Use of a few keywords.

TappedOut forum

Posted on Jan. 31, 2014, 6:07 a.m. by Femme_Fatale

A few keywords I/others have a bit of confusion with and I believe should be clarified for future use.

Counter - From what I know, it is only meant to be listed as a keyword for "counter target spell". I say this as tokens don't have keywords associated with them so modification counters (charge counters etc) shouldn't have keywords for them either.

Tap/Untap - It is dictated as an action keyword, and applies to even the tap/untap cost, but should we use it for every card that contains (T) in their cost, even the non-basic lands? I feel that the keyword should really only apply to when they are actually words and not symbols, like in Triton Tactics . This would help narrow various searches as there are hundreds of cards that tap as a cost, but not as many of them that tap or untap as an effect.

gufymike says... #2

Counter has multiple meanings. That is the nature of the english language. Counter can mean counterspell, counter can mean a memory item for the type of counter it is and it can mean +1/+1 -1/-1 counters. Context matters in this case. I don't think the keyword should change for this, because it's relevant to the multiple uses. Though for Oblivion Stone fate or 'fate counter' might be a better use.

I understand this is a need to help with search, but this is also a problem with the game mechanics and how things are templated/worded. To change things to what you want them to mean, means changing the card text. Which leads to a whole 'nother problem. iirc, this search also checks the card text.

Though don't think the powers that be haven't had an issue with "counter" either. read thisand this

January 31, 2014 1:40 p.m.