Keyword Abilities

Elephant Abilities Hypothesis

Happy Juneteenth eve, Mark!If a hypothetical monocolored legendary creature were to read "Elephants you control have X," where X is a keyword ability, what do you suppose would be the most likely color and keyword combination, and if you have time, why? The Dermy Pack wants to know!

It would be green and say “Elephants you control have trample.”

Colors Creatures Elephant Green Keyword Abilities Keywords Trample

Tarmogoyf as French Vanilla

To be French vanilla, you have to have no rules text other than keyword abilities, so Tarmogoyf is not French vanilla.But it’s mechanicaly identical to a card with no abilities and the stat line “the number of card types among cards in all graveyards/the number of card types among cards in all graveyards” which would technically be vanilla science it only has stats.

Only having stats is not the same as not having rules text. 2/2 is just simpler than */*.

Card Types France French Vanilla Keyword Abilities Rules Tarmogoyf Vanilla

Categorizing Tarmogoyf's Abilities

Would Tarmogoyf be considered vanilla because it has no abilities, french vanilla because it's power and toughness are defined in the text of the card (albeit not by an ability), or neither because complexity or any other reason?

To be vanilla you have to have no rules text (not no abilities), so Tarmogoys if not vanilla.To be French vanilla, you have to have no rules text other than keyword abilities, so Tarmogoyf is not French vanilla.

France French Vanilla Keyword Abilities Rules Tarmogoyf Vanilla

Opponent's Library Keyword

If/When: a keyword ability in the vein of Cascade/Discover, but specifically for an opponent’s library?

If. We have to be careful with mechanics that punish the opponent for playing fun and exciting cards.

Cascade If/When Keyword Abilities Keywords Mechanics The Library

Enchantment Land Potential

yo! I know this is not a keyword ability but, on the storm scale, where is "enchantment land" ?

Enchantment land is a 5. I think we’re more likely to see more than not.

Enchantments Keyword Abilities Lands Storm Scale

Mechanic Comparisons

For folks expressing concern with mechanics like Collect Evidence, I want to point out that it’s just another keyword ability like Exert, Mill, Discover, or Amass. In fact, Exert and Mill are both used in costs and optional payments just like Collect Evidence.

Yes. It’s not something new.

Amass Collect Evidence Exert Keyword Abilities Mechanics Mill

Noncreature Keyword Usage

Why don't we see more noncreatures with keyword abilities. Like lifelink or deathtouch on a sorcery or hexproof on enchantments? You do it so rarely and I would like more.

The utility is low and the confusion is high.

Deathtouch Enchantments Hexproof Keyword Abilities Keywords Lifelink Lifelink Non-creatures Sorceries

UR Keyword Ability Consideration

for the ur keyword ability, i thought that the "as long as you’ve drawn two or more cards" thing from modern horizons 1 was really cool (eyekite, spinehorn minotaur). the fact that it triggers off both rummage and looting ties the colors together nicely. i'm curious if it was ever considered, or if it was received positively.

It’s the kind of thing a set has to build around, so not ideal for an evergreen ability.

Colors Evergreen Eyekite Izzet (U/R) Keyword Abilities Minotaur Modern Horizons Spinehorn Minotaur Triggered Abilities

Card Abilities and Rules

Hi Mark, I see a fair number of cards with effects like Myr Welder or Trazyn the Infinite that get the activated abilities of other cards in zones. Why don't we have effects that get other kinds of abilities of other cards in zones, is that due to developmental concerns, or complexity, or could there be space to explore there in the future?

It has to do with how the rules work. Activated abilities are clean and 100% of the cases work. If you want to get keyword abilities, for instance, you need to spell out which ones you are getting.

Keyword Abilities Myr Myr Welder Rules Trazyn the Infinite

Keyword Ability Limitation

Would it not be better for creatures like odric (and more recently, urborg scavengers) to just bestow "all abilities" rather than rattling off a list of inconsistent and ever changing abilities? Are there too many interactions that could break the game?

Those cards list abilities because the black border rules can’t handle saying “all abilities” or even “all keyword abilities”.

