u/Dotaproffessional

A Song of Ice and Fire is a novel series that follows many schemes and plots. I believe that, fundamentally, some people are operating on entirely different levels than some others. So before I break down what these tiers are, the image is just for demonstration purposes. Its not ranked within each tier, and its certainly not exhaustive. I picked just a few characters from each category just to show what I'm talking about. 90% of the cast would go in the last category, and there are some notable omissions from the higher tiers, it would just be too big to include everyone. Spoilers not just from the main book series, but I'll be briefly acknowledging certain popular fan theories, just in case they turn out to be true.

===Those Who Do Not Play the Game of Thrones===

Starting from the bottom, we have those who do not play the game. Now, obviously characters who are not in politics or not in positions of power will be here by default (your Hot Pies, your Ser Pounces, your Grenns, your Pyps). But its more interesting to look at characters who do wield power but either chose not to play the game, or perhaps are not aware there is a game to be played. This section is the most open to change. Characters often start here and move up. I am also including people who try to play the game, but are not quite skilled enough to do so (e.g Cersei of the house Lannister). You'll find many of your "Honorable Fools" here like Robb Stark, who broke a marriage pact with a powerful ally to marry the woman who's maidenhead he took. Characters very easily manipulated like Ser Baristan Selmy unfortunately take their place here.

I placed Lord Eddard Stark here, however only by reputation. A wonderful feature of the series is that characters aren't always what they seem. Those closest to Ned believe he would chose honor over all else, but that is proven wrong in his final moments. Also, Ned lies throughout the last 17 years about Jon's parenthood. And if you believe the R+L=D, or A+B=J, A+B=D theories, there may have been a greater level to the conspiracy involving the Dayne family. I just wanted to make a carve out here for Ned since he may have been more of a player than originally thought, at least a few decades ago.

===Players of the Game===

These characters can be crafty, even clever, but tend to make plans to suit their immediate short term needs. The classic example is Tyrion. He is immediately contrasted to Ned during his tenure as hand of the king, removing enemies from positions of power and installing allies to influential roles. However he doesn't plan very far into the future at all. Some of this backstabbing ends up biting him in the arse later in the series. I put the likes of Stannis, Margery Tyrell, Tywin, and even Jon here, but there's a huge gap between members in this tier. Jon mostly comes online in Dance, making plans with lots of moving parts but they all appear to be focused on the short term. Similarly, him being impulsive leads directly to the mutiny. Tywin is definitely towards the top of this lot in terms of being competent, but it doesn't take him to a higher level. His goals remain simple: positioning his family to be prosperous long-term.

===The schemers===

As I was making this list, I realized there needed to be a level beneath the spymasters, but above the likes of Tyrion or Jon. The upper echelon of "schemers" who do longer manipulations of people and who's plans may be years in the making. A case could be made for Wyman Manderly to be lowered a run could be made, but at least at the moment, what he's doing with the great northern conspiracy to restore Rickon Stark and oust the boltons is enough to me to put him in that higher tier. You'll also get your Doran Martells. I obviously didn't include everyone in the dornish plot, but he's got many logs in the fire. Its too much to go over here. I put Ilyrio here, because although he seems in lockstep with Varys in the next tier, Varys appears to be the brains of the operation. But Ilyrio manipulates Danny, he manipulates Tyrion, he manipulates Viserys and Drogo and Young Griff and Joncon. He even has his hands in the dornish plot. I included Olena Tyrel in this category but a case could be made she needs to go lower down with Tywin. The assassination of Joffrey, the Tyrel's scheming to position themselves in the royal family, its good, its forward thinking, which was my justification to put her a level above but I could be convinced she's lower.

Marwyn the Mage is a strange case. As a fairly recent entry, his final position could end up higher or lower. To hear some theorists, Marwin is simultaneous part of the Dorn Plot, the Quaithe Plot, and is in cahoots with Qyburn. He uses glass candles so there would be some to even put him in the top tier but we just haven't seen enough from him yet, other than probably spying on Sam in his dreams. But he could also be barely a schemer at all.

===The Spymasters===
These are the two most famous schemers in the series. Varys and Little finger make plans that touch on damn near every named character in westeros and beyond. Vary and Baelish have drastically different styles. Vary has been nurturing a plan for many many decades. If you believe the popular fan theory that Griff is actually a blackfyre, then he's been working towards a final blackfyre rebellion for years. But even if not, he's been working on a Targaryen restoration plot for years. Little finger is less "years long plan" and more a general outline and several medium length plans. Bankrupting most of the lords of westeros to position himself well down the years is particularly next level.

===Magic Users (a.k.a the "Higher Mysteries")===
You'd think a tier list on schemers and spies would end at little finger and varys, but I have to go one tier above, to this level that the former tier likely doesn't even know about. Varys and Little finger are playing in terms of humans and natural laws and politics. A whisper in a literal ear, little orphan spies. The next tier is playing a completely different game. Instead of whispers, its giving people dreams. Its spying on people 1000 leagues away. In this tier, there are mainly only Blood Raven, Quaithe, and (if you believe a very well substantiated fan theory) Future Bran. Its pretty clear that the 3 eyed crow in Bran's dreams are not blood raven, but some sort of future brandon stark, warging back in time to manipulate his younger self. Blood raven is a green seer and can give dreams to people like Jojen and bran, but possibly also Jamie, Sweet Robin, and anyone who's slept near a weirwood. There's evidence jon was manipulated using some old god magic when he refused stannis' offer. Half a dozen characters have prophetic dreams that push them in some direction or other. These schemers don't just plan in terms of single life times. They seem to be aware of the past and present and are engineering events towards a certain end. While Bran and Brynden take up the weirwood old gods magic half, the fire and valyrian side seems to be handled by people like Quaithe following daenerys and affecting her journey by influencing her. Its unclear who she is, what her motives are. Is she allied with Brynden Rivers? Is she really Shiera Seastar? Is she Ashara Dayne? I hope we find out some day, but these schemers deserved their own tier above.

I really want to hear what you guys think. Am I off my rocker. Should there be more/fewer tiers? Should some characters be moved around? Like I said, I didn't mention even a fraction of the characters in the books, including some top tier schemers like Manse. What do you think about the different types of schemers mentioned in the books?

You'd hope that a festival celebrating russian art, music, and dance, wouldn't stoop to using ai art but I gotta check.

I love trading my movement for an elevation "advantage". I love getting my ass kicked by a non flyer at the max height limit

OH MY GOD ITS HAPPENING