I've recently become a big fan of top ten lists, so now it's time to do my own. Magic is a game with great complexity and depth, but within the sea of rules and mechanics stand high-profile keyword abilities. Some of them are essential and some of them are superfluous, but after more than 10 years, there are finally enough of them to rank (43, in fact).
To qualify for this list, an ability needs to be listed under section 502 of the comprehensive rules. Pseudo-keyword abilities, while important, are not eligible. Sorry, indestructible and spiritcraft.
I'm actually going to start at the bottom - I'm going to give you the top five WORST keyword mechanics of all time, before we get to the good stuff. The criteria for this worst-of list are varied, but generally, these keywords are either needlessly complicated, frustrating to meet in a game, or just plain boring. Without further ado, the worst of the keyword abilities:
Designed to be a flavorful alternative to flying during Tempest block, shadow missed the mark entirely. With relatively few shadow creatures printed, games with shadow creatures degenerated into bouts of unblockability, where the subtle tactical strategy of creature development meant little to nothing. While some players still have a fondness for shadow, it's only the flavor of Tempest bock that can be thanked. The ability itself was a turkey.
Winning the prize for the most memory-intensive keyword, cumulative upkeep took everybody's least favorite step of the game (back when cards like Force of Nature were ubiquitous and Eon Hub was unheard of), then made players pay more during each upkeep, and worst of all, forced each to keep track of a constantly increasing payment. WotC has since learned to take it easy with the upkeep costs, much to everybody's enjoyment.
The worst keyword mechanic in the modern (read: post-Invasion) era of Magic, it's hard to believe that amplify was almost the major block mechanic for Onslaught, Legions, and Scourge. Very limited in its scope, amplify rewarded you not just for building cookie-cutter tribal decks, but for not playing cards at all. Then, all you got for your troubles were a few +1/+1 counters on already overcosted creatures. You have to thank WotC for pulling the plug on this mechanic and relegating it to the ghetto of Legions, but the whole block would have surely been better had it not even existed.
Beating out even protection as the most complicated combat ability on a creature, banding is the only real dud to come out of the original alpha design of Magic. At the time of its release, people liked banding because it stoked the imagination - your creatures could "party-up" and fight together - what's not to like about that? Unfortunately, the rules made the whole affair a drag, with completely different applications for attacking and blocking. Then, in one of the more questionable design moves of all time, WotC released the even-more-limited, even-more-confusing "bands with other" ability in the Legends set. It was a time when the rules for the game had very large tracts of ambiguity, and adhering to the "spirit" of the mechanic was often the only way to interpret an ability's outcome. If anything good can be said to have come from banding, it's that our rules are better today because of the cleanup that WotC needed to enact on account of it.
Was there ever any doubt? A case of WotC knowing not what they wrought, phasing must have made sense to somebody in Magic R&D, somewhere, but when it came out into the public swinging, people screamed in terror. How did that local enchantment work, now? Why does my card trigger leaves-play effects, but not comes-into-play effects? There's a new zone? Something happens before my untap step? It's the single longest entry for a keyword ability in the comprehensive rules, and probably the most notorious mechanic (keyword or not) in the history of Magic. It also marked the end of an era in Magic design - the following year brought Tempest block, with its neatly-developed keywords that changed everything about the way we play the game. If new players want to know what it means to be truly old-school, they just need to pick up a few cards with phasing and try to play them in a deck. And for that, they'll need a lot of willpower.
OK, sure, there are other bad keywords, but I really believe that, for their time and place, these five really take the cake. (Dis)honorable mentions go to: landwalk (boring and redundant) and rampage (would have been great without the "beyond the first" clause).
I'll be back in a few hours to post the other side of the coin - the top ten BEST keyword mechanics of all time.
The last two are gimmes, and amplify and shadow were pretty bad, but as an amateur designer, I disagree with cumulative upkeep. It was memory intensive, true, but the official wording now has age counters to fix that. And the ability itself offers up a huge amount of design space. Much of this is as-yet-untapped by wizards, but much of it was with stuff like Revered Unicorn and Psychic Vortex. The ability was much too wide to be the fourth worst ability of all time.
Also, for similar reasons, if you don't put Splice among the top 5 best mechanics, you're wrong.
Great!! I'm glad that we disagree. That's why I like top ten lists so much - they start discussion.
Anyway, now is the time that I present my top ten picks for the best keyword abilities of all time. As I said, Magic is a huge game, so great keyword abilities could be great for any number of reasons. Perhaps they marked an important change in the understanding of the game, or opened up an innovative new area of design that nobody had thought to explore. The single unifying factor is that each of these mechanics has truckloads of untapped potential, and could see print again in the future (possibly many times). Here they are, my top ten:
It's fitting that I should start this out with what's sure to be a controversial pick (especially once you see the keywords I bumped out to put this one in the top ten), but Ninjutsu really is the little keyword that could. Everybody knew that it was coming from the moment Kamigawa block was announced, but nobody knew how deviously simple and elegant the keyword would be. Even if the power level for ninjas is low, low, low, the depth of play factor for this mechanic is super high - it requires careful attention to tempo over multiple turns, allows you to bluff your opponent in a way morph only wished it could, and is the first mechanic to let you switch attackers mid-combat. Most importantly, it's just cool. Everybody wants to be a ninja (admit it) - this mechanic proves that they want the right thing. It's the single best argument for re-visiting the Kamigawa plane at some point in the future.
When Urza's Saga was released, echo was living proof that WotC had learned much since alpha - learned about tempo, learned about how much players liked the upkeep step (i.e. not very much), and learned about how to make cheap cards work in Magic design. Unfortunately for the rest of Urza's block, they learned that last lesson a bit too well. Seven years later, echo stands out as the biggest "overdue to be reprinted" mechanic in Magic history. It achieved the unique status of being a drawback keyword that people actually liked. (Defender? Yeah... keep dreaming!) It almost goes without saying that the mechanic has ripened with age, and with a few little tweaks, could provide us with another block's worth of interesting design. Still, echo's claim to fame is that it took all the earlier attempts at upkeep-based mechanics (keyworded or not) and single-handedly put them all to shame. I'm excited to see what else it can do.
Looking back at Onslaught block, it's really funny the way its keyword abilities ultimately impacted Magic. The major headliner (morph) was met with a lukewarm reception, but two of the sideshows (double strike and storm) went on to become a permanent staple of new design, and a major player in Vintage tournaments, respectively. Provoke was the mechanic that turned the sideshow posse into a triumvirate, and it did so by being the single most interesting mechanic in the whole of Onslaught block. Provoke filled a conspicuous hole in creature combat - there were any number of evasion abilities, but what could you do if you wanted your creature to get blocked? Such a mechanic had been a long time in coming. It's almost a shame that double strike has been getting all of the attention since Onslaught block, and not provoke, but something is surely cooking at WotC. When we see the mechanic again, it will probably have an entire block in which to be showcased, and hopefully will be in the game for keeps.
