Re: rule clarification
 

Hmm, I just had a thought that might make what I just said not work, though. While you can definitely play any Hireling during combat, you might not be able to give a Big Item to it. This is probably seen as switching Items during combat, which isn't allowed by the rules.

If I'm correct, that means the only Hireling that could save your Big Item is the Gnome Hireling, as it allows you to carry an extra Big Item. You might just have an extra one in your hand if you already had a different Hireling in play, which you can replace with the new one (or perhaps you had one that was just killed and was carrying the extra Big Item you are trying to save).

Re: rule clarification
 

MM is referring to playing cards before charity. If you play enough cards to get to 5-or-less, then you do not give charity.

Re: rule clarification
 

I considered that, but he specifically said to 'pay' cards to get to 5 or less. The only cards you can pay in this situation is those given as Charity. Perhaps this was a typo and he meant 'play' instead... Edit: indeed he did.

Re: rule clarification
 

Clipper: I fixed the post, but the context should have been clear enough that I was saying that if you could play enough cards to get to 5 or less hand cards, you don't have any cards you can legally give away. I also don't know if I refer to giving Charity as paying anywhere here, but just because I don't do it often doesn't mean it hasn't happened...

I thought I checked everything, but working through my phone can create issues when Swype chooses words for me...

Re: rule clarification
 

Given it turns out it was a typo, I removed that part from my post as well.

Re: rule clarification
 

Do these rules apply to ships from Booty as well? I know you can only have one ship and the Big designation is for curse application but must i trade/discard a ship if i want to play another ship from my hand?

Re: rule clarification
 

Yes and no, the rules are similar but not the same.

Just like Big Items, you are unable to play the other Ship from your hand without finding some way to remove the first Ship. Selling for levels, trading away or powering a discard ability of a Loyalty or Class are some of the ways you could get rid of a Ship you no longer want, but you can't just discard one.

If you do have a legal method to have more than one Ship (e.g., Navy) and you lose the ability, then you have a chance to immediately rectify the situation, but if you can't, then you must discard the excess Ships. You do not give them to the lowest-Level player that can take them like you would do with Big Items you can't hold due to their being Big.