This is a unique card. It's unique because it's the only card I have seen for which you cannot actually tell what the card does without reading its reminder text. I thought reminder text was not supposed to actually have impact on gameplay. But for Petrified Wood-Kin, without the remainder text it simply says "Bloodthirst X". You have no way of knowing what X is until you look at the reminder text.
The closest example I can think of is Thromok the Insatiable. But Thromok tells you what X is in the actual rules text in the reminder text.
So I'm just wondering why Petrified Wood-Kin was designed in such a way that the reminder text is required to determine the function of the card.
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Current Modern decks BGW Junk / URB Grixis Shadow / RGB Lantern Control / WUBCBant Eldrazi
Current Legacy decks BUG Shardless BUG / UWR Predict Miracles / RUG Canadian Thresh / WRBG 4c Loam UB Reanimator
This is clearly defined in the rules for Bloodthirst. Reminder text is never functional.
Quote from Comprehensive Rules »
702.53b “Bloodthirst X” is a special form of bloodthirst. “Bloodthirst X” means “This permanent enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is the total damage your opponents have been dealt this turn.”
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Level 3 Judge
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"Abstract concepts of perfect judging run headlong into the realities of how people play the game." - Toby Elliott (papa_funk)
As bimmerbot says the rules text is not functional. However why they felt the need to do it this way is unclear, its possible that there were originally more Bloodthirst X cards.
Interesting. That pretty much explains it. But I agree that it's somewhat strange to define this special case of bloodthirst when it's only on one card.
Wouldn't it have been easier just for it to say "Bloodthirst X, where X is the amount of damage dealt to you opponents this turn"?
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Current Modern decks BGW Junk / URB Grixis Shadow / RGB Lantern Control / WUBCBant Eldrazi
Current Legacy decks BUG Shardless BUG / UWR Predict Miracles / RUG Canadian Thresh / WRBG 4c Loam UB Reanimator
There are several Comp Rules entries that (currently) only apply to one card, and several that originally only referred to one card but later became relevant for other cards, but there always needs to be a definition for them to work.
Can't really speculate on Rules templating here. You can discuss in the Rules Theory and Templating forum on WotC's website if you like.
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Level 3 Judge
This FAQ answers many of the common questions asked in the MTGS Rulings forum. Take a look!
I'm the editor/content manager of the Magic Rules Tips Blog - Bookmark this site for daily tips about game and tournament rules.
"Abstract concepts of perfect judging run headlong into the realities of how people play the game." - Toby Elliott (papa_funk)
This is a unique card. It's unique because it's the only card I have seen for which you cannot actually tell what the card does without reading its reminder text. I thought reminder text was not supposed to actually have impact on gameplay. But for Petrified Wood-Kin, without the remainder text it simply says "Bloodthirst X". You have no way of knowing what X is until you look at the reminder text.
The closest example I can think of is Thromok the Insatiable. But Thromok tells you what X is in the actual rules text in the reminder text.
So I'm just wondering why Petrified Wood-Kin was designed in such a way that the reminder text is required to determine the function of the card.
BGW Junk / URB Grixis Shadow / RGB Lantern Control / WUBCBant Eldrazi
Current Legacy decks
BUG Shardless BUG / UWR Predict Miracles / RUG Canadian Thresh / WRBG 4c Loam
UB Reanimator
This FAQ answers many of the common questions asked in the MTGS Rulings forum. Take a look!
I'm the editor/content manager of the Magic Rules Tips Blog - Bookmark this site for daily tips about game and tournament rules.
"Abstract concepts of perfect judging run headlong into the realities of how people play the game." - Toby Elliott (papa_funk)
My Type 4 Stack -- DCI Documents -- Comp Rules
Wouldn't it have been easier just for it to say "Bloodthirst X, where X is the amount of damage dealt to you opponents this turn"?
BGW Junk / URB Grixis Shadow / RGB Lantern Control / WUBCBant Eldrazi
Current Legacy decks
BUG Shardless BUG / UWR Predict Miracles / RUG Canadian Thresh / WRBG 4c Loam
UB Reanimator
Can't really speculate on Rules templating here. You can discuss in the Rules Theory and Templating forum on WotC's website if you like.
This FAQ answers many of the common questions asked in the MTGS Rulings forum. Take a look!
I'm the editor/content manager of the Magic Rules Tips Blog - Bookmark this site for daily tips about game and tournament rules.
"Abstract concepts of perfect judging run headlong into the realities of how people play the game." - Toby Elliott (papa_funk)
My Type 4 Stack -- DCI Documents -- Comp Rules
And Karn Liberated has practically a whole page of the Comp Rules all to itself.