The other headliner from Onslaught block, cycling actually made its debut in Urza's Saga, though you wouldn't hardly know, seeing how quickly the entire mechanic was eclipsed by that block's power curve. Cycling had a lot to answer for when it came back in Onslaught - namely, why should we give you a second chance when you were so underwhelming the first time? There were two answers - versatility and simplicity. Given, Invasion block had kicker, and that showed us that it's not hard to be versatile. But, where kicker eschewed focus, cycling had it in spades. It's still the only keyword that deals with drawing cards - something that every deck needs to do. The fact that it's easy to understand makes it the perfect mechanic for new players looking for something to do besides make creatures. Cycling's second coming was the first time that WotC attempted to explore every nook and cranny of interactions with a keyword ability. It's so intuitive and fundamental that we're bound to see it again.
Mirrodin block was the first block to hit us with an full-on deluge of new keyword abilities right out of the gate. Affinity and entwine made immediate names for themselves, since two of the most powerful decks to be spawned by Mirrodin block had these keywords on their namesake cards. But, affinity (as printed) was woefully unbalanced, and entwine was all-too-derivative of Invasion's kicker keyword to be truly compelling. With all of the new faces on the street, it was easy to overlook the chameleon-like imprint. But, it was imprint that was the most radical idea of the whole block - up there among the most radical ideas of all time in Magic. Imprint as an ability can do almost anything, but the way it makes it happen is extremely simple. You just stick one card onto another, and go crazy. It still boggles peoples' minds to think about it. Imprint was the perfect way to show off some recent improvements to the rules of the game (the ability wouldn't have been possible without the new concept of "copiable values") and to give artifacts something new that they could call their own. Imprint is a HUGE mechanic with unlimited possibilities. It'll be back.
1. Storm - Arguably the best powerwise. The only thing that keeps it from completely raping you is Stifle, Arcane Laboratory, and Rule of Law.
2. Cycling - This ability is just stupid. I love it too. Can't be countered, except with Stifle. Stabilizer is really the only card made that would screw up a Slide deck, but that's why cards like Naturalize and Disenchant are printed.
3. Madness - Card advantage. It's just that simple. You discard for a cost, and get another benefit of getting creatures for cheap.
4. Flashback - Again, this provided sick card advantage. Call of the Herd is simply one of the best Flashback cards. It gives you a 2 for 1, and with the way the costs curve out, you can keep pressure coming for 2 turns with only 1 card.
5. Imprint - While the concept of removing an imprinted card from the game isn't appealing at first, the ability to play a card over and over is just disgusting. See Orim's Chant on a stick.
6. Kicker - I love this. It provides an alternative ability on a card, and doesn't raise the converted mana cost of the card. How is that helpful? A Chalice of the Void with 2 counters doesn't stop an Orim's Chant with a kicker, even though the spell costed 2 mana.
7. Buyback - While a wonderful ability, it's often more expensive than worth. The only good buyback cards are Forbid (when combined with Squee, dumping Madness cards, or just getting rid of junk for another counter) and Capsize (only good with a ****load of mana, or stuff like Sapphire Medallion, which still didn't help a whole lot.)
8. Affinity - Why number 8? Without the cheap artifacts like Skullclamp and the artifact lands, this would just be another mediocre ability. The fact that the whole deck was complete synergy made this a powerful ability. After the banning of the artifact lands, Disciple of the Vault, and Arcbound Ravager, you haven't seen this mechanic come up since then.
9. Morph - The only really good cards with Morph are Exalted Angel, Bane of the Living, and Blistering Firecat. It's ability allows you to get around Ensnaring Bridges, Meddling Mages, and can leave mana open for reactions instead of tapping yourself out stupid. Since Morph doesn't use the stack, it's also a nice surprise to an opponent if isn't painfully obvious what creature you are using. Because it doesn't use the stack, Bane of the Living is disgusting. The downfall is the converted mana cost of 0 while face down.
10. Fading - You get rediculous cards. Period. Saproling Burst, Tangle Wire, Blastoderm, Parallax Wave, Parallax Tide... The mechanic was good. You lost the card after a few turns, but the card was usually cheap to get out, and it made an impact on the game.
My top ten cards are ranked by their influence on the game and potential for design, not necessarily the power level of the cards that bear their keyword. The same goes for the top five, though I think you'll agree that a number of them are among the all-time most powerful, as well. Here they are, the best of the best:
Buyback was a great mechanic for its time. It gave you the option of either cheap spells or card advantage, and in doing so really tested players' understanding of the game in ways that no mechanic had ever done before. Buyback was awesome, but the pluckier splice recently stormed its castle and snatched its crown. Splice is everything that buyback was and more. It gives you the option of playing early or holding back for card advantage, but it allows you to mix and match your effects in a way that buyback couldn't. And, it did this while giving propers to the brand new concept of instant and sorcery subtypes. It also played with the rules in an unusual way by adding text onto an effect, which no other mechanic had done. In Saviors of Kamigawa, the keyword also gave rise to the first spell without a mana cost - something that would have been pointless without splice to guide the way. Splice is a big deal, even if it's getting about as much professional attention right now as cycling got during Urza's block. It's another one of those mechanics that can do just about anything. Instants and sorceries are proud to call it their own.
Did you smell this one coming? Trample and WotC have been having relationship difficulties for many years now. WotC evidently suspects that trample has been seeing banding on the side ever since banding got the boot, and WotC's been jealous. WotC tried to show trample that it wasn't needed, that creatures could just go ahead and deal damage to the defending player as though they weren't blocked... WRONG!!! Trample has been here since day one, holding its own, staring opposing blockers in the face and telling them, "you don't amount to nothin". It is the once and future king of the beatdown, and not just because some of the greatest creatures of all time bear its brutal mark - trample is as indigenous and essential to the combat system of Magic as attacking, blocking, and dealing damage. Creatures need to fight - this is what shadow and other keywords of its ilk do not understand. But then, after some creatures are done fighting, they need to come in like a wrecking ball and smash your opponent in the face. Trample is the original double strike. It is the original "big fattie" mechanic. Sure, it's got a few rules to learn, but it's the original learning curve ability. The original, and still the best. On all counts.
