Display this card and choose one: ...; or your hand size is 3, 7 or 10.
So, if I chose this effect, do I need to select one of the 3 numbers (effective for the rest of the scenario), or do I treat it as if it gives me the equivalent of my Powers section saying "Hand Size: 3, 7 or 10" (i.e. - I chose the number every turn) - I believe there was a similar precedent with one of the Goblin heroes.
I believe it's the later, but the player who carries the card argues the former, and I feel she is short-changing herself.
Thanks in advance.
I'd agree with you.
We definitely played it as choose one number and stick to it for the rest of the scenario. In other words, you're choosing between four things:
1. Strength, Dex and Con are d12 plus whatever it is
2. Hand size is 3
3. Hand size is 7
4. Hand size is 10
In order to switch each turn, you'd have to interpret it as letting you choose the following as a single option:
My hand size is now "3, 7 or 10".
To me, "3, 7 or 10" is not a thing that a hand size can be. There's no rules describing what to do if your hand size is "3, 7 or 10" - yes it's obvious what those rules would say if they did exist, but they don't. There's no precedent for a hand size being anything other than a number. In fact, worse than no precedent, there is a precedent for characters being able to modify their hand size, and none of those powers work by making your hand size "[A] or [B]", they work by telling you how and when to change your hand size from one number to another number. In the kind of way Dan Bongiorno describes above.
The only time you're instructed by the spell to make a choice is when you play the card.
Also...
* Compare the discussion of favoured card type. In that case, characters' favoured card type is explicitly given as "[A] or [B]", and we were still told to choose once and stick to it.
* The three different hand sizes presumably represent three different shapes. Why does it make sense to be able to change between those three shapes at will but not the other shape? The spell changes your shape once, not turns you into a shapechanger.
* The card is very, very good already it doesn't need to be better.
* Without explicit instructions on when to choose your hand size, you could abuse the situation even further. Have 9 cards in hand, no cards in your deck, and don't want to discard? No problem. When you get to the instruction "Then, if you have more cards in your hand than your hand size specifies, you must discard until the number of cards in your hand matches your hand size." just say "well I don't have more cards than 10 so I don't have to discard". Then when you get to the instruction "if you have fewer cards than your hand size, you must draw cards until the number of cards in your hand matches your hand size.", say "well I don't have fewer cards than 7 so I'm not going to draw cards either". Obviously no-one would think this is fair, but it's no more or less justified than choosing once each turn.
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I'd agree with you.
Wooow for ONCE I disagree with the überknowItAll AI formerly known as Hawk.
If you could change your choice, it would be written as:
Display Shapechange.
While displayed (when whatever happens or each whatever part of the turn happens...), choose one...
Since the "choose" is in the "Display" paragraph and not in the "While displayed" one, that only happens once at the time you display the card.
IMHO.
I believe there was a similar precedent with one of the Goblin heroes.
I think you are thinking of Chuffy.
When you reset your hand, you may treat your hand size as 3, 4, or 5 (□ or 2 or 6) (□ or 1 or 7) until the end of the turn.
That is a little different from Shapechange for a few reasons. First, it says it explicitly applies when you reset your hand. I think that makes it clear you get to set the number once while resetting your hand. Chuffy doesn't apply to things like Goblin Keelhaulin which care about your hand size when you aren't resetting it. Shapechange, on the other hand, would seem to apply.
So, the way I thought of it was this. This is the Summoner class deck version. The spell has appeared a few other places, so I'm not sure if it is different elsewhere.
Display this card and choose one: treat your Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution skills as 1d12+2, or treat your hand size as 3, 7, or 10.
You choose between 2 options, because that seems the more natural way to read to me. So Option A you treat your Strength Dexterity and Constitution as 1d12+2 or Option B you treat your hand size as 3, 7, or 10.
Now, a few things. First, this isn't an optional power.
Other cards on the table
Powers on cards on the table—including story cards, character cards, and displayed cards—are active whenever they are appropriate.
Playing cards from your hand is always optional. Active powers on all other cards are only optional if they say “you may” do something.
