Synonyms/Nicknames System for Deckbuilding and Card Tagging
Site Updates forum
Posted on May 20, 2020, 7:04 p.m. by Femme_Fatale
Introducing the synonyms/nicknames system to alleviate all those "wtf was that one land of that one cycle named?" problems that plague you.
This system is simple. It is designed to redirect terms that you typed out that match a synonym/nickname of a card, to that card name. This lets you never have to remember the name "Seachrome Coast" and can instead just type out "WU Fastland" (as an example). Note that this only works in text edit entries on deck lists and inventory, not the live edit or the card search forms.
There is a lot of other things that are utilised here as well.
- Godzilla Names
- Dracula Names
- Non-American Spellings
- Common Nicknames
- Common Misspellings
- Redirections of Misspelled Submissions
- Each side of a split card as a synonym (unless they already exist as a card).
Not needing to know the name of each card in a land/artifact cycle is a big boon, but you still need to know the nickname of that cycle and the syntax. For lands/mana rocks/the swords of X and Y at the present moment it is always "XY Nickname" or "YX Nickname". Examples:
- WU Fastland
- GR BFZ
- GW ABUR Dual Land
- BW Fetch
For 2 colour lands, it is always the two colour letters, followed by the nickname, and then followed by the option to have the world land either connected to the nickname or not. (these are all viable options for example: "WU Fast", "UW Fastland", "UW Fast Land".) For 3 colour lands, it is only the primary order of colour letters you see on cards, or the Alara/Khans name. (WUB Lair, Mardu Triome as examples.) Swords and other artifact cycles follow the same setup (though swords can also be "Sword of GB" or "Sword of G and B"), and mono colour land cycles use the same setup just with only one letter. Note that none of these are plural, so don't put that s in. Colourless cards that are a part of a cycle use C/Colorless/Colourless.
Some of these cycles don't have well defined names yet (like BBD) and some of these cycles have had too many names that people constantly fight over so there was no point in bothering to put them all in and instead I just used the TLA (specifically BFZ).
Goals:
The primary purpose of this is to make the ability to tag cards and edit decks/inventory far more robust than what it has been. Tappedout doesn't presently have a spellchecker, and to be fair most sites don't. It's not an easy feature to implement. So with this synonyms/nicknames feature, we can alleviate some of those aggravations of misspellings or different ways to spell a word by making them valid targets and redirecting them to the right card name. Another benefit of this is the ability to give cards shorthands or nicknames when the community largely doesn't remember the actual name of a card, just their shorthand. We have all been hit with "wtf is that land's name again?" when we know for a fact that it's just "the blue and white shadows over innistrad reveal land". This saves the step of having to open up a search engine to figure out the card name, and in general speeds up and makes the process of building decks and inventory, a lot more enjoyable.
Cycles that currently have nicknames: Show
A lot of the cycle synonyms are meant to intuitive and robust so that you won't even have to think about knowing what the exact written synonym actually is and still be able to get it right on the first try, though it will take time to reach a point in which this is 100% true. As an example of scope, each recognized nickname for a cycle creates 6 entries for each given card in that cycle. So the AKH lands have 30 entries for each card in that cycle, resulting in a total of 150 entries. The Triomes have the same amount, but if I were to add each individual string combination of the colour letters (WUB, BUW, WBU etc) then that count would increase by 45 for each entry, resulting 75 entries for each one, totalling at 375 entries for the whole cycle.
Nicknames will usually be things like "Snappy", "Bolt", "Path", "Bob", "FoW", etc. They are to be commonly used by the larger community as a whole, not what your FNM/play group exclusively uses (though this isn't a hard set in stone as I'm not omniscient).
Here's a list of nicknames that I have. Show
I have about 200+ cards of non-American spellings added as synonyms in this site, however I'm certain there's like, 5x that much I've missed. If you notice a non-american spelling I do not have in, let me know.
Here's a list of things that is in the works to do. Show
Limitations:
A card can have any number of synonyms/nicknames. But only one synonym/nickname can be tied to a card. So if a new card/land cycle gets printed that has covers a misspelling (like an UNcard might) or has that nickname as it's actual card name, those synonyms will get removed (as an example, Snapcaster Mage cannot have Snap as a nickname). We are also looking to limit the amount of times a synonym has to get removed so nicknames of cards during their presence in the standard formats are not likely to be put in, as they become forgotten or even re-used when they rotate out. These are also done manually so sometimes a change might just take a while to do if it encompasses a large number of cards or a large number of synonyms.. We also won't be going through alternate language as possible synonyms because WotC doesn't nearly double check duplicate card names for foreign languages as well as they do for English cards.