Yep, that's right, EQUIP is #3 on the all-time list of greatest keywords, beating out the likes of haste, madness, you name it (well, there are a #1 and #2 on the list yet, you know). A lot of people don't like equip, or the equipment that it lives on. Equip was the ultimate dark horse - it rode up out of nowhere, and then, like it owned the place, told everybody that they were going to be playing by a different set of rules. That local enchantment you liked so much? Obsolete. You want your artifacts to be a little more unique, and independent? Sorry, now they get to live on your creatures. People had developed their own internal vision of what Magic was like, and then equip came around and told everybody that they were wrong. Naturally, some people were bitter about that. But, the mechanic solved so many glaring problems with the game in one fell swoop, it earned its place. No longer was bulking up your creature simply bait for your opponent's 2-for-1 removal, as it had been when enchantments were your only permanent option. Artifacts had a new, major role to play in the game. And finally, it answered the obvious question about the game of Magic: "Ummm, where's the equipment?"
The Magic-playing populace had just come off the revolution that was Invasion block - one of the greatest Magic blocks of all time - and many people were wondering how this kind of low-key upcoming block, Odyssey, was going to even lick the boots of this new emperor of Magic excellence. All it took was one little keyword ability, a few mana symbols, and some reminder text. Flashback was (and still is) Magic's greatest act of keywording genius since the release of Alpha back in 1993. Not only did it make the graveyard count for something (with threshold playing sidekick), but it forced players to engage in a kind of reverse psychology where discarding cards was a good thing. Of course, other cards in Odyssey block played that kind of game, but flashback did it with more grace, and more style. Playing Odyssey block was a completely singular experience because of this. Other keywords made this list because they instigated some kind of radical change, or because they are essential to the game. Flashback is only these things by coincidence, but it is something that no other keyword ability can claim to be - a true work of gaming art.
The keyword that is so essential to the game that you probably forgot it was even a keyword. Flying is the archetypal evasion ability, heck, the archetypal ability, period. It was part of Magic from the get-go, and it has left its mark on more cards than any other keyword. Sure, something else could come and take its place - many have tried - but flying has such a great track record that all challengers need to take a step back and assess what it is they're bringing to the competition. It's telling that, at Magic's most stripped down level (namely, the "Starter" sets), flying is still there. It's that fundamental to the game. It's also the role model for an ability that has both flavor and function - how exactly do you represent creatures with wings in a strategy card game? It's amazing to me how far WotC hit it out of the ballpark on opening day with this one. While its Alpha siblings (like first strike and protection) are often clunky, complex, or limited, flying is easy, clear, and has ever-expanding potential. It is one of the few constants in an ever-changing landscape of design choices, and one thing that players know they can always rely on. It deserves to be the greatest.
OK, now for the ones that I missed. There are a lot of good mechanics out there. I feel like, if I was doing a top fifteen, probably everybody would have their favorites on the list. The almost-made-its include: haste (a combat staple, to be sure, but not especially deep), kicker (very general, which is both a plus and a minus), and morph (very innovative yet very problematic).
Anyway, that's it! Please post your top 10 lists, or discuss at your leisure.
Actually I tend to agree with ure list. Storm and Madness may be powerful but right now their card space is limited and, most likely, when those two ever see print again those cards will be SERIOUSLY overcosted because of how the first round went with them (the first set of storm cards were somewhat overcosted to begin with but Tendrils and Brain Storm both showed WotC not to do stuff like that again with the keyword).
However, I'm puzzled why Flying and Trample weren't on more people's lists since this is how most games are won these days (evasion in general). Also I'm kinda wondering why Kicker isn't gonna show up much of anywhere on these list since it does make the spell more versatile (at least when there's more than one kicker cost).... altho I do have to admit most of the kicker spells had slightly overcosted kickers...
Guesswork, I couldn't have made two better lists myself. Great job. Although I'd make a small change: Banding/Bands with other HAVE to be the worst mechanics EVER.
BTW, honorable mention as most underused mehcanic EVER: Fading. It was just great, and pretty easy to get.
No, Beta-Male, you're quite wrong. Equip is a keyword.
Go to the Comprehensive Rules. Now, skip down to section 502, the section on keyworded abilities. There yet? Now look at 502.33. There yet? Here, let me quote.
Quote from Comprehensive Rules »
502.33. Equip
502.33a Equip is an activated ability of artifact Equipment cards. “Equip [cost]” means “[cost]: Move this Equipment onto target creature you control. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.”
502.33b For more information about Equipment, see rule 212.2, “Artifacts.”
502.33c If an artifact has multiple instances of equip, any of its equip abilities may be used.
According to the Comprehensive Rules themselves, Equip is a keyword. Any more objections?
BTW, honorable mention as most underused mehcanic EVER: Fading. It was just great, and pretty easy to get.
Yeah, fading is good... it's definitely up there. Fantasy card designers have had such a heyday fleshing it out since Nemesis, it's almost like WotC would be the copycat if they printed it again. But, they should print it again. It's a good keyword.
Quote from herohammer »
Equip is an action, like block, or attack, not a keword. But hey, I dont have a clue.
"Equip" is a keyword that lets you "attach" an artifact to a creature. I think that you're getting the two confused.
Everything in section 502 of the comp. rules is a keyword ability, plus Epic, which hasn't been entered yet. Evidently, though, I was wrong about sweep. Channel and sweep are not keywords (I hadn't read that part of the Saviors FAQ), but ability words, which is a subtle difference. I'm gonna go back and edit that part of my first post. But, for the record, Loot Niptil, you were right.
10.) Ninjitsu: Probably the most elegant and thought provoking mechanics, it really captured a flavor that will probably be hard to emulate. To me, this is a much better version of Morph. However, it's very limited in scope (and not really repeatable in other blocks).
9.) Splice: A very interesting mechanic, urging players to hold on to cards and create more customizable and more intensive effects. I'm hoping that Splice is a mechanic that sticks around a bit, and doesn't just disappear with the end of this block.
8.) Entwine: This is a neat choice for modal spells; being able to make a choice to play both modes is great. And it has given us a deck that abuses the mechanic completely. It was explored pretty well in the Mirrodin block, but it's not dead at all.
7.) Fading: This was an excellent mechanic that allowed many other abilities to utilize the fade counters as well. Plus, it gave us some really neat cards (like Tangle Wire or Parrallex Wave). It also gave us cheap creatures that eventually went away... which wasn't really a drawback, as we expected them to be destroyed at some point anyhow. Definitely a good mechanic.
