Hey,
Just got back from the Guildpact release event, got my Holo Gruul Guildmage, and it got me thinking. The current staff of MTG have done a lot of things right, introducing good playable sets, standardizing creature types, clarifying stuff like Trample and Protection, and adding a few new standard keywords like Fear and Vigilance. But I think they should take a page from the Richard Garfield playbook and make even more common abilities into standard keywords. Here are some of my nominees for the next new keyword in a basic set.
Firebreathing (R:This creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn)
This ability has been used steadily since it's exception at the beginning of Magic on an Enchant Creature named Firebreathing. It doesn't seem that bad to have mana abilities as keywords, but if everyone knows what it does anyway, it shouldn't be that bad.
Shade (B:This creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn)
Same reasons as above, although this ability hasn't been used as often as Firebreathing. This would mostly be a creature keyword like Bushido or the Moonfolk ability, but there have been enough shades to warrant the keyword.
Stampede (You may have this creature deal its combat damage to defending player as though it weren'’t blocked.)
I actually gave up on this becoming a recurrent ability since it was stated as being too powerful by several people on magicthegathering.com, but they used it on at least one Guildpact card, and that card gives it to all creatures. That card is more powerful then any other use of the ability and its uncommon. Hence they're gonna use it, and it should be keyworded.
Shroud X(Whenever this creature deals damage to an opponent, that player discards X cards.)
A general Specter ability, can be printed without the X, but with the X it fits more current cards. This is kind of a personal one, since my first deck was discard, and I still run it in some form.
Insticast X (You may play this card any time you could play an instant if you X.)
This has been put on creatures and sorceries for as long as I can remember. It's a very flexible ability, as X could be something other than mana, like tapping creatures and sacing stuff. There could also be no X for stuff like Mystic Snake
Retribution (Whenever this creature deals damage, you gain that much life.)
Mostly used on angels, and a fairly common ability, this is probably pretty high on the probability factor and will actually happen, although I made up the name.
Threaten (Untap target creature and gain control of it until end of turn. That creature gains haste until end of turn.)
This ability is the biggest offender of a wordy, but common ability. This should definitely be keyworded. It would be strange at first, but the current card Threaten, as well as other cards that use the ability could just say "Threaten target creature" and that's that. It would work rather well.
Immunity (This creature can't be the target of spells or abilities)
The name for the ability comes from the Aura that gives the ability, Diplomatic Immunity, this has been a Green/Blue ability for a while, and is mostly fine the way it is. But why not make it a keyword?
Web (This creature may block as though it has flying)
The spider ability since Alpha, I have no idea why this hasn't become a keyword yet. It's flavorful, has an Aura named after it (although it does more than just give the ability), and everyone knows what it does. Wouldn't be surprised if this would be introduced in one of the next few Core Sets.
Toxin (Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a creature, tap that creature and it doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.)
A wordy ability used by the Kamigawa snakes, if it was keyworded back then, there could have been a more rich story for those snakes, as there are only a few of the Orrochi with flavor text because of this ability.
Venom (Whenever this creature attacks and isn‚’t blocked, defending player gets a poison counter.)
WOTC has been saying forever that Poison counters have been coming back to Magic soon, so what better way to ring it back in then to introduce a keyword for it? It would be awesome to see Crypt Cobra reprinted in 10th Edition with this ability.
Lure (All creatures able to block this creature do so.)
A nice keyword that has had an Aura since Alpha, there are only 11 cards that use the ability, but it is used so much just by Taunting Elf and Elvish Bard in Elf decks deserves to be keyworded.
Curiosity (Whenever this creature deals damage to an opponent, you may draw a card.)
I didn't even know there was an Aura for this ability until I stumbled across it while looking up another card on Gatherer. Considering it has an Aura and several cards that use it, I use the logic used above and say it should be keyworded.
Rampage X (This creature gains +X/+X for each creature blocking it.)
I have always felt bad for Rampage. It is an awesome idea that is still used, but because it had a bad clause "beyond the first", they couldn't continue to use it. I say that they fix this error and make all the newer cards that use the ability have Rampage without the clause, and take it away from the older cards and give them the "beyond the first" ability without the keyword.
Attacker (This creature can't block)
Why not? If defender is an ability, why not the other end of the spectrum? It's only a matter of time, although I bet they can come up with a better name then that...
I also believe that some keywords from the past should be brought back for another block, or to become basic ones. Stuff like Provoke, Ninjitsu, Bushido, etc. could fit on a lot more cards and bring out new design space.
-May you pull a Firebird, Niv-Mizzet, or Ghost Council in your next pack of Guildpact
Pudge
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