Anthology set previews: April 10

Ankha wrote:

TwoRazorReign wrote:

TwoRazorReign wrote:

Last, some questions about punctuation: is there a reason not to use the serial comma after "superior" in the first sentence? And in the second sentence, is there a reason for the comma after "(and Independent)"? There should not be a comma there because it's all the same clause.

There's no strict rule, as long as there's no ambiguity.

There is ambiguity. Do you unlock the vampire, then choose a discipline and put the card on the vampire at the same time (no serial comma)? Or do you unlock the vampire, then choose the discipline, then put the card on the vampire (serial comma)? As for the other comma being misused after "(and Independent)," there probably should be a strict rule about misusing commas.

The timing is not defined by the commas, but by the rules:
www.vekn.net/rulebook/6-minion-phase#6.2.1.announcetheaction

"All details of the action are declared when the action is announced, including the target(s), the cost, the effects, etc. Any card required for the action is played (face up) at this time. Lock the acting minion (only ready unlocked minions can take actions)."

There is no ambiguity here: you have to announce the details (the vampire this card is put on, the discipline you choose) then apply the effects one by one if the action is successful.

Therefore you need the serial comma. The current punctuation, from a strict grammatical standpoint, contradicts what is in the rulebook.

Gines,
Nice feild training art, it feels thematically better for anarchs.

Will we be seeing new art on WWccp/wotc reprinted cards?

Freak drive, deflection, govern, majesty, taste of vitae, and DI all come to mind of things that are used all the freaking time and may need new art.
Depending on business model for future distribution, would it be practical to change up art on these Staples and include them with print runs of VEKN produced sets? It would add an interesting collectability factor.


I understand old ccg models are history, so what's the new way?

I agree with Two Razor Reigns about the commas. Although there is no "English Academy" and thus no "official" rules, the serial or "Oxford" comma is preferable since it reduces ambiguity. It seems like you're grouping the second and third directives together when you're not.

The comma after "Independent)" should not be there - you only separate serial predicates with a comma if there are more than two. I've seen this kind of comma in legal writing involving very long sentences, and to mirror natural pauses in speech (see what I did), but it is not used in general reading materials. If you're going to use facultative commas like this, then you should definitely us the Oxford comma.

I also cringe when I see the singular "they" used in formal writing, but it is used all the time in informal speech. It is becoming more and more accepted by prescriptive grammarians, especially with the current cultural issues regarding gender identity. I think it's an appropriate change.

The decline of civilization chronicled in vtes art:
Cam Ed, telepathic misdirection, subject in bad brains t-shirt with middle finger raised defiantly.
Now, Andre (a Caucasian Gangrel) wears a "YOLO" cap.
The artwork is technically better on the latter than the former........

Just an observation.....

Ankha wrote:

AaronC wrote:

I agree with Two Razor Reigns about the commas. Although there is no "English Academy" and thus no "official" rules, the serial or "Oxford" comma is preferable since it reduces ambiguity. It seems like you're grouping the second and third directives together when you're not.

Whether the second and third directive are grouped or not here doesn't matter. That's why there's no ambiguity.

(Generally speaking, there are ambiguities introduced by the serial comma (see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_comma). )

There's no ambiguity on this specific card, yes. But, my question to you is then why use the serial comma on Change of Target?

"Only usable when this acting minion is blocked (play before combat, if any). Untap the acting minion, do not tap the blocking minion, and end the current action (it is not successful). This minion cannot perform the same action again this turn."

Also, speaking as an editor with a lot of experience, you really shouldn't trust Wikipedia as a source. It cites the Oxford Manual Style for it's reasons against using the serial comma, which is a style guide used specifically for publications of the Oxford University Press. There are more widely used style guides that argue for the serial comma for good reason.