In Magic, I feel like power/toughness switching is one situation where "Reading the card does not explain the card." The way it works is not what most players would guess, based on how it's written.
I was just playing against someone using a Tireless Tribe/Inside Out combo deck for the first time. I had a Martyr of Ashes in play. They attacked, it wasn't blocked, they pitched 5 cards to Tireless Tribe, and played Inside Out on it. I was all "OK." Before going to damage step, I activate Martyr of Ashes for 1, they try to pitch another card to Tireless Tribe to save it. I have to explain, with the Inside Out active, they can't increase it's toughness anymore. It can be a bit of a feel bad moment to inexperienced players when you have to start on, "You see, there's these things called layers..."
Currently these effects say:
"Switch target creature's power and toughness until end of turn."
The way it's worded leads many people to believe this switching is bound to a particular point in time. They think, for example, whether you activate a +0/+4 ability before or after playing Inside Out matters (it doesn't).
I feel it would be more clear if it was worded as:
"Until end of turn, target creature's power and toughness are switched."
This makes it more clear: you're applying a state to the creature which lasts until end of turn, not doing a one time action to that creature.
Power and toughness switching is unintuitive, and I think there's a better way to word it
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void_nothing Undersea Emperor
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That does feel a bit better, yeah.
Psst, check the second page of Custom Card Contests & Games! Because of the daily contests, a lot of games fall down to there.
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The greatest (fake) pro wrestling on the internet - Collaborative Create-A-Booster - My random creations (updated regularly)
Important Facts: Colorless is not a color, Wastes is not a land type, Changeling is not a creature type
I like it. I used to play a Boros version of Tireless Tribe and summoning the specific ruling everytime someone had thw doubts was a bit annoying, The "are switched" does indeed convey the idea of a durative effect.