hello there...

I am playing the friendly Lannisters

Now Areo Hotah is giving me a _BIG_ pain in the - well you know where. It's just very non-controllable. 3 player game, Baratheon and Martell want to get rid of Jaime Lannister - Baratheon attacks Martell, Hotah kills Jaime. Possible Scenario, if I get the rules right.

1) Can Areo Hotah even use his ability when the challenge is unpoosed? I dont like this idea at all, but if yes, I'll have to deal with it ;-).

2) What happens first? If I have Fury of the Lion in Play and attack Martell with Intrigue and lets say totally crush them 8-2 or something. Fury of the Lion says AFTER I win the challenge, I may kneel a character. Text on Hotah says he may be knelt after losing a challenge by 4 or more. Who act's first - higher initiative...?! Please help :-/

1) Unopposed challenges are still lost, so yes.

2) Fury of the Lion is a passive effect, while Areo's is a response, so Fury comes first. If they were both passives, the first player would choose the order; if they were both responses, the first player could trigger his effect first (because a challenge resolution is a framework event, the first player has the first opportunity to use a response).

Thank you for your quick and precise response

ad 1) so unopposed challenges count as "0"?

Unopposed challenges are no different to opposed challenges

They still go to resolution and a claim still has to be paid

The only difference is that the winner of an unopposed challenge is allowed to claim an additional (separate) power (from the central pool) for an unopposed challenge

Beyond that there are some cards which detail specific benefits for winnign an unpposed challenge - typically Greyjoy cards

Thank you for your quick and precise response

ad 1) so unopposed challenges count as "0"?

Yes. When a challenge is unopposed, the defender counts 0 STR for the challenge. (Meaning that your attacking Bara player is still going to need to attack with at least 4 STR before your defending Martell player can use Hotah after letting a challenge go unopposed.)

In fact, counting 0 STR, even if you have a participating defending character, will still count as "unopposed."