Mechanic: Difference between revisions
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A '''mechanic''' is a [[card]] [[ability]] that can be used on multiple cards. The word ''mechanic'' has no meaning in the [[Comprehensive Rules]], it's merely a design concept.<ref>{{ | A '''mechanic''' is a [[card]] [[ability]] that can be used on multiple cards. The word ''mechanic'' has no meaning in the [[Comprehensive Rules]], it's merely a design concept.<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/finding-good-mechanic-2002-01-21|Finding a Good Mechanic|[[Mark Rosewater]]|January 21, 2002}}</ref> | ||
==Categories== | ==Categories== | ||
| Line 14: | Line 14: | ||
===Linear=== | ===Linear=== | ||
[[R&D]] talks about things being “linear” in that they dictate other cards mechanically.<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/118631105978/what-is-a-linear-mechanic|title=What is a linear mechanic?|May 10, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{ | [[R&D]] talks about things being “linear” in that they dictate other cards mechanically.<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/118631105978/what-is-a-linear-mechanic|title=What is a linear mechanic?|May 10, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/come-together-2003-10-06-0|Come Together|[[Mark Rosewater]]|October 6, 2003}}</ref> [[Colorless|Colorless matters]] is very linear in that it dictates having cards to provide the [[mana|colorless mana]].<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/135071350843/ok-so-parasitic-is-a-definition-that-works-for|title=How do you define something that is "parasitic" in its own set?|December 12, 2015}}</ref> | ||
*“'''Anti-linear'''” means the opposite. The more cards with the same mechanic you have, it gets worse. Examples are atogs, processors, delve and heroic.<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/135079298363/is-there-a-word-for-the-opposite-of-a-linear|title=Is there a word for the opposite of a Linear mechanic?|December 12, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/136565564978/you-have-previously-used-the-term-anti-linear-to|title=You have previously used the term "anti-linear"...|January 03, 2016}}</ref> | *“'''Anti-linear'''” means the opposite. The more cards with the same mechanic you have, it gets worse. Examples are atogs, processors, delve and heroic.<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/135079298363/is-there-a-word-for-the-opposite-of-a-linear|title=Is there a word for the opposite of a Linear mechanic?|December 12, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/136565564978/you-have-previously-used-the-term-anti-linear-to|title=You have previously used the term "anti-linear"...|January 03, 2016}}</ref> | ||
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==External links== | ==External links== | ||
*{{ | *{{DailyRef|latest-developments/almost-mechanics-2002-03-29|The "Almost" Mechanics|[[Randy Buehler]]|March 29, 2002}} | ||
*{{ | *{{DailyRef|making-magic/keyword-play-2007-06-18|Keyword Play|[[Mark Rosewater]]|June 18, 2007}} | ||
*{{ | *{{DailyRef|feature/mechanically-inclined-2009-06-01|Mechanically Inclined|[[Brady Dommermuth]]|June 1, 2009}} | ||
*{{ | *{{DailyRef|making-magic/fight-club-part-1-2011-02-07|Fight Club, Part 1|[[Mark Rosewater]]|February 7, 2011}} | ||
*{{ | *{{DailyRef|making-magic/fight-club-part-2-2011-02-14|Fight Club, Part 2|[[Mark Rosewater]]|February 14, 2011}} | ||
*{{ | *{{DailyRef|latest-developments/what-makes-good-mechanic-2017-03-17|What Makes a Good Mechanic|[[Sam Stoddard]]|March 17, 2017}} | ||
*{{ | *{{DailyRef|making-magic/mechanical-color-pie-2017-2017-06-05|Mechanical Color Pie 2017|[[Mark Rosewater]]|June 5, 2017}} | ||
[[Category:Spells, abilities, and effects]][[Category:Parts of a card]] | [[Category:Spells, abilities, and effects]][[Category:Parts of a card]] | ||
{{Keywords and abilities}} | {{Keywords and abilities}} | ||
[[Category:Mechanics| ]] | [[Category:Mechanics| ]] | ||
Revision as of 22:29, 6 April 2019
A mechanic is a card ability that can be used on multiple cards. The word mechanic has no meaning in the Comprehensive Rules, it's merely a design concept.[1]
Categories
Mechanics can be categorized as:
- Keywords or "keyword abilities": words attached to rules text, that represent an ability that is constant. They come with reminder text, except if they are evergreen.
- Keyword actions: verbs that have a special rules meaning. Sometimes reminder text summarizes their meanings.
- Ability words are words that group cards that have a common functionality and do not imply any particular rules.
- Mechanics that are not clearly classified
- Mechanics that were considered, but never officially released
- Obsolete or deprecated mechanics
Parasitic
A mechanic is considered parasitic when it only interacts with other things in a particular set rather than the rest of Magic. Examples are horsemanship and splice.[2][3][4]
Linear
R&D talks about things being “linear” in that they dictate other cards mechanically.[5][6] Colorless matters is very linear in that it dictates having cards to provide the colorless mana.[7]
- “Anti-linear” means the opposite. The more cards with the same mechanic you have, it gets worse. Examples are atogs, processors, delve and heroic.[8][9]
Modular
Modular design elements are not dependent on other design elements.[10][11][12]
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (January 21, 2002). "Finding a Good Mechanic". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (December 29, 2013). "Where is Horsemanship on the Storm scale?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (December 12, 2015). "I am worried that C as a mana cost will end up being a parasitic thing". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (December 12, 2015). "It seems like people constantly misunderstand what counts as parasitic or not.". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (May 10, 2015). "What is a linear mechanic?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 6, 2003). "Come Together". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (December 12, 2015). "How do you define something that is "parasitic" in its own set?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (December 12, 2015). "Is there a word for the opposite of a Linear mechanic?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (January 03, 2016). "You have previously used the term "anti-linear"...". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 18, 2016). "Do modular spells have more or less design space than normal spells?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (May 10, 2015). "For clarity, can you give an example of a modular mechanic?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 25, 2016). "Do you find it funny that modular is a linear mechanic?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
External links
- Randy Buehler (March 29, 2002). "The "Almost" Mechanics". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- Mark Rosewater (June 18, 2007). "Keyword Play". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- Brady Dommermuth (June 1, 2009). "Mechanically Inclined". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- Mark Rosewater (February 7, 2011). "Fight Club, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- Mark Rosewater (February 14, 2011). "Fight Club, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- Sam Stoddard (March 17, 2017). "What Makes a Good Mechanic". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- Mark Rosewater (June 5, 2017). "Mechanical Color Pie 2017". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.