This is not something on the card submission form, so it is not available to edit for any user.
If you know of something missing like common misspellings or common non-American spellings that will be needed, or cycle syntaxes that you tried to use but didn't work, post them here and I'll review them for possible inclusion in the future.
EDIT: Before you ask for a nickname etc to be added:
- Check if it exists first by trying it out.
- Check if the larger community recognizes it, this is done by going around discords, lgs' and other forums about that nickname.
- Check if it has any nsfw, discriminatory or derogatory terminology, we straight up will not allow these.
This isn't a system for your pet nickname that your local playgroup uses. This is a system that can utilize nicknames that naturally grew organically out of continued use from the larger mtg community as a whole. This isn't a "which nicknames do you think this system could use" but rather "which nicknames that are used across the world that we have missed".
EDIT EDIT: Recent discoveries had been made with this system, one that is a pretty big limitation. If a card name is containing any form of punctuation, no synonyms or mispellings will work as the system replaces all punctuation and spaces with a dash, just like our url slugs do. So if there's a mispelling of something with a comma in its name I can't do anything about that.
Femme_Fatale says... #3
Oh look, another mispelling in this very article I can put in.
Lighting Bolt. I forget the the second "n" WAY too often.
May 20, 2020 7:31 p.m.
Game changer! Have been waiting for this update for ages. Awesome!
May 20, 2020 7:53 p.m.
Sharkfists says... #5
I thought Literal Actual Baby Jace was Jace, Vryn's Prodigy Flip, not Jace, Wielder of Mysteries
May 20, 2020 8:27 p.m.
Minousmancer says... #6
I'm super on board with this especially the Godzilla names.
May 20, 2020 9:02 p.m.
Omg, this is fantastic!!!!!!!
Love the seachromecost example, I always forget lol
May 20, 2020 10:10 p.m.
Minousmancer says... #8
Also, I call Snapcaster Mage , Snapdresser Mage, I don't remember why.
May 20, 2020 10:40 p.m.
ToolmasterOfBrainerd says... #9
Lightning Bolt is still spelled wrong :)
Also Jace, the Mind Sculptor links to a user, not the card. So annoying when users and decks are named after cards.
This is amazing though. Thank you for this.
May 20, 2020 10:43 p.m. Edited.
Femme_Fatale says... #10
Sharkfists: It is, and redirects correctly. I guess I must have deleted the Jace, Vryn's Prodigy line accidentally.
May 20, 2020 11:26 p.m.
I just wish my nickname for Blightbutt was a thing like (Gary) Gray Merchant of Asphodel. He's definitely one of my favorite cards - but there doesn't seem to be anything conveniently short for him, like (Skittles) Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon.
May 20, 2020 11:29 p.m. Edited.
I_Want_To_PlayAllTheDecks says... #14
Liliana of the Veil should also have her nickname be "Big titted lili"
May 21, 2020 11:29 a.m.
Thx4TheSwampChief says... #15
For Chandra, Torch of Defiance you should name it Statue of Liberty
May 21, 2020 11:33 a.m.
I_Want_To_PlayAllTheDecks says... #16
Anje Falkenrath
should be annie. Liliana Vess could be tutor lili
May 21, 2020 11:35 a.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #19
I_Want_To_PlayAllTheDecks/Thx4TheSwampChief: Are these nicknames recognized by the larger community? If you go into a random discord or forum or LGS saying these card names are people going to understand them?
May 21, 2020 1:55 p.m.
I_Want_To_PlayAllTheDecks says... #20
Nope- we are just having fun, but Necro is probably recognized.
May 21, 2020 2:19 p.m.
Minousmancer says... #21
Oh, for sure Necro is!
Necropotence - Necro for short.
We've been calling it that as a nickname since Black Summer.
May 21, 2020 3:53 p.m. Edited.
SniperFrog says... #22
Faithless Looting as Flooting. While not necessarily widely recognized, ask anyone and they will know what card it is.
May 21, 2020 6:24 p.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #23
So apparently not even wotc is fully consistent with their own american spelling scheme. Sabretooth Tiger, Sabertooth Alley Cat
May 21, 2020 7:22 p.m.
Snapcaster Mage aka. snappy or snap,
Torrential Gearhulk aka. fatcaster mage,
Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
Flip aka. snapcaster JACE,
Google seems to know at least those...
