Current trouble with Winter orb

[Offler]

Winter orb is printed like:

"Players can't untap more than one land during their untap steps."

Since its an old artifact from Alpha it was later added short part of text (in oracle and gatherer). Once edited it looked like:

"As long as Winter Orb is untapped, players can't untap more than one land during their untap steps."

According to my knowledge no new print with new text was ever released with new wording.

Check Gatherer
http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=159277

Look for "Oracle" and "Printed" text. I believe its a mistake and oracle and printed texts were switched somehow. Second text with "as long its untapped" is currently referred as printed text, while Oracle version no longer contain this sentence.

Question 1:
How to determine the right wording now?

Question 2:
If such important change in wording happens, how to determine it as soon as possible? Previously the "as long its untapped" was never on any printing, and was present only on oracle/gatherer and people playing Winter orb were aware of this mechanic, however if it vanishes from oracle and gatherer they might be accused of cheating...

Some webs such as
http://deckbox.org/mtg/Winter%20Orb

still contain the sentence so it only makes me more confused...

[(nameless one)]

Unlike Static Orb, Winter Orb still works even tapped according to its oracle wording. I guess deckbox needs to update its website. I'd always go with Gatherer as it is the official one.

[cdr]

Question 1:
How to determine the right wording now?

The Oracle wording on Gatherer is always official.


Question 2:
If such important change in wording happens, how to determine it as soon as possible?

Any changes to Oracle wording are announced in a rules update article on wizards.com.


Previously the "as long its untapped" was never on any printing, and was present only on oracle/gatherer and people playing Winter orb were aware of this mechanic, however if it vanishes from oracle and gatherer they might be accused of cheating....

I don't recall it ever having such an Oracle wording. The latest printing is Masters Edition and the Masters Edition version has no such text.

[Richard Cheese]

I believe the confusion comes from the fact that under the old rules (pre 6th), "continuous" artifacts had no effect when tapped. Icy Manipulator/Winter Orb was totally a thing, but not because of any wording on Orb, just because of how artifacts worked.

[cdr]

I believe the confusion comes from the fact that under the old rules (pre 6th), "continuous" artifacts had no effect when tapped. Icy Manipulator/Winter Orb was totally a thing, but not because of any wording on Orb, just because of how artifacts worked.

Right, and that behavior was preserved where possible in Storage Matrix et al - their Oracle turns them off when tapped. Probably because of the 5th edition printing they couldn't do that with Winter Orb.

[Offler]

I don't recall it ever having such an Oracle wording. The latest printing is Masters Edition and the Masters Edition version has no such text.

Few months ago I checked gatherer when I added Winter orb to my deck. Phrase "As long is Winter Orb untapped..." was at that time in oracle wording. I am absolutely sure about it.

Check:
http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?printed=true&multiverseid=159277

It leads directly to "printed" variation of card's text. It still contains this phrase despite fact that the card was never printed with it.

All Winter orbs were printed in 5th or earlier edition with exception of Masters Edition (which is online version as long i know). I believe more artifacts got errata in such manner. Such as Candelabra of Tawnos or earlier Howlng Mine.

To Richard Cheese:

For example Static orb. I own version from Tempest. There is no mention that the card stops with its effect if tapped. But version printed in seventh edition contain similar phrase directly on card.

to cdr:
I will follow current oracle text. If I want to ask whether the oracle/printed text has not been mixed by a mistake where should I ask?

[cdr]

Few months ago I checked gatherer when I added Winter orb to my deck. Phrase "As long is Winter Orb untapped..." was at that time in oracle wording. I am absolutely sure about it.

Check:
http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?printed=true&multiverseid=159277

It leads directly to "printed" variation of card's text. It still contains this phrase despite fact that the card was never printed with it.

It appears "as long as ~this~ is untapped" was removed in May 2011. Not just "a few months ago".

https://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/feature/141a&page=2

You're correct that the printed text entry in Gatherer appears to be wrong, though.


to cdr:
I will follow current oracle text. If I want to ask whether the oracle/printed text has not been mixed by a mistake where should I ask?

Email (https://www.wizards.com/company/emailtoauthor.asp?author=Matt%20Tabak) Matt Tabak or tweet @TabakRules (https://twitter.com/#!/TabakRules), the rules manager, if you have a text question that can't be answered elsewhere. Winter Orb's current oracle text is correct, but you could bring his attention to the "printed" part being incorrect.

[Offler]

Sent. Thanks for help.

Edit:

Hi Offler,

Thanks for writing in. I believe you are looking at the Masters Edition version of the card. For all Masters Edition sets, the "printed" text is whatever the Oracle text was at the time of release. The changes to Winter Orb came after it was released on Magic Online.

The current and correct Oracle text doesn't include the "if Winter Orb is untapped" clause.

Have fun!

Matt

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Now it makes sense. Thanks for help guys.