This question (paraphrased) was asked on BGG: if a card such as Cryptic Research is played and one of the three cards drawn is Amnesia, are the other two cards considered when choosing which cards to discard from your hand or are they "safe".

I was pretty certain before reading the thread that they could be discarded by Amnesia, but now I'm not so sure. Before I go and pester Matt again via the Rules Query form I was wondering if anyone had a watertight logical argument one way or the other.

"Safe" argument in brief: three cards are drawn simultaneously. Amnesia, having an encounter card type, immediately triggers its Revelation effect before any cards are added to your hand (see e.g. Learn to Play: Weakness Cards).

"Discard" argument in brief: three cards are drawn simultaneously, which includes adding all three cards to your hand (see Rules Reference: Drawing Cards). Only after this is fully completed does Amnesia's Revelation effect trigger.

Thanks in advance!

The thing I'd lean on is the Grim Rule. If we disagree on this timing, then which is worse for the player? I suppose sometimes it would be the "Safe" option that would be worse, like when drawing Amnesia, Dark Pact, and Agnes' Dark Memory all at the same time while having the upcoming Tarot basic weakness already in your hand. Three safe cards and Fun Times await.

@Assussanni this has definitely come up before: the drawing of multiple cards is simultaneous, so the other two cards drawn with Cryptic Research are in your hand when Amnesia's revelation effect triggers.

And just want to add, for clarity's sake: it's not like you look at the first card you're going to get, see it's amnesia, resolve it, and finish the draw. You have to draw Amnesia for its revelation effect to fire. And that draw happens simultaneously with the other two cards provided by Cryptic Research.