Pulsed Ray Shield - During the End phase, you may receive 1 ion token to recover 1 shield (up to your shield value).

So the question is: can you use this to recover for 0, allowing a ionized 1 straight next turn (for ships that don't have 1 straights on the dial like the Khirazx and M3A)

YES! - Precedence in the FAQ pg 12 - "Garven Dreis" - Garven may still use his ability after using R5-P9 even if he cannot recover any shields.

R5-P9 - At the end of the Combat Phase, you may spend 1 of your focus tokens to recover 1 shield. (up to your shield value).

Well I guess it is settled as Pulsed Ray Shield and R5-P9 read exactly the same.... but wait, there's more!

NO! - Precedence in the Rules Reference Guide pg 17 - "Shields" - If a ship has a number of shield tokens equal to its shield value, it cannot recover shields.

-- Not only does this directly confict with Garven Dreis FAQ, meaning that you CANT use R5-P9 for 0, it also means that you CANT Pulsed Ray Shield for 0.

So who the hell is right here?

Only if you are already at full shields (which is what I assume you are asking).

The way I see it, the receiving the ion token is a cost, gaining the shield is the effect. You can pay the cost of the card and then the game will automatically try to give you the effect, if you can get the shield, you do, but if you can't, the effect fizzles. But if you use the card and are not at full shields, you are going to get a shield token back, you don't have that choice.

It is funny because this is also in direct contradiction with Omega Leader. They said that you can't spend a Focus to try to modify your dice and fail to do so... Their resonning is if you can't successfuly complete the effect you can't pay the cost... but then they let R5-P9 spent a focus token even if he can't successfuly complete the effect...

16 minutes ago, muribundi said:

It is funny because this is also in direct contradiction with Omega Leader. They said that you can't spend a Focus to try to modify your dice and fail to do so... Their resonning is if you can't successfuly complete the effect you can't pay the cost... but then they let R5-P9 spent a focus token even if he can't successfuly complete the effect...

Consistency!

Sigh.