Go up a level as an item

[killshot111]

This is probably a dumb question but I'll let the moderator flame me if it is.

I was playing a game where someone was level 9 and as treasure, got a couple "Go Up A Level" cards. Since he couldn't use them (was lvl 9 after all), he played it in front like an item and "carried" the "item".

I wasn't sure that was legal since I don't think these cards are considered items (no gp value, no "Usable only once" on the card, etc.). However, most if not all treasure cards are items. He was "carrying" the cards b/c he had more than 5 cards in his hand and didn't want to give any away and wanted to keep them for safe keeping in case he COULD use it at a later time.

Is this a legal use of these cards/treasures? Can he "carry" these cards like items to save for later when he CAN use them? Thanks in advance for your reply.

[six's monkey]

Neither a dumb question, nor a dumb asker.
Your sense that his play was not right was quite correct.
You can carry (have in play (on the table and no longer in your hand)) any number of small (not marked as big) items (marked with regard to gp value) and (normally) one big item.
You may also have race, class, accent, nationality, mojo, power, and various other persistent cards that describe the munchkin you are playing.
Go-up-a-level (Gual) cards are none of these. They may be held in your hand, subject to hand size limits at the end of your turn, or they may be played upon any munchkin at any time, or they are fair game for charity.
They may not be traded, as they would first have to be 'in-play' and the moment they hit the table they must add to someone's level or they bounce right back into the hand of the player who tried to use them.
I'm quite willing to be corrected, as my response is not official.

[MunchkinMan]

GUAL cards are not Items and thus can't be played in front of you to avoid Charity if you could not use them.