However the community needs to find some creative name for the red snapcaster clones Dire Fleet Daredevil & Dreadhorde Arcanist.
May 22, 2020 9:07 a.m.
Thx4TheSwampChief says... #25
Femme_Fatale is Sexy Jace recognized by the larger community, how about Explosive Veggies?
May 22, 2020 11:52 a.m.
keep in mind we aren't really trying to create any here, we are simply tracking what's out there
May 22, 2020 12:01 p.m.
Game_of_Cones says... #27
Uril, the Miststalker: I call him “Speedo” aka “Mister Earl”
May 22, 2020 12:45 p.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #28
EDIT: Before you ask for a nickname etc to be added:
- Check if it exists first by trying it out.
- Check if the larger community recognizes it, this is done by going around discords, lgs' and other forums about that nickname.
- Check if it has any nsfw, discriminatory or derogatory terminology, we straight up will not allow these.
This isn't a system for your pet nickname that your local playgroup uses. This is a system that can utilize nicknames that naturally grew organically out of continued use from the larger mtg community as a whole. This isn't a "which nicknames do you think this system could use" but rather "which nicknames that are used across the world that we have missed".
May 22, 2020 6:54 p.m.
Don't forget the manlands. Including the Zendikar cycle (with Celestial Colonnade, Hissing Quagmire, etc), the monocolor cycle (with Treetop Village, etc), and the other ones (Mutavault, Inkmoth Nexus, etc).
May 23, 2020 12:31 p.m.
WillowtheCouncil says... #30
I've never heard Dome Dome before. That's awesome! I'm gonna start using that.
As for Aetherflux Reservoir, I often hear it called 'Fishbowl'.
Also, could you add 'Gravy Train' for Grave Titan?
May 23, 2020 4:50 p.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #31
cmsrDPM I'm actually going to wait on the manlands until return to return to Zendikar comes out. I don't want to make nicknames for the manlands and all of the sudden find out that new dual coloured manlands were made.
WillowtheCouncil It's a big dome that domes people. So it's the Dome Dome. I'll do some checking with those other nicknames you mentioned across different communities.
May 23, 2020 4:58 p.m.
WillowtheCouncil says... #32
Femme_Fatale i know the cedh community for sure refers to it as Fishbowl, and I think others do too.
May 24, 2020 10:40 a.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #33
I forgot to post some of the updates I did. There's about 200+ cards that got british variants of spelling, and I did some searching and added Gravy Train, Explosive Veggies and Necro.
Further, the Thrivings got added as well.
If you can find any american/british spellings that aren't in let me know, I'm sure there's like 5x the amount that I do have in that isn't in yet.
July 6, 2020 1:22 a.m.
I would appreciate being able to shorthand the castles from Eldraine because I can never remember their names, so G Castle, U Castle etc...
July 18, 2020 10:57 p.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #35
somsoc: Those are added.
I also did the adventure portion of adventure cards as synonyms, and did splitcard syntaxes versions of them all. Plus about 200 cards of misspellings as synonyms.
July 22, 2020 2:12 a.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #36
I have added redundancy to split cards in the forms of reversing the halves, having no spaces in between the slashes, and using "and" and/or "to" instead of the slash where appropriate. This is mainly for new users who may not know the syntax properly. It's added about 600 new synonyms.
August 18, 2020 9:18 p.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #37
New nicknames are in:
Mono coloured Manlands, Zendikar Manlands, and Pathways/MDFCs.
September 11, 2020 3:44 a.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #38
New nicknames are in:
The BBD and CMR lands can now be called up as Bond Lands or Battle Lands.
November 20, 2020 4:48 a.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #39
The 4 remaining MDFCs in KHM have had synonyms added.
January 7, 2021 4:58 a.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #40
The STX and SOI rare land cycle are now called both Snarls and Reveals, so use something like "GW Snarl" or "RU Reveal".
April 13, 2021 2:37 a.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #41
Count Dracula alt name boxtopper cards from VOW can now be tagged up and the MID/VOW rare land cycle are called Slow Lands and Count Lands, so use "UB Slow Land" or "RG Count" etc. to call them up.
Reasoning for Count Lands: Count Dracula is in VOW and you count to 2.
November 21, 2021 2:02 a.m.
Femme_Fatale says... #42
Been a while but a lot of missing synonyms have been added from PIP and SLD. Also MKM Surveil Land nicknames are in.
Caerwyn says... #2
Badlands
Neat! Thanks for all the work you do for the site!
May 20, 2020 7:21 p.m.