A question: Is the luck of a Lannister a real thing, or just part of their boogeyman aura?

[The Frosted King]

I can't think of any other side that caught as much mana as the Lannisters.

Others sought to catch such windfalls, but the heavens were closed to them.

[The Frosted King]

No takers

[David Selig]

Of course it is real. They caught so many breaks throughout the first three books.

[Sullen]

I can't think of any other side that caught as much mana as the Lannisters.

I can think of three that had just as much luck, if not more.

Dany, Jon, and especially Littlefinger.

[Bob Sacamano]

A lot of their luck derives from the Starks being politically inept.

[The Frosted King]

A lot of their luck derives from the Starks being politically inept.

Hardly.

Starks being politically inept had nothing to do with Balon being an idiot, or Lysa a devious turncoat.

Or Rodrik being the master at arms, yet he took all the arms of the northern capitol to go thrash pirates on behalf of the pointless Torrhen's Square.

Thats like Tyrion taking the goldcloaks to defeat a host of riverlords at Cracklaw Point.

These are all idiotic choices made by people who should otherwise damn well know better.

[Bob Sacamano]

Hardly.

Starks being politically inept had nothing to do with Balon being an idiot, or Lysa a devious turncoat.

Or Rodrik being the master at arms, yet he took all the arms of the northern capitol to go thrash pirates on behalf of the pointless Torrhen's Square.

Thats like Tyrion taking the goldcloaks to defeat a host of riverlords at Cracklaw Point.

These are all idiotic choices made by people who should otherwise damn well know better.

If Robb had sent someone else besides Theon to treat with Balon it would have been vastly different. IMO, I consider that one of the most politically inept moves of the entire series...

[THE WATCHER IN THE DARK]

I would consider Daenerys/House Targaryen too be more lucky, The Targaryens should have been destroyed by the end of Robert's Rebellion. They had only two survivors and one of them was already half mad. Daenerys went from being a slave to a conqueror with dragons and an army. She could be potentially taking back the Iron Throne in the next book, plus she has dragons when they were considered to be long extinct.

If any house is considered lucky to be alive it should be Targaryens

[thelittledragonthatcould]

If Tywin was truly lucky he would of got a foreign priestess who can create shadowbabies to assassinate his enemies or a magical wolf that he can mind control and is able to find unknown hidden tracks.

The majority of the leaders got lucky, Tywin just took advantage of it better.

[Crowford]

Well, you know, it's not an unrealistic amount of luck.

The Lannisters had awesome starting conditions: Richest house, one of the largest armies, best claim to the Iron Throne (by virtue of actually having it). They have a few quite competent minds, Tywin might not be a grand strategist but he is an incredibly capable politician and diplomat.

And most of all - given their current dire situation, can you really call them "lucky" in the first place?

[Djinn]

Luck is often the excuse to justify their oponents ineptness. How lucky were Stafford, Lancel, Tyrek, Jaime, Kevan or Genna? What magical resource did the Lannisters had? Tywin's rep influenced Balon and Lysa decisons, so what!? He worked hard to get it for a reason. That isn't to say that some characters are in general more lucky that others(Tyrion, Daenerys, Arya,etc).

[Jon of the Dead]

Remember how the Lannisters ended aGoT:

Jaime was a prisoner, Robb and the Tullys were sitting right across the supply lines from the Westerlands, they held Moat Cailin, Riverrun and IIRC, Harrenhal.

Stannis was calling his bannermen in Dragonstone, Renly had just married Margaery and won the Tyrell support, Lysa made the East hostile territory, etc

Five great houses were practically against the Lannisters. If the Greyjoys or Martells had allied with Robb or the Baratheons, the Lannisters would've had all great houses against them.

And now let's see how the Lannisters started aSoS:

They had the support of the Tyrells, an alliance with the Martells, many storm lords had bent the knee, Littlefinger was soon to bring the Vale into the fold, Renly was dead, Stannis defeated, the North had been invaded by the Ironborn, etc

In my humble opinion, you don't go from having zero allies to practically winning the war in just one book without a little luck

[Rickeen Baratheon]

I see it as skill, not luck. I'm not even overly fond of them all, apart from Jaime, but I can't say they're bad at what they do. Tywin, at least, was competent and Kevan also seemed to be. Taking advantage of other's mistakes isn't luck, it is skill.

[Lady Isobel]

I also don't think it has anything to do with luck.

Look were they are now:

Tywin and Kevan are dead, Cersei is being brought to trial for -some of - her sins, Jaime is maimed and on his way to meet LS, Tyrion is a slave..

Their circumstances, cleverness and foresightedness (mainly Tywin's) is what got them to the top.

If they were lucky they would have stayed there

[PrimeRhaegar]

yup they have been as a house lucky. It happens i mean certain indivdual characters are also blessed with luck too i.e varys, LF

[Drexyon7]

It's a plot device to loosely explain why Tyrion hasn't died yet...

[nekrohsis]

I won't deny they were lucky, but their luck hasn't remained constant through the books, so I don't see anything wrong with it.

[thelittledragonthatcould]

In my humble opinion, you don't go from having zero allies to practically winning the war in just one book without a little luck

It wasnt really luck though, they gave away Harrenhall to ensure that the Vale stayed neutral and Myrcella to keep Dorne neutral while giving the Reach a future 1/2 Tyrell King and the Boltons the North.

When you are the richest Family and sit on the Iron Throne you have more to offer other families and they certainly bartered their way to victory. Had Stannis or Robb been as generous they too might have won.

[Sullen]

Starks being politically inept had nothing to do with Balon being an idiot, or Lysa a devious turncoat.

Lysa wasn't a turncoat, not towards Robb.

She was an Arryn, and the Arryns are not obligated to help the Starks, she chose neutrality, and considering how her army is currently practically the only one still at full strength, I'd say she chose well in that.

As for Balon attacking the North, you'd have to remember that Robb sent his hostage back to him and belittled him in one short stroke, it was political ineptitude.

But then again, I'm far from surprised to see you try to make the Starks look as good as possible.

[The Frosted King]

Lysa wasn't a turncoat, not towards Robb.

She was an Arryn, and the Arryns are not obligated to help the Starks, she chose neutrality, and considering how her army is currently practically the only one still at full strength, I'd say she chose well in that.

As for Balon attacking the North, you'd have to remember that Robb sent his hostage back to him and belittled him in one short stroke, it was political ineptitude.

But then again, I'm far from surprised to see you try to make the Starks look as good as possible.

One, Robb didn't belittle Balon.

And even if he did, was Balon not being a fool and cutting off his nose to spite his face when he went north rather than south?

Im sorry, if someone offered you a million dollars after calling you a dumbshit, i take it you would refuse the money and then go steal an ice cream truck?

If so, you deserve the label.

Her betrayal wasn't about the name but the blood.

She was in the perfect position to send men without risking invasion, due to the setup of the vale.

Lysa and her son are weaker if the two regions that border her lands are in the hands of people who would merely shrug and go about their day, if the Eyrie were to be invaded.

As long as a Tully and a Stark sat to the west and north, help is assured.

The Boltons and Freys won't lift a finger to help Robin, and why should they?

She's so stupid, she helped the Lannisters by not helping her extended family, yet the Lannisters sent clansmen back to the vale armed with good steel and armor.

And i don't think its crazy to say it rained on the Starks excessively.

If it could go wrong, it did go wrong.