Changes: Ability word

Revision as of 14:56, 2 July 2021

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

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.^[1]

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.

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

Flavor words

In Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, some ability words are not used to thematically group cards, but to refer to iconic Dungeons & Dragons abilities, actions, or spells.^[2] These flavor words help tell the story of what's going on. In many cases, they identify a particular skill or feat a creature from the Forgotten Realms could have. A few modal cards in the set use flavor words to better illustrate your choices.^[3] In this, they are similar to anchor words. Flavor words use title case as opposed to regular ability words that use proper case.

Acid Breath
Animate Walking Statue
Anitmagic Cone
Archery
Bardic Inspiration
Beacon of Hope
Befriend Them
Bewitching Whispers
Brave the Stench
Break Their Chains
Charge Them
Clever Conjurer
Climb Over
Combat Inspiration
Cone of Cold
Cunning Action
Cure Wounds
Dispel Magic
Displacement
Dissolve
Distract the Guard
Divine Intervention
Drag Below
Engulf
Fear Ray
Fend Them Off
Fight the Current
Find a Crossing
Foil Their Scheme
Gentle Repose
Grant an Advantage
Hide
Interrogate Them
Intimidate Them
Journey On
Keen Senses
Learn Their Secrets
Life Drain
Lift the Curse
Magical Tinkering
Make a Retreat
Make Camp
Poison Breath
Pry It Open
Rappel Down
Rejuvenation
Rouse the Party
Search the Body
Search the Room
Set Off Traps
Siege Monster
Smash It
Smash the Chest
Song of Rest
Split
Stand and Fight
Steal Its Eyes
Stunning Strike
Tail Spikes
Tie Up
Tragic Backstory
Trapped!
Two-Weapon Fighting
Whirlwind
Whispers of the Grave
Wild Magic Surge

Commander Decks

Mystic Arcanum
Pact Boon

Flavor words have been used before in other Wizards of the Coast TCGs, before.^[4] Their use in future sets is not off the table, but more likely for Universes Beyond than normal Magic.^[5]

References

↑ Mark Rosewater (July 28, 2008). "Ability Word to Your Mother". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
↑ Flavor Words (Video). Good Morning Magic. YouTube (June 29, 2021).
↑ Matt Tabak (June 24, 2021). "Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Mechanics". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
↑ Mark Rosewater (July 1, 2021). "Where flavorwords influenced by the kaijudo tcg...". Blogatog. Tumblr.
↑ Mark Rosewater (June 30, 2021). "Are flavor words something we should expect in...". Blogatog. Tumblr.

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

[2] Flavor Words (Video). Good Morning Magic. YouTube (June 29, 2021).

[Mechanics-3] Matt Tabak (June 24, 2021). "Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Mechanics". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.

[4] Mark Rosewater (July 1, 2021). "Where flavorwords influenced by the kaijudo tcg...". Blogatog. Tumblr.

[5] Mark Rosewater (June 30, 2021). "Are flavor words something we should expect in...". Blogatog. Tumblr.

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