(Originally published on 2025-04-02; last reviewed on 2025-04-02; last updated on 2025-04-02)

With the release of Magic: The Gathering Foundations, Wizards of the Coast (WotC) started a gigantic update of their card text templating. The general idea is to replace card names used as self-references with things like “this creature.” Their stated intent is to make it more clear that such references only refer to one particular object and not to all objects with that name. In the Foundations update, only the cards from that set received these new templates. Likewise, the release of Innistrad Remastered updated only cards reprinted in that set. With Aetherdrift, WotC has taken the big step and updated all the remaining cards from Magic’s entire history. Slightly more than 13,000 cards received updates to their Oracle text with this update; this makes the Aetherdrift update probably the largest update ever.

What follows is an analysis of the new templates and how they are used. WotC has not published a detailed explanation themselves, so everything is based on my own conclusions after having read through and cataloged these 13,000 updates into a handy spreadsheet.

• Permanents on the battlefield
• Spells and cards in other game zones
• Multiple game zones
• Legendary cards
• Self-referential tokens
• Nontraditional cards
• Outliers
• Unmaintained sets
• Errors and inconsistencies
• The future

Permanents on the battlefield

Abilities that function on the battlefield use a variety of templates, most often based on the card’s type: “this creature,” “this artifact,” “this enchantment,” and “this land.”

If a noncreature permanent card has a subtype, that subtype may be used instead, such as “this Equipment.” This is true for Equipment, Vehicle, Contraption, and Attraction; for Aura, Saga, Class, Case, and Room; and for Siege.

If a card has multiple card types, land has priority over creature, artifact, and enchantment (except for Urza’s Saga, which uses “this Saga”), and creature has priority over artifact and enchantment.

Things get more complicated if a permanent card has an intrinsic way to change its card type(s). Examples are the Licids from the Tempest block, the various enchantments from the Urza’s Saga block that become creatures if certain conditions are met, and cards with bestow or impending. Most often, these cards use “this permanent” if the permanent could be either type, or “this [type or subtype]” if the ability is only relevant to one (sub)type.

If a permanent keeps its existing card types in addition to the new one, its abilities will usually use the default type, even if these abilities require the additional type to become relevant. Examples are Vehicles, but also the Restless creature lands from Wilds of Eldraine and The Lost Caverns of Ixalan.

However, if the permanent grants itself an ability along with the additional card type, it will use that card type in the ability’s text.

All in all, this group of cards has a couple of exceptions, outliers, and inconsistencies (see below).

Exceptions which still use the card name

Three categories of abilities continue to use card names.

Cards that refer to themselves in a granted ability

If the ability grants another object an ability, and the granted ability refers to the permanent granting that ability, it uses the card name for clarity. This template is found most often on Auras and Equipment.

This category includes: Archery Training, Saproling Burst, Heartseeker, Leonin Bola, Surestrike Trident, Hankyu, Blinding Powder, Shuriken, Rakdos Riteknife, Nettlevine Blight, Blazing Torch, Razor Boomerang, Gutter Grime, Shifting Shadow, Grothama, All-Devouring, Heliod’s Punishment, Toralf’s Hammer, Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor, Trickster’s Talisman, Spare Dagger, Ninja’s Kunai, Citizen’s Crowbar, Hold for Ransom, Deconstruction Hammer, Dire Blunderbuss, Sunfire Torch, Animal Friend, and Fishing Pole.

Soulbond

Creature cards with soulbond use the card name if the ability granted to both creatures contains the phrase “this creature.” This was probably done to avoid sentences with two instances of “this creature,” where each reference means a different creature.

This category includes: Stonewright, Deadeye Navigator, Tandem Lookout, Breathkeeper Seraph, Imperious Mindbreaker, Doom Weaver, Mirage Phalanx, and Thundering Mightmare. Galvanic Alchemist was erroneously changed to “this creature.”

Transforming double-faced cards that transform into a specific face

If a transforming double-faced card has an ability that cares about the permanent transforming into a specific face, that ability uses the card name of that face for clarity.

