Changes: Ability word

Latest revision as of 20:04, 3 December 2023

An ability word is a word that thematically groups cards with a common functionality, but has no special meaning in the Comprehensive Rules.^[1]

Description[ | ]

Because they indicate flavor rather than rules text, ability words are printed in italics and are separated from their corresponding rules text by an em-dash. Ability words are used to label mechanics that cannot be keyworded.^[2] From a design standpoint, the important thing to note about an ability word is that you can't refer to it mechanically.^[3]

History[ | ]

Ability words were introduced with Unhinged's gotcha, and were first printed on tournament-legal cards in Saviors of Kamigawa with channel and sweep. Some earlier unnamed mechanics, such as Invasion block's domain, have retroactively received ability words. Odyssey block's threshold was errataed during rules changes in Time Spiral block to be an ability word, rather than a keyword, as was Mirrodin block's imprint with the release of Scars of Mirrodin.

Ability words are distinct from keyword actions and keyword abilities. Collectively, they are described as mechanics.

Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms adopts a very loose approach to ability words called flavor words, which are used to represent themed actions, character feats or magic, or monster abilities, instead of grouping similarly functioning cards.

As of 2023, R&D started experimenting with doing more one-of existing ability words in sets, as the card text explains everything and thus an ability word comes at less of a mental cost.^[4]

Rules[ | ]

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (April 12, 2024—Outlaws of Thunder Junction)

Ability Word: An italicized word with no rules meaning that ties together abilities on different cards that have similar functionality. See rule 207.2c.

From the Comprehensive Rules (April 12, 2024—Outlaws of Thunder Junction)

207.2c An ability word appears in italics at the beginning of some abilities. Ability words are similar to keywords in that they tie together cards that have similar functionality, but they have no special rules meaning and no individual entries in the Comprehensive Rules. The ability words are adamant, addendum, alliance, battalion, bloodrush, celebration, channel, chroma, cohort, constellation, converge, council’s dilemma, coven, delirium, descend 4, descend 8, domain, eminence, enrage, fateful hour, fathomless descent, ferocious, formidable, grandeur, hellbent, heroic, imprint, inspired, join forces, kinship, landfall, lieutenant, magecraft, metalcraft, morbid, pack tactics, paradox, parley, radiance, raid, rally, revolt, secret council, spell mastery, strive, sweep, tempting offer, threshold, undergrowth, and will of the council.

Examples[ | ]

Examples of ability words are:

Metalcraft — {Additional or alternate effect} if you control three or more artifacts.
Sweep — Return any number of {basic land types} you control to their owner's hand. {An effect based on the number of lands returned.}

List of ability words[ | ]

Acorn ability words[ | ]

References[ | ]

↑ Mark Rosewater (June 28, 2023). "What kind of considerations go into determining if something should be an ability word vs. a keyword ability?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
↑ Mark Rosewater (July 28, 2008). "Ability Word to Your Mother". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
↑ Mark Rosewater (January 10, 2022). "Even More Words From R&D". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
↑ Mark Rosewater (October 14, 2023). "Why did we get a single card with Battle Cry in ONE?". Blogatog. Tumblr.

[1] Mark Rosewater (June 28, 2023). "What kind of considerations go into determining if something should be an ability word vs. a keyword ability?". Blogatog. Tumblr.

[2] Mark Rosewater (July 28, 2008). "Ability Word to Your Mother". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.

[Even_More_R&D-3] Mark Rosewater (January 10, 2022). "Even More Words From R&D". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.

