Discard is not a keyword ability like Trample or Flying, however it is a keyword in that it is defined in the comprehensive rules. In Magic it means to take a card in your hand put it in your graveyard. (Discarding means similar things in other games.) Unless specified the person that is discarding a […]
Category: Keywords
How Enchant X works
Enchantments with the subtype of aura, which used to be called local enchantments, all have a keyword ability of enchant. This was changed when 9th Edition of the base set was released. Prior to the change, the type line of these cards read ‘Enchant X.’ They were still enchantments, but they were considered to be […]
How Double Strike works
One of the easiest ways to explain double strike to newer players is that a creature with double strike has first strike and deals combat damage when other creatures do too. And for the most part, this is an accurate description. It will deal combat damage twice, in the first strike combat damage step and […]
What reveal means
No reveal is not a new keyword mechanic coming out in Innistrad, it is a keyword action that has been around for ages. In Magic, it means the same thing as it does in English, to make known something that is not normally known. With Magic, that most often means showing the top card of […]
Bloodthirst and planesalkers does not make a combo.
Since we last saw bloodthirst back in Ravnica block the game of Magic has had the introduction of a new card type, Planeswalker. And this new card type can produce a bit of a ‘wrinkle’ in how bloodthirst can work at times. Damage from instants, sorceries, and abilities controlled by one player but would damage […]
How Retrace works.
Retarace is a static ability that appears on cards originally printed in Eventide. This ability generates a alternate play costs as long as the care with retrace is in your graveyard. This alternate play cost allows you to play the retarace card again if you pay its mana cost and discard a land card as […]
What Hexproof does.
Hexproof is not really a new mechanic, it has just been given a keyword name starting in Magic 2012. It ha been around for year and cards from the past have had their official text changed so they now have hexproof. Hexproof means that the permanent cannot be targeted by spells or abilities that are […]
What ‘dies’ means.
With Magic 2012, a few cards are being written a bit differently. The word ‘dies’ will be used to refer to when a creature on the battlefield goes to the graveyard. Examples of this new terminology include the text on and . This change is similar to when the word ‘cast’ was used on cards […]
How Bloodthirst works.
Bloodthirst originally showed up as the Gruul mechanic in Guildpact from Ravinca block and it will be making a return visit to Magic with the release of Magic 2012. When it was originally used, bloodthirst only appeared on green and red cards, both of the colors from the Gruul guild. However with its reuse, it […]