This category includes: Werewolf Ransacker, Huntmaster of the Fells //// Ravager of the Fells, Avacyn, the Purifier, Lunarch Inquisitors, Awoken Horror, Demon-Possessed Witch, Abolisher of Bloodlines, Ulrich of the Krallenhorde //// Ulrich, Uncontested Alpha, Brutal Cathar, Curse of Leeches, Olag, Ludevic’s Hubris, Revealing Eye, Deadly Dancer, Wildsong Howler, Compleated Conjurer, Skyclave Invader, Blightsower Thallid, Hideous Fleshwheeler, and Malady Invoker.

Spells and cards in other game zones

If an ability functions on the stack, it uses either “this spell” or the card name.

“This spell” is used if the ability is relevant while casting the spell, or if something about the casting process is referenced. It’s also used for “This spell can’t be countered” and “This spell can’t be copied.”

The card name is used by spell abilities if the spell does something, like dealing damage, or if something is done with it, like exiling it. One exception is a spell that copies itself; “this spell” is used in that case, probably for clarity.

The card name is also used by static or activated abilities that function on the stack and that don’t belong to the previously defined “this spell” group.

A special case are abilities which trigger when the spell they belong to is cast: the trigger event uses “this spell,” while the effect uses the card name. However, there are some inconsistencies in this group (see below).

If an ability functions in a player’s graveyard, hand, or library or in exile, or if the ability expects the card to be in one of these zones, it uses “this card.”

Multiple game zones

If an ability functions in more than one zone—preventing any single template from being accurate—the ability continues to use the card name.

This includes characteristic-defining abilities, abilities that look for the card being put into a graveyard from anywhere, abilities that prevent the card from being cast under certain conditions, and abilities that can be activated or triggered from two different zones.

Notably, this also includes abilities that trigger when the card is put into a graveyard from anywhere. While these abilities only trigger from the graveyard, using the card name makes the template consistent with the one for replacement effects; also, “this card” would be inaccurate in scenarios where a token with such an ability dies.

Legendary cards

If the ability functions on the battlefield or in the command zone, it uses the card name. Otherwise, the rules for nonlegendary cards apply.

This update also standardizes the use of shortened names. Previously, a card might have used its full name for each self-reference; or depending on readability and available space, it might have used its full name only for the first self-reference and a shortened version for the rest, or even just the shortened version.

Now, a legendary card always uses the shortened version. This can be either the character’s given name, or their full name if the character has a family name, matronymic, patronymic, or byname and that full name is used in the card’s name. This group has the largest number of inconsistencies (see below).

The full name of the card is still used for “[this card] can be your commander,” for self-references in abilities granted to other objects, and for “when this permanent transforms into [this face].”

Self-referential tokens

If a token is created with an ability that refers to the token, it now uses “this token.” This is probably done to avoid sentences with two instances of “this creature,” where each instance refers to a different creature.

Meanwhile, the rules text given to legendary tokens uses the token’s name rather than “this token.”

Nontraditional cards

Plane cards, phenomenon cards, and vanguard cards continue to use their names. This is probably because the likelihood of two plane cards with the same name being face up at the same time is deemed too low to be relevant.

Scheme cards continue to use “this scheme.”

There are no conspiracy or dungeon cards that refer to themselves, so the new template (if one exists) is unknown.

Outliers

Five legendary cards refer to themselves and to another legendary object that represents the same character. These cards use their full card names for clarity. They include: Tuktuk the Explorer; Icingdeath, Frost Tyrant; Titania, Voice of Gaea; Mishra, Claimed by Gix; Urza, Lord Protector.

Finish, the aftermath half of Start // Finish continues to use its card name instead of “this spell.” This is probably to make it clearer that the additional cost only applies to Finish.

Six cards from Un-sets continue to use their card names. This was probably done to preserve the cards’ jokes. They include: Sorry, Save Life, Spell Counter, Kill! Destroy!, Deal Damage, and Creature Guy.

The Un-card X continues to use its card name instead of switching to “this card” for the first and third abilities. This was probably done to make the card easier to read.

Three cards continue to use their card names in their reminder text. They include: Timetwister, Flash of Insight, and Flameskull.

