[Thanos007]

I can't find anything in the rules or faq, I may have just missed it but... during your turn you can play cards to activate effects but not do enough damage to register a level on any obstacles can you play cards simply to get a new hand? I'm back and forth on it leaning towards no but a player brought it up and I told him I'd ask around. What's everyone one else think?

[graven2002]

You absolutely can.  You are free to play any cards in your hand during your turn*.  Many times it is the best strategy to play down to 3 cards in your hand so you can draw 2 more.  This is especially true if you have colors you don't need, or are playing a standard Mage with a few strong cards in your deck that you need to cycle to quickly.

*Unless blocked from playing cards by specific effects, like "Spirit of Earth", but you can still play cards against an obstacle even if you can't apply the damage (such as against "Gunslinger Adept").

[iduno]

I'd rule that you can play a card for just part of the damage it normally does (lightning bolt against an obstacle with only 1 level left), but "players cannot be healed" or "gunslinger adept cannot be damaged" tells me it shouldn't be allowable to try those actions just to get rid of cards.

Only doing 1-3 damage to an obstacle that requires 4 (as an example) would definitely be a grey area. It would probably only be useful as a way to get rid of lower quality cards that you may as well keep in your hand, but I also don't know of a rule that forbids (or allows) it.

Which way is more fun? Do you feel guilty or like you are cheating doing it?

[daclown]

I'd rule that you can play a card for just part of the damage it normally does (lightning bolt against an obstacle with only 1 level left), but "players cannot be healed" or "gunslinger adept cannot be damaged" tells me it shouldn't be allowable to try those actions just to get rid of cards.

Only doing 1-3 damage to an obstacle that requires 4 (as an example) would definitely be a grey area. It would probably only be useful as a way to get rid of lower quality cards that you may as well keep in your hand, but I also don't know of a rule that forbids (or allows) it.

Which way is more fun? Do you feel guilty or like you are cheating doing it?

Page 6 of the rules (also on page 14): "Partial damage dealt to a level is removed at the end of each runner's turn."
But like graven2002 said, playing a card that don't help to clear a level on a damage track can be useful for cycling your deck faster.