Yes, I have read the FAQ. I am still confused.

It seems to indicate surge etc. triggers any time a card is "revealed" from the deck. But some cards do not use the "revealed" language. For example, Dunlending Attack, stage 2b of the Fords of Isen mission says, "...searches the encounter deck and discard pile for 1 different Dunland enemy and adds it to the staging area."

Nothing about "revealed". So if I choose to add Dunland Prowler to the staging area (while I have 3+ cards in my hand) does Surge activate? My instinct says no, the card was not "revealed", so surge would not trigger.

Of course I said exactly the same thing about cards with Surge during setup, and according to the FAQ, Surge does indeed trigger during setup. So I am not sure how to play.

It is true, like you guess. Surge (or guarded, or doomed) doesn't trigger if is only added to the staging. It must be 'revealed' for triggering.

ok, so... just to be clear, if during setup the text does not use the "revealed" word, you do NOT trigger effects like surge? Because that would make sense, but then the FAQ confused me. But now I reread it and I think it might have just been a case of my mind going in a different direction than the author of the FAQ intended.

Yep, that's correct. Here is another example from the Against the Shadow cycle:

If you use Lost in the City to add City Street the surge effect doesn't trigger. Which is quite neat.

In setup also, if the setup text writes 'reveal x cards', you must trigger thier keywords..., if only says 'add x card into staging...' you musn't.

Yeah, whenever an effect forces me to search the encounter deck and add a card to the staging area, I always choose the 'surge' cards, basically canceling an effect that could have triggered if the card were revealed normally.

ok, thanks. got it now.

Yep, that's correct. Here is another example from the Against the Shadow cycle:

If you use Lost in the City to add City Street the surge effect doesn't trigger. Which is quite neat.

When I was new to the game I saw you post this strategy elsewhere on the forums and have used it ever since