[4] Mark Rosewater (October 14, 2023). "Why did we get a single card with Battle Cry in ONE?". Blogatog. Tumblr.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{TOCright}}
-An '''ability word''' is a word that thematically groups cards with a common functionality, but has no special meaning in the [[Comprehensive Rules]].
+An '''ability word''' is a word that thematically groups cards with a common functionality, but has no special meaning in the [[Comprehensive Rules]].<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/721341919969640448|title=What kind of considerations go into determining if something should be an ability word vs. a keyword ability?|June 28, 2023}}</ref>
 ==Description==
-Because they indicate flavor rather than rules text, ability words are printed in italics and are separated from their corresponding rules text by an em-dash. Ability words are used to label mechanics that cannot be keyworded.<ref>{{NewRef|making-magic/ability-word-your-mother-2008-07-28|Ability Word to Your Mother|[[Mark Rosewater]]|July 28, 2008}}</ref>
+Because they indicate flavor rather than rules text, ability words are printed in italics and are separated from their corresponding rules text by an em-dash. Ability words are used to label mechanics that cannot be keyworded.<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/ability-word-your-mother-2008-07-28|Ability Word to Your Mother|[[Mark Rosewater]]|July 28, 2008}}</ref> From a design standpoint, the important thing to note about an ability word is that you can't refer to it mechanically.<ref name="Even More R&D">{{DailyRef|making-magic/even-more-words-rd-2022-01-10|Even More Words From R&D|[[Mark Rosewater]]|January 10, 2022}}</ref>
+===History===
-Ability words were introduced with ''[[Unhinged]]'''s [[Gotcha]], and were first printed on tournament-legal cards in ''[[Saviors of Kamigawa]]'' with [[channel]] and [[sweep]]. Some earlier unnamed mechanics, such as [[Invasion block]]'s [[domain]], have retroactively received ability words. [[Odyssey block]]'s [[threshold]] was [[Oracle|errataed]] during rules changes in [[Time Spiral block]] to be an ability word, rather than a keyword, as was [[Mirrodin block]]'s [[imprint]] with the release of [[Scars of Mirrodin]].
+Ability words were introduced with ''[[Unhinged]]''<nowiki/>'s [[gotcha]], and were first printed on tournament-legal cards in ''[[Saviors of Kamigawa]]'' with [[channel]] and [[sweep]]. Some earlier unnamed mechanics, such as [[Invasion block]]'s [[domain]], have retroactively received ability words. [[Odyssey block]]'s [[threshold]] was [[Oracle|errataed]] during rules changes in [[Time Spiral block]] to be an ability word, rather than a keyword, as was [[Mirrodin block]]'s [[imprint]] with the release of ''[[Scars of Mirrodin]]''.
-Ability words are distinct from [[keyword action]]s and [[keyword ability|keyword abilities]].
+Ability words are distinct from [[keyword action]]s and [[keyword ability|keyword abilities]]. Collectively, they are described as [[mechanic]]s.
+''[[Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms]]'' adopts a very loose approach to ability words called '''[[flavor word]]s''', which are used to represent themed actions, character feats or magic, or monster abilities, instead of grouping similarly functioning cards.
-==Differences between keyword actions, keyword abilities, and ability words==
-Ability words have no rules meaning, but exist to name and [[flavor|flavorfully]] link otherwise unnamed mechanics. Like [[flavor text]], ability words are italicized. Because they are have no rules meaning, and are not listed in the Comprehensive Rules, ability words are never referenced on other cards.
