I have a question about how to treat a reaction text during or after dominance phase on a knelt card. For example Aeron Damphair brings a dead character back into play after the dominance phase is won but does the card have to be standing for that?

If it doesn't require kneeling as part of the cost, then whether the card is kneeling or standing is irrelevant.

Compare The Tickler, Iron Islands Fishmonger, or Sunspear.

https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/41894/game-thrones-second-edition-lcg-spoilers

also The Wall.

so does it mean that each ability text on any card, even kneeling characters takes effect (passive or active) during specified phases? and does it mean that the only restriction on knelt cards is in case of characters and them not being eligible for challenges?

what about Allanys Greyjoy? is her ability in effect even when the card is kneeling?

so does it mean that each ability text on any card, even kneeling characters takes effect (passive or active) during specified phases? and does it mean that the only restriction on knelt cards is in case of characters and them not being eligible for challenges?

This is an oversimplification. Whether a card is kneeling or standing matters when a rule or card effect says it matters. There is a basic rule that says a character must be standing in order to be eligible as an attacking or defending character, so it matters then. There is a basic rule that says a character must be standing in order for its STR to be counted toward dominance, so it matters then.

There is NOT a basic rule that a character must be standing in order for its text to be active. So it doesn't matter when using a card's text - no matter what kind of text it is.

However, there are plenty of other restrictions placed on knelt characters directly by card effects. A card may say that it can only choose knelt cards as targets. Continuous effects may have a "while this card is standing" requirement on the effect. As Grim says, kneeling the card may be a cost of triggering its ability (so, obviously, if it is already kneeling, you can't pay the cost and so you can't trigger the ability). All sorts of things like that.

The long and short of it is that there is no "default" rule that "turns off" a card's text box while it is kneeling. The card's text may turn itself off based on standing/kneeling status, or something similar, but that will be on the text of the cards you are trying to use, not in the rule book.

what about Allanys Greyjoy? is her ability in effect even when the card is kneeling?

Applying the above, there is no basic rule that "shuts off" her text or ability while she is kneeling. And her text (which reads, "While you are the first player, reduce the reserve value on each opponent's revealed plot card by 1.") doesn't limit itself based on whether she is standing or kneeling. So her ability is active as long as she is in play, independent of her status of standing or kneeling. Now, there might be other cards that "turn off" her text box, but there is nothing in the rules forcing you to choose between using her in a challenge, or getting the benefit of her effect during the Taxation phase.

Yes, that's exactly what it means. Kneeling and Standing does not turn abilities on or off unless otherwise specified. Compare Allanys Greyjoy to Jon Snow: he specifies "While he is standing."

Allanys and Jon are both Constant Abilities .

Constant Abilities

A constant ability is any non-keyword ability whose text contains no boldface precursor defining its ability type. A constant ability becomes active as soon as its card enters play and remains active while that card is in play.

• Some constant abilities continuously seek a specific condition (denoted by words such as “during,” “if,” or “while”). The effects of such abilities are active any time the specified condition is met.
• If multiple instances of the same constant ability are in play, each instance affects the game state.

Eligibility for challenges comes about by necessity from the basic mechanic: In order to declare a participating character, you must kneel that character. Which you can't do if the character is already knelt.

Note that there are Interrupts and Reactions and you have the option to activate those, again whether the card is kneeling or standing, unless the card specifies otherwise.

Then there are Forced Interrupts and Forced Reactions and these are not optional, and must be resolved immediately whenever their triggering condition occurs.

So when you said "each ability text on any card, even kneeling characters takes effect (passive or active) during specified phases," it's not quite that simple. Some you have the option to activate, some you're forced to activate, and the card will tell you whether standing or kneeling matters. If not otherwise specified, assume that kneeling doesn't matter.

thanx for the comprehensive explanation, something tells me I am getting advice from real vets and high flyers or this genre :-)

Well, KTom there is credited as a proofreader of the rules, so he's the man to ask for such things!

It's never easy for LCG beginners to grasp the whole concept of these games at once. Usually it even takes a couple of games to realise that you have more questions than you thought. You will constantly encounter situations where things are unclear (not because they were explained badly, but because many things need to settle in to completely understand why mechanics are the way they are... once you've got a hold on that, things will seem a lot more natural). That said, the community is always there to help you out with friendly explanations and sage advice, and for whatever it's worth GoT 2.0 really seems to try very hard to explain a lot more things than earlier core sets did, and very thoroughly. You get charts and clarifications in the core set already which we usually had to wait for until an FAQ came out. Also, GoT 2.0 is really making things a lot more intuitive and simpler to understand witbhout reducing the complexity level. I'm absolutely amazed by this.

I remember thinking at the beginning that AGoT was about winning challenges, but sometimes you win more challenges than your opponent and still lose the game (sounds like Robb Starks last thoughts, don't you think?)..I always liked that aspect of the game and it seems very fitting thematically

I had lots of difficulties with the game until I got the Martell expansion and started winning one game after another. I like how the game seems to fit each player type somehow, you just have to find "your" house that works best for your style.

I am loving everything so far about agot 2.0 although it is a completely uncharted territory for me as it is my very first card game contact ever :-) (not counting poker, bridge and other card games)

I don't feel that overwhelmed by all the rules and conditions as it all just feels intuitive and natural, I am aware that it's going to take some real life games to get the bigger picture but I am determined to learn as much as I can before I lay my first cards on the table