What 3 Words (W3W)

W3W (What 3 Words) is an official method that uses three keywords to uniquely identify any 3m by 3m parcel of land on earth.

One may use a similar system to help create unique cards. Since Planeswalkers typically have three abilities, a card creator may use three words to describe a PW, then create abilities from those words. Obviously a PW could be identified with over three keywords, thereby creating many variations of that PW.

I have used this method even before discovering W3W. This makes it easy to meld a card's flavor with mechanics. Especially converting real life people onto cards.

For example, regarding my favorite Korean idol, I created many cards using such sets of keywords for the same person:

1. Refined. Dedicated. Stimulating.
2. Dawn. Rise. Ever.
3. Reliable. Initiative. Clearheaded.
4. High-class. Award-winning. Non-stop.
5. Queen of Popping, Locking, & Hip Swaying.

Etc.

After submitting the keywords, hone in on making abilities appropriate for that card's colors. For simplicity, each keyword would match one ability.

Ex. For a white PW:

• Dawn = untap all friendly creatures.
• Rise = friendly creatures gain flying.
• Ever = resurrect creature or planeswalker card from graveyard or exile.

W3W is heavily criticized for being bad at what it's for, and also you seem to have fundamentally misunderstood what that is

W3W is obviously bad, and the card design technique proposed here doesn't have much more in common with it than that it's about describing something by three things.

That said, a technique where you choose three aspects of a character and design around them is a perfectly valid exercise to inspire top-down design.

It's a concrete way to restrict yourself in a way that breeds creativity. It's fine at that. I certainly have broken down top-down designs similar to this.