To be considered for this list, a keyword ability has to be just that - both a keyword and an ability. Keyword actions and ability words don't count. I chose three criteria to judge all keywords abilities:
- Innovation. When this keyword ability was first released, did it add something fundamentally new to the game of Magic? Since then, has the ability been used in new and different ways?
- Endurance. Has the keyword ability aged well? If a number of cards were printed today showcasing this ability, would players welcome those cards? Do players remember the keyword fondly?
- Playability. Perhaps the most important criterion, does the keyword ability play well? Is it fun? Does it lead to interesting and exciting games? Can it make for powerful, memorable cards?
#6 - Changeling
Like my #7 pick, changeling begins with the story of a single card: in this case, Legions' Mistform Ultimus. Unlike my #7 pick, that single card did not upend the balance of power in the game of Magic. A legendary blue Hill Giant in the days of Astral Slide, Mistform Ultimus was never meant for tournament glory, and never saw any. But, the Ultimus had a few other things operating in its favor: for starters, it made a mean sand combo with Coat of Arms and Hazezon Tamar. Also, it was the biggest goblin mutant this side of, well... Goblin Mutant. In other words, it was a casual superstar. Every oddball creature deck had to at least stop and ask itself, if only for a moment, "Could I squeeze in another copy of Mistform Ultimus?" Powerful or not, its modularity was a casual deckbuilder's dream, which kept it in the kitchen table rotation long after its Onslaught block brethren left the tournament table.
Nevertheless, veteran players were surprised when changeling, aka "the Mistform Ultimus ability" appeared in the thematic successor to Onslaught block, Lorwyn. The competitive case had never been made for Magic's then-only Dwarf Citizen Reflection, and a sudden deluge of Ultimus wannabes caused some players to cry foul. But time proved that, more than any other mechanic, changeling was the genius that made Lorwyn block truly different than Onslaught block. It was the grease that caused Lorwyn's offbeat tribal mechanics to run smoother than those of its predecessor, it was the glue that held Lorwyn's more complicated Limited environment together and it was the spark that ignited a thousand new casual deckbuilding ideas that had never been possible with the old, blue Hill Giant. The keyword ability proved its flexibility by appearing on noncreature tribal spells such as Crib Swap, and showed its competitive side on tournament-caliber cards such as Chameleon Colossus.
Still, other keyword abilities beat back initial skepticism to prove themselves worthy on the field of battle. What makes changeling different from those keywords? First and foremost, changeling's mass appeal makes it different. It's one of the few keyword abilities that is liked equally by Timmy and Johnny, while also being a strong pull for Spike in Limited environments. Changeling is one of the rare and vaunted "hat trick" mechanics with the power to appeal to all players. Furthermore, it is perhaps the most elegant keyword ability ever printed. Nowhere else in Magic is so much interactivity captured so perfectly in a single sentence. Artistry in game design is frequently overlooked; in its simplicity, changeling really is a work of art. May it have many happy returns.
- Innovation: B+
- Endurance: A-
- Playability: A
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Posted Dec 18, 2009The reason that I "only" gave Changeling a B+ innovation grade was because the ability itself was almost exactly what was printed on Mistform Ultimus, so changeling as a keyword was really a victory of innovative implementation, and of R&D seeing a very elegant, pre-existing mechanic and giving it a more prominent role.
In contrast, I gave flashback higher marks for innovation because it took a hint of something good from Yawgmoth's Will and made something totally different and awesome out of it, which totally changed the status of an entire zone in Magic. And splice, my highest rated mechanic for innovation (so far - it might end up in a tie ;)) was really completely and totally new on every level.
But it should be said, anything on this Top 10 list is among the best of the best in all three categories!
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Posted Dec 17, 2009-
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Posted Dec 16, 2009I appreciate that you're following the countdown here. I addressed some of the issues you brought up in the #8 entry, so go check that out.
In a nutshell, going to a point system (like 8.5, 9.7, etc.) would just be deceptive - my grading system isn't that sophisticated, nor could it ever be. Not to pull rank here, but I actually have a graduate degree in this stuff - testing, scaling and measurement - and I can reasonably assure you that people opting for a decimal system (X.X) aren't fundamentally incorporating more information into their scores than I am. They just have the appearance of doing so. I like to be upfront about my limitations.
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Posted Dec 16, 2009