6.) Scry: This was a very, very unexplored mechanic, and I hope it gets more attention. It had the bonus of allowing you to work with your Library, which is a rather powerful thing to do. You could either ship cards to the bottom, or reorder the top cards. It definitely allowed for some interesting effects.
5.) Cycling: This was an excellent mechanic. It really ended up being a perfect keyword for other cards to work with, and was a very solid part of the format when it was brought back. Being able to take a semi-useless card and replace it with another card is nice... But being able to Cycle for some powerful effects was really good.
4.) Imprint: This is a mechanic that really made the Mirrodin block good... but wasn't a broken mechanic (that was Affinity). Imprint made Artifacts that much more interesting, and allowed for some really interesting effects. Being able to copy and play cards and get more use out of them... Really nice. It's a mechanic I'd like to see more done with.
3.) Kicker: I think this mechanic really revitalized Magic. It was simple, useful on any number of cards (that became their own cycles) and was very elegant. You could do a lot with it, and I don't think you can run out of ideas with the card. That there were kicker cards with other color costs... just really nice.
2.) Flashback: This is a very powerful mechanic that really did change a lot of things. In many formats, it resulted in changing Banned/Restricted lists to compensate for certain specific cards, and certainly changed deck building strategy. The Graveyard really did become a zone that mattered again.
1.) Storm: Probably one of the most powerful mechanics ever created, it totally changed how Combo worked in Vintage. The cards themselves were relatively unassuming... Until you found ways to abuse them. Now, a card like Mind's Desire reads "I win" in the right decks, and other cards manage to deal out gobs of damage. It also captured a very interesting flair, and rewarded players for timing things correctly and looking at the turn in a whole different fashion.
Honorable Mentions: Buyback, Flying, Madness and Protection. All interesting mechanics, two of them are strong parts of every player's learning curve, or they really make the game more interesting and unique (if causing all kinds of rules questions). Buyback is due to comeback (and really should) as well, but made spells that much more interesting when you could get them back and use them again. I think Flashback was a well done version of Buyback; but it's a one use Buyback. Madness was well done, as it really changed the nature of how people played cards, as well as built their decks. And it is a very innocuous rules intensive mechanic.
Umm, my top ten? Well, I don't think I can make a top ten. Let's say top five instead.
1. Storm. A great keyword ability. Mind's Desire, Tendrils of Agony, Wing Shards, Brain Freeze are all good... some of them are even among the most powerful cards in extended. I have a Desire deck I really love, so this will be my #1.
2. Cycling. One of Wizards' best decisions were to re-introduce the Cycling ability in the Onslaught block, more powerful than ever. I like spells with alternate options, and cards such as Decree of Justice, Krosan Tusker and Gempalm Incinerator were just like that. Not to mention the Astral Slide and Lightning Rift decks, which based themselves on cycling cards.
3. Ninjutsu. Not overpowered, not dominating, just flavorful and sneaky. I really like it. My favorite casual deck by far. Messing around with bouncing and replacing with cards like Higure, the Still Wind and Walker of Secret Ways, to plain cruelty with Troat Slitter, Okiba-Gang Shinobi. Combines well with Ravenous Rats and other good creatures with comes-into-play abilities. An improvement over Morph. Sadly, only a small amount of creatures have the Ninjutsu ability.
4. Fading. Blastoderm and Parallax Wave. Another cool keyword ability, which often needs good planning and much thinking. I really like it, and there are many interesting combos and strategies built around Parallax Wave and Tide.
5. Islandhome. I will not say "don't laugh". Come on, do it. I think this ability was made for laughing at. Therefore I do, and I like it more than game-winning abilities like Madness or Affinity.
I'm amazed at how many people put storm not just in their top ten or their top five, but as their #1 pick for best keyword ability of all time. That's really shocking to me. Of course, we're probably judging by different criteria.
Storm probably would have made my top fifteen, but not absolutely. The way I see it, storm isn't a very accessible keyword for the majority of players. It was designed as a nod to the pros, and the pros have really taken to it. It never struck me as a keyword that had much staying power - originally, I felt like the twelve cards from Scourge were probably all the mileage that mechanic had in it to begin with. If I played more Extended or Vintage, maybe I would learn to appreciate it more. I'd like to see it again, but in an equally small dose - I don't think that any given environment can support more than a dozen or so storm cards.
On power level, sure. I'd put storm in my top ten, along with affinity and madness. I see all three of those mechanics as largely being popular due to the power level of the cards they're on. Of course, power level is a perfectly valid reason to like a keyword ability, it's just not the stick that I'm measuring keywords by.
Storm probably would have made my top fifteen, but not absolutely. The way I see it, storm isn't a very accessible keyword for the majority of players. It was designed as a nod to the pros, and the pros have really taken to it. It never struck me as a keyword that had much staying power - originally, I felt like the twelve cards from Scourge were probably all the mileage that mechanic had in it to begin with. If I played more Extended or Vintage, maybe I would learn to appreciate it more. I'd like to see it again, but in an equally small dose - I don't think that any given environment can support more than a dozen or so storm cards.
The criteria you noted was "My top ten cards are ranked by their influence on the game and potential for design...", and I think Storm does that quite well. The mechanic had a very significant influence on the game, resulting in several decks in various formats that tried to take full advantage of the mechanic. All the way from Mind's Desire in Extended, to Tendrils in Vintage, to even Dragonstorm casual decks... It really ended up being a mechanic that was embraced by a lot of people.
As potential for design... I really think it did that as well. Consider, how many cards really cared about the number of spells you played in a turn before this? We had something that prevented you from playing more than one spell, and several effects that certainly triggered on spells being played... But nothing that actually counted the number of spells you played and then keyed off of that. That's pretty ground breaking. Much as Flashback made the graveyard an auxiliary hand or Madness created weird outlets and benefits to discarding, Storm keyed in on something that had never been keyed in before.
So, while you may not necessarily think much of it, I dare say that it fits your criteria and does so very well. But, we don't have to agree.
I don't know about best but provoke was the worst, only way around it was banding. Storm is one that I love I don't know which one people hated more, my 25 storm brainfreeze deck or my 5 storm dragonstorm deck.
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first turn
Nick: I lay a swamp, tap, dark ritual...
