Let's say I have VI RAC, carrying a Courier Droid ("At the start of the "Place Forces" step, you may choose to treat your pilot skill value as "0" or "8" until the end of the step"). What are my options for PS during placement?

0, 8, or 10 - The "may" in Courier Droid applies to using it at all. You don't have to use it, so instead of the 0 or 8 it allows, you can use your own PS. (I believe this is the intent and the strongest interpretation.)

0 or 8 only - The "may" refers to having a choice between 0 or 8, but because you're equipping the Courier Droid, you're using it, so you must use one of those: 0 or 8.

In plain English, if someone says, "For lunch, you may choose PB&J or sloppy joes," this can be interpreted in either fashion above.

I would go with the first option. It should be worded as "You must choose to treat..." if the locked selections were either 0 or 8, and no other.

17 minutes ago, Jeff Wilder said:

Let's say I have VI RAC, carrying a Courier Droid ("At the start of the "Place Forces" step, you may choose to treat your pilot skill value as "0" or "8" until the end of the step"). What are my options for PS during placement?

0, 8, or 10 - The "may" in Courier Droid applies to using it at all. You don't have to use it, so instead of the 0 or 8 it allows, you can use your own PS. (I believe this is the intent and the strongest interpretation.)

0 or 8 only - The "may" refers to having a choice between 0 or 8, but because you're equipping the Courier Droid , you're using it, so you must use one of those: 0 or 8.

In plain English, if someone says, "For lunch, you may choose PB&J or sloppy joes," this can be interpreted in either fashion above.

I seriously don't think that it's going to restrict you to 0 or 8 as your only options for setup just because you've equipped it. You can ignore it, and resort to your PS instead if that's going to be more favourable. It's like saying that because you've equipped cluster bombs, then you must use them before the game ends. Just because you have it, doesn't mean you have to use it.

So I would agree with Slugrage on the first option as being the logical reading.

30 minutes ago, Parravon said:

I seriously don't think that it's going to restrict you to 0 or 8 as your only options for setup just because you've equipped it. You can ignore it, and resort to your PS instead if that's going to be more favourable. It's like saying that because you've equipped cluster bombs, then you must use them before the game ends. Just because you have it, doesn't mean you have to use it.

So I would agree with Slugrage on the first option as being the logical reading.

Some card do force your hand to use their abilities. But in this case, yeah, it says 'may' so you can ignore it if your PS is better. The courier droid's main purpose in like is to be sacrificed with Chopper or Moff JerJerrod. I'm pretty sure they only gave it that starting placement thing so it can do something besides "This droid is useless, blow it out the airlock with another crew or astromech's ability at the first opportunity"

1 hour ago, xbeaker said:

But in this case, yeah, it says 'may' so you can ignore it if your PS is better.

While I agree with your interpretation, unfortunately you're committing the logical fallacy of begging the question here.

The whole question is whether, in fact, you can ignore the function of the card simply because of the use of the word "may." (In other words, does "may" refer to use of the card, or does "may" refer to choosing between the two listed options?)

I wouldn't get hung up on whether or not the card uses the word "may" or not. At the end of the day, you choose if you want to trigger the card or not. If you do, you choose PS0 or PS8. If you don't trigger it, then it's PS10 and the droid gets to wait by the airlock as he's now an expendable asset for Moff Jerjerrod.

4 hours ago, Jeff Wilder said:

While I agree with your interpretation, unfortunately you're committing the logical fallacy of begging the question here.

The whole question is whether, in fact, you can ignore the function of the card simply because of the use of the word "may." (In other words, does "may" refer to use of the card, or does "may" refer to choosing between the two listed options?)

It is not a logical fallacy at all. "May" by definition is to present permission which means that 'or not/none at all' is an option. " For lunch, you may have PB&J " " For lunch, you may choose PB&J or sloppy joes. " In both cases the option of no lunch is available. Unless, of course, an additional clause is included. "You must eat lunch , you may choose PB&J or sloppy joes ."

Strictly RAW, it is optional. Were you require to choose between 0 or 8 exclusively it would have said, "At the start of the 'Place Forces step', treat your pilot skill value as "0" or "8" until the end of the step" the inclusion of the words 'may choose to' and it's position in the sentence means all following text is optional. And that is interpreting the text in a vacuum. Its use in every other instance of the rules and cards in the game backs up the idea that any text following 'may' is optional once the card is activated by its trigger.

1 hour ago, Parravon said:

I wouldn't get hung up on whether or not the card uses the word "may" or not. At the end of the day, you choose if you want to trigger the card or not. If you do, you choose PS0 or PS8. If you don't trigger it, then it's PS10 and the droid gets to wait by the airlock as he's now an expendable asset for Moff Jerjerrod.

This is not strictly true. You do not have an option to trigger a card. A card triggers as soon as its condition is met. In this case, the place forces step. But due to the function of the card, you can have it create no meaningful result. If the card did not contain the 'may choose to' then you would be compelled to place a ship with Courier Droid as either 0 or 8 PS when placing forces. ... then blow it out the airlock with Moff JerJerrod.

But, for example, if you were using a Tactician against Sontir Fel and shot him at range 2, you could not choose to not give him a stress token to keep him from getting another focus. The card was triggered, the effect must be completed. So Sontir gets a stress and, if the owner chooses, also gains a focus.

The most straightforward way I can read it is that the card makes perfect sense if you omit “may choose to” and the “or” still gives the 0 and 8 options, therefore the inclusion of “may choose to” seems deliberate and should also give you the option of the ship’s PS as well.

The card reads that You may choose to do the thing (choose between 0 and 8). And may clauses are optional so you can still use 10.