Unmaintained sets

Several sets were not updated. These sets don’t seem to receive Oracle text updates in general. They include: Mystery Booster, Jumpstart: Historic Horizons, Innistrad: Midnight Hunt Alchemy, Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Alchemy, Streets of New Capenna Alchemy, Alchemy Horizons: Baldur’s Gate, and Mystery Booster 2: Convention Edition. Among sets with Magic Arena-exclusive cards, only Arena Base Set seems to get Oracle text updates.

Errors and inconsistencies

As one might expect for an Oracle update of this magnitude, some errors were made and there are some templates which are not perfectly consistent. By my count, this update introduced eighteen grammatical errors; forty-three cards got an incorrect update or did not get a required update; about fifty cards got an update (or missed an update) that makes them inconsistent with the new templating guidelines; and a group of slightly more than one hundred cards could benefit from an update to make that group internally consistent. Thankfully, WotC is aware of all these points and seems to have scheduled a fix for the next Oracle update. As such, the following issues are just listed for historical reference.

Grammatical errors

The following cards got a grammatical error along with their template update:

Personal Incarnation

The second self-reference lost an apostrophe.

{0}: The next 1 damage that would be dealt to this creature this turn is dealt to its owner instead. Only this creatures [sic] owner may activate this ability.

Giant Shark

The third self-reference starts with an uppercase letter.

Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked by a creature that has been dealt damage this turn, This [sic] creature gets +2/+0 and gains trample until end of turn.

Gangrenous Zombies

The first self-reference is plural. Maybe the plural ending of the card name was accidentally kept.

{T}, Sacrifice this creatures [sic]: This creature deals 1 damage to each creature and each player. If you control a snow Swamp, this creature deals 2 damage to each creature and each player instead.

Illusionary Presence

At the start of the sentence, the self-reference starts with a lowercase letter.

At the beginning of your upkeep, choose a land type. this [sic] creature gains landwalk of the chosen type until end of turn.

Necratog

After the colon, the self-reference starts with a lowercase letter.

Exile the top creature card of your graveyard: this [sic] creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.

Dracoplasm

The second self-reference lost the possessive suffix.

As this creature enters, sacrifice any number of creatures. This creature [sic] power becomes the total power of those creatures and its toughness becomes their total toughness.

Mindless Automaton

The first activated ability lost its period.

{1}, Discard a card: Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature [sic]

Barrin’s Codex

The triggered ability lost its period.

At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a page counter on this artifact [sic]

Callous Oppressor

The second ability got an extra ‘t’.

Ast [sic] this creature enters, an opponent chooses a creature type.

Blinkmoth Urn

The triggered ability uses a nonstandard spelling of “artifact.”

At the beginning of each player’s first main phase, if this aritfact [sic] is untapped, that player adds {C} for each artifact they control.

Ogre Marauder

The self-reference in the granted ability starts with a lowercase letter.

Whenever this creature attacks, it gains “this [sic] creature can’t be blocked” until end of turn unless defending player sacrifices a creature of their choice.

Stillmoon Cavalier

The final ability lost a space after the colon.

{W/B}{W/B}:This [sic] creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.

Viashino Shanktail

The activated ability lost its colon.

Bloodrush — {2}{R}, Discard this creature [sic] Target attacking creature gets +3/+1 and gains first strike until end of turn.

Myth Realized

The first activated ability lost its period.

{2}{W}: Put a lore counter on this enchantment [sic]

Ninja

The self-reference lost the possessive suffix.

You may activate this card [sic] augment ability any time you could cast an instant.

Rampant Rejuvenator

The third self-reference lost an apostrophe.

When this creature dies, search your library for up to X basic land cards, where X is this creatures [sic] power, put them onto the battlefield, then shuffle.

Anrakyr the Traveller

In the rules text, “traveller” is now spelled the American way with just one ‘l’.

Lord of the Pyrrhian Legions — Whenever Anrakyr the Traveler [sic] attacks, you may cast an artifact spell from your hand or graveyard by paying life equal to its mana value rather than paying its mana cost.

Canoptek Wraith

The first ability lost a space after the dash.

