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Can I prepare a fifth card to get its "when prepared" benefit and discard it straight away?

Probably yes. The limit is enforced after the card is prepared, so the prepare trigger (such as Resourceful, Quick Thinking or Industrious) can resolve before the extra card is discarded. One poster argues the "at the same time" wording stops this, and there is no published ruling on over-preparing, so this is a reading rather than a settled rule.

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