Anchor word
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.
History
Anchor words were introduced in Fate Reforged, where the "Siege"-cycle featured the choice between "Khans" and "Dragons".[1][2]
Anchor words also appeared in Unstable.
List of anchor words
- "Khans" and "Dragons" ("Siege"-cycle)
- "Flavorful" and "Bland" (Ineffable Blessing)[3]
- "Whack", "Doodle" and "Buzz" (Buzzing Whack-a-Doodle)[4]
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
- The anchor word "Dragons" has no connection to the creature type Dragon.[5]