Arianne Martell

very strong card!!! i love it!

The number of things you can do with this is incredible. For example, play Twist of Fate, go first, do your challenges, then have Barristan Selmy bring her out of Shadows to reveal a more defensive plot card (eg Shadows and Spiders). You've gained great gold and claim and the effects of a card with poor initiative and gold in one go.

More simply, use her to get a Valar after challenges so you aren't stuck with poor gold and claim. So many options.

If it weren't for how good the other Arianne is, I'd say she's an autoinclude. As is, I'm seriously considering having 1 of this version and 2 of the other, with Heralds in the deck to provide flexibility of choice.

Her other problem is The King's Law, and the fact that it is going to see play atm. She is a card that you want full control over when you reveal her, so even if you can play her to avoid discarding her, you still lose a lot from it.

Barry S can't bring her out of shadows: she's not Kingsguard/Queensguard.

I don't suppose it would be a valid play to have her come out at the begining of marshaling if you had her in shadows at setup? Also, if such a play was valid, I assume you couldn't count the new plot's gold value unless it was a 'when revealed' plot such as Under the Bridge of Dream or Feast or Famine?

The window to bring her out of shadows during the Marshaling phase is before you count your gold (bringing a card out from Shadows is THE very first thing that can happen at the beginning of each phase). So unless you have a gold before the Marshaling phase begins, or you've somehow reduced her Shadows cost to 0, she can't come out at that time.

You could also do it with Feast or Famine, but you wouldn't get to make any challenges. Getting 10 gold total in marshalling by revealing Loyalty money Can By and then turtling for a turn if you are against claim 2 to gain the advantage next turn could work well though.

cockbongo - missed that, you'd need something like Old Nan for that then (Edit, this doesn't work at all!)That's one less ability then, though to be fair it is risky taking a less optimal plot to get the most out of her anyways.

The aforementioned Valar Morghulis is looking favourite then.

Other attractive plots to reveal with her appear to be Wildfire Assault, Valar Dohearis, Men of Honour, To the Spears (both great finisher plots, and you can play a high initiative plot to ensure you go first with them!), The Red Wedding (she is a Lady so you just need a lord on the table for 2 free power, even better if the only lord is Quentyn!) Forgotten Plans, Shadows and Spiders (get around that poor gold and initiative and don't give your opponent a chance to prepare for intrigue - yes please!), Uneasy Truce (a lot less likely they'll actually have 2 gold for their Mil), most City plots as acceleration of their effects, etc

I'm sure there are many many more, these are just the ones that stick out to me!

Can't give traits to cards that are not in play, so Old Nan doesn't do much there either.

Yeah, just thought that myself!

Are there any legal ways to get her out of shadows outside of the SAW?

none that I can think of atm.

(Old Nan looks to the heavens) "Damn you, shadows mechanic!"

It's a good way to get out of your opponent's The Art of Seduction (LotR) plot. You can flip a Martell favorite, Called to Court (ODG) to throw a character like House Messenger (PotS) into play, & either pop her back or shadow Arianne to hand to throw her into shadows next round! Or just settle for a go to non "When revealed" text like the obvious To the Spears! (PotS).

I wouldn't bother putting a House Messenger into play, as you aren't playing them, thus won't get the free card.

Arianne Martell with City plots is just wonderful. Simply fantastic.

Potentially very funny with River Plot's as well.

Is there a repeatable way to put her back to shadows so I can trigger her ability multiple times?
I guess Called to Court would work to get her back in hand, but that's more expensive.

Is there a repeatable way to put her back to shadows so I can trigger her ability multiple times?
I guess Called to Court would work to get her back in hand, but that's more expensive.

Cape Wrath (AJE)

She certainly makes it easier to play To Be a Viper (SB) on turn 1!

The best combo I found with her is to play Take Them By Surprise for the high gold and winning initiative and then switching into To The Spears after you elect to go first. It's also nice to have her sitting in shadows on a Valar turn and then flip into a plot with an actual claim. If you have a decent economy out it basically erases all of the negatives of the Valar, provided that you are happy with wiping the board clean.