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StayPuft · 05-23-2013, 07:32 PM

I had a question about the building pick-up ability (which I think is in the junkyard, if I recall correctly) that allows you to pick up a random card from the discard pile. Since it says "random" does this mean you are supposed to pick a card up blindly from the discard so it is actually random? Or do you get to pick a card, such as if you wanted a specific card? I would tend to think it means you have to pick one at random, not necessarily knowing what you are getting, but my group seemed to not be sure. Anybody know that one for sure?

Bloated One · (This post was last modified: 05-23-2013 07:41 PM by Bloated One.)

(05-23-2013 07:32 PM)StayPuft Wrote: I had a question about the building pick-up ability (which I think is in the junkyard, if I recall correctly) that allows you to pick up a random card from the discard pile. Since it says "random" does this mean you are supposed to pick a card up blindly from the discard so it is actually random? Or do you get to pick a card, such as if you wanted a specific card? I would tend to think it means you have to pick one at random, not necessarily knowing what you are getting, but my group seemed to not be sure. Anybody know that one for sure?

You would blindly pick a random card from the discard pile. We usually have one player pick up the discard pile, shuffle them up a bit then fan them out (face down) and have the person using the pick up ability draw one of the cards from the fan. If there are a lot of cards in the discard pile you could also have some one shuffle up the discard pile, stack them up (face down), and then just have the person using the pick up ability just draw the top card.

Hope this helps.

**samuraitrev** · (This post was last modified: 05-23-2013 08:29 PM by samuraitrev.)

Bloated One is correct.
Jason C. Hill mentions that you it's a random card here (my emphasis)...

Jake Cartwright and Junkyard
'The text of the Junkyard is a little more obscure (because it needed to be brief to fit), but it does hint at the wording by saying, "...to Pull from". With the Junkyard, his ability does not work (you are 'pulling' a Random card from the discard pile rather than actually 'drawing').'
http://boardgamegeek.com/article/1727481#1727481

StayPuft · 05-24-2013, 08:24 PM

Thanks again, fellas. That is what I thought, but there was some confusion in the group. So, I figured I would clarify. To me, the word random is the key word, so I would expect it meant just that.

I have to be honest, I kinda don't see much of a benefit to using that pick-up ability then. LOL! I mean, I guess it could come in handy if you have some really good stuff in the discard pile. But, once the discard pile gets pretty big, you have a pretty good chance of not winding up with the item you were hoping to get anyway.

Though, I could definitely see it coming in handy sometimes. Say you are looking for a specific item and you happen to know one copy (or even several copies) of it is in the discard pile. If the discard pile is smaller than the remaining unused cards, then you may stand a better chance of pulling it back out of the discard.