Wraith Form —This [sic] creature can’t be blocked.

Individual template errors

The following cards got the wrong template or should have gotten one:

Sword of the Ages

At the time that the ability resolves, Sword of the Ages is (expected to be) in a graveyard, so the last self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this artifact.”

{T}, Sacrifice this artifact and any number of creatures you control: This artifact deals X damage to any target, where X is the total power of the creatures sacrificed this way, then exile this artifact and those creature cards.

Elvish Spirit Guide

The self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

Exile this creature from your hand: Add {G}.

Guan Yu, Sainted Warrior

At the time that the ability resolves, Guan Yu is (expected to be) in a graveyard, so the second self-reference should use “this card” (or preferably “it”) instead of the shortened card name.

When Guan Yu is put into your graveyard from the battlefield, you may shuffle Guan Yu into your library.

Traveling Plague

At the time that the ability resolves, Traveling Plague is (expected to be) in a graveyard, so the self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this Aura.”

When enchanted creature leaves the battlefield, that creature’s controller returns this Aura from its owner’s graveyard to the battlefield.

Genesis

The self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

At the beginning of your upkeep, if this creature is in your graveyard, you may pay {2}{G}. If you do, return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.

Tatsumasa, the Dragon’s Fang

At the time that the delayed triggered ability resolves, Tatsumasa is (expected to be) in exile, so the second self-reference should use “this card” instead of the shortened card name.

{6}, Exile Tatsumasa: Create a 5/5 blue Dragon Spirit creature token with flying. Return Tatsumasa to the battlefield under its owner’s control when that token dies.

Cheatyface

The first sentence refers to Cheatyface in its owner’s hand, so the self-references should use “this card” instead of the card name (or preferably “this card” and “it”). The use of the card name in the second sentence is fine, since it’s unclear in which specific zone Cheatyface is in (the hand or the battlefield).

If Cheatyface is in your hand, you may sneak Cheatyface onto the battlefield. If an opponent catches you right away, that player may exile Cheatyface.

Genju of the Realm

At the time that the ability resolves, Genju of the Realm is (expected to be) in a graveyard, so the self-reference should use “this card” instead of the card name.

When enchanted land is put into a graveyard, you may return Genju of the Realm from your graveyard to your hand.

Akuta, Born of Ash

The self-reference should use “this card” instead of the shortened card name.

At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have more cards in hand than each opponent, you may sacrifice a Swamp. If you do, return Akuta from your graveyard to the battlefield.

Shinen of Fear’s Chill

The self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

Channel — {1}{B}, Discard this creature: Target creature can’t block this turn.

Pride of the Clouds

The self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

Forecast — {2}{W}{U}, Reveal this creature from your hand: Create a 1/1 white and blue Bird creature token with flying.

Cyclopean Giant

At the time that the ability resolves, Cyclopean Giant is (expected to be) in a graveyard, so the second self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

When this creature dies, target land becomes a Swamp. Exile this creature.

Saltskitter

At the time that the delayed triggered ability resolves, Saltskitter is (expected to be) in exile, so the second self-reference should use “this card” (or preferably “it”) instead of “this creature.”

Whenever another creature enters, exile this creature. Return this creature to the battlefield under its owner’s control at the beginning of the next end step.

Spirit en-Dal

The self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

Forecast — {1}{W}, Reveal this creature from your hand: Target creature gains shadow until end of turn.

Primalcrux

Characteristic-defining abilities function in all game zones, so the self-reference should use the card name instead of “This creature.”

Chroma — This creature’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of green mana symbols in the mana costs of permanents you control.

Qasali Ambusher

Abilities that modify how a card can be played or cast use “this spell” (although that guideline as a whole may be inconsistent, see below).

If a creature is attacking you and you control a Forest and a Plains, you may cast this creature without paying its mana cost and as though it had flash.

Spell Contortion

The self-reference should use “this spell” instead of the card name. See Temporal Firestorm, Comet Storm, and Strength of the Tajuru.

Counter target spell unless its controller pays {2}. Draw a card for each time Spell Contortion was kicked.

