Source: https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/643774353956388864/ive-seen-mention-of-it-a-few-times-here-but

As someone who loves to see language adapt as needed by the people [large amount of speakers], I am thrilled to see this simplification in Magic. Oh, and this change will save some space in the text box.

I see the saved space in the text box, but what's this "large amount of speakers"-part referring to?

"Large amount of speakers" was what I meant when I said "the people."

I'm going to assume that "Shuffle" works like "target". You shuffle whatever is most appropriate.

Thus we can re-word cards into such loveliness as "Choose a creature each player controls, then shuffle".

No, the new "shuffle" text is only being used where it's unambiguous that you're shuffling your library. We've seen examples both ways already: Quandrix Command explicitly says "target player shuffles up to three cards into their library," because the library hadn't been mentioned yet; otoh, the Demonic Tutor reprint says "search your library for a card, put it into your hand, then shuffle," because you were already talking about the library

Yes, I think writing "shuffle" when a library is implied is OK. (However, I think that you should not write "shuffle" without specifying what to shuffle unless library is implied by "search [a player's] library" or something similar.)

Shortening "converted mana cost" to "mana value" is probably OK too since it is shorter, but it just feels the wrong way to me somehow. (EDIT: I changed my mind; it doesn't feel the wrong way to me anymore; "mana value" is OK.)

Personally, I also omit reminder text, and use "dies" to mean "is put into a graveyard from the battlefield" regardless of the object's type.

I'm not sure "mana value" is clear to new players, but I think it's a lot, lot more clear than converted mana cost, so that's probably a good decision. I think most of the terminology changes they've made in the past have been good ones.

[1] If you're a mathematician you could write |mana cost|_manhattan or somehting but that wouldn't help most people :)

Personally, I’d just shorten CMC to “Cost” though perhaps life costs and stuff would throw a wrench into that

Good question. Wondering when it makes a difference. I guess one use is things like "search your library for a card with the same mana value as that card". If you said "same cost" it wouldn't be clear that the colours could be different.

One possibility would be to print the total numeric mana value on the card and have a separate indication what colours need to be included. Say 4RR becomes "6" at the top right and "RR" where the colour indicator is. Then you'd say either "same cost" or "same cost and colour requirements". But that'd be a bigger change!

The original template for magic cards had the total cost written out and then the colored cost, e.g. Colossal Dreadmaw would be 6GG (6 total, two of which are G). That was more confusing

And "mana cost" is already a phrase that many cards reference. It refers to the total cost, including types of mana

This made me look at Green Sun's Zenith for reference. Wouldn't that simply read "Search your library for a green creature card with mana cost of X or less"? That seems straightforward to me. "Shuffle ~ back into your library" is the part that I think would be harder to simplify with the new wording.

The Zenith ability (shuffle ~ into its owner's library) is probably not getting any errata. With GSZ in particular, the instance of "then shuffle your library" will be changed into just "then shuffle."

While "shuffle" is a MUCH better choice of shorthand than "Add X" ever was, I am dubious of "mana value" being useful replacement. As in, I see no reason whatso-f@@@@ing-ever to assume it's going to be any less confusing for new players.

One word reduction I’d be interested in, is dropping the word token. Now that we have the action “Create”, I feel it’s redundant.

Eg “Create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature”

I’d even be up for dropping types whenever they were implied by the subtype

Eg “Create an Aura with Enchant Creature” “Create a 2/2 green Wolf”

Having the word token appear in the text makes it easier/possible for new players to figure out what a "nontoken creature" is. And I'd prefer that to introducing a new wording like "noncreated creature". ;)

Ahhhh fair point

A new wording for the Servant of the Scale effect is found on Star Pupil: "When ~ dies, put its counters on target creature you control."

Now that is a drastic improvement. The use of X for this kind of effects never sat well with me.

I disagree with dropping "token" and types implied by subtypes, due to how predefined tokens work, and also because subtypes do not imply a type (some types share the same lists of subtypes, such as creature and tribal, and possibly others in future). However, Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest should be predefined tokens, so that "create a Forest token" is OK.

The problem with land tokens is 1) it's very hard to tell if a bead/die is tapped, and 2) it's very easy to forget and shuffle them into your deck at the end of the game. Wizards has experimented with land tokens and it seems like they decided it's not worth it

I advocate for more natural, simpler speech, and less obtuse, legalese, long-winded speech. Shorter sentences read faster (and less annoying), thus players spend more time strategizing than trying to parse unnecessarily long sentences and paragraphs.

Use shorter, simpler words:

• additional => extra, also
• beginning => start
• otherwise => else
• as long as => while
• battlefield => field
• you control => friendly
• you don't control / opponents control => opposing
• is put into the graveyard from the field => expires

Get rid of "At the beginning of... " just say "At your upkeep, " and clarify that in comprehensive rules.

Replace card names in rules text box (except rare cases that search for cards by name) with 'this', 'this creature', 'this spell', 'this card':

• When this enters,...
• This spell deals...
• Discard this card: effect.
• Retrieve this card.

More keyword actions to replace common effects. Especially effects on long sentences that differ only by one word at the end of the sentence.

Compare:

• Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
• Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.

Here one has to read nine (9) words into the sentence to find the difference. It's time consuming and confusing.

Hence replace these common effects with simple keyword actions. (In these cases, I chose "retrieve" and "deploy".) Compare:

• Retrieve target creature card.
• Deploy target creature card from your graveyard.

The differences between these two effects are immediately noticeable. This is extremely helpful during gameplay and Deckbuilding. Not only the sentences are immediately distinct, but also much easier to search for cards by their effects.

For that matter, 'return to hand' definitely needs to be keyworded. I prefer 'withdraw'. also 'Tap an untapped friendly permanent' should be keyworded (such as 'exhaust a creature: '). Both simplifications would make such costs easier to read and understand.

Looking at cards in library can be simplified.

• OLD: look at the top four cards of your library. You may reveal a Land card from among them. If you do, put it into your hand. put the rest on the bottom of your library.
• NEW: Dig 4 for a land card, reveal and draw it, and tuck the rest.

Why are do they frequently use phrases that already have keyword actions? Like 'put into your hand' or 'put into graveyard from library'. Just say 'draw' or 'mill'.

• Search your library for a card, draw it, and shuffle.
• Dig 3 for a land card, reveal and draw it, and mill the rest.

As for token creation, I personally use "tokenize" keyword action.

Ex.

• Tokenize a Clue.
• Tokenize a 1/1 white Spirit creature with flying.
• Tokenize a copy of target creature.

Use active voice. Let zones and abilities be proactive. Replace garrulous text that sounds like reminder text. Avoid using 'then'.

• Also sacrifice a creature as you cast this spell.
• You may also pay the kicker cost as you cast this spell.
• Reduce this spell's cost by .
• Raise the costs of opposing spells by .
• While your graveyard has four or more card types,....
• Target land becomes also a 3/3 creature and gains haste until end of turn.
• Destroy and ban regeneration target creature.
• Target creature gains / loses a +1/+1 counter.
• Exile target creature. Its owner deploys it at the next end step.
• Target player reveals their hand, and discards a card of your choice.

Common activated ability restrictions come before the cost:

• Once per turn, Sorcerous, , , Pay : effect.