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An '''anchor word''' is a word that precedes a choice on a [[modal]] spell, to give the respective [[abilities]] a bit of [[flavor]] and signify the choice. Anchor words don't have a specific rule attached to them.
An '''anchor word''' is a word that precedes a choice on a [[modal]] spell, to give the respective [[abilities]] a bit of [[flavor]] and signify the choice when it [[enters the battlefield]]. Anchor words don't have a specific rule attached to them, but always tie the existence of a [[continuous effect]] to the choice.<ref name="Know">{{TwitterRef|EthanFleischer|1156307267282587648|author=[[Ethan Fleischer]]|title=Know Your Anchor Words.|date=July 30, 2019}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
Anchor words were introduced in ''[[Fate Reforged]]'', where the "Siege"-cycle featured the choice between "[[Khans]]" and "[[Dragon]]s".<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/fate-ful-stories-part-1-2014-01-12|Fate-ful Stories, Part 1|[[Mark Rosewater]]|January 12, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|feature/fate-reforged-update-bulletin-comprehensive-rule-changes-2015-01-15|''Fate Reforged'' Update Bulletin — Comprehensive Rule Changes|[[Matt Tabak]]|January 15, 2015 }}</ref>  
Anchor words were introduced in ''[[Fate Reforged]]'', where the "Siege"-cycle featured the choice between "[[Khans]]" and "[[Dragon]]s".<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/fate-ful-stories-part-1-2015-01-12|Fate-ful Stories, Part 1|[[Mark Rosewater]]|January 12, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|feature/fate-reforged-update-bulletin-comprehensive-rule-changes-2015-01-15|''Fate Reforged'' Update Bulletin — Comprehensive Rule Changes|[[Matt Tabak]]|January 15, 2015}}</ref>  


Anchor words also appeared in ''[[Unstable]]''.
Anchor words also appeared in ''[[Unstable]]'' and ''[[Modern Horizons]]''. The [[flavor word]]s from ''[[Adventures in the Forgotten Realms]]'' have a similar function. Those involving a modal choice can be accounted as anchor words as well.<ref name="Deciduous"/><ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/680100220186558464/hi-mark-you-seem-to-count-flavor-words-as-anchor|title=You seem to count flavor words as anchor words. Is that correct?|March 29, 2022}}</ref> However, many of those do not meet the condition of it being an [[enters the battlefield]]-ability.


==List of anchor words==
Anchor words are now considered to be [[deciduous]].<ref name="Deciduous">{{DailyRef|making-magic/deciduous-2022-03-28|Deciduous|[[Mark Rosewater]]|March 28, 2022}}</ref>
* "Khans" and "Dragons" ("Siege"-cycle)
 
* "[[Flavor]]ful" and "Bland" (<c>Ineffable Blessing</c>)<ref>{{DailyRef|card-preview/welcome-flavortown-or-not-2017-11-14|Welcome to Flavortown! (Or Not)|[[Adam Styborski]]|November 14, 2017}}</ref>  
===Examples of anchor words===
* "Whack", "Doodle" and "Buzz" (<c>Buzzing Whack-a-Doodle</c>)<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/unstable-scraps-part-1-2017-11-27|''Unstable'' Scraps, Part 1|[[Mark Rosewater]]|November 27, 2017}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" 
* "Mirran" and "Phyrexian" (<c>Mirrodin Besieged</c>)
!Anchor words
!Card(s)
!Set
!Note
|-
|"Self" and "Others"
|
<c>Feed the Machine</c></br>
<c>May Civilization Collapse</c></br>
<c>Surrender Your Thoughts</c></br>
<c>The Fate of the Flammable</c>
|''[[Archenemy]]''
|
|-
|"Khans" and "Dragons"  
|"{{Scryfall search|Siege|add=o:"Khans —"}}"-cycle
|''[[Fate Reforged]]''
|
|-
|"[[Flavor]]ful" and "Bland"  
|{{card|Ineffable Blessing||UST|#=113a}}
|''[[Unstable]]''<ref>{{DailyRef|card-preview/welcome-flavortown-or-not-2017-11-14|Welcome to Flavortown! (Or Not)|[[Adam Styborski]]|November 14, 2017}}</ref>  
|[[Acorn]]
|-
|"Whack", "Doodle" and "Buzz"  
|<c>Buzzing Whack-a-Doodle</c>
|''Unstable''<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/unstable-scraps-part-1-2017-11-27|''Unstable'' Scraps, Part 1|[[Mark Rosewater]]|November 27, 2017}}</ref>
|Acorn
|-
|"Mirran" and "Phyrexian"  
|<c>Mirrodin Besieged</c>
|''[[Modern Horizons]]''
|-
|"Executioner Round" and "Hyperfrag Round"
|<c>Primaris Eliminator</c>
|''[[Warhammer 40,000 Commander Decks]]''
|Types of [https://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Bolter_Ammunition#Hyperfrag_Rounds ammunition] from a [[Universes Beyond]] [[:Category:Referencing another IP|IP]]
|-
|"NCR" and "Legion"
|<c>Battle of Hoover Dam</c>
|''[[Fallout]]''
|[https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/NCR-Legion_War Factions] from a [[Universes Beyond]] IP
|-
|"Brotherhood" and "Enclave"
|<c>Struggle for Project Purity</c>
|''[[Fallout]]''
|[https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Project_Purity Factions] from a [[Universes Beyond]] IP
|}
 