+As of 2023, R&D started experimenting with doing more one-of existing ability words in sets, as the card text explains everything and thus an ability word comes at less of a mental cost.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/731175968141623297|title=Why did we get a single card with Battle Cry in ONE?|October 14, 2023}}</ref>
-Keyword actions and keyword abilities are closely related. Both represent a longer segment of rules text and may allow variable costs and effects. Because they have a specific rules meaning and are listed in the [[Comprehensive Rules]], keywords of either type can be referenced from other cards. They differ in that keyword [[ability|abilities]] are either [[characteristic]]s of objects or are [[object]]s themselves, whereas keyword actions describe game-related actions.
-For example, the keyword ability [[enchant]], as in ''Enchant creature'', states a [[restriction]] on the valid [[target]]s for an [[aura]]. The related keyword action [[attach]] describes the process of physically putting such an aura onto its target.
 ==Rules==
+{{CR|glossary|Ability Word}}
 {{CR|207.2c}}
@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 Examples of ability words are:
 *''Metalcraft'' — {Additional or alternate effect} if you control three or more artifacts.
-*''Sweep'' — Return any number of {[[Basic lands|basic land type]]s} you control to their owner's hand. {An effect based on the number of lands returned.}
+*''Sweep'' — Return any number of {[[basic land type]]s} you control to their owner's hand. {An effect based on the number of lands returned.}
 ==List of ability words==
+{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
-{{col-begin}}
+*''[[Adamant]]''
-{{col-break}}
-*[[Battalion]]
+*''[[Addendum]]''
-*[[Bloodrush]]
+*''[[Alliance]]''
-*[[Channel]]
+*''[[Battalion]]''
-*[[Chroma]]
+*''[[Bloodrush]]''
-*[[Cohort]]
+*''[[Celebration]]''
-*[[Constellation]]
+*''[[Channel]]''
-*[[Converge]]
+*''[[Chroma]]''
+*''[[Cohort]]''
-*[[Council's dilemma]]
-*[[Delirium]]
+*''[[Constellation]]''
-*[[Domain]]
+*''[[Converge]]''
-*[[Fateful hour]]
+*''[[Corrupted]]''
+*''[[Council's dilemma]]''
-*[[Ferocious]]
+*''[[Coven]]''
-{{col-break}}
-*[[Formidable]]
+*''[[Delirium]]''
+*''[[Descend|Descend 4]]''
-*[[Grandeur]]
+*''[[Descend|Descend 8]]''
-*[[Hellbent]]
-*[[Heroic]]
+*''[[Domain]]''
-*[[Imprint]]
+*''[[Eminence]]''
-*[[Inspired]]
+*''[[Enrage]]''
-*[[Join forces]]
+*''[[Fateful hour]]''
+*''[[Descend|Fathomless Descent]]''
-*[[Kinship]]
-*[[Landfall]]
+*''[[Ferocious]]''
-*[[Lieutenant]]
+*''[[Formidable]]''
-*[[Metalcraft]]
+*''[[Grandeur]]''
+*''[[Hellbent]]''
-{{col-break}}
-*[[Morbid]]
+*''[[Heroic]]''
-*[[Parley]]
+*''[[Imprint]]''
-*[[Radiance]]
+*''[[Inspired]]''
-*[[Raid]]
+*''[[Join forces]]''
-*[[Rally]]
+*''[[Kinship]]''
-*[[Spell mastery]]
+*''[[Landfall]]''
-*[[Strive]]
+*''[[Lieutenant]]''
-*[[Sweep]]
+*''[[Magecraft]]''
-*[[Tempting offer]]
+*''[[Metalcraft]]''
-*[[Threshold]]
+*''[[Morbid]]''
-*[[Will of the council]]
+*''[[Pack tactics]]''
+*''[[Parade!]]''
-{{col-end}}
+*''[[Paradox]]''
+*''[[Parley]]''
+*''[[Radiance]]''
+*''[[Raid]]''
+*''[[Rally]]''
+*''[[Revolt]]''
+*''[[Spell mastery]]''
+*''[[Strive]]''
+*''[[Sweep]]''
+*''[[Tempting offer]]''
+*''[[Threshold]]''
+*''[[Underdog]]''
+*''[[Undergrowth]]''
+*''[[Will of the council]]''
+*''[[Will of the Planeswalkers]]''
+}}
+===[[Acorn]] ability words===
+{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
+*''[[Best in show]]''
+*''[[Gear up]]''
+*''[[Gotcha!]]''
+}}
 ==See also==
-*[[Gotcha]]
 *[[Hero's Reward]]
 *[[Spiritcraft]]
 ==References==
 {{Reflist}}
+{{Mechanics|ability}}
-{{Keywords and abilities}}
+[[Category:Ability words| ]]
-{{CR Navbox}}
-[[Category:Ability words|*]]