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There is also the Phyrexian script Swamps, and while the text is not blocked... it is illegible.
Okay, everyone knows what a swamp does. What about Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider?
Or Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite?
Again, these are not truly textless, and the text itself is not obscured. But you do have to know what they do to play them.
Even that one swamp isn't clearly a swamp. Ambiguity just makes things more confusing for people not in the know and gives a chance for less honest players to cheat with that ambiguity.
I am not saying it is a good idea, I am saying there is precedent for illegible cards.
Even back in 2008, I remember complaints about this one:
Instant
Choose two —
• Counter target spell.
• Return target permanent to its owner’s hand.
• Tap all creatures your opponents control.
• Draw a card.
This is a mouthful when you have to explain.
Legendary Creature — Elemental
When Omnath enters, draw a card.
Landfall — Whenever a land you control enters, you gain 4 life if this is the first time this ability has resolved this turn. If it’s the second time, add {R}{G}{W}{U}. If it’s the third time, Omnath deals 4 damage to each opponent and each planeswalker you don’t control.
Yeah, don't worry, we are agreeing with each other. Though I wasn't aware of that card. Though now that I think of it, they are basically vanity cards in the first place, so I guess it shouldn't surprise me that some of them really embrace the elitism that can go along with that.
That Urza's Saga was a Store Championship 1st place award, not something a total newbie would get under normal circumstances. I forget that the Elesh Norn was a prize for, again not a normal pack pull. The "normal" swamp with Phyrexian script is from Jumpstart, so a possible newbie pull. But I think that one is easy enough to understand. The other two were in regular packs.
ETA: Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite in Phyrexian script was a Judge promo. https://scryfall.com/card/j14/8/elesh-norn-grand-cenobite
I think it should always be avoided. Fortunately that one is somewhat subtle but I think it should never be done. The text should be the highest layer in the design file. I already think they took things too far with that bordered text on the FCA cards:
This is nearly unreadable for me and it hurts my head to read it.
Yeah, they are confusing and IMO some don't even look good (like that one).
Somebody arranged the layers wrong in the file
Man... It's been so long since I played MTG, Land cards now have special effects and are useful for more than just a kind of currency to do shit. 😳
Cards with non mana abilities were introduced in Arabian Nights, the first expansion for Magic.
Ironically enough, when I tried joining a commander game at my local shop recently, thinking my improvement of the Tidus Counter deck might be competitive, one of the othet decks stopped me from being able to damage the player at all using a land from the Ice Age set, which was one of the first expansion sets the game had.
Glacial Chasm, and it made me look in to what kind of land hate blue, white, and green have (other then Armageddon). The thing has a cumulative upkeep of 2 life, which should really limit how long it stays in play, but buddy had a consistent way of bouncing it back to his hand and then playing it again (plus landfall bonuses).