Me: If you cast a hypnotic specter I'll punch you in the face
Nick:...ahh I take 3 points of mana burn
The reason I play black according to CrovaxtheCursed:
Everyone has already given good explanations so I won't make this long:
Best 10
10. Cycling - ever had to stare down Rift/Slide and then Eternal Witness arrived.....you know why......Julien Nuitjen knows why
9. Flashback - Call of the Herd....nuff said
8. Storm - Screw Mind's Desire, I loved Chamber Freeze for the weeks Clamp was legal
7. Flying - still the most consistent evasion available
6. Threshold - As easy it is/was to get seven in the yard....Mystic Enforcer might as well have 6/6 in the corner instead of 3/3
5. Madness - good as this is, of course this would have been crap without Wild Mongrel
4. Affinity - like it or not, it PWNED Standard and it might PWN Extended in Los Angeles this October
3. Haste - NEVER underestimate the power of attacking immediately...Fires of Yavimaya
2. Shadow - Between the Dauthi gang and the Soltari, these guys are nearly untouchable
1. Buyback - Nothing says lovin' like reusing spells over and over again
Honorable Mention: Fading (who dosen't love Blastoderm, Saproling Burst, Parallax Wave, Tangle Wire, etc?)
For the record, there has never been a worse keyword than Cumulative Upkeep.
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To qualify for this list, an ability needs to be listed under section 502 of the comprehensive rules. Pseudo-keyword abilities, while important, are not eligible. Sorry, indestructible and spiritcraft.
I'm actually going to start at the bottom - I'm going to give you the top five WORST keyword mechanics of all time, before we get to the good stuff. The criteria for this worst-of list are varied, but generally, these keywords are either needlessly complicated, frustrating to meet in a game, or just plain boring. Without further ado, the worst of the keyword abilities:
#5 - Shadow (Dauthi Mercenary, Soltari Trooper)
Designed to be a flavorful alternative to flying during Tempest block, shadow missed the mark entirely. With relatively few shadow creatures printed, games with shadow creatures degenerated into bouts of unblockability, where the subtle tactical strategy of creature development meant little to nothing. While some players still have a fondness for shadow, it's only the flavor of Tempest bock that can be thanked. The ability itself was a turkey.
#4 - Cumulative Upkeep (Polar Kraken, Tombstone Stairwell)
Winning the prize for the most memory-intensive keyword, cumulative upkeep took everybody's least favorite step of the game (back when cards like Force of Nature were ubiquitous and Eon Hub was unheard of), then made players pay more during each upkeep, and worst of all, forced each to keep track of a constantly increasing payment. WotC has since learned to take it easy with the upkeep costs, much to everybody's enjoyment.
#3 - Amplify (Feral Throwback, Kilnmouth Dragon)
The worst keyword mechanic in the modern (read: post-Invasion) era of Magic, it's hard to believe that amplify was almost the major block mechanic for Onslaught, Legions, and Scourge. Very limited in its scope, amplify rewarded you not just for building cookie-cutter tribal decks, but for not playing cards at all. Then, all you got for your troubles were a few +1/+1 counters on already overcosted creatures. You have to thank WotC for pulling the plug on this mechanic and relegating it to the ghetto of Legions, but the whole block would have surely been better had it not even existed.
#2 - Banding / Bands with Other (Benalish Hero, Shelkin Brownie)
Beating out even protection as the most complicated combat ability on a creature, banding is the only real dud to come out of the original alpha design of Magic. At the time of its release, people liked banding because it stoked the imagination - your creatures could "party-up" and fight together - what's not to like about that? Unfortunately, the rules made the whole affair a drag, with completely different applications for attacking and blocking. Then, in one of the more questionable design moves of all time, WotC released the even-more-limited, even-more-confusing "bands with other" ability in the Legends set. It was a time when the rules for the game had very large tracts of ambiguity, and adhering to the "spirit" of the mechanic was often the only way to interpret an ability's outcome. If anything good can be said to have come from banding, it's that our rules are better today because of the cleanup that WotC needed to enact on account of it.
#1 - Phasing (Shimmer, Teferi's Imp)
Was there ever any doubt? A case of WotC knowing not what they wrought, phasing must have made sense to somebody in Magic R&D, somewhere, but when it came out into the public swinging, people screamed in terror. How did that local enchantment work, now? Why does my card trigger leaves-play effects, but not comes-into-play effects? There's a new zone? Something happens before my untap step? It's the single longest entry for a keyword ability in the comprehensive rules, and probably the most notorious mechanic (keyword or not) in the history of Magic. It also marked the end of an era in Magic design - the following year brought Tempest block, with its neatly-developed keywords that changed everything about the way we play the game. If new players want to know what it means to be truly old-school, they just need to pick up a few cards with phasing and try to play them in a deck. And for that, they'll need a lot of willpower.
OK, sure, there are other bad keywords, but I really believe that, for their time and place, these five really take the cake. (Dis)honorable mentions go to: landwalk (boring and redundant) and rampage (would have been great without the "beyond the first" clause).
I'll be back in a few hours to post the other side of the coin - the top ten BEST keyword mechanics of all time.
Also, for similar reasons, if you don't put Splice among the top 5 best mechanics, you're wrong.
1) Storm
2) Buyback
3) Madness
4) Flashback
5) Splice onto Arcane
6) Cycling
7) Fading
8) Shadow
9) Provoke
10) Morph
cycling's my all-time favorite mechanic ever, period.
1. Buyback
2. Affinity
3. Madness
4. Storm
5. Splice
6. Fading
7. Shadow
8. Cycling
9. Threshold
10. Flashback
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Anyway, now is the time that I present my top ten picks for the best keyword abilities of all time. As I said, Magic is a huge game, so great keyword abilities could be great for any number of reasons. Perhaps they marked an important change in the understanding of the game, or opened up an innovative new area of design that nobody had thought to explore. The single unifying factor is that each of these mechanics has truckloads of untapped potential, and could see print again in the future (possibly many times). Here they are, my top ten:
#10 - Ninjutsu (Ninja of the Deep Hours, Throat Slitter)
It's fitting that I should start this out with what's sure to be a controversial pick (especially once you see the keywords I bumped out to put this one in the top ten), but Ninjutsu really is the little keyword that could. Everybody knew that it was coming from the moment Kamigawa block was announced, but nobody knew how deviously simple and elegant the keyword would be. Even if the power level for ninjas is low, low, low, the depth of play factor for this mechanic is super high - it requires careful attention to tempo over multiple turns, allows you to bluff your opponent in a way morph only wished it could, and is the first mechanic to let you switch attackers mid-combat. Most importantly, it's just cool. Everybody wants to be a ninja (admit it) - this mechanic proves that they want the right thing. It's the single best argument for re-visiting the Kamigawa plane at some point in the future.
