![]() The thing that is weird about it is that text on the card (technically rules text tied to the ability on the card) changes what the card “looks like” on the stack (and, later, in play). There isn’t any specific mention of the stack in bestow’s reminder text, and there’s nothing particularly unusual going on with the ability’s timing. There are plenty of other obscure examples from Magic’s past, but more recently some designs have pushed the boundaries of how “normal” Magic cards are supposed to work.īestow is a good example of something that uses the stack in a weird way. As we saw above, Thrun “can’t be countered,” which obviously doesn’t matter once he’s in play, and the usual rule of “text on a card doesn’t matter until it’s in play” doesn’t apply. But then we’re back where we started….Īt any rate, the lines of text in a card’s textbox generally don’t apply unless that card is in play. Maybe “summon creature” would be a reasonable compromise, but then there’s very little room left for creature types, though of course it’s obvious that a “cat soldier” is a type of creature so maybe “creature” is redundant. Since permanents spend most of their time in play, though, perhaps “creature” is the more relevant word. It makes it more clear that the card is not a creature on the stack. This, incidentally, is a point in favor of keeping the old “summon” type line on creatures. Essence Scatter, for example, counters creature spells so it needs to check a spell’s card type when it’s on the stack (though, as we saw above, hexproof won’t prevent it since the word “creature” in hexproof’s text means “creature in play” not “creature spell on the stack”). Color, converted mana cost, and card type are among the most relevant. There are certain attributes of a card that matter in all zones. If there were a way to do this more clearly (perhaps with a new rules term) it would make these situations less vague and create opportunities for new designs. Having to clarify that certain abilities matter in certain zones not only adds extra words to the text box but is also inelegant. Instead I am suggesting that design space is limited by these strange and unclear distinctions between where lines of text on a card matter. Magic veterans understand this, and my purpose is not to argue that the cards are confusing or that there are incidents where players misunderstand how they work (though this is certainly likely). And a creature that can’t be countered can still be targeted once it’s in play. It just says “this creature can’t be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.” You have to know, externally, that a creature being cast is not a creature until it’s in play (it’s a spell), so when it says “this creature” it means “this creature in play.” A creature that just has hexproof can be countered like anything else. But there’s no real intuitive reason why the second ability on Thrun (or the general reminder text on hexproof) doesn’t apply to the spell on the stack. ![]() In particular, the ways that interaction typically happens are different (countering spells versus targeting permanents). ![]() Why do we need a separate line of text to say that you can’t target this card when it’s on the stack or when it’s in play? The answer is that, in general, a line of rules text either applies to the card when it’s on the stack or the card when it’s in play (or another zone), but not both. Flavor-wise these all succeed because they reflect the idea of a creature that just can’t be interfered with by tricky magic.įrom a design standpoint, though, the abilities feel a little redundant. The early incarnation of this effect just protected from blue, the Mongoose couldn’t be targeted at all, and Thrun beats them both since you’re still allowed to target him with your own stuff (and he can regenerate, and he’s a 4/4 for 4). Scragnoth, Blurred Mongoose, and Thrun all share similar abilities. Let’s start with Thrun, the Last Troll, and his predecessors. ![]() It’s possible that making these differences more explicit could lead to more interesting design space for future Magic cards. There are a few unusual cases where cards care about the stack but don’t explicitly say so or where cards change whether they’re on the stack or not. But because of the strange gray area within which it operates, the stack is often shrouded in mystery. It’s certainly very important for control decks, and understanding exactly how it works is an important part of playing those decks. Very few cards make reference to it, yet it is an integral component of how the game operates. One of the most important and potentially confusing of those parts is the stack. Magic is a complicated game with many different parts.
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