Conflict of Interest

Again could be interested in melee especially after Valar Morghulis (Core) to have all players claim at 0 level. However high cost, need to splash some maester learned character to be able to pay a cost. Don't see will see play.

I just thought of a neat way to use this event (in melee).
During first rounds try to reveal as many plots as possible with Citadel Law (MotA) or Bran Stark (Core) or whatever (this step isn't essential, but it helps a lot). When you are left with one last plot in your plot deck use Varys (Core) to exchange plots with one of your opponents. Since you've planned it from the very begining, your opponent will now have no choice but to reveal Focused Offense (QoD). The main idea is to go first, use Conflict of Interest (CbtC) to raise your claim and enjoy unopposed claim 3 challenges In case you lost initiative (which would be quite unfavorable) you can always use this event to set everybodys claim value to the lowest possible option.
Now I have to try it out in my Bara/maesters with Melisandre (RotO). I'm not sure if Conflict of Interest (CbtC) will be worth running, but if it's not going to work in this kind of deck, I'm affraid it's not going to work in any deck.

edit: The way this event is worded puzzles me though. Shouldn't it say "Play before any challenges are initiated"? Cause there is no action window at the "at the begining of the phase" step, right?

I would take it to mean you can't do any other player actions before playing this event and that you must play it as your first action.

But, cards create exceptions to the rules all the time, so maybe you have to play this just after the normal shadows actions, before anyone gets a chance at any standard player actions.

Yeah, that's the way I understand it. I just wondered if somebody arguing that I can never play it would be technically right.

And BTW, here's another way to pull off the combo: reveal Focused Offense (QoD) as your 1st plot and use Moon Boy (AToT) + Varys (Core) on round 3. (with more plot manipulation you can do it on round 2 or even 1 )

Provided you had both characters in play after your first turn marshalling, you should be able to pre-plot trigger Varys to switch plots, then trigger Moonboy. Then hopefully they have a plot with a high initiative to make sure you can go first while they are forced to use Focused Offense.

But considered you would have to use that turn 1, and have those 2 characters out and no way to defend, you might get a little beat up on.

Well, I might be wrong, but I thought that on 2nd round before revealing plots there will be no plots in used pile, only your revealed plots from 1st round (still revealed). If you're not going to use Bran or Citadel Law, you will have to wait till round 3 to pull off the Moonboy version of the combo.

And that way you don't need to drop every necessary character right away.
Anyway 1st round Focused Offense is very rarely a wise move in melee.

Well, I might be wrong, but I thought that on 2nd round before revealing plots there will be no plots in used pile, only your revealed plots from 1st round (still revealed).

Ignore me. I'll go back to drinking my coffee!

I would take it to mean you can't do any other player actions before playing this event and that you must play it as your first action.

But, cards create exceptions to the rules all the time, so maybe you have to play this just after the normal shadows actions, before anyone gets a chance at any standard player actions.

I would say it just has to be played during the first "Player Actions" window of the challenges phase, before the Active Player declares challenge type and opponent.