It doesn't say "may treat." Once you play it and choose, forget what is on your character card and apply Shapechange instead. So, when is Shapechange (the hand size version) appropriate? Whenever you hand size matter. So, whenever my hand size matters, I'm activating Shapechange and I may choose my hand size.
I'm still thinking hard about Irgy's concern about abuse when resetting your hand. I'd personally treated it where you couldn't switch in the middle of resetting your hand. But I'm trying to figure out if the rules really support that or if it was just how I assumed it worked. I'm focusing on this:
Choosing to activate a power on a displayed card also counts as playing it...
If a power says it may be used when something happens, you may use it every time that happens. Otherwise, a specific card’s power may only be used once per check or step.
I don't think I'm choosing to activate Shapechange, since it isn't a "may" power. And Shapechange isn't a "when something happens" power. But does using it only once per step mean that you can't change your choice during the step? I'm not totally sure.
I've played it the same way that Irgy mentioned, but after looking at Hawkmoon's argument and supporting details I think I'm siding with Hawk on this one.
For resetting your hand, the following rules are relevant:
Do the following whenever you are instructed to reset your hand. First, apply any effects that happen when you reset your hand. You may also play cards or use powers that say they may be used when you reset your hand. Next, you may discard any number of cards. Then, if you have more cards in your hand than your hand size specifies, you must discard until the number of cards in your hand matches your hand size. Finally, if you have fewer cards than your hand size, you must draw cards until the number of cards in your hand matches your hand size.
Shapechange is not an effect that happens when you reset your hand (it does not say "When you reset your hand, your hand size is 3, 7, or 10"), so that doesn't apply. It also doesn't say it can be used when you reset your hand, so that doesn't apply. What does apply is "if you have more cards in your hand than your hand size specifies" -- that is the point where you choose whether your hand size is 3, 7, or 10. Once you choose that, that is your hand size for the remainder of the reset step.
Finally, although the rulebook does say Allow For Abstractions, here's the original Shapechange (italics original):
This spell allows you to take the form of a wide variety of creatures. This spell can function as alter self, beast shape IV, elemental body IV, form of the dragon III, giant form II, and plant shape III depending on what form you take. You can change form once each round as a free action. The change takes place either immediately before your regular action or immediately after it, but not during the action.
In terms of what is relevant for PACG, note the text "You can change form once each round." In PACG, hand size is at least partly a guide of how "tough" you are. A hand size of 3 would indicate perhaps changing forms to a mighty dragon or giant, whereas 10 could indicate something delicate like a small animal, plant, or so on. Since the source material lets you change forms once a round, it therefore makes sense if the PACG spell lets you change hand sizes once a round. That lends weight that Longshot's and Hawkmoon's interpretation is the intended one since there is also rules support behind it.
I'm starting to think that if a card said just:
"Display this card. While displayed, you may treat your hand size as 3, 7 or 10"
then you would still have to choose once and stick to it. Because hand size is a number, not an expression in first order logic, and if nothing tells you when, why, nor how you get to choose again or change your mind you still should have to pick one and stick with it.
What does apply is "if you have more cards in your hand than your hand size specifies" -- that is the point where you choose whether your hand size is 3, 7, or 10. Once you choose that, that is your hand size for the remainder of the reset step.
Why is that the point? Why is that your hand size for the remainder of the reset step? I'm all on board with the idea that, given a first-order-logic hand size, then that's the most sensible way to handle it, because it gives the most sensible results. But it's still essentially arbitrary.
here's the original Shapechange...
I agree that undermines my flavour argument against, but I don't think it goes as far as making an argument for. It's still inconsistent, if you're meant to be able to change shape, why can't you change to the other (Str,Dex,Con) shape? What shape are you the rest of the turn?
Which makes me realise you would get to abuse Death of Righteousness as well, sitting there with 10 cards in hand and discarding only 3 from the top of your deck. Or are you forced to stick with your previous choice? Or your following choice? Should we just make up rules out of the air to cover this situation too?
It’s helpful to get a ruling on this, because I myself was uncertain. But I am disappointed. This makes the hand size power of Shapechange much less useful than does Hawkmoon’s interpretation.