I was hoping someone could settle this dispute for me.

When Amanda Sharpe draws two cards from a skill deck and picks one to purchase when at the administration building, since her power allows her to draw an extra card, does this allow her to basically draw three cards and keep two?

chadibanez said:

I've always played it as Draw 2, discard 1. Draw 2 more, then discard one of those 2. From the 2 remaining, you pick one. I do the same thing with Dexter at the Magic Shoppe as well.

They (as in the game people) specifically say, however, that with encounters that let you draw 2 and pick one when you already can (Darrell Simmons in Arkham, or Gloria Goldberg in the Other Worlds), it says you just draw one extra card. Note that these are different from say, Bob Jenkins going to the General Store. I'm not sure if everyone plays this way, but that is the way I do it

chadibanez said:

That is correct: draw 3, pick 2.

EcnoTheNeato, note that the "Draw 2 Encounter" Investigators, Darrell and Gloria, specifically say "2 cards", but all the "Shoppers" (Amanda, Bob, Monterey, Dexter) say "1 or more cards". So you're not drawing one card, then drawing another card, you're drawing "one or more cards" (in most cases, two). For all of the Shoppers during setup, you draw whatever allotment of their "ability" cards, then draw one more card. (Nice try, though. )

Chad was asking about the Administration building's special ability.

There, you essentially draw 3 and keep 1. What happens is you draw two, draw an extra and discard one as per her ability, then choose one of the two to take.

During setup she draws 3 and keeps 2.

I agree with Tibs on this.

My logic for buying a skill at the Administration Building is that you:

1. Pay $8

2. Draw two skills

3. Use Amanda's ability:

- Draw one card

- Add it to the two cards chosen (so three skill cards now)

- Discard one of the three skill cards of your choice.

4. Discard 1 skill

The only debate is whether or not step 4 is omitted by Amanda's ability. I know I am really overthinking this with my logical deconstruction, but I have money riding on the answer.

Oh. Well the answer is that she only walks away from Administration with one skill. Her ability, like Jack's, Bob's, and Dexter's, never allows her to obtain more cards than she was supposed to—it only allows her a better choice between the cards drawn. Hope your money was on that.

Why would 4 be omitted? Amanda's ability requires you to discard a card, and the Administration Bldg's ability also requires you to discard a card. Therefore, you discard a total of two cards. The only counter argument I can think of is that a single discard could simultaneously satisfy the requirements of both Amanda's ability and the Administration Bldg's ability. That is, the discards don't stack. But I can't think of any reason why that argument would be valid.

Right: that argument isn't valid. It's similar to the fact that if an effect causes you to discard Duke, you don't also restore your sanity to full, because to do that you have to voluntarily discard Duke (discarding Duke doesn't automatically trigger his discard ability). There are two independent effects causing Amanda to discard a skill, so she discards two skills.

Administration Building:

Pay 8$

Draw 2 cards discard 1

but...

Amanda's ability kicks in: Whenever Amanda draws one or more cards from the Skill deck, she draws one extra card and then discards one of the cards.

So I read it as draw 3 discard 1.

The ability is triggered whenever she draws from the skill deck and is carried out.

Amanda is a student and picks up things quick : ) don't hate

No way it's working like that. When you trigger Dpt learning skills 2 things are going on the stack.

Draw 2 cards

Discard 1 of those cards (Dpt)

Then when you resolve the top effect, as you drawing skill a new triggered effect goes on the stack and you have

Draw 1 extra card

Discard 1 of those cards (Amanda)

Discard 1 of those cards (Dpt)

And then you resolve and will discard 2 cards.

jgt7771 said:

Oh wow! I've never noticed the "Or more" part of their abilities! Or maybe, my player sense never allowed me to recognize it on my own so I use it to my advantage :-x

So, yeah, draw 2, then draw 1, discard 1 of those 3, then discard one more. Carry on, ignore me!

What about Darrell Simmons having an encounter in a location protected by the power of Hypnos? Always 2 cards (Darrell's power), discard 1, then draw a third? The wording on Darrell's sheet is a little different from the usual "shopper" wording

Julia said:

That's in the FAQ, saying you just draw an extra card, just like the shopper peeps. The wording isn't specific like it is with them, sure, so that's why they FAQ'ed it!

EcnoTheNeato said:

I didn't notice it at a first glance. Thank you for highlighting it :-)