#9 - Echo (Avalanche Riders, Ring of Gix)
When Urza's Saga was released, echo was living proof that WotC had learned much since alpha - learned about tempo, learned about how much players liked the upkeep step (i.e. not very much), and learned about how to make cheap cards work in Magic design. Unfortunately for the rest of Urza's block, they learned that last lesson a bit too well. Seven years later, echo stands out as the biggest "overdue to be reprinted" mechanic in Magic history. It achieved the unique status of being a drawback keyword that people actually liked. (Defender? Yeah... keep dreaming!) It almost goes without saying that the mechanic has ripened with age, and with a few little tweaks, could provide us with another block's worth of interesting design. Still, echo's claim to fame is that it took all the earlier attempts at upkeep-based mechanics (keyworded or not) and single-handedly put them all to shame. I'm excited to see what else it can do.
#8 - Provoke (Deftblade Elite, Hunter Sliver)
Looking back at Onslaught block, it's really funny the way its keyword abilities ultimately impacted Magic. The major headliner (morph) was met with a lukewarm reception, but two of the sideshows (double strike and storm) went on to become a permanent staple of new design, and a major player in Vintage tournaments, respectively. Provoke was the mechanic that turned the sideshow posse into a triumvirate, and it did so by being the single most interesting mechanic in the whole of Onslaught block. Provoke filled a conspicuous hole in creature combat - there were any number of evasion abilities, but what could you do if you wanted your creature to get blocked? Such a mechanic had been a long time in coming. It's almost a shame that double strike has been getting all of the attention since Onslaught block, and not provoke, but something is surely cooking at WotC. When we see the mechanic again, it will probably have an entire block in which to be showcased, and hopefully will be in the game for keeps.
#7 - Cycling (Astral Slide, Krosan Tusker)
The other headliner from Onslaught block, cycling actually made its debut in Urza's Saga, though you wouldn't hardly know, seeing how quickly the entire mechanic was eclipsed by that block's power curve. Cycling had a lot to answer for when it came back in Onslaught - namely, why should we give you a second chance when you were so underwhelming the first time? There were two answers - versatility and simplicity. Given, Invasion block had kicker, and that showed us that it's not hard to be versatile. But, where kicker eschewed focus, cycling had it in spades. It's still the only keyword that deals with drawing cards - something that every deck needs to do. The fact that it's easy to understand makes it the perfect mechanic for new players looking for something to do besides make creatures. Cycling's second coming was the first time that WotC attempted to explore every nook and cranny of interactions with a keyword ability. It's so intuitive and fundamental that we're bound to see it again.
#6 - Imprint (Chrome Mox, Isochron Scepter)
Mirrodin block was the first block to hit us with an full-on deluge of new keyword abilities right out of the gate. Affinity and entwine made immediate names for themselves, since two of the most powerful decks to be spawned by Mirrodin block had these keywords on their namesake cards. But, affinity (as printed) was woefully unbalanced, and entwine was all-too-derivative of Invasion's kicker keyword to be truly compelling. With all of the new faces on the street, it was easy to overlook the chameleon-like imprint. But, it was imprint that was the most radical idea of the whole block - up there among the most radical ideas of all time in Magic. Imprint as an ability can do almost anything, but the way it makes it happen is extremely simple. You just stick one card onto another, and go crazy. It still boggles peoples' minds to think about it. Imprint was the perfect way to show off some recent improvements to the rules of the game (the ability wouldn't have been possible without the new concept of "copiable values") and to give artifacts something new that they could call their own. Imprint is a HUGE mechanic with unlimited possibilities. It'll be back.
Coming next: the top five.
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2. Cycling - This ability is just stupid. I love it too. Can't be countered, except with Stifle. Stabilizer is really the only card made that would screw up a Slide deck, but that's why cards like Naturalize and Disenchant are printed.
3. Madness - Card advantage. It's just that simple. You discard for a cost, and get another benefit of getting creatures for cheap.
4. Flashback - Again, this provided sick card advantage. Call of the Herd is simply one of the best Flashback cards. It gives you a 2 for 1, and with the way the costs curve out, you can keep pressure coming for 2 turns with only 1 card.
5. Imprint - While the concept of removing an imprinted card from the game isn't appealing at first, the ability to play a card over and over is just disgusting. See Orim's Chant on a stick.
6. Kicker - I love this. It provides an alternative ability on a card, and doesn't raise the converted mana cost of the card. How is that helpful? A Chalice of the Void with 2 counters doesn't stop an Orim's Chant with a kicker, even though the spell costed 2 mana.
7. Buyback - While a wonderful ability, it's often more expensive than worth. The only good buyback cards are Forbid (when combined with Squee, dumping Madness cards, or just getting rid of junk for another counter) and Capsize (only good with a ****load of mana, or stuff like Sapphire Medallion, which still didn't help a whole lot.)
8. Affinity - Why number 8? Without the cheap artifacts like Skullclamp and the artifact lands, this would just be another mediocre ability. The fact that the whole deck was complete synergy made this a powerful ability. After the banning of the artifact lands, Disciple of the Vault, and Arcbound Ravager, you haven't seen this mechanic come up since then.
9. Morph - The only really good cards with Morph are Exalted Angel, Bane of the Living, and Blistering Firecat. It's ability allows you to get around Ensnaring Bridges, Meddling Mages, and can leave mana open for reactions instead of tapping yourself out stupid. Since Morph doesn't use the stack, it's also a nice surprise to an opponent if isn't painfully obvious what creature you are using. Because it doesn't use the stack, Bane of the Living is disgusting. The downfall is the converted mana cost of 0 while face down.
10. Fading - You get rediculous cards. Period. Saproling Burst, Tangle Wire, Blastoderm, Parallax Wave, Parallax Tide... The mechanic was good. You lost the card after a few turns, but the card was usually cheap to get out, and it made an impact on the game.
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#5 - Splice (Evermind, Glacial Ray)
Buyback was a great mechanic for its time. It gave you the option of either cheap spells or card advantage, and in doing so really tested players' understanding of the game in ways that no mechanic had ever done before. Buyback was awesome, but the pluckier splice recently stormed its castle and snatched its crown. Splice is everything that buyback was and more. It gives you the option of playing early or holding back for card advantage, but it allows you to mix and match your effects in a way that buyback couldn't. And, it did this while giving propers to the brand new concept of instant and sorcery subtypes. It also played with the rules in an unusual way by adding text onto an effect, which no other mechanic had done. In Saviors of Kamigawa, the keyword also gave rise to the first spell without a mana cost - something that would have been pointless without splice to guide the way. Splice is a big deal, even if it's getting about as much professional attention right now as cycling got during Urza's block. It's another one of those mechanics that can do just about anything. Instants and sorceries are proud to call it their own.
