Magic: The Gathering/Gameplay Tropes: Difference between revisions

** This was particularly bad early on when the company was still learning what worked well in the game and there was no set standard on how to phrase anything, but every set introduces new rules terms and longstanding parts of the game may have their names or the related rules changed if necessary. The concept of the "exile" zone, for example, has been in the game since the vAery first set, but did not receive its current name until 2009. (Exiling cards is a way of removing them from play that's more final than most methods. It used to be called "removed from the game" but was renamed, partly because so many design ideas wanted to interact with cards that had been exiled or be used while the card itself was exiled, so "removed from the game" seemed more and more inaccurate.)

** The general rule is to rely on the most recent printed text of a card to determine what it does, even if someone is playing with an older copy on which its abilities are phrased differently. Without that rule, for example, casting [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=3842 three versions]{{broken link}} [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=14593 of exactly]{{broken link}} [http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=107278 the same card]{{broken link}} would mean ''none of them'' could actually attack.<ref>This is because the first card prevents every creature type but Evil Eyes attacking. The second is a Horror, not an Evil Eye, so it can't attack. It says only cards called Evil Eye of Orms-By-Gore can attack (though it could potentially be read as saying only ''it'' can attack). The first card ''is'' called Evil Eye of Orms-By-Gore, so it can still attack. But wait! The third card says only "Eyes" can attack. The first isn't an Eye, it's an ''Evil'' Eye, and the third isn't an Evil Eye, it's an Eye. Therefore, ''none'' of the three can now attack.</ref>

* [[An Axe to Grind]]: As seen [http://magiccards.info/query?q=axe+t%3A%22equip%22&v=card&s=cname here]

* [[Animated Armor]]: The effect of [http://gatherer.wizards.com/pages/card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=220529 March of the Machines].