===Examples of Flavor-anchor words===
{| class="wikitable sortable" 
!Anchor words
!Card(s)
!Set
!Note
|-
|"Truth" and "Dare"
|<c>Truth or Dare</c>
|''[[Mystery Booster/Test cards|Mystery Booster]]''
|[[Test card]]
|-
|"Two-Weapon Fighting" and "Archery"
|<c>Choose Your Weapon</c>
|''[[Adventures in the Forgotten Realms]]''
|
|-
|"Breathe Flame" and "Smash Relics"
|<c>Klauth's Will</c>
|''[[Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms/Commander decks|''Adventures in the Forgotten Realms'' Commander decks]]
|
|-
|"Sonic Boom" and "Flash Kick"
|{{card|Guile, Sonic Soldier||SLD|#=434}}
|''[[Secret Lair Drop Series: February Superdrop 2022|Secret Lair Drop Series: Street Fighter]]''
|[[Rebranded card|Reskinned]] without anchor words as <c>Immard, the Stormcleaver</c>
|-
|"Money", "Friendship" and "Secrets"
|<c>Master of Ceremonies</c>
|''[[Streets of New Capenna/Commander decks|''Streets of New Capenna'' Commander decks]]
|-
|"Fame" and "Fortune"
|<c>Seize the Spotlight</c>
|''[[Streets of New Capenna/Commander decks|''Streets of New Capenna'' Commander decks]]
|
|-
|"Feed" and "Friends"
|<c>Astarion, the Decadent</c>
|''[[Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate]]''
|
|-
|"Flavor" and "History"
|<c>Meet and Greet "Sisay"</c>
|''[[Unfinity]]''
|
|-
|"Ambitious" and "Expedient"
|<c>Crucias, Titan of the Waves</c>
|''[[Alchemy: The Brothers' War]]''
|[[Designed-for-digital]]
|-
|"It's Probably Nothing" and "That Could Actually Be Dangerous"
|<c>More of That Strange Oil...</c>
|[[Unknown Event/Philadelphia event cards|Unknown Event]]
|[[Test card]]
|-
|"Thay", "Caan", "Sec" and "Jast"
|<c>Cult of Skaro</c>
|''[[Doctor Who]]''
|The four [[Dalek]]s that form the [https://tardis.fandom.com/wiki/Cult_of_Skaro Cult of Skaro].
|-
|"Tax" and "Arrest"
|<c>Tax Collector</c>
|''[[Assassin's Creed]]''
|
|}


==Rules==
==Rules==
{{CR|glossary|Anchor Word}}
{{CR|glossary|Anchor Word}}
{{CR|lookup=614.12b}}
{{CR|614.12b}}


==Rulings==
==Rulings==
* The anchor word "Dragons" has no connection to the [[creature type]] Dragon.<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/fate-reforged-release-notes-2015-01-14|''Fate Reforged'' Release Notes|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|January 14, 2015 }}</ref>  
*The anchor word "Dragons" has no connection to the [[creature type]] [[Dragon]].<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/fate-reforged-release-notes-2015-01-14|''Fate Reforged'' Release Notes|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|January 14, 2015 }}</ref>  
*[[Will of the council]] options from ''[[Conspiracy]]'', and [[Council's dilemma]] options from ''[[Conspiracy: Take the Crown]]'' are not anchor words, because they don't represent a modal choice.<ref name="Know"/> The [[vote|voting]] is just voting for arbitrary words and referring to how many times certain votes were received.