#4 - Trample (Ball Lightning, Force of Nature)
Did you smell this one coming? Trample and WotC have been having relationship difficulties for many years now. WotC evidently suspects that trample has been seeing banding on the side ever since banding got the boot, and WotC's been jealous. WotC tried to show trample that it wasn't needed, that creatures could just go ahead and deal damage to the defending player as though they weren't blocked... WRONG!!! Trample has been here since day one, holding its own, staring opposing blockers in the face and telling them, "you don't amount to nothin". It is the once and future king of the beatdown, and not just because some of the greatest creatures of all time bear its brutal mark - trample is as indigenous and essential to the combat system of Magic as attacking, blocking, and dealing damage. Creatures need to fight - this is what shadow and other keywords of its ilk do not understand. But then, after some creatures are done fighting, they need to come in like a wrecking ball and smash your opponent in the face. Trample is the original double strike. It is the original "big fattie" mechanic. Sure, it's got a few rules to learn, but it's the original learning curve ability. The original, and still the best. On all counts.
#3 - Equip (Bonesplitter, Umezawa's Jitte)
Yep, that's right, EQUIP is #3 on the all-time list of greatest keywords, beating out the likes of haste, madness, you name it (well, there are a #1 and #2 on the list yet, you know). A lot of people don't like equip, or the equipment that it lives on. Equip was the ultimate dark horse - it rode up out of nowhere, and then, like it owned the place, told everybody that they were going to be playing by a different set of rules. That local enchantment you liked so much? Obsolete. You want your artifacts to be a little more unique, and independent? Sorry, now they get to live on your creatures. People had developed their own internal vision of what Magic was like, and then equip came around and told everybody that they were wrong. Naturally, some people were bitter about that. But, the mechanic solved so many glaring problems with the game in one fell swoop, it earned its place. No longer was bulking up your creature simply bait for your opponent's 2-for-1 removal, as it had been when enchantments were your only permanent option. Artifacts had a new, major role to play in the game. And finally, it answered the obvious question about the game of Magic: "Ummm, where's the equipment?"
#2 - Flashback (Quiet Speculation, Roar of the Wurm)
The Magic-playing populace had just come off the revolution that was Invasion block - one of the greatest Magic blocks of all time - and many people were wondering how this kind of low-key upcoming block, Odyssey, was going to even lick the boots of this new emperor of Magic excellence. All it took was one little keyword ability, a few mana symbols, and some reminder text. Flashback was (and still is) Magic's greatest act of keywording genius since the release of Alpha back in 1993. Not only did it make the graveyard count for something (with threshold playing sidekick), but it forced players to engage in a kind of reverse psychology where discarding cards was a good thing. Of course, other cards in Odyssey block played that kind of game, but flashback did it with more grace, and more style. Playing Odyssey block was a completely singular experience because of this. Other keywords made this list because they instigated some kind of radical change, or because they are essential to the game. Flashback is only these things by coincidence, but it is something that no other keyword ability can claim to be - a true work of gaming art.
#1 - Flying (Morphling, Shivan Dragon)
The keyword that is so essential to the game that you probably forgot it was even a keyword. Flying is the archetypal evasion ability, heck, the archetypal ability, period. It was part of Magic from the get-go, and it has left its mark on more cards than any other keyword. Sure, something else could come and take its place - many have tried - but flying has such a great track record that all challengers need to take a step back and assess what it is they're bringing to the competition. It's telling that, at Magic's most stripped down level (namely, the "Starter" sets), flying is still there. It's that fundamental to the game. It's also the role model for an ability that has both flavor and function - how exactly do you represent creatures with wings in a strategy card game? It's amazing to me how far WotC hit it out of the ballpark on opening day with this one. While its Alpha siblings (like first strike and protection) are often clunky, complex, or limited, flying is easy, clear, and has ever-expanding potential. It is one of the few constants in an ever-changing landscape of design choices, and one thing that players know they can always rely on. It deserves to be the greatest.
OK, now for the ones that I missed. There are a lot of good mechanics out there. I feel like, if I was doing a top fifteen, probably everybody would have their favorites on the list. The almost-made-its include: haste (a combat staple, to be sure, but not especially deep), kicker (very general, which is both a plus and a minus), and morph (very innovative yet very problematic).
Anyway, that's it! Please post your top 10 lists, or discuss at your leisure.
Anyway, I agree that Flying is #1, but Flashback? Equip should have been #2, because it isn't a block mechanic.
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However, I'm puzzled why Flying and Trample weren't on more people's lists since this is how most games are won these days (evasion in general). Also I'm kinda wondering why Kicker isn't gonna show up much of anywhere on these list since it does make the spell more versatile (at least when there's more than one kicker cost).... altho I do have to admit most of the kicker spells had slightly overcosted kickers...
BTW, honorable mention as most underused mehcanic EVER: Fading. It was just great, and pretty easy to get.
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second of all,
Equip is a keyword.
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"That is not dead which can eternal lie, And with strange aeons even death may die."
- H.P. Lovecraft
No, Beta-Male, you're quite wrong. Equip is a keyword.
Go to the Comprehensive Rules. Now, skip down to section 502, the section on keyworded abilities. There yet? Now look at 502.33. There yet? Here, let me quote.
According to the Comprehensive Rules themselves, Equip is a keyword. Any more objections?
"Equip" is a keyword that lets you "attach" an artifact to a creature. I think that you're getting the two confused.
Everything in section 502 of the comp. rules is a keyword ability, plus Epic, which hasn't been entered yet. Evidently, though, I was wrong about sweep. Channel and sweep are not keywords (I hadn't read that part of the Saviors FAQ), but ability words, which is a subtle difference. I'm gonna go back and edit that part of my first post. But, for the record, Loot Niptil, you were right.
10.) Ninjitsu: Probably the most elegant and thought provoking mechanics, it really captured a flavor that will probably be hard to emulate. To me, this is a much better version of Morph. However, it's very limited in scope (and not really repeatable in other blocks).
9.) Splice: A very interesting mechanic, urging players to hold on to cards and create more customizable and more intensive effects. I'm hoping that Splice is a mechanic that sticks around a bit, and doesn't just disappear with the end of this block.
8.) Entwine: This is a neat choice for modal spells; being able to make a choice to play both modes is great. And it has given us a deck that abuses the mechanic completely. It was explored pretty well in the Mirrodin block, but it's not dead at all.
