So the use of Ambush from the Plains ("Challenges: Put a character with printed cost lower than your total initiative into play from your hand or discard pile. At the end of the phase, if that character is still in play, return that character to its owner's hand. ") with the QoD Hatchlings has already been extensively discussed, but what about using it with discarded duplicates?

For example, say I have Drogon in play, and a copy of Drogon is sitting in my discard pile. Can I use Ambush from the Plains to jump the copy in, immediately attaching it to the in-play Drogon as a duplicate. My hunch is no, as the general duplicate rule is that "you cannot put into play or take control of a unique card which you already own or control" However, duplicates are an exception to this rule. However (again) the general duplicate rules only mention duplicates in your hand.

As a follow-up, if you are able to use this method of attaching a duplicate to Drogon, does the return to hand effect of Ambush From the Plains take effect at the end of phase? My hunch is no, because "that character" is no longer in play; it's attached as a duplicate. I could see, though, "that character" being interpreted as "Drogon."

The Black Hatchling is not a duplicate of Drogon, it is its own unique card. Its ability is to attach itself *AS* a duplicate to Drogon if they are both in play at the same time. If you Ambush from the Plains in a Black Hatchling it must attach itself as a duplicate, per its rules text. I believe it is no longer a character (it is a duplicate) so cannot be brought back to hand at the end of the phase. May need confirmation from ktom on that.

Shenanigans said:

Yes.

Shenanigans said:

I don't see which one. Duplicate is a card with same title. Nothing about being in hand, if that's what you mean.

Shenanigans said:

Correct.

Penfold said:

I think what the OP is asking is if he can put a copy of Drogon from the discard pile into play as a duplicate if he already has a copy of Drogon in play.

That said, yes, you can use AotP to dupe Drogon. Remember how Catelyn Stark (LoW) and Khal Drogo (Core) works with regards to dupes.