In standard circumstances, who chooses which card to discard?

In game situations where a player is required to discard a card, it is the affected player who typically chooses which card to discard from their hand. This principle is fundamental within the rules of Magic: The Gathering, as it aligns with a player’s control over their hand and strategic decision-making within the game.

Allowing the affected player to choose means they can weigh the value of their cards based on their current game state, potential future plays, or the board situation. This aspect of player agency is critical to maintaining the strategic depth of the game, as it enables players to make informed decisions to optimize their chance of winning.

Options that suggest any player can choose, a player with the most cards must choose, or that the choice is random do not align with the standard procedural rules established for card discarding. Discarding is designed as a mechanic that inherently affects the player needing to reduce their hand size, so relinquishing that choice from them would undermine the intended interaction of the game mechanic.