The following is not a comprehensive list, nor will it ever be as Magic adds between 2 & 6 new abilities each year, easily. This list is, however, a list of very common or important abilities in eternal formats or to Magics history, that helped shape rules or sparked major discussions in the fanbase (that are sometimes still referenced today).
Prowess: this creature gets +1/+1 until the end of the turn whenever you cast an instant or sorcery.
Protection: you cannot be dealt damage by, targeted by, or blocked by the targeted thing (i.e protection from black, protection from spiders)
Shroud: Hexproof, but you can't cast spells on it either
Intimidate: Cannot be blocked except by artifact creatures or creatures that share a color with this one
Landwalk (superclass of islandwalk, swampwalk, and other variants): this creature is unblockable so long as the opposing player has the mentioned land type. IE a creature with snow swampwalk cannot be blocked if your opponent has any land of the type: snow swamp.
Madness: If you should discard this card, you may, in response, pay the madness cost to cast it, then exile it instead. This still counts as discarding.
Flashback: Pay the described cost to play this spell again from the graveyard. Exile this card afterward.
Kicker: Pay the described cost to gain the following ability while casting.
Multikicker: Same as a kicker, except it may be activated multiple times.
Storm: Create a copy of this spell for each spell played before it this turn. You may select new targets.
Banding: One of the most notorious, and complex keywords in Magic. Modifies the rules of combat. Attackers may be put into a band, which makes all creatures in it share targets including opponents, planeswalkers, and blockers. Multiple bands may be formed if desired, but all members of a band, excluding one, must have the keyword banding. All creatures remain individuals, so just because one has flying that does not mean they all do. As such, if one creature in a band is unblockable but one is not then both creatures can be blocked. Additionally, as opposed to usual, the blocking player decides how damage is dealt.
Phasing: This card only exists every other turn, starting at your upkeep. IE: a creature would exist until your next upkeep. Then they simply do not exist. The following turn, at your upkeep the card suddenly exists again in its last known form.
Split-second: nothing is allowed to be placed above it in the stack.
Morph: the ability to play a creature from your hand for 3 mana of any color, face down as a 2/2 token creature, and then transform them later into the creature on the other side for their morph cost.
Megamorph: Same as morph, but when performed the creature gets a +1/+1 counter
Cascade: When this creature ETB you may reveal cards off the top of your library until you find a nonland permanent that costs less than the card using cascade. The revealed cards go to the bottom of your library.
Infect: Damage dealt to a player by this object instead adds that many poison counters to that player. Typically 10 counters are lethal (that player loses) but in some formats, such as 2-headed giant, the amount is instead 15.
Totem Armor: instead of taking damage, this object instead remains the same. Remove this effect after use.
Regenerate: pay the described cost: instead of being destroyed (or killed) this creature instead becomes tapped.
Skulk: this creature cannot be blocked by creatures with greater power.
Crew: tap creatures for a total power equaling the crew cost to make this vehicle (subclass of artifact) a creature until the end of the turn
Partner: This creature may be your commander in addition to any other singular commander that also has the partner mechanic. This new commander replaces one of your cards, so your new pre-draw library size is 98. Anything referring to color identity refers to both commanders. Each commander has a separate commander tax and separate commander damage.
Companion: if the described requirements are fulfilled by your full deck- excluding any sideboards, but including all commanders- and you reveal this card before your game starts, then at any time you may pay 3 mana to move this creature to your hand. If a card is moved from your sideboard to your main deck, that card is now considered when checking companion eligibility.
YOU ARE READING
The Definitive Cardgame Encyclopedia
No FicciónWelcome, players, to the world of trading card games, or TCG for short. For those of you unfamiliar, we will teach you how to get from a basic understanding of classic family board games to a full knowledge of trading card games. The general roadmap...
