Is the discard for Snipe Hunter (from CDIP) a cost?

Yes, you could just say "common sense dictates that it is a cost." But Upper Deck has been following a pretty stringent means of templating their effect text as of late to make these kinds of things more readily apparent and easier to understand.

Since the Warrior Structure Deck, A cost has been identified as preceding the effect in the exact same sentence, in this manner:

By <insert cost here>, <do this>.

So, for example, if Bazoo the Soul-Eater were to be reprinted now, he would read:

"By removing up to 3 monsters in your Graveyard from play, this card gains 500 ATK for each card removed this way, until the end of this turn."

They have been pretty much following this to a tee in recent sets, but then I read Snipe Hunter:

"Discard 1 card from your hand. Select 1 card on the field and roll a six-sided die. If the result is not 1 or 6, destroy the selected card."

If it is indeed a cost (as it most likely is), that raises the question: why would UDE randomly make his text different?

Any thoughts?

Yes it is a cost.

Cheers.

Well how the hell are we supposed to be able to distinguish between a cost and an effect if Upper Deck randomly changes the wording?

The Creator has an EFFECT that involves a card going from your hand to the Graveyard. It's not impossible for this to be the case with another card as well.

I agree with you that Snipe Hunter's discard is a COST. I can't imagine it not being one. But don't dismiss what I think is a valid question -- why is he worded differently?

It's at least worth pointing out. *shrug*

Discarding is a cost...and you can usually tell the difference because the Discard is the very first part of the card (not always).

"Discard 1 card from your hand."

...and then the rest of the effect...there's also the timing...discards happen before the card is considered "activated" (before the opponent is able to chain, which is why if a card with a cost of activation is negated, there is no "refund").

There's also simply looking at Upperdecks Website...they usually rule on cards if they are a cost or effect on some trickier cards...(The Creator, Beckoning Light, etc), but in cases like these, it's usually obvious that it's a cost.

Okay, I'm sorry that I seem to be wording this incorrectly.

I don't need any convincing that it's a cost.

But is there any particular timing instance with his effect that made it necessary to be broken up into different sentences like that? Or was it likely just a snafu?

Monsters with various things going on between cost and effect (rather than just pay this, do this) can sometimes be tricky, so I just wanted to know.

Thanks.

Obviously, you declare the activation, discarding immediately for the cost.

Opponent gets a chance to respond to the effect activation.

Then you select 1 monster on the opponent's field and roll the dice and destroy the monster if you roll correctly.

Hmm...alright, works just as it seems.

Guess I'll have to chalk this one up to the "Upper Deck made it worded differently because they felt like it" column.

Thanks, HDI.

Yeah...it's tricky to distinguish all the different spaces u_u

UDE probably got back into the habit of writing the old way after declaring the new style of card text.

Thats why Hysteric Party threw me off.

Using the old text, I'd know they mean Harpie Lady and only Harpie Lady.

Using the new text (like the new Elemental Hero and Destiny Hero support), it could any card with Harpie Lady in name (like Harpie Lady Sisters).

Yeah...hopefully they'll be able to keep up rulings about such things.

This is where I am completely lost. What are you saying?

Anyway, I dont see anything worded different about his text.

I mean about if things get worded differently than other similar cards, they clarify that it's the same thing or different.

Look at my first post. Costs have been denoted as "By <paying the cost>, <do this>" ever since EEN. Snipe Hunter is worded as he would have been pre-EEN. Just thought it was peculiar.

Power of the Text 2006-08-03 10:07:00 <Dan Scheidegger>


Greetings Judges, The Power of the Duelist Sneak Preview is this weekend, and I want to thank all of you who are going to help out. POTD is full of surprises, one being some new and easier to read card templating. To give you all a head's up, here's an article from the sneak preview mini-manga about the new text templating. Some Card Rulings for the POTD cards will be mailed to you later today

Dan Scheidegger
Jr. Game Designer
Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG R&D
Upper Deck Entertainment


**Words of Power**

Power of the Duelist has strong new monsters from outer space, but the card text is down to earth.

Many commonly used phrases have been made shorter and simpler to make is easier to read the cards, but they still mean exactly the same thing!


This is just the basics of the whole Post. If you want to further read, here is the link

http://lists.upperdeck.com/read/messages?id=10365


Simpler is better, as well as the way of the future.