Discard/Gift Non-Items
 

Just got Munchkin for Christmas, and am really liking it.

The rules specifically say that you can trade carried Items, but you cannot trade other cards (i.e. non-Items or Items in your hand). In the "Asking for help" section, it also is very clear that you may only use carried Items or prospective treasure to bribe someone.

Where it does not make this specific distinction, is when it says you may simply give an Item to another player who wants it. Can you give away non-Items if it is not a bribe or trade? Say someone is still Level 2, I'm already Level 9, and I just want to give them my "Go Up A Level" card, but I only have 4 cards in my hand so I don't get a Charity phase.

Likewise, it says you may not discard Item cards "just because". Can you discard non-Items at any time? If I pick up a Monster card while Looting the Room, and again I only have 4 cards in my hand, can I discard it instead of keeping it?

Re: Discard/Gift Non-Items
 

Giving is governed by the same rules as trading, but you get nothing in return. So you can't give someone a GUAL card as it is not an Item. However, as you an play a GUAL on anybody, you could negotiate a deal with someone for you to play that card on them. This only works for GUALs, as the FAQ says we can play them on other players, you can't do it for other cards, like monsters or Classes.

You can only discard cards that the rules say you can discard. I can't think of any specific types of cards that you can discard directly from your hand.

Re: Discard/Gift Non-Items
 

You're right, the GUAL card was a bad example, but you got what I meant anyway. Thanks for the answer.

That's part of my confusion. I don't see anywhere where it allows you to just discard anything (unless you are the lowest level and have a Charity phase, in which case you can discard anything). But, the only thing it specifically does not allow you to discard outside of this situation is Items.

Re: Discard/Gift Non-Items
 

The rules do tell you when you can discard other types of card, though. Races and Classes can be discarded from the table at any time, even during combat. Steeds can optionally be discarded if they provide you a Run Away penalty and you need to Run Away. Hirelings can be discarded to automatically escape monsters and if you are playing with sets with the full Hireling rules (e.g., The Need For Steed), they can be discarded from the table at any time too. Items generally cannot be discarded unless they say so, you sell them for a level, you die, or you are discarding them to power a class ability or satisfy a curse or something.

Re: Discard/Gift Non-Items
 

This sounds similar to the trouble i'm having starting out.

I'm finding that we've all got a full five-card hand & after getting treasure that won't go into the carried items, nobody can take it, so we've just been discarding extra cards left & right. This is especially bad if we've drawn two or three monster cards with the initial deal.

I've been playing with my kids (14, 12 & 12) and get the feeling we're approaching the game wrong. Should you immediately start dumping cards on other players to make it difficult to advance right off the bat?

Re: Discard/Gift Non-Items
 

The only time that your hand size matters is on the Charity phase of your turn. At all other times, you may hold as many cards as you wish.

Re: Discard/Gift Non-Items
 

Well, that confuses me even more.

The charity phase is when I run into the problem - I loot a room and don't have room in my hand for what I drew I've got to do something with the card(s) and if everyone else is holding five cards, they can't take them either, so they just get discarded. Or is that what you're saying - it's my charity phase, so i have to whittle down to five cards, but anyone else can hold more than five cards (get what I'm discarding) at that point?

I ran into this a lot more than I think I should have playing Zombies today - to the point where I'm sure I'm doing something wrong.

I'd be interested in a good youtube video of a game if anyone's got one - I tried to watch a few earlier but couldn't find anything with gameplay that was watchable.

Re: Discard/Gift Non-Items
 

At the end of your turn, other players may have more than 5 cards. They won't have to get back down to 5 until the end of their own turn. You can have over 5 during your turn as well, right up until the charity phase.

Re: Discard/Gift Non-Items
 

That's the point. During your charity phase, it doesn't matter how many cards everyone else has. They could be holding 20 and it wouldn't matter. Charity always goes to the lowest level player(s), or discarded if you're lowest or tied for lowest.

Re: Discard/Gift Non-Items
 

To be clear: The only time your hand size matters is when you're done with your turn and getting ready to pass the turn to the next player. At that point, if you have more than five cards in your hand, you have to give the excess to the lowest-Level player (unless you are lowest or tied for lowest, in which case you just discard them).

Your hand size does not matter at any other time.