What if she's killed before resolving the claim (e.g. Like warm rain)? Is the claim raised for the duration of the whole challenge, or only as long as Cersei is there?

As long as she is attacking in a intrigue challenge. So claim is your base claim if she gets removed from the challenge.

Cercei would be killed by "Like warm rain" after determining the winner (step 4.2.2, RRG) and before applying claim (4.2.4), so at that point she will no longer be participating in the challenge to raise the claim value.

References from the RRG:

"If a participating character leaves play for any reason, it is no longer participating in the challenge";

"The term “attacking character” refers to a character that is participating in a challenge...".

not good for melee

not good for melee

Unless you have the Master of Whispers.

with master of whisperers she is a beast in melee... 

how many copies in melee deck? one?

i'd go with 2. she is after all a 4 gold, 4 strength bicon + heavy hit on opponents hand... but still depends what deck you are running and what are your tactics  

Use the Master with moderation in melee. If you overdo it, the rest of the table will squash you. Melee is all about diplomacy.

it’s too unpredictable to get this title - and this title does for my power victory nothing like a Cersei herself. 

Does Cersei count as a triggered ability? i.e., does Catelyn Stark stop it?

Does Cersei count as a triggered ability? i.e., does Catelyn Stark stop it?

No.  Cersei is a passive effect that always occurs when she is attacking in an Intrigue challenge.  Triggered effects tend to begins with the bold Action:, Reaction:, or Interrupt: text.

So, no.  Cat Stark can't stop Cersei's ability.

Point of order: Cersei is a continuous ability, not a passive one. There are no "passive abilities" in 2.0.

But yeah, Catelyn can only stop abilities with a bold timing word in front, and then, only ones that the opponent actively triggered (i.e., not "Forced Reactions" or "Forced Interrupts").

But forced reactions and interrupts are also triggered abilities, according to the reference guide. Why doesn't Cat stop them?

I'm sure ktom will elaborate, but I think it is because forced reactions are not triggered by players, but the game itself. Catelyn Stark's text reads "...your opponent cannot trigger card abilities".

Short version:

Catelyn's text is, "While Catelyn Stark is participating in a challenge, your opponents cannot trigger card abilities."

So she cannot stop forced reactions and interrupts because, even though they are triggered abilities, your opponents do not trigger them.

For (a lot) more information, check out this thread.

Okay, got it, thanks. Now if only the reference guide spelled it out that forced reactions/interrupts don't count as triggered by a player.

nvm

Point of order: Cersei is a continuous ability, not a passive one. There are no "passive abilities" in 2.0.

Isn't it called 'constant ability' in this game?