Gatherer/Magiccards.info/EssentialMagic

[Skeggi]

When you're searching for cards, what do you prefer? Wizard's Gatherer (http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/), Magiccards.info's advanced card search (http://magiccards.info/search.html) or EssentialMagic's advanced card search (http://www.essentialmagic.com//cards/search.asp)?

I myself prefer Magiccards.info because it's fast, easy, and views the cards it finds. If you don't want this you can always change the settings.

I'm wondering because I saw Gatherer being recommended by Elfidicium in another post (http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11640); and I'm like...but Gatherer is crap (and also slow)! So I was just wondering why people would prefer Gatherer over Magiccards.info. I posted EssentialMagic because it also has some nice features, but unfortunately, the site is slow.

Also, when I read the post above, I immediately thought Vampiric Link (http://magiccards.info/pc/en/92.html) but none of the three card searches comes up for this result when looking for black cards with the text 'lifelink'. I would think the Oracle text should read "Enchanted creature has lifelink.". Why is this not the case?

[Mantis]

I use SCG mostly and otherwise I just the search buttons on MWS.

[Jaynel]

Someone posted this a while ago, and this thread seems like a good place to reintroduce it. This is some javascript, and when you add it as a button in Firefox (might work in IE and Safari too), it prompts to name a card then finds it on Gatherer.

javascript:if(str=prompt('Please name a card.',''))void(window.open(%22http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?name=%22+escape(str.replace(/^\s*|\s*$/g,%22%22)),%20%22mtgWin%22%20,%20%22toolbar=0,location=0,directories=0,status=0,menubar=0,scrollbars=1,resizable=1,width=700,height=500%22))

You could probably get it to work with those other sites if you want.

[Elficidium]

I'm wondering because I saw Gatherer being recommended by Elfidicium in another post

I was actually just referring to any random search site, Gatherer being the most obvious.

[Maagler]

I use cardkingdom.com to look up cards that I don't know. Not only does it have a great search option, but you can see the prices of the cards.

I have never bought cards from them though, kind of ironic.

[Illissius]

I use Datatog on IRC (#themanadrain, EFNet). Seriously the best ever.

[Sanguine Voyeur]

I use Magiccards.info unless I need the prices in which case I open Workstation.

[darkalucard]

Magiccards.info is deff the best it's the google of magic search engines. Fast, easy, and doesn't have the extra junk. Plus <3 magictraders.com prices.
Gatherer sucks BTW

[cdr]

Gatherer is the only official source of Oracle text.

Other sites have had incorrect Oracle text in the past, but the chances of that happening are much lower now that Gatherer updates on a fixed schedule rather than randomly like it used to.

[darkalucard]

If it comes to looking up Oracle text I will and do use Gatherer.

Besides the officiality of Gatherer I don't know if there are any other reasons to use it... Is there?

BTW (Off topic)
Does anybody know how to compile there own price lists like magictraders for non-magic things? Mods If people do, I can start a new thread to talk about it.

[yawg07]

www.magiccards.info, all the way.
BEST search engine, and largest card pics, none better.

[Pinder]

Someone posted this a while ago, and this thread seems like a good place to reintroduce it. This is some javascript, and when you add it as a button in Firefox (might work in IE and Safari too), it prompts to name a card then finds it on Gatherer.

javascript:if(str=prompt('Please name a card.',''))void(window.open(%22http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?name=%22+escape(str.replace(/^\s*|\s*$/g,%22%22)),%20%22mtgWin%22%20,%20%22toolbar=0,location=0,directories=0,status=0,menubar=0,scrollbars=1,resizable=1,width=700,height=500%22))

You could probably get it to work with those other sites if you want.

There's also the MTG Cardlinker that was made a while back that parses pages and changes cardnames into autocard links for MagicCards.info, but it hasn't been updated since Morningtide and I doubt it will be in the future. I don't blame him, though, as the way he has it set up seems like a bitch to update.

A nice compromise between that and the script you have there is something that allows you to highlight a cardname, right click, and select the site you want to look it up under. It's a lot quicker than retyping it into a prompt or copy/paste, and requries no updating to remain effective (just that the sites it links to update themselves, which doesn't seem to be a problem for Gatherer or magiccards.info). If I knew more about coding in javascript, I might be able to whip something up for greasemonkey. I'll look into it.

Alternately a script that would let you hover over or highlight a card name and then just have the text pop up in the same window as a tooltip would be pretty cool, too (sort of like rikaichan, but for Magic cards instead of Japanese translations).

[mercenarybdu]

I use SCG most of the time to check on prices. But then I use gatherer to build my basic plan....

[The Rack]

I usually use Anycraze. Don't know why but I like it.

[Jak]

Magiccards.info because it is awesome to look up or search for any cards. I use SCG for prices because it shows the maximum and Ebay for the minimum. Makes it easier to find out what I should get a card at, etc.