What is a good Count/Duke level character to play as....in general that is...

[sjgold]

I know there are so many count and duke levels to choose from, but the few that I have tried have very little room for expansion if they have the ability at all.
Was wondering if someone could give me some advice into this. I tried playing as a few major players and i get a bit overwhelmed running massive armies and trying to hold things together.

Mostly I'm looking at the last 3 bookmarks the fire and ice stuff...

 

[Rubidium]

The Reach is probably the easiest, if only because there is so much land and so many possible allies (and it seems faster to move around in than the North). Plus, becoming LP of the Reach is an obvious goal, and one that leaves you well positioned to become King later.

There was an interesting characters thread somewhere, but a few choices that come to mind:

-Randyll Tarly: (in Robert's Rebellion, Sam hasn't left for the Night's Watch yet, so you can raise him to be a properly terrifying warrior). Starts with a Valyrian Sword and crazt stats, as well as a fairly large realm

-Paxter Redwyne (or really, any Redwyne): the Arbor is a sweet county, and well-positioned to do whatever you want. Plus as a one-county duke, you get the best of both worlds.

-Orton Merryweather of Longtable: starts with excellent stewardship, a foreign wife, and a single county. He was Hand of the King for most of AFFC. A good choice for a count. Your duchy is also uncreated, so if you move fast you can become a duke.

-What's-his-name of House Roxton of the Ring: starts with a Valyrian sword, and is in an uncreated duchy.

 

[Manic Eskimo]

House Webber is my favourite, they have the best coat of arms imo. Count of Cold Moat. Spread your dynasty like a Web across Westeros

 

[ramblymanguthri]

The Caswells have a great coat-of-arms and starts with barony footholds in two other counties, meaning you might have an easier time expanding by plotting. Because of a bug you can't select them at start in the newest version however, so you'll have to start as another ruler and then change to Caswell with the console.

One of my other favourites is House Royce of Runestone in the Vale. If you start around Wo5K they have a great collection of stats and traits (every man I'm it comes with Strong), and has a great collection of courtiers.

Playing as House Ryswell in the North at the two later start dates means you'll be set to inherit another duchy very soon (even sooner with a bit of fratricide), but it's pretty much the poorest regions of the North. Still, you'll be the ruler of basically all of the western northlands.

I really like playing as House Dayne in Dorne as well, but they aren't particularly easier to expand with. Personally I just like their fluff and how they basically have the blood of every Westerosi people flowing through their veins (First Men, Sneak, Rhoynar, and Valyrian) and thus obviously should sit on the one throne to rule them all.

 

[vancexentan]

Outside of the iron throne try the counts of the stepstones.

 

[Gunburned]

I like to play in the westerlands because you can get gold mines and silver mines.

 

[D Toccs]

The Caswells have a great coat-of-arms and starts with barony footholds in two other counties, meaning you might have an easier time expanding by plotting. Because of a bug you can't select them at start in the newest version however, so you'll have to start as another ruler and then change to Caswell with the console.

I haven't heard of this bug before. So the Caswell characters are still ingame with their holdings when it loads, but they are unselectable from the startup menu? Is it in every bookmark? I'll look into it.

I really like playing as House Dayne in Dorne as well, but they aren't particularly easier to expand with. Personally I just like their fluff and how they basically have the blood of every Westerosi people flowing through their veins (First Men, Sneak, Rhoynar, and Valyrian) and thus obviously should sit on the one throne to rule them all.

Daynes have no Valyrian blood.

 

[Lhutien]

They're Western Valyrian because of the white hair.

 

[ramblymanguthri]

The hair itself (or rather, their eyes) is their claim to "valyrian" blood, regardless of whether they got it from there or not

Edit: Didn't see thus part at first.

I haven't heard of this bug before. So the Caswell characters are still ingame with their holdings when it loads, but they are unselectable from the startup menu? Is it in every bookmark? I'll look into it.

It's at least like that in the Wo5K bookmark, I haven't checked the others but just assumed it was the same. I also don't have any DLCs but I read a post not long ago mentioning the bug (for some other ruler who also owns s city) kept you from playing him, with the tooltip that you can't play as republics, even if you actually have the Republic DLC.

 

[postm00v]

I finished the Vale chapter in WoIaF yesterday, and my next playthrough is going to be as the Royces. It'll be cool to re-create the struggle between the Arryns and the Royces, I think.

Do the Royces have an event in which they can claim back Lady Forlorn from the Corbrays?

 

[Andrzej I]

Claim back? Lady Forlorn was always in the hands of House Corbray. In the new book, it says that King Robar Royce even cut Lady Forlorn out of the hands of Qyle Corbray in battle.

As for easy count/duke starts, if memory serves, the Karstarks have a pair of counties to their name, which would give you a bit of power.

 

[Barón Rojo]

Littlefinger seems like an interesting character to me.

 

[postm00v]

Claim back? Lady Forlorn was always in the hands of House Corbray. In the new book, it says that King Robar Royce even cut Lady Forlorn out of the hands of Qyle Corbray in battle.

As for easy count/duke starts, if memory serves, the Karstarks have a pair of counties to their name, which would give you a bit of power.

Really? I must've misread that then.

EDIT: I re-read the chapter, and you're absolutely right. I got confused with when Robar fought the Falcon Knight, totally forgetting Robar actually took Lady Forlorn from Corbray in a previous fight.

 

[misiame]

Duskendale as the Darklyn's. Create the Seven Swords of Darklyn's or recreate the Defiance of Duskendale! Or seat yourself on the Iron Throne!

 

[das]

Boltons, naturally. I'm pretty sure they have some unique features related to their unique pursuits, and anyway they're cool from a roleplaying perspective: Gothic Cruel Feudal Lords plotting to usurp the North from their old rivals.

 

[thadian]

I like Lys just fine. SW Essos.