What's the exact ruling on attempting to perplex Black Bolt's Pulse Wave special?

I had someone argue that the way it's worded - when the pulse wave becomes the printed value, it isn't locked. Of course that makes sense when so many rules comes down to how it's read verbatim...but I would think it technically is locked. Perhaps a power to be errata'd??

Unfortunately, this is how I lost one of my matches in Supremacy.

I believe it's "printed" damage, so it can't be perplexed.

BUT!!!

That doesn't mean you can't perplex other crap. I love perplexing range, especially, because it's replace then modify: +2 to range means 9 / 2 -> 5, then 7 range pulsewave! Awww yeahhh!

This is correct. The power plainly states that the damage dealt is his printed damage. Perplex his damage all you like, his printed damage is still 4.

That's what I thought.

So is the (grammatical) logic here that the power's definition says "becomes his printed value instead of 1", opposed to "damage dealt is replaced with his printed value instead of 1"?? because the word "replace" would allow it to be modified?

Not following you. Those sound the same.

If it says "printed" then it's his printed value. Modifiers have no stake in determining what his printed value is.

Exactly. You cannot change a characters printed damage value. You can perplex their damage up so that they are dealing more for an individual attack, but their printed damage never changes. Because the power specifically states that the damage dealt is his printed damage value, it ignores any modifiers, positive or negative, applied.

Note I bolded the important part of your question. His damage DEALT is replaced, not his damage value. You cannot perplex damage dealt.

Ohhh Ok. Yeah I guess that would matter.

Cool. Thanks guys. Guess that'll be something to address when it comes up, if ever again.