Keyword Rebel Stone

[zimagic]

I'm thinking of a permanent tutor card for decks that revolve around keywords. I'll need some help on the wording:

Keyword Rebel Stone
 
Artifact
X, tap: Search your library for a creature card with a converted mana cost of x or less that shares a keyword with a creature you control and put it into play. Shuffle your library.

Notes:
- "Creature card" to avoid getting instants if you have, for example, a Whitemane Lion in play. (How dangerous would it be to leave the "Creature" out here?)
- It could be a creature in play, i.e. including your opponent's, for more flexibility.
- The CC is aggressive but it could be solved with "a creature card with a CC less than X" to increase the overall cost of getting that creature into play.
- I presume keyword reminder text is unnecessary & unwieldy. Agreed?

In my little world I see people playing Trample based decks, or Flier based decks. What obvious problems have I missed with this?

Name and Flavour comments also appreciated.

Updated Version:
Keyword Rebel Stone
 
Artifact
X, tap: Search your library for a creature card with a converted mana cost of x or less that shares a keyword with a creature you control and put it into play. Shuffle your library.

[Ephraim]

This isn't a bad idea.  The cost of activating the ability seems like it ought to negate the abundance of abuse.  (I was afraid for a moment that it allows you to cheat Phyrexian Dreadnought into play, but I was mistaken.)  My biggest concern with this is over the definition of a keyword.  Flying, first strike, and trample are easy.  What about "indestructible?"  As far as I know, it's not actually a keyword, but that could be a source of confusion.  Are there any other pseudo keywords that create non-intuitive interactions with this card?

[zimagic]

This isn't a bad idea.  The cost of activating the ability seems like it ought to negate the abundance of abuse.  (I was afraid for a moment that it allows you to cheat Phyrexian Dreadnought into play, but I was mistaken.)  My biggest concern with this is over the definition of a keyword.  Flying, first strike, and trample are easy.  What about "indestructible?"  As far as I know, it's not actually a keyword, but that could be a source of confusion.  Are there any other pseudo keywords that create non-intuitive interactions with this card?

Personally I think that this is where the card may be a hard sell. There's not going to be space for all the keywords so how do we get around that? I'm presuming that people aren't thick enough to try to recruit a "mechanic-word".

Does anyone have a link to the WotC definition of keyword?

[Ephraim]

You could do what WotC does:  Use 3 "commonplace" keywords (pick from flying, first strike, trample, double strike, haste, and vigilance) and one additional keyword that ties into the set.

[zimagic]

You could do what WotC does:  Use 3 "commonplace" keywords (pick from flying, first strike, trample, double strike, haste, and vigilance) and one additional keyword that ties into the set.

Or leave it at "keyword" and have them clarify things in the pre-release FAQ! 

Seriously, if someone wants a vigilance deck and it's not one of those chosen then it's a bit rough. is there any way to avoid a WotC kop out solution?

[Harlequin]

I think this card gets into alot of grey area.  Firstly, some things are not really keywords.  Namely "Regenerate" and "Indestructable."   That could easily be handled with a list of what is ment by "key word" in a FAQ or something.

The bigger problem is that cards don't typically have keywords while in your deck.  And on top of that your really searching for a "word" on the card.  Like for example, could I fetch a Winged Sliver?  Probably not... because the actualy ability reads: All Silvers Gain Flying.  Also you might end up with problems where Keywords are conditional.  Such as Spirit of the Night only has first strike when attacking.  Even in the same vein, If I have a creature with Flying in play, could I get a creature that has an ability that reads "Target Creature Looses Flying" ?  That's a bigger stretch, but you could logically argue that if "Flying" is a Keyword, and the -word- "Flying" appears on the card, then It has that keyword in common.

[zimagic]

I think this card gets into alot of grey area.  Firstly, some things are not really keywords.  Namely "Regenerate" and "Indestructable."   That could easily be handled with a list of what is ment by "key word" in a FAQ or something.

The bigger problem is that cards don't typically have keywords while in your deck.  And on top of that your really searching for a "word" on the card.  Like for example, could I fetch a Winged Sliver?  Probably not... because the actualy ability reads: All Silvers Gain Flying.  Also you might end up with problems where Keywords are conditional.  Such as Spirit of the Night only has first strike when attacking.  Even in the same vein, If I have a creature with Flying in play, could I get a creature that has an ability that reads "Target Creature Looses Flying" ?  That's a bigger stretch, but you could logically argue that if "Flying" is a Keyword, and the -word- "Flying" appears on the card, then It has that keyword in common.

My take on the whole Sliver & related issues is that "~this~ gains (whatever)" is an ability as are all the conditional keywords. The card won't do a gatherer search for (let's just say) Flying in your deck. It should be an ability which reads (in a more simplistic way):

Search your library for a card with CC X or less that has flying printed in the top left-hand corner of the text box. Put it into play & shuffle your library.

[Harlequin]

I think you have to stay away from card printed text because of the whole errata thing.  So you would have to word it something like "The first word of the card's current errata."  This is especially true for things with Vigilance, Haste, and Defender (keywords that retro-activly descibe abilites of old cards). 

Also you encounter a similar problem on the "in play" side.  For example If I attack with Spirit of the Night, we all know he gains the effect of First Strike - but does he have the -keyword- "First Strike"?

Unfortunatly, this card will likely be scrapped.  Not because the card in concept is complex, but because there are too many rule issues that would have to be ironed out.