7.) Fading: This was an excellent mechanic that allowed many other abilities to utilize the fade counters as well. Plus, it gave us some really neat cards (like Tangle Wire or Parrallex Wave). It also gave us cheap creatures that eventually went away... which wasn't really a drawback, as we expected them to be destroyed at some point anyhow. Definitely a good mechanic.
6.) Scry: This was a very, very unexplored mechanic, and I hope it gets more attention. It had the bonus of allowing you to work with your Library, which is a rather powerful thing to do. You could either ship cards to the bottom, or reorder the top cards. It definitely allowed for some interesting effects.
5.) Cycling: This was an excellent mechanic. It really ended up being a perfect keyword for other cards to work with, and was a very solid part of the format when it was brought back. Being able to take a semi-useless card and replace it with another card is nice... But being able to Cycle for some powerful effects was really good.
4.) Imprint: This is a mechanic that really made the Mirrodin block good... but wasn't a broken mechanic (that was Affinity). Imprint made Artifacts that much more interesting, and allowed for some really interesting effects. Being able to copy and play cards and get more use out of them... Really nice. It's a mechanic I'd like to see more done with.
3.) Kicker: I think this mechanic really revitalized Magic. It was simple, useful on any number of cards (that became their own cycles) and was very elegant. You could do a lot with it, and I don't think you can run out of ideas with the card. That there were kicker cards with other color costs... just really nice.
2.) Flashback: This is a very powerful mechanic that really did change a lot of things. In many formats, it resulted in changing Banned/Restricted lists to compensate for certain specific cards, and certainly changed deck building strategy. The Graveyard really did become a zone that mattered again.
1.) Storm: Probably one of the most powerful mechanics ever created, it totally changed how Combo worked in Vintage. The cards themselves were relatively unassuming... Until you found ways to abuse them. Now, a card like Mind's Desire reads "I win" in the right decks, and other cards manage to deal out gobs of damage. It also captured a very interesting flair, and rewarded players for timing things correctly and looking at the turn in a whole different fashion.
Honorable Mentions: Buyback, Flying, Madness and Protection. All interesting mechanics, two of them are strong parts of every player's learning curve, or they really make the game more interesting and unique (if causing all kinds of rules questions). Buyback is due to comeback (and really should) as well, but made spells that much more interesting when you could get them back and use them again. I think Flashback was a well done version of Buyback; but it's a one use Buyback. Madness was well done, as it really changed the nature of how people played cards, as well as built their decks. And it is a very innocuous rules intensive mechanic.
1. Storm. A great keyword ability. Mind's Desire, Tendrils of Agony, Wing Shards, Brain Freeze are all good... some of them are even among the most powerful cards in extended. I have a Desire deck I really love, so this will be my #1.
2. Cycling. One of Wizards' best decisions were to re-introduce the Cycling ability in the Onslaught block, more powerful than ever. I like spells with alternate options, and cards such as Decree of Justice, Krosan Tusker and Gempalm Incinerator were just like that. Not to mention the Astral Slide and Lightning Rift decks, which based themselves on cycling cards.
3. Ninjutsu. Not overpowered, not dominating, just flavorful and sneaky. I really like it. My favorite casual deck by far. Messing around with bouncing and replacing with cards like Higure, the Still Wind and Walker of Secret Ways, to plain cruelty with Troat Slitter, Okiba-Gang Shinobi. Combines well with Ravenous Rats and other good creatures with comes-into-play abilities. An improvement over Morph. Sadly, only a small amount of creatures have the Ninjutsu ability.
4. Fading. Blastoderm and Parallax Wave. Another cool keyword ability, which often needs good planning and much thinking. I really like it, and there are many interesting combos and strategies built around Parallax Wave and Tide.
5. Islandhome. I will not say "don't laugh". Come on, do it. I think this ability was made for laughing at. Therefore I do, and I like it more than game-winning abilities like Madness or Affinity.
Storm probably would have made my top fifteen, but not absolutely. The way I see it, storm isn't a very accessible keyword for the majority of players. It was designed as a nod to the pros, and the pros have really taken to it. It never struck me as a keyword that had much staying power - originally, I felt like the twelve cards from Scourge were probably all the mileage that mechanic had in it to begin with. If I played more Extended or Vintage, maybe I would learn to appreciate it more. I'd like to see it again, but in an equally small dose - I don't think that any given environment can support more than a dozen or so storm cards.
On power level, sure. I'd put storm in my top ten, along with affinity and madness. I see all three of those mechanics as largely being popular due to the power level of the cards they're on. Of course, power level is a perfectly valid reason to like a keyword ability, it's just not the stick that I'm measuring keywords by.
The criteria you noted was "My top ten cards are ranked by their influence on the game and potential for design...", and I think Storm does that quite well. The mechanic had a very significant influence on the game, resulting in several decks in various formats that tried to take full advantage of the mechanic. All the way from Mind's Desire in Extended, to Tendrils in Vintage, to even Dragonstorm casual decks... It really ended up being a mechanic that was embraced by a lot of people.
As potential for design... I really think it did that as well. Consider, how many cards really cared about the number of spells you played in a turn before this? We had something that prevented you from playing more than one spell, and several effects that certainly triggered on spells being played... But nothing that actually counted the number of spells you played and then keyed off of that. That's pretty ground breaking. Much as Flashback made the graveyard an auxiliary hand or Madness created weird outlets and benefits to discarding, Storm keyed in on something that had never been keyed in before.
So, while you may not necessarily think much of it, I dare say that it fits your criteria and does so very well. But, we don't have to agree.
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Everyone has already given good explanations so I won't make this long:
Best 10
10. Cycling - ever had to stare down Rift/Slide and then Eternal Witness arrived.....you know why......Julien Nuitjen knows why
9. Flashback - Call of the Herd....nuff said
8. Storm - Screw Mind's Desire, I loved Chamber Freeze for the weeks Clamp was legal
7. Flying - still the most consistent evasion available
6. Threshold - As easy it is/was to get seven in the yard....Mystic Enforcer might as well have 6/6 in the corner instead of 3/3
5. Madness - good as this is, of course this would have been crap without Wild Mongrel
4. Affinity - like it or not, it PWNED Standard and it might PWN Extended in Los Angeles this October
3. Haste - NEVER underestimate the power of attacking immediately...Fires of Yavimaya
2. Shadow - Between the Dauthi gang and the Soltari, these guys are nearly untouchable
1. Buyback - Nothing says lovin' like reusing spells over and over again
Honorable Mention: Fading (who dosen't love Blastoderm, Saproling Burst, Parallax Wave, Tangle Wire, etc?)
For the record, there has never been a worse keyword than Cumulative Upkeep.
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