Newbie need quick clarification-discarding

[Andrew Hackard]

Originally Posted by DFJ1023

You are the lowest level and you have been given everyone's excess. You then lay out all the item cards you can use and sideways for ones you can't.

You may put everything in play, but you aren't required to -- subject to the Charity rules (which you discuss later). Also remember that you are only allowed one Big item on the table at a time -- you can't play a second one "in reserve." (Unless you are a Dwarf or use a Cheat! or Hireling card, of course.)

Originally Posted by DFJ1023

If you still have excess cards in your hand, you may discard them until you have 5 (6 for a [Dwarf]).

Only at the end of your turn. Your hand size does not matter at any other time. (And at the end of your turn, it's not "may" -- you MUST reduce your hand size to 5, or 6 for a Dwarf.)

If you are required to give Charity, it goes to the lowest-Level player, unless that's you, in which case you discard the excess.

Originally Posted by DFJ1023

And then once you get to 1,000 gold coins, you can then discard the items you are carrying for a level.

On your turn (and only on your turn), you may sell Items from the table or from your hand to go up a level. You cannot sell less than 1,000 Gold Pieces, but you can sell more (you don't get change), and if you manage to reach 2,000 GP, you go up two levels, and so on.