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

Latest revision as of 05:22, 20 June 2024

An anchor word is a word that precedes a choice on a modal spell, to give the respective abilities a bit of flavor and signify the choice when it enters the battlefield. Anchor words don't have a specific rule attached to them, but always tie the existence of a continuous effect to the choice.[1]

History

Anchor words were introduced in Fate Reforged, where the "Siege"-cycle featured the choice between "Khans" and "Dragons".[2][3]

Anchor words also appeared in Unstable and Modern Horizons. The flavor words from Adventures in the Forgotten Realms have a similar function. Those involving a modal choice can be accounted as anchor words as well.[4][5] However, many of those do not meet the condition of it being an enters the battlefield-ability.

Anchor words are now considered to be deciduous.[4]

Examples of anchor words

Anchor words Card(s) Set Note
"Self" and "Others"

Feed the Machine
May Civilization Collapse
Surrender Your Thoughts
The Fate of the Flammable

Archenemy
"Khans" and "Dragons" "Siege"-cycle Fate Reforged
"Flavorful" and "Bland" Ineffable Blessing Unstable[6] Acorn
"Whack", "Doodle" and "Buzz" Buzzing Whack-a-Doodle Unstable[7] Acorn
"Mirran" and "Phyrexian" Mirrodin Besieged Modern Horizons
"Executioner Round" and "Hyperfrag Round" Primaris Eliminator Warhammer 40,000 Commander Decks Types of ammunition from a Universes Beyond IP
"NCR" and "Legion" Battle of Hoover Dam Fallout Factions from a Universes Beyond IP
"Brotherhood" and "Enclave" Struggle for Project Purity Fallout Factions from a Universes Beyond IP

Examples of Flavor-anchor words

Anchor words Card(s) Set Note
"Truth" and "Dare" Truth or Dare Mystery Booster Test card
"Two-Weapon Fighting" and "Archery" Choose Your Weapon Adventures in the Forgotten Realms
"Breathe Flame" and "Smash Relics" Klauth's Will Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Commander decks
"Sonic Boom" and "Flash Kick" Guile, Sonic Soldier Secret Lair Drop Series: Street Fighter Reskinned without anchor words as Immard, the Stormcleaver
"Money", "Friendship" and "Secrets" Master of Ceremonies Streets of New Capenna Commander decks
"Fame" and "Fortune" Seize the Spotlight Streets of New Capenna Commander decks
"Feed" and "Friends" Astarion, the Decadent Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate
"Flavor" and "History" Meet and Greet "Sisay" Unfinity
"Ambitious" and "Expedient" Crucias, Titan of the Waves Alchemy: The Brothers' War Designed-for-digital
"It's Probably Nothing" and "That Could Actually Be Dangerous" More of That Strange Oil... Unknown Event Test card
"Thay", "Caan", "Sec" and "Jast" Cult of Skaro Doctor Who The four Daleks that form the Cult of Skaro.
"Tax" and "Arrest" Tax Collector Assassin's Creed

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

Anchor Word
A word that precedes one of two abilities a permanent may enter the battlefield with. See rule 614.12b.

From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

  • 614.12b Some replacement effects cause a permanent to enter the battlefield with its controller’s choice of one of two abilities, each marked with an anchor word and preceded by a bullet point. “[Anchor word] — [ability]” means “As long as [anchor word] was chosen as this permanent entered the battlefield, this permanent has [ability].” The abilities preceded by anchor words are each linked to the ability that causes a player to choose between them. See rule 607, “Linked Abilities.”

Rulings

References

  1. ↑ a b Ethan Fleischer (July 30, 2019). "Know Your Anchor Words.". Twitter.
  2. ↑ Mark Rosewater (January 12, 2015). "Fate-ful Stories, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. ↑ Matt Tabak (January 15, 2015). "Fate Reforged Update Bulletin — Comprehensive Rule Changes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. ↑ a b Mark Rosewater (March 28, 2022). "Deciduous". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  5. ↑ Mark Rosewater (March 29, 2022). "You seem to count flavor words as anchor words. Is that correct?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  6. ↑ Adam Styborski (November 14, 2017). "Welcome to Flavortown! (Or Not)". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  7. ↑ Mark Rosewater (November 27, 2017). "Unstable Scraps, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. ↑ Wizards of the Coast (January 14, 2015). "Fate Reforged Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
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