just mean assigning Houses at the start?
Samthere
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-25T10:09:08.783Z
@Samthere I mean to assign who plays which house.
dwjohnston
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-25T12:54:43.183Z
Should this be tagged house-rules, since you seem to be looking for alternatives to the method explicitly listed in the rulebook?
bwarner
<house-rules><game-of-thrones>
How do we assign Game of Thrones houses?
dwjohnston
# How do we assign Game of Thrones houses?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-03-24)

In Game of Thrones the assignment of each player to a house has a drastic impact on the way the game plays out.

What are the different ways to assign houses to players, and what are their advantages or effects?

**Tags:** house-rules, game-of-thrones

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: @Zombie_Gamer No. Why do that? They are three distinct answers.  
> **username_1**: I don't fully remember how it plays, but does seating position actually matter? I thought turns/actions were taken based on one of the priority tracks rather than position around a table. Or did you just mean assigning Houses at the start?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 I mean to assign who plays which house.  
> **username_2**: Should this be tagged house-rules, since you seem to be looking for alternatives to the method explicitly listed in the rulebook?  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-03-24. Score: 7

Where a player sits around the table has little influence on the turn order of the game. Straight out of the [rule book](https://images-cdn.fantasyflightgames.com/ffg_content/a_game_of_thrones_the_board_game/media/agotbgrules.pdf), on page 7 (emphasis mine):

> Your house position on the Iron Throne influence track abstractly represents the strength of your claim to be king as seen among the minor nobles, knights, and people of Westeros. In the game, **the Iron Throne Influence track determines the Order of Play**, and the highest bidder also gains control of the Iron Throne token after all the bidding is resolved.

The turn order is determined by the Iron Throne track, so it changes over the course of the game, and the player that starts at position one of the Iron Throne track is determined by your starting House. If the concern is House picking, that is also covered by the rules on page 3 (emphasis mine):

> 6) Each player now **randomly draws** a House Start Card to determine which house he will control for the rest of the game.

House draw is supposed to be random, so following the rules here should prevent any shadiness among players. Randomization shouldn't favor any one player, so this should solve any problems with assignment.

As such, feel free to sit anywhere around the table you want, as it won't impact the flow of the game too much. Although sitting closer to your starting location on the board is always a good idea so you don't have to reach across the table for everything you do.


---

### Answer by username_0 on 2016-03-24. Score: 0

> **Positions are assigned naturally, according to where people happened to be sitting when the game starts**.

In the setup phase of the game, people will have sat at the table to chat, help set up etc, or arrive later and sit without regard to the board game dynamics.

Announce the start of the game and tell people that's who they're playing.

**Effect**

* Is an interesting twist on random.
* People may be unhappy about the position they get.
* If people are aware of the seating process they can influence their position.


---

