The Dunedain Hunter says

"After Dúnedain Hunter enters play, search the top 5 cards of the encounter deck for a non-unique enemy and put it into play engaged with you."

If this puts an enemy into play engaged with me, does that count as having engaged an enemy for the purposes of Ranger of Cardolan?

"After you engage an enemy, if you control at least 1 Dúnedain hero, spend 1 resource to put Ranger of Cardolan into play from your hand, under your control."

I'm inclined to say No since no actual engagement action took place, but the optimistic part of me says Yes because that'd be awesome.

No.

I'm fairly certain that anytime an enemy goes from "not engaged with you" to "engaged with you," you are considered to have engaged that enemy, and it is considered to have engaged you. That should allow you to trigger Ranger of Cardolan...as well as allow the enemy to trigger any effects it has regarding becoming engaged.

I'm fairly certain that anytime an enemy goes from "not engaged with you" to "engaged with you," you are considered to have engaged that enemy, and it is considered to have engaged you. That should allow you to trigger Ranger of Cardolan...as well as allow the enemy to trigger any effects it has regarding becoming engaged.

This is correct.

I'm inclined to say No since no actual engagement action took place, but the optimistic part of me says Yes because that'd be awesome.

Well, in this case, the awesome answer is the correct answer. Bellator Sardel's answer is entirely correct: no matter how it happens, any time an enemy ends up engaged with you when it was not previously engaged with you, all the "you engaged an enemy" and "an enemy engaged you" triggers will fire. Doesn't matter if the enemy came from the staging area, the discard pile, the victory display, or even out-of-play. If it was set aside at the start of the quest, and when it comes into play it immediately engages the first player, then that will trigger Ranger of Cardolan. If you searched the deck for it and put it into play engaged with you, that will trigger Ranger of Cardolan. If you defeated an enemy with victory points before so it was in the victory display, but a Treachery just brought it back into play engaged with you, that will trigger Ranger of Cardolan.

So you're saying with both in an opening hand, it's totally possible to start the game with 2 fairly decent allies for 1 resource? God I love my Dunedain deck. I might bring it to my Fellowship event on that off-chance Aragorn won't conflict with anyone.

So you're saying with both in an opening hand, it's totally possible to start the game with 2 fairly decent allies for 1 resource? God I love my Dunedain deck. I might bring it to my Fellowship event on that off-chance Aragorn won't conflict with anyone.

If you can play the Epic Multiplayer version, then two instances of Aragorn can play at separate staging areas.

From the FAQ

(1.50) "Considered to be engaged" vs actual engagement

An enemy that does not leave the staging area but is considered to be engaged with a player does not actually engage that player, nor does that player engage it. In order for a player to engage an enemy, the enemy card must physically enter his play area.

The enemy does "physically enter his play area" via the card effect from Dunedain Hunter thus he engages you. So feel free to trigger anything by this encounter.

Ow, I had been playing that wrong then.

I always assumed the effects did no trigger when it was "put into play engaged with you".Otherwise why no sinmply writes "engages you".

I saw it as asimilar thing to revealed and put into staging area. Where the "when revealed" effects are then bypassed. Some cards say reveal it and put in staging area, somehow showing that there is a difference between "revealing and placing in staging area" and just "placing in staging area".

There are plenty of nasty when engaged effects as well.

Sometimes the language used creates a lot of needless ambiguity. If "player engages", "enemy engages" and "put into play engaged" mean mechanically the same thing, you've got to wonder how all three versions got through proof-reading.

I also want to add this FAQ entry here because it confuses people as well:

(1.50) “Considered to be engaged” vs actual engagement

An enemy that does not leave the staging area but is considered to be engaged with a player does not actually engage that player, nor does that player engage it. In order for a player to engage an enemy, the enemy card must physically enter his play area. For example: Durin’s Bane (D 150) cannot leave the staging area and is considered to be engaged with two players. Player 1 has Mablung (RM 84) and wishes to trigger his Response effect, but he cannot because he has not actually engaged Durin’s Bane. Player 2 wishes to play Feint (CORE 34) to prevent Durin’s Bane from attacking him. He can, because Durin’s Bane is considered to be engaged with him.

Was just about to add in the whole "considered to be engaged" exception.