Effect Anatomy

Most effects are built by creating an Effect, setting fields on it, and then registering it on a card.

lua

local e1=Effect.CreateEffect(c)
e1:SetDescription(aux.Stringid(id,0))
e1:SetCategory(CATEGORY_DRAW)
e1:SetType(EFFECT_TYPE_IGNITION)
e1:SetRange(LOCATION_MZONE)
e1:SetCountLimit(1,id)
e1:SetTarget(s.drtg)
e1:SetOperation(s.drop)
c:RegisterEffect(e1)

The engine does not read this as prose. It reads flags and callbacks:

SetDescription points at text from the card database.
SetCategory announces the kind of operation.
SetType, SetCode, and SetRange decide when the effect exists.
SetTarget checks whether the effect can be activated and declares info.
SetOperation resolves the effect.

Effect Anatomy ​

Effect Anatomy