Dearly Departed

The self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

As long as this creature is in your graveyard, each Human creature you control enters with an additional +1/+1 counter on it.

Galvanic Alchemist

The ability that Galvanic Alchemist grants to the paired creature and to itself uses “this creature,” so the preceding self-reference should use the card name.

As long as this creature is paired with another creature, each of those creatures has “{2}{U}: Untap this creature.”

Viashino Shanktail

The self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

Bloodrush — {2}{R}, Discard this creature Target attacking creature gets +3/+1 and gains first strike until end of turn.

Wasteland Viper

The self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

Bloodrush — {G}, Discard this creature: Target attacking creature gets +1/+2 and gains deathtouch until end of turn.

Brood Keeper

The ability given to the token should use “This token” instead of “This creature.”

Whenever an Aura becomes attached to this creature, create a 2/2 red Dragon creature token with flying. It has “{R}: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.”

Risen Executioner

The self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

You may cast this creature from your graveyard if you pay {1} more to cast it for each other creature card in your graveyard.

Scourge of Nel Toth

The self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

You may cast this creature from your graveyard by paying {B}{B} and sacrificing two creatures rather than paying its mana cost.

Multani, Yavimaya’s Avatar

The self-reference should use “this card” instead of the shortened card name.

{1}{G}, Return two lands you control to their owner’s hand: Return Multani from your graveyard to your hand.

Creeping Chill

The first and the third self-references should use “this card” instead of the card name (or “it” for the third one). See Gaea’s Blessing.

When Creeping Chill is put into your graveyard from your library, you may exile it. If you do, Creeping Chill deals 3 damage to each opponent and you gain 3 life.

Waker of Waves

The self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

{1}{U}, Discard this creature: Look at the top two cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the other into your graveyard.

Plague Reaver

At the time that the delayed triggered ability resolves, Plague Reaver is (expected to be) in a graveyard, so the second self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

Discard two cards, Sacrifice this creature: Choose target opponent. Return this creature to the battlefield under that player’s control at the beginning of their next upkeep.

Cosima, God of the Voyage

When Cosima gains the ability, it is in exile, so the two self-references in that ability should use “this card” instead of the shortened card name.

At the beginning of your upkeep, you may exile Cosima. If you do, it gains “Whenever a land you control enters, if Cosima is exiled, you may put a voyage counter on it. If you don’t, return Cosima to the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it and draw X cards, where X is the number of voyage counters on it.”

Sproutback Trudge

The self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

At the beginning of your end step, if you gained life this turn, you may cast this creature from your graveyard.

Moorland Rescuer

At the time that the ability resolves, Moorland Rescuer is (expected to be) in a graveyard, so the last self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

When this creature dies, return any number of other creature cards with total power X or less from your graveyard to the battlefield, where X is this creature’s power. Exile this creature.

Lethal Scheme

The self-reference should use “this spell” instead of the card name. In general, “this spell” is used whenever a spell refers to things that happened during its casting. See Everything Comes to Dust.

Destroy target creature or planeswalker. Each creature that convoked Lethal Scheme connives.

Skyfisher Spider

At the time that the ability resolves, Skyfisher Spider is (expected to be) in a graveyard, so the second self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

When this creature dies, you may gain 1 life for each creature card in your graveyard. If you do, exile this creature from your graveyard.

Vulshok Factory

The second self-reference should use “this artifact” instead of the card name. While the token is also an artifact, the potential for confusion is minimal, as the token is created without any charge counters. See Phantasmal Sphere, Flesh Carver, Rootwire Amalgam, and Unwilling Vessel.

{2}{R}, {T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Create an X/X colorless Golem artifact creature token with haste, where X is the number of charge counters on Vulshok Factory. Activate only as a sorcery.

Farmer Cotton

His role in The Lord of the Rings may be a minor one, but Farmer Cotton is still a legendary card, so the self-reference should use the card name instead of “this creature.”

When this creature enters, create X 1/1 white Halfling creature tokens and X Food tokens.

Twisted Sewer-Witch

The ability given to the token should use “This token” instead of “This creature.”

When this creature enters, create a 1/1 black Rat creature token with “This creature can’t block.” Then for each Rat you control, create a Wicked Role token attached to that Rat.