Bestow Black Border Creatures Keyword Abilities Rules Urborg Scavengers

Keyword Symbol Tokens

On the topic of the punch out symbol tokens for Keyword abilities, given time (probably a lot of it) and continued usage of those symbols, could we potentially see those symbols be used to represent those abilities directly on cards? Specifically, I mean, if we use the "symbol" for flying for the next 5 years, could we theoretically see it replace the "word" on cards that naturally have the ability?

It circles back to the symbol overload issue. Symbols are significantly more intimidating to new players than words (which are already plenty intimidating).

Beginners Flying Keyword Abilities Keywords Overload Tokens

Ability Word vs. Keyword

What kind of considerations go into determining if something should be an ability word vs. a keyword ability? In particular, I'm interested in the pros/cons of Landfall being an ability word vs. just "Landfall - Effect." I can see it both ways, but I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

A keyword is the replacement of an exact line of text. Ability words are just a flavoring of existing text.

Ability Words Keyword Abilities Keywords Landfall

Ability Gaining Limits

There's a handful of cards that can gain the activated abilities of other cards. Myr Welder, Experiment Kraj, etc. Any chance there'll be cards in the future that can gain static or triggered abilities in a similar way?

(Cards like Soulflayer that only get specific keyword abilities don't count. I'm looking for open-ended mix&match jank potential.)

The rules have a lot more issues with things gaining static and/or triggered abilities. Whenever I try, the Rules Manager says, “How about activated abilities?”

Experiment Kraj Keyword Abilities Myr Myr Welder Rules Rules Manager Soulflayer Triggered Abilities

Keyword Ability References

Is there a reason "keyword abilities" isn't a batch or otherwise isn't referenced on cards like Concerted Effort, Rayami, and Shadows Odric? The rules explicitly list what keyword abilities exist in 702, and variants can be handled as shown by Kathril handling "hexproof from" variants. To me, it seems far more intuitive to have them batched, rather than spelling out the evergreen keywords at the time of printing, when that list changes each time a card like those is made.

What exactly counts as a keyword is not as rules tight as you might assume. And what is “evergreen” is even looser than that. We write them out because that’s the only version that’s rules compliant.

Batches Card Printing Concerted Effort Evergreen Hexproof Keyword Abilities Keywords Rules

Vanilla Creature Definition

Regarding the creatures with no abilities being done away with in place of creatures with only keyword abilities, have you considered lumping those creatures in a category like historic? i.e. reminder text like (Vanilla creatures are creatures with no abilities except for keyword abilities)

French vanilla are creatures with only keywords. Vanilla means no rules text.

Creatures France French Vanilla Historic Keyword Abilities Keywords Rules Vanilla

Creature Abilities Layout

Mark, why are the abilities of creatures that grant a keyword abilities always written as two parts (example: Aggressive Mammoth) when it would be simpler to have a card just say "creatures you control have trample"?

We’ve found it easier to track if we spell out the creature has the ability.

Aggressive Mammoth Creatures Keyword Abilities Trample

Evergreen Mechanics Presence

Since the last core set, nearly 3 years ago now, there have been very few evergreen mechanics printed on cards with their reminder text. For creature keyword abilities specifically, only ward (which is still quite new) and menace seem to still get new cards explaining how they work. Is this intentional/desired, where this reminder text is now seen as unnecessary, or is it more simply lacking a good replacement to the core sets to print cards at this introductory level?

Jumpstart is filling a lot of this role.

Card Printing Creatures Evergreen Keyword Abilities Mechanics Menace Ward

Keyword List Management

In order for a card to care about "keywords" the next rules update could just list them, and define the list as "keyword abilities". This could be updated with each set that adds a keyword.

Mechanics that require ongoing upkeep for the rest of Magic’s life are a big ask. Even if we did that, ability words would still be off-limits.

Ability Words Keyword Abilities Keywords Mechanics Rules

French Vanilla Cards

Would it be possible to have cards that card about French vanilla? I’m not sure if “creatures with only keyword abilities” is something that’s possible within the rules

The rules can’t really handle keyword as a concept.

Creatures France French Vanilla Keyword Abilities Keywords Rules Vanilla

Evergreen Abilities

if or when: non-creatures having their own type-specific evergreen keyword abilities (not a mechanic).

If. It’s not something we particularly need.

Evergreen If/When Keyword Abilities Mechanics Non-creatures