Expunge

Understanding Cleave's Naming Choice

Re: Cleave. I think the issue people are having isn't that "Cleave" means "to cut", instead it is the connotation of the word that involves some sort of attack. As a mechanic that doesn't do some sort of an attack, it just lands oddly to some people (I'm neutral about it). So in that sense, I think the word choice misses a bit, and perhaps could have been something like "Omit" or "Expunge" to better capture the idea of removing words.

I do get that it sounds like a combat mechanic which it isn’t. I’m not sure what other words they considered.

Cleave Expunge Lands Mechanics

Design Philosophy

Mark, in your podcast of urza block (and outside of it) you say that expunge is a bad card design because having cycling on a card you want all the time is wasted text. However, in amonket the card "cast out" fill exactly the same hole, perhaps more so because it is unconditional. Is this a change in philosophy or just development muddling things again?

The two cards are different in numerous ways so it’s not a great comparison. The biggest difference is the separation between mana cost and cycling cost.

Cast Cast Out Cycling Drive to Work Expunge Mana Urza

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