ISS Vanguard · Board game rules
Can I draw multiple cards and then discard, or must I discard one by one?
Quick answer
You must discard down to your Section card limit immediately when exceeding it, but you can discard multiple cards at once.
Details
When a Crewmember draws Section cards and exceeds their hand limit (2 for Rank 1, 3 for Rank 2, 4 for Rank 3), they must immediately discard down to their limit [p.36 — Section card limit]. The rules do not specify that discards must occur one by one; players may discard multiple cards simultaneously to meet the limit.
For example, if a Rank 1 Crewmember draws 3 cards and already has 1 in hand (totaling 4), they discard 2 cards at once to comply with the limit. Discarded cards are placed face up in the discard pile [p.36 — Playing Section cards].
Watch out: Discarding is mandatory and cannot be delayed. If a player exceeds their limit during an Action (e.g., Prepare), they must discard before proceeding with their turn.
If drawing multiple cards from other sources (e.g., Events or Equipment effects), the same limit applies: excess cards are discarded immediately, not sequentially. [p.30 — Prepare]