The Epic hero calls epic challenge at the start of the move phase,and the opposising player takes a courage test with a -3 modifier. Before the Epic hero calls epic challenge can a Wraith in another formation use magic to reduce the opposing players courage? Or does the Epic challenge have to be the first thing called in the move phase? Just wondered if it's called before his formation moves therefore the start of "his" move?

Does all that make sense?

Also does anyone use Epic Challenge? Is it effective?

I don't know about the first question, I'll leave that for those who aren't too lazy to fetch their books. Epic Challenge seems very useful when you're up against one of the Istari or the expensive elven casters (Elrond and Galadriel). Call Epic Challenge, and the enemy can't run and is a sitting duck for an ES duel. Against cheap casters or other heroes, not so much. Transfix has about the same effect, IRC.

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"... Telchar wrought it in the deeps of time."
-On Andùril, The Lord of the Rings

Epic Challenge is called at the start of the Move phase, magic happens during a formation's move. Normally you won't be moving formations until after the start of the phase so that wouldn't work, however...

If the wraith's formation called a heroic move and then your hero called the challenge. Since H/E actions are resolved int eh order they are called the Heroic move would happen first, once the wraith's formation is allowed to move it can do its magic. When the wraith's formation is done moving, then the Epic Challenge resolves and the target has to make its courage check at the reduced value.

So, I think it is possible to make happen, but it requires you to do several things in the proper order (and spend an extra point of might) to get the timing to work out.

I find Epic Challenge is very useful indeed and suggest you use it if you can, it has a couple of really good uses

1) As suggested it is really good against casters (you were wrong about Elrond he has F8 so is pretty good at heroic duels)

2) It is also good against Captains and there ilk. It works a lot like Transfix but for a formation that doesn't have Magic and it can't be stopped by a WoI roll, if used at the right time it can be deadly and is easily worth the might point.

3) Remember you have do get a Heroic Duel afterwards so you get a transfix style spell effect and a duel for 1 might point which is really good