Effect Names & Keyword Mechanics

[Just Crouton]

To add more keywords, and while we're at it, let's shorten/simplify the text too.

 

Mill

"Mill 2 cards"

 

 

Piercing

"This monster does Piercing damage."

 

 

Bounce

"Bounce 1 card."

 

[Sleepy]

First of all, while a keyword system is a good idea, to make it work, you need to START the game with such a system, otherwise 10+ years down the road, when you decide to update your card text, you're going to confuse the hell out of people who have older prints of the cards. That's what Problem-Solving Card Text was implemented for. Keywords won't work very well with Yu-Gi-Oh, due to the slight differences in similar effects.

 

And even if you make the argument about Madolches or Lightsworns having the same text much of the time, not all of them have it the same way. Ryko doesn't do anything during the End Phase, for example.

 

I do agree some things, like Unions, could have their card classification put into the rulebook, but it should also still be printed on the card. Granted, "Tuner" is in the rulebook with no explanation on the card, but that's because "Tuner" on its own, doesn't do anything effect related.

 

I have no comment on Excavate until I see how other cards use it.

 

I'd say that actually sounds like an extra benefit of using key words.

The fact that there are similar but not equal effects. I mean, what strictly would be the key worded effect would have it's key word, and if the effect is even slightly different, it wouldn't have it, so people would easily identify that there is SOME twist that needs to be accounted for, and help avoid confusions of "Oh I thought it worked the same way as X card".

 

At least that's how I see it.

 

 

To add more keywords, and while we're at it, let's shorten/simplify the text too.

 

For the Piercing one, you could go two ways:

Just writing the "Pierce" word the same way MTG uses "Flying", etc. to resume the entire ability.

Or "This card inflicts piercing Battle Damage", which is how it is IRL. You need to add the type of damage, or else it is Effect Damage by default, though.

 

But that's the idea xD

Just like Pot of Greed doesn't say "Add the 2 top cards in your Deck to your hand.", instead it says "Draw 2 cards". xP