Gatherer inaccuracies?

[Blaster]

I was looking around in gatherer, and noticed that some of the text there is wrong and does not match whats on the card.

For example, Academy Rector from Urza's Destiny. The card reads (you can see in the picture, plus I own the card will upload a scan if necessary)

When Academy Rector is put into a graveyard from play, you may remove Academy Rector from the game. If you do, search your library for an enchantment card and put that card into play. Then shuffle your library.

Now the text in gatherer says:

When Academy Rector is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you may exile it. If you do, search your library for an enchantment card and put that card onto the battlefield. Then shuffle your library.

And I found other cards that had the same problem

how come the text is different? And what does "exile" and "battelfield" mean, anyway?

[seba1983]

very simple the gather gives you the "official" text. some cards have been errater (thier text changed) some old cards have very complicated confusing wording that is made clearer.

as for battlefield and exile, starting with magic 2010 (the expension not the year) the in play zone is now called battlefield and the removed from game zoen is now the exiled zone. to remove a card from gameis now called to exile a card. not the outside of the game zone (the zone targeted by ring of ma'ruf and the 5 wishes) is not the same as the exiled zone any more. so you cant wishback a card that was removed during games. this cause some grief at first bt then every one realised that in tournament play you almost always wished for stuff from your sideboard anyway and it doesnt realy matter.

as for the gatherer being wrong ... im sorry to say but thats a very wrong statment. the gathere cardtexts are official. if they differ from a card the gathere version is the correct one to use not the card. some cards were printed wrong or had to be changed, some even more than once (hello time vault ^^). if your not sure what a card should realy read look it up in the gatherer.

[Blaster]

So you say I should use gatherer text? But how do I know what gatherer says when I play I only have cards I cant look them all up in gatherer

[seba1983]

yes thats what im saying. in casual games that wont usualy be of importance if no one knows if the card has an errata just use it as printed and if anyone thinks that there has to be an errate he can look it up for next time. when you are in a tournament and are not sure if an opponents card should be played like that ask a judge ... it also helps preparing by knowing what is played and how thoses cards work ^^.

[Kev]

I think in 99% of the cases where gatherer text and the card differs, its just changing the wording of the card to some new standard (for example saying "battlefield" instead of "in play", or "exile" instead of "remove from game"), or just to clarify what the card is intended to do because players got confused. So mostly the cards do the same and you dont have to worry about it just go by the card dont start looking everything up in gatherer unless theres a question about it.

Though yeah if you are gonna play in tournies you want to be familiar with the official text of the cards at least those you are using in your decks

[seba1983]

and unless you have some people that have been playing for say 15 years i hardly think cards will come up where you can not use the printed text and be pretty much on the safe side. actual text changes mostly affact the realy old cards where even wizards had little experiance on how to desing cards.