The title asks it all. What order do the two resolve? The rule book contradicts itself between the actual rule text and the game flow chart in the back. I'm wondering if maybe you get to choose which one resolves first? Please help, it's important.

I guess I'm going to amend this before any replies to make my question clear. If my wandering inmate is exhausted at the beginning of my turn and my museum curator is insane will I be able to bounce my curator back to my hand via exhausting the inmate once he is unexhausted or does the order in which this happens or at least the placement of the response window disallow it? There.

I checked the FAQ (v2.1), and the only reference I found to this question was the following sentence (page 5):

"One insane character must be restored during your refresh phase if you are able to do so."

That's not a definitive answer to the discrepancy you noted between the rulebook and the detailed turn sequence on page 13, but perhaps the word "during" means you get to choose?

From a record-keeping standpoint, it would make sense to refresh all of your cards before restoring an insane character. From a tactical, or rules standpoint, I can see the reason for making you restore an insane character first as it disallows certain combos (such as the example you gave above).

Sorry I couldn't be of more help. I'll keep looking to see if I can come up with something else.

I believe they happen simultaneously. If restoring happened prior to readying, then there'd be no significant penalty for having an insane character. After restoring/readying, then your response window opens for the inmate, right? Or is it an action? CardGameDB is blocked at work so I can't see to be certain...

Assuming I'm right and they occur simultaneously, I don't see any reason you couldn't use your inmate's ability.

Cool. As I was writing my question I began to see the turn flow chart in my memory. There are the two green boxes for restore and ready (one each) and then the response/action window opens so I'm beginning to believe my curator can come back to my hand. Thanks guys.

The infamous page 13 shows both "Ready all your exhausted characters" and "Restore 1 insane character (exhausted)" in the same green box.

Green boxes can't be interrupted except by Disrupts and Forced Responses, which suggests to me they are simultaneous from a game play perspective.

Also, the only other green box with more than 1 step in it (the story resolution box) has the added text of "For each story, resolve the following in order" (emphasis mine). This again makes me think that there is no order in any other green box.

But, on the other hand, the written rules suggest a specific order:

" First , the active ... chooses and restores one of his insane characters. ... Then the active player readies all of his exhausted cards in play (except the one just restored)..."

This strongly suggests that the order is intended and mandatory.

Now, since you can't take an action in the Green box, I think the only way the Wandering Inmate could trigger is in the action box of the Refresh Phase. (" Response : After an insane character is restored, exhaust Wandering Inmate to return that character to its owner's hand unless..."). So to me, the "after" clause can only apply to that window, so it doesn't matter which order things are actually done. Even if you restored the Museum Curator first, and then readied everyone else, when you have finished the green box, in my opinion, you satisfy the "after" clause of the Wandering Inmate.

Dr. Jeffrey Wills said:

Actually there is one green box for both Restore and Ready.