Ability word: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 15:39, 1 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 (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- 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 (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- 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
- Adamant
- Addendum
- Battalion
- Bloodrush
- Channel
- Chroma
- Cohort
- Constellation
- Converge
- Council's dilemma
- Delirium
- Domain
- Eminence
- Enrage
- Fateful hour
- Ferocious
- Formidable
- Grandeur
- Hellbent
- Heroic
- Imprint
- Inspired
- Join forces
- Kinship
- Landfall
- Lieutenant
- Magecraft
- Metalcraft
- Morbid
- Pack tactics
- Parley
- Radiance
- Raid
- Rally
- Revolt
- Spell mastery
- Strive
- Sweep
- Tempting offer
- Threshold
- Underdog
- Undergrowth
- Will of the council
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
- 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
The use of Flavor words in future sets is not off the table, but more likely for Universes Beyond than normal Magic.[4]
See also
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 (June 30, 2021). "Are flavor words something we should expect in...". Blogatog. Tumblr.