My understanding of this card is to do with the difference between playing and put-into-play.

Here's what I understand should happen when the Red Viper is killed and, influence providing, this event is played. I search my deck (not dead pile, hand or discard pile) "for any number of Sand Snake characters" and I put them into play, immediately attaching any duplicates to them that remain in the deck .

I play with one or two people that object to this. They claim that duplicates can only be attached during the marshalling phase. My answer to this is that put-into-play effects bypass this normal restriction, therefore allowing immediate attachment of duplicates. I always refer to two areas in the most recent FAQ:

3.29: "You may not play, put into play, or take control of a unique card already in play that you own or control (except for putting a duplicate on a card that you own and control)..."

4.4: ""Put into Play" is a game mechanic that bypasses all costs (including all gold penalties) and play restrictions."

I'd be really grateful if someone could put this issue to bed once and for all (if only to allow my Sand Snakes their freedom!) The main issue being: can duplicates be immediately attached to Sand Snake characters put into play when this event is played?

You may want to point the nay-sayers to FAQ Section 4.2:

"If a copy of a unique character that a player owns and controls would be put into play by a card effect, that copy enters play as a duplicate of that character."

So there is no doubt that when a "put into play" effect is used on a copy of a unique card that you already have in play, that second copy enters play as a dupe on the first. This will be true even if copy #1 is put into play by the same effect that puts copy #2 into play. Therefore, No Use For Grief does indeed let you pull all copies of all Sand Snakes out of your deck and immediately put them into play in all their duped-up glory.

Just the response I was hoping for! Cheers. Now to unleash hell...

If you have a unique Sand Snake in your dead pile, her other copies will be prevented from entering play (and stay in your deck), however.

Yep, understood that already - but thanks for the reminder.

You're welcome. I added that just in case.

You're welcome. I added that just in case.

(It's a time-honored practice on this board to describe exceptions, both likely and unlikely, and to anticipate follow-up questions and answer them before they are asked.)

You're welcome. I added that just in case.

(It's a time-honored practice on this board to describe exceptions, both likely and unlikely, and to anticipate follow-up questions and answer them before they are asked.)

[{(A time-honored practice fostered and popularized to a great extent by a certain much beloved, very active poster of the highest regard. Not naming any names, but his forum handle starts with a 'k', ends on an 'm', and the two letters in the middle often serve asan abbreviation of the term "Tournament Organizer".)}]