Death in Heaven

The self-reference should use “this Saga” instead of “this enchantment.”

III — Put all creature cards exiled with this enchantment onto the battlefield face down under your control. They’re 2/2 Cyberman artifact creatures.

Genesis of the Daleks

The self-reference should use “this Saga” instead of the card name.

I, II, III — Create a 3/3 black Dalek artifact creature token with menace for each lore counter on Genesis of the Daleks.

Day of the Moon

The self-reference should use “this Saga” instead of “this enchantment.”

I, II, III — Choose a creature card name, then goad all creatures with a name chosen for this enchantment.

Infesting Radroach

The first self-reference should use “this card” instead of “this creature.”

Whenever an opponent mills a nonland card, if this creature is in your graveyard, you may return it to your hand.

Planar Nexus

Characteristic-defining abilities function in all game zones, so the self-reference should use the card name instead of “This land.”

This land is every nonbasic land type.

Mu Yanling, Wind Rider

The self-reference should use the shortened card name instead of “this creature.”

When this creature enters, create a 3/2 colorless Vehicle artifact token with crew 1.

Lumbering Worldwagon

Characteristic-defining abilities function in all game zones, so the self-reference should use the card name instead of “This Vehicle.”

This Vehicle’s power is equal to the number of lands you control.

Inconsistent templates

As mentioned earlier, a few of the new templates are used somewhat inconsistently. Not all of them are (clearly) wrong, but they would benefit from another round of changes.

On-cast triggers

If an ability triggers when the card it’s on gets cast and that ability’s effect refers to the spell, it uses the card name rather than “this spell.”

Cards with this template include: Dash Hope, Brain Gorgers, Phantasmagorian, Temporal Extortion, Malicious Affliction, and Thief of Existence.

This is a gray area: on the one hand, if an ability refers to the casting of the spell or something related to the casting, it uses “this spell.” On the other hand, spell abilities that do something with the spell use the card name, and this feels close to that. Then again, the combination of first using “this spell” and then switching to the card name within the same ability doesn’t read great to me.

On top of that, there’s one exception in Bygone Marvels, which uses “this spell” in both places. However, this seems correct to me, because the template for spells that copy themselves is “copy this spell.” The current text of Bygone Marvels is therefore consistent with the general templates for spell abilities, but this makes Malicious Affliction inconsistent.

I think at least Malicious Affliction should change to “this spell,” so that there’s consistency with Bygone Marvels and with self-copying spells. Personally, I would also change the four cards from Planar Chaos to use “this spell,” because the current template reads weird to me. Thief of Existence seems okay to me, because the ability it grants itself functions only on the battlefield, making this close to a multi-zone ability.

Permanents with changing card types

The change from card names to “this [type or subtype]” gets complicated if a card can change its card types or if it can gain an additional type, and there’s a large variety of templates found on these cards. Some of these templates read rather strange and I would like to see a more standardized approach to these cards.

The single largest group comes from the Urza’s Saga block. Each of these twenty-two cards is an enchantment that becomes a creature (and stops being an enchantment) when a certain event occurs. With one exception, they all use the same clear template.

The one exception is Lurking Evil, which has an activated ability rather than a triggered one. That ability should change to use “This permanent” since it can be activated multiple times, and Lurking Evil won’t be an enchantment after the first resolution.

(Annoyingly, Opal Guardian uses “this enchantment” rather than “it” for the second self-reference.)

Two of the Licids— Leeching Licid and Stinging Licid—from the Tempest block have self-references in the ability that interacts with the enchanted creature. These abilities both use “this creature,” even though these abilities will only ever trigger if the Licid is an Aura. These should both change to “this Aura,” or maybe “this permanent,” since the Licid might revert to being a creature in response to the triggered ability.

Necromancy has a unique template in that Necromancy grants itself an ability with a self-reference, and that self-reference continues to use the card name. This might be motivated by the fact that Necromancy changes from being just an enchantment to being an Aura enchantment, but there’s Last Voyage of the _____ as a counterexample. Also, several lands that animate themselves also grant themselves abilities, and these abilities always use “this creature,” i.e. the new type. To further match Animate Dead and Dance of the Dead, Necromancy should change to “this Aura” in the self-granted ability.

