Who chooses the card when you play a Favor in Exploding Kittens?
The player giving the card. You choose who has to give you a card, but they decide which card from their hand you get. That's the difference from a pair, where you take a card at random.
The rule:
In Exploding Kittens, when you play a Favor, you choose which player has to give you a card, but that player decides which card from their hand you get, unlike a pair, where you take a card at random.
Favor vs. the stealing combos:
| Card or combo | Who decides which card moves |
|---|---|
| Favor | The player giving it |
| Pair (Two of a Kind) | Nobody: it’s random |
| Three of a Kind | You name the card you want |
Who can you target? Any other player.
Can they refuse? Not by choice. But anyone, including the target, can play a Nope to cancel the Favor before it happens.
Example:
Jo plays a Favor on Tomás, hoping for his Defuse. Tomás looks through his hand and gives her a lone Cat Card instead, which is entirely his call.
Why players argue about it:
Some groups play Favor as a blind pick from the other player's hand. The sheet says the player giving the card chooses it.