[zimagic]

I think you have to stay away from card printed text because of the whole errata thing.  So you would have to word it something like "The first word of the card's current errata."  This is especially true for things with Vigilance, Haste, and Defender (keywords that retro-activly descibe abilites of old cards). 

Also you encounter a similar problem on the "in play" side.  For example If I attack with Spirit of the Night, we all know he gains the effect of First Strike - but does he have the -keyword- "First Strike"?

Unfortunatly, this card will likely be scrapped.  Not because the card in concept is complex, but because there are too many rule issues that would have to be ironed out.

The suggestion of searching for the printed text was not what I want the card to say, it's what I want the card to do. Basically, if it's not written on the card as a keyword in the keyword part of the text, not an ability that grants one, then that card can't be searched for. (Putting "creature card" on the stone would also nix any instant issues (flash) in relation to this.)

I'd say with the Spirit of the Night & related issues, once it has First Strike in play i.e. has gained First Strike, you could search for a creture with first strike, but only a creature with first strike as a keyword not an ability that gives first strike. With Sidewinder Sliver in play, you could search for Benalish Cavalry but not another Sidewinder for example. Nor could you search for a Sidewinder with a Benalish Cavalry in play.

Am I making sense?

[EnialisLiadon]

I think the activation cost should be  , as that's the activation cost for the recruiting ability on Rebels (and Mercenaries too, I believe); 3 mana for a 2cc, 4 mana for a 3cc, etc.

[andrewpate]

No, Mercenaries cost 2 to get a 2-cost Merc, in exchange for a 3-cost Merc having that ability instead of a 1-cost one.  They search down, which is way worse, so they do it more efficiently.

Another source of confusion nobody has mentioned is ability words.  I think that a lot of people will think that this can search for Hellbent cards.  Also, Threshold changed from a keyword to an ability word--that will be a huge source of headaches.

[zimagic]

No, Mercenaries cost 2 to get a 2-cost Merc, in exchange for a 3-cost Merc having that ability instead of a 1-cost one.  They search down, which is way worse, so they do it more efficiently.

Another source of confusion nobody has mentioned is ability words.  I think that a lot of people will think that this can search for Hellbent cards.  Also, Threshold changed from a keyword to an ability word--that will be a huge source of headaches.

Hum.... Before we go any further on this one, does anyone have a definition of what is a keyword and what the definitive keyword list is?

[Anusien]

Index of 502.: (1) 502. Keyword Abilities (2) 502.1. Most abilities... (3) 502.2. First Strike (4) 502.3. Flanking (5) 502.4. Flying (6) 502.5. Haste (7) 502.6. Landwalk (8) 502.7. Protection (9) 502.8. Shadow (10) 502.9. Trample (11) 502.10. Banding (12) 502.11. Bands with Other (13) 502.12. Rampage (14) 502.13. Cumulative Upkeep (15) 502.14. Vigilance (16) 502.15. Phasing (17) 502.16. Buyback (18) 502.17. Horsemanship (19) 502.18. Cycling (20) 502.19. Echo (21) 502.20. Fading (22) 502.21. Kicker (23) 502.22. Flashback (24) 502.23. Threshold (25) 502.24. Madness (26) 502.25. Fear (27) 502.26. Morph (28) 502.27. Amplify (29) 502.28. Double Strike (30) 502.29. Provoke (31) 502.30. Storm (32) 502.31. Affinity (33) 502.32. Entwine (34) 502.33. Equip (35) 502.34. Imprint (36) 502.35. Modular (37) 502.36. Shroud (38) 502.37. Sunburst (39) 502.38. Bushido (40) 502.39. Soulshift (41) 502.40. Splice (42) 502.41. Defender (43) 502.42. Offering (44) 502.43. Ninjutsu (45) 502.44. Epic (46) 502.45. Enchant (47) 502.46. Convoke (48) 502.47. Dredge (49) 502.48. Transmute (50) 502.49. Substance (51) 502.50. Bloodthirst (52) 502.51. Haunt (53) 502.52. Replicate (54) 502.53. Forecast (55) 502.54. Graft (56) 502.55. Recover (57) 502.56. Ripple (58) 502.57. Flash (59) 502.58. Split Second (60) 502.59. Suspend (61) 502.60. Vanishing (62) 502.61. Absorb (63) 502.62. Aura Swap (64) 502.63. Deathtouch (65) 502.64. Delve (66) 502.65. Fortify (67) 502.66. Frenzy (68) 502.67. Gravestorm (69) 502.68. Lifelink (70) 502.69. Poisonous (71) 502.70. Reach (72) 502.71. Transfigure

502.1. Most abilities describe exactly what they do in the card's rules text. Some, though, are very common or would require too much space to define on the card. In these cases, the object lists only the name of the ability as a "keyword"; sometimes reminder text summarizes the game rule.

Keyword Ability: Some abilities are very common or would require too much space to define on a card. These abilities list only the name of the ability as a "keyword"; sometimes reminder text summarizes the game rule. See rule 502, "Keyword Abilities."

Keyword Action: Most actions described in a card's rules text use the standard English definitions of the verbs within, but some specialized verb are used whose meanings may not be clear. These "keywords" are game terms; sometimes reminder text summarizes their meanings. See rule 501, "Keyword Actions."

Wizards has refrained from using "keyword" on a card (Death-Mask Duplicant) so I would shy away from it as well.

Jeek was working with a similar card earlier; remember Sliver Licid?

[zimagic]

Seems like the option of choosing 3 common and one block keyword would be the way to go then.