Closely related are the three “Form” enchantments from Fate Reforged— Lightform, Cloudform, and Rageform. They each use “attach this enchantment” directly after they have become Auras. These should also change to “this Aura” to match the other cards.

Four of the five Totem cards from Time Spiral refer to themselves while they are creatures. Chronatog Totem and Phyrexian Totem both use the “if this permanent is a creature” version, while Foriysian Totem and Weatherseed Totem both use “if this artifact is a creature.” One pair, preferably the latter, should change to match the other.

I am not a fan of the template used by Izzet Keyrune, the Restless lands, and some other cards (I would prefer “this creature”), but at least they are all consistent.

Among cards with bestow, several templates are found. The only one I would like to see changed is the one used by Erebos’s Emissary and Everflame Eidolon. These would read better to me if the order was changed so that the ability starts with the condition: “If this permanent is an Aura, enchanted creature gets a bonus. Otherwise, this creature gets a bonus.” Alternatively, Everflame Eidolon’s “If it’s an Aura” should change to match Erebos’s Emissary.

Seven creature cards that return to the battlefield as noncreatures after dying continue to use their card name. To match the majority of other cards, the following six should use “this permanent” instead: Old-Growth Troll, Enduring Courage, Enduring Curiosity, Enduring Innocence, Enduring Tenacity, and Enduring Vitality. Harold and Bob, First Numens is excluded from this list, since it’s a legendary card.

Finally, Weeping Angel. This template should also change to “this permanent,” since the ability might trigger multiple times in the same turn, and Weeping Angel is not a creature anymore after the first ability has resolved.

This object and that object

Two creature cards— Dream Fighter and Loyal Sentry—now refer to themselves and another creature with “this creature and that creature” or “that creature and this creature.” A third card, Alaborn Zealot got the more elegant “both creatures.” The others should change to this template.

Shortened names of characters

For most legendary cards, the self-reference was shortened by dropping titles and keeping only the character’s name; a small handful of cards got a longer self-reference, because the character’s family name was added. There are quite a few inconsistencies, however: some characters lost what clearly looks like a family name, while others kept a title that should have been removed. What counts as a family name or a byname is subjective, but there are certain trends, and the following cards don’t follow them.

Cards which omit the character’s alleged family name: Hazezon Tamar, Edgar Markov, Verix Bladewing, Drizzt Do’Urden, Henrika Domnathi, Runo Stromkirk, Kaito Shizuki, Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, Elanor Gardner, Ryan Sinclair, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, and Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad. The vampires from Innistrad are particularly strange, since Sorin Markov, Olivia Voldaran, and Anje Falkenrath all use their full name. Verix Bladewing is inconsistent with her son Tarox Bladewing, who uses his full name.

Titles or bynames are dropped if they are separated with a comma or if they have the form “of [somewhere]” or “the [something].” Otherwise, they are mostly kept.

Cards which should omit the character’s title or byname: Sakashima the Impostor (see Lazav, the Multifarious); Queen Allenal of Ruadach (see General Kudro of Drannith); Anrakyr the Traveller; Khârn the Betrayer; Lucius the Eternal; Magnus the Red; The Balrog of Moria; Nyssa of Traken; Blue, Loyal Raptor; Ian the Reckless. Ulrich of the Krallenhorde should omit the byname in the second ability (see Ulrich, Uncontested Alpha). The “Blackblade” in “Gideon Blackblade” should probably not count as an actual byname for this character and be omitted.

Cards which should not omit the character’s byname: Rasputin Dreamweaver, Zurgo Helmsmasher, Zurgo Bellstriker, Arni Brokenbrow, Zoyowa Lava-Tongue, Imskir Iron-Eater, and Hurska Sweet-Tooth.

A special group are characters with an adjective as a byname. Eleven of these cards have a self-reference in their rules text. Six of them drop the byname, while five keep it; going by the majority and by personal preference, the following five should omit the byname: Withengar Unbound, Borborygmos Enraged, Ertai Resurrected, Polukranos Reborn, and Jace Reawakened (using the card name at all may be inconsistent for this last one though, see below).

