Does using power on displayed War Paint count as playing an item?

[Whipstitch]

White War Paint (Item 2 from Curse of the Crimson Throne) said wrote:

Display. While displayed:

* On your checks against Undead banes, add 1d8.
* When you fail a combat check or play another Paint card, bury this card; if you have the Melee skill, discard it instead.

Vic previously said,

Viv said wrote:

As of MM, playing a card means using a power on that card by performing an action with that card that is specified by the card itself. Choosing to activate a power on a displayed card also counts as playing it.

What we'd like to know is whether the first power on the White War Paint (add 1d8 to your checks against Undead cards) is a power in the traditional sense, in that using it counts as playing an item. Since this power doesn't say, "You may", making it optional, it seems to be a different case.

Thanks!

[skizzerz]

It is mandatory, so it does not count as playing an item.

[Frencois]

Yep, your face has been painted in the morning before going to war. Now it's on you, you don't have anything to do to benefit from it. Actually, pale as you are, you already are half-undead, the game doesn't want to hurt you more.