The FAQ states that only the active player may take an action that costs gold during the marshalling phase. One part of the definition of ambush is paying the gold cost of a card with influence. If this is so, may a player who is not the active player in the marshalling phase play a card like "Flame Kissed" on a character? Does flame kissed cost gold or does it now only cost influence and therefore it is allowed for the non active player to play it?

mischraum.de said:

Actually, you're missing the larger definition of Ambush. The whole thing is:

You may put a card with the “Ambush” keyword
into play from your hand as an “Any Phase:”
action, by paying its printed gold cost with
influence.

So what this means is that using the Ambush keyword has the same timing (and is the same as) using an "Any Phase" action. The cost of that action is an influence cost equal to the printed gold cost of the card. The effect of that action is putting the card into play.

So, when you use the Ambush keyword, you are paying influence, not gold. And during Marshaling, any player may play "Any Phase" actions, even if they are not the Active Player. So yes, a player who is not the active player may use the Ambush keyword on something like Flame Kissed during Marshaling. And using Ambush NEVER costs gold, only influence.

Keep in mind that a player may also play a card like Flame Kissed in the Marshaling phase when they are the active player by paying the gold cost. If they do, though, they are simply playing the card. They are not using the Ambush keyword to put it into play.

That's the key difference here: Ambush cards can be "played" normally (by paying gold when you are the active player) or "put into play" with the keyword (by kneeling influence whenever you are allowed to trigger an Any Phase action). They are completely different mechanics for getting the card into play. Don't get hung up on the fact that you can use the "put into play" during the Marshaling phase. It doesn't make Ambush the same thing as playing the card normally.

Okay, this leads to another question: I play a low-strength character. My opponent now puts the flame-kissed on him. Can I now save the character by playing an attachment on him?

I think that no, because to "save" the character you would only be able to play a Response: somethink like Risen from the Sea, but playing and attachment from your hand is not a response so the character would be long gone before you could play the attachment to protect him.

Rozyo is right, you need a response that a) saves the charachter from being killed and b) removes the terminal burn condition created by flame-kissed in some way. Just trying to play an attachment won´t help. Risen from the sea is probably the only existing card to solve the matter.

the whole thing went like this:

I've won initiative, It's my marshaling phase, and I play shagga and put a "gutter rat's cunning" on him. mischraum then says that he can play flame kissed (ambush) AND use "lead link" put on his killer of the wounded in order to get my strength to 0 and kill shagga BEFORE I put my gutter rat's cunning (which would cancel the effect of flame kissed, hence Shagga would NOT get to 0 str. it's no "save". It's just breaking the combo leading to Shagga getting killed).

It's *my* marshaling phase, and I have initiative after all. Even if we accept the flame kissed (ambush) timing, I believe that my placing an attachment takes precedent.

A second thing, from the same game: mischraum puts "dragon bite" on one of my characters and then says he gives him the "dragon trait" using "copper link", hence, he says, if my character gets into any challenge, he is killed, since he is a dragon himself.

I can see the card game ruling/terminology "logic" here, but...let's use some common sense : excuse me , is my character considered to be turning into a dragon and *biting himself to death* ? Isn't that a little...illogical?

I would ask for some clarification or declaration of errata on that matter, please.

tldpaladin said:

1. Your action. You play Shagga.

2. Mischraum's action. He uses Ambush to put Flame-Kissed on Shagga

3. Your action. You play Gutter Rat's Cunning on Shagga (effectively turning off Flame-Kissed)

4. Mischraum's action. He uses Lead Link

The fact that it is your turn as active player in marshaling (not "your marshaling phase," btw - there is only one phase) doesn't play into it at all. Mischraum is trying to use 2 separate player actions (Ambush the attachment and Lead Link) to reduce Shagga's STR. Actions always alternate, so you will always have the ability to take an action between his 2 actions - and playing Gutter Rat's Cunning is certainly an action the active player in Marshaling can take.

See, the funny thing here is that Mischraum is saying "I get a change to take a swing at Shagga before you can play the attachment because they are two separate actions." And he is absolutely correct. But the he's trying to take two swings! You get to play Gutter Rat's Cunning of Shagga after he Ambushes in Flame-Kissed but before Lead Link triggers for the exact same reason that he gets to Ambush in Flame-Kissed after Shagga is played, but before Gutter Rat's Cunning is played.

Moral of the story: You get one action before your opponent gets the opportunity to take one action. The fact that Mischraum needs 2 separate actions to finish off Shagga will always give you an opportunity to do something between his 2 separate actions.

tldpaladin said:

Game logic and application of the rules is the only thing that matters here. Arguing that "my character wouldn't bite himself to death, so the combo shouldn't be allowed" is not going to work.

~ Because, you know, using common sense and knowledge, no creature has ever bitten itself to death.

tldpaladin said:

The opportunity to perform a player action always moves clockwise around the table (i.e. back and forth in a Joust game).

So it would be:

-Player A: Play Shagga

-Player B: Play Flame-Kissed

-A: Play Gutter Rat's Cunning

-B: Use Lead Link

And as for the Dragon Bite / trait combo, that's perfectly fine as far as game mechanics are concerned (but I think you realized this yourself and are more concerned with the absurdity of it from a narrative perspective)

EDIT: I see ktom already swooped in with a much more comprehensive answer. I feel inadequate.

So, a "dragon bitten" character that gets the trait via copper link actually commits suicide as soon as he gets in a challenge? :S

I know, game logic, application of the rules and all, but... it still seems to me quite "pah!"

Summing it up though: the combo works that way, eh?

EDIT: Yes, it seems that it does. I guess that (from a narrative point of view -after all, I play the game because I love ASOIAF first, things like gameplay and rules come second to me) my char is told that he is a dragon and he commits suicide because of shame ("What?!?Grandma was a lizard?" or insanity ("I AM A DRAGON!!!! FIRE DOES NOT TOUCH ME, SO I WALK THROUGH IT!!!!")