<p>No, you must always apply the effect of the card even if that card would hurt you, such as playing the prince with the princess in hand when the other 2 players have handmaidens out. Always having to play the effect of the card is spelled out in the rule book and making a house variant to change that would greatly alter the balance of the game as it would remove the negative side of some of the more powerful cards in the game.</p>

<p>The point of this is that there will be times when playing a card can be very bad for you and that is to balance out the fact that playing a card can be very good for you or at worst neutral most of the time</p>

<p><a href="http://www.alderac.com/tempest/files/2012/09/Love_Letter_Rules_Final.pdf">Love Letter PDF Rules</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>On your turn, draw the top card
  from the deck and add it to your
  hand. Then choose one of the two
  cards in your hand and discard it
  face up in front of you. Apply any
  effect on the card you discarded.
  You must apply its effect, even if it
  is bad for you. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>If there are no valid targets because all other players have a handmaiden in play you can still use the card and in most cases nothing will happen.</p>

<ol>
<li>Guard - Nothing happens</li>
<li>Priest - Nothing happens</li>
<li>Barron - Nothing happens</li>
<li>Handmaiden - Does not target others</li>
<li>Prince- You must target yourself and discard your other card</li>
<li>King - Nothing happens</li>
<li>Countess - Does not target others</li>
<li>Princess - Does not target others</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-07T15:05:07.290Z
2015-06-07T21:21:11.873Z
2015-06-07T21:21:11.873Z
Joe W
<p>Are players compelled to use the power of a card, or can they choose to not use it (and simply discard it)? For instance, can I choose to </p>

<ul>
<li>not have anyone discard after playing the Prince</li>
<li>not to compare my card to another player after playing the Baron</li>
<li>not to trade hands with anyone using the King?</li>
</ul>

<p>Those three are the cases where I could see a distinct advantage to being allowed to not use the power. Other cases that are more questionable when it comes to assisting the player are whether one can choose to</p>

<ul>
<li>not look at anyone's card with the Priest</li>
<li>not use the Handmaid's protective power</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-07T16:19:16.163Z
There's no such thing as playing a card in Love Letter. Every turn, you must discard a card.  Whenever you discard a card, for any reason, is effect happens
ikegami
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-07T16:55:30.283Z
@ikegami What if you can't find a valid target because of handmaidens? If all others have a handmaiden and you hold a princess and any attacking card like priest or baron, do you have to discard the princess, or do you simply 'attempt' and fail to use the card effect? Likewise, with prince could you attempt against a handmaidened player and opt not to against yourself?
Joey
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-07T17:04:27.143Z
Sounds like it's a 3-player game where all players could have the Handmaiden since you'd never have a case even in 2-player where they all have it active. It expires at the start of your turn. I see the rules talking extensively about handmaidens being on every other player in each case, but oddly, they do not specify it for the Priest alone. Probably the intention is it does nothing in that case, as with most others.
Joey
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-07T17:05:27.460Z
Since you're always a valid target for your own Prince, so you would have to pick yourself. "If all players other than the player whose turn it is are protected by Susannah, the player must choose him- or herself if possible." You would lose.
ikegami
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-07T18:28:19.730Z
I have added some additional comments on the situation when all other players have a handmaiden out
Joe W
<love-letter>
In Love Letter, can you discard a card instead of playing it?
Joey
# In Love Letter, can you discard a card instead of playing it?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-06-07)

Are players compelled to use the power of a card, or can they choose to not use it (and simply discard it)? For instance, can I choose to

* not have anyone discard after playing the Prince
* not to compare my card to another player after playing the Baron
* not to trade hands with anyone using the King?

Those three are the cases where I could see a distinct advantage to being allowed to not use the power. Other cases that are more questionable when it comes to assisting the player are whether one can choose to

* not look at anyone's card with the Priest
* not use the Handmaid's protective power

**Tags:** love-letter

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: There's no such thing as playing a card in Love Letter. Every turn, you must discard a card.  Whenever you discard a card, for any reason, is effect happens  
> **username_0**: @username_1 What if you can't find a valid target because of handmaidens? If all others have a handmaiden and you hold a princess and any attacking card like priest or baron, do you have to discard the princess, or do you simply 'attempt' and fail to use the card effect? Likewise, with prince could you attempt against a handmaidened player and opt not to against yourself?  
> **username_0**: Sounds like it's a 3-player game where all players could have the Handmaiden since you'd never have a case even in 2-player where they all have it active. It expires at the start of your turn. I see the rules talking extensively about handmaidens being on every other player in each case, but oddly, they do not specify it for the Priest alone. Probably the intention is it does nothing in that case, as with most others.  
> **username_1**: Since you're always a valid target for your own Prince, so you would have to pick yourself. "If all players other than the player whose turn it is are protected by Susannah, the player must choose him- or herself if possible." You would lose.  
> **username_2**: I have added some additional comments on the situation when all other players have a handmaiden out  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-06-07. Score: 19 | Accepted answer

No, you must always apply the effect of the card even if that card would hurt you, such as playing the prince with the princess in hand when the other 2 players have handmaidens out. Always having to play the effect of the card is spelled out in the rule book and making a house variant to change that would greatly alter the balance of the game as it would remove the negative side of some of the more powerful cards in the game.

The point of this is that there will be times when playing a card can be very bad for you and that is to balance out the fact that playing a card can be very good for you or at worst neutral most of the time

[Love Letter PDF Rules](http://www.alderac.com/tempest/files/2012/09/Love_Letter_Rules_Final.pdf)

> On your turn, draw the top card
> from the deck and add it to your
> hand. Then choose one of the two
> cards in your hand and discard it
> face up in front of you. Apply any
> effect on the card you discarded.
> You must apply its effect, even if it
> is bad for you.

If there are no valid targets because all other players have a handmaiden in play you can still use the card and in most cases nothing will happen.

1. Guard - Nothing happens
2. Priest - Nothing happens
3. Barron - Nothing happens
4. Handmaiden - Does not target others
5. Prince- You must target yourself and discard your other card
6. King - Nothing happens
7. Countess - Does not target others
8. Princess - Does not target others


---

