Flavor text

Flavor text is the italicized (but not in parentheses) text on a card that serves to provide a mood or give background information on the game world, but has no effect on gameplay.

From the Comprehensive Rules:

• 207. Text Box
  • 207.2. The text box may also contain italicized reminder text (in parentheses), which summarizes a rule that applies to that card, and italicized flavor text, which has no game function, but like the illustration, adds artistic appeal to the game.

External Links

• Adding a Little Flavor by Rei Nakazawa
• Clash of the Empires by Jay Moldenhauer-Salazar
• Fire and Ice by Ben Bleiweiss
• The Write Stuff by Mark Rosewater
• Add Text to Flavor by Mark Rosewater (response to emails received about the above column on flavor text)
• Unlikely Flavorful Inspiration by Randy Buehler