Cards which restrict or modify when and how they are cast

In the Magic: The Gathering Foundations update, the rules text of four cards which state that they can’t be cast under certain conditions was changed to use the card’s name instead of “this spell.” These four cards are: Rock Jockey; Serra Avenger; Rakdos, Lord of Riots; Jace Reawakened.

The update bulletin explained that “this spell” is not entirely accurate, since these abilities also function before the card is even cast, i.e. before it becomes a spell on the stack. “This card” wouldn’t be 100% accurate either, because cards like Wondrous Crucible can create copies of these cards; such a copy is still affected by the ability, but “this card” might be misleading in such cases. Therefore, the decision was made to use the card name.

All of this is correct. As per CR 113.6e, these abilities function on the stack and in any zone from which the specific card (or copy of a card) can be cast. Using the card name for these abilities follows the guideline that abilities which function in multiple zones should use the card name if those zones don’t share a single template.

However, inconsistencies appear when these four cards are compared with other cards with similar abilities. The largest category are cards which read “Cast this spell only [at a specific time or if some condition is met],” such as Grim Wanderer.

These abilities function exactly the same as the ones of Jace Reawakened & Co. They are governed by CR 113.6e and thus function in multiple zones. Each group can even be rewritten to match the other group. For example, Grim Wanderer’s ability could be changed to read “You can’t cast this spell unless a creature died this turn,” and Rakdos’s ability could be changed to read “Cast Rakdos only if an opponent lost life this turn.” Since they are functionally the same, both groups should use the same template. Either Jace Reawakened & Co. revert back to the slightly inaccurate “this spell” or the larger group of sixty-seven cards is changed to use card names.

The next group are cards which can be cast as though they had flash. These are: Grave Servitude, Soar, Armor of Thorns, Lightning Reflexes, Ward of Lights, Necromancy, Mystic Veil, Spider Climb, Parapet, Relic Ward, Rout, Breaking Wave, Twilight’s Call, Ghitu Fire, Saproling Symbiosis, Qasali Ambusher, Dragon Grip, Hungering Yeti, Swift Reckoning, Timely Ward, Oakshade Stalker, Silver Scrutiny, Asinine Antics, Tegwyll’s Scouring, Mystical Tether, and Harbinger of Tides.

The abilities of these cards function just like the ones of the other two groups, so they should be templated identical. In the Aetherdrift update, the self-reference in these abilities got changed from the card name to “this spell”; they now match the “cast this spell only if [condition]” group, but that just makes Jace Reawakened & Co. even more of an outlier. (In this group, Qasali Ambusher was incorrectly changed to “this creature” and Harbinger of Tides was not changed at all and still uses the nonstandard “this card.”)

Haakon, Stromgald Scourge’s unique ability was changed to use “this card.” This ability functions in all zones and even outside the game, and all the arguments for Jace Reawakened & Co. apply yet again to Haakon and copies of Haakon, so Haakon should become part of that group. (Meanwhile, Grist, the Hunger Tide continues to use the card name for its ability that functions everywhere but the battlefield, so at least that one’s okay).

The last group are cards that actually gain flash as long as a certain condition is met (unlike the previous ones which behave as though they had flash). These are: Crashing Tide, Mutual Destruction, Supernatural Rescue, Graveyard Shift, Take for a Ride, and Colossal Rattlewurm.

Unlike the previous groups, these abilities only function on the stack. As such, “this spell” is the accurate template to use and four of these cards do so. The two newest ones, Take for a Ride and Colossal Rattlewurm, currently use their card names. These should change to match the other four. Or maybe the older four should change if all the other cards mentioned in this section are changed to use their card names; while it would be inaccurate for this group in particular, these abilities are superficially similar and might benefit from a single uniform template.

The future

The card image gallery for the upcoming release Tarkir: Dragonstorm shows corrections of some of the errors listed above. There are also some cards that either hint at some changes to the guidelines or that deviate from them. I plan to update this article periodically whenever a set release brings new developments.