Pella is new, not a vet, but I digress.
There have been plenty of threads and discussion in chat about the wording on cards. I, personally, was never confused, but that's likely because I love doing my own research into the intricacies of a game when I find a new one. I find it's part of the journey, and a big part of improving as a player. On your own, performing experiments. Optionally adding stuff to the Wiki after that
The way I work means I create my own systems to explain things. For instance, I can explain the immaterial/invulnerable kerfuffle (and all other statuses).
When you play creatures and they end up on the field, some of them have abilities that are written out under them. Immaterial is one of these. I call them active non-triggered abilites. Let me explain why. They may actually seem like passive abilities, as they're always in effect by default, but in truth a passive ability can only be seen if you mouse over a creature. Passive abilities cannot be removed by normal means. Devourer has one of these (called "devourer", amusingly enough), as does Ghost of the Past. Ranged is another, and airborne is also one of these. Airborne is also the only one that can currently be removed (with the active triggered ability "Web").
An active non-triggered ability is written out under the card and can normally be lobotomised, just like an active triggered ability. Immaterial cannot, of course, because it grants the
status invulnerable. This status can be seen on the back of the card (mouse over it). Other statuses include frozen and delayed. Quintessence grants the status invulnerable, but not the ability immaterial. Immaterial is an inherent ability that comes with the creature, and it grants the status invulnerable when you play the creature.
Now for what mechanically makes a card untargetable. See the symbol on the invulnerable card? That's a passive symbol status. Adrenaline is another of these. They cannot be lobotomised, but Reverse Time will remove them if the creature can be targeted. An active symbol status (Momentum)
can be lobotomised, however.
In summary:
Active non-triggered ability (immaterial, vampire, air (Dragonfly), light (Ray of Light), etc.)
Active triggered ability (photosynthesis, web, snipe, growth, devour, ablaze, infect, etc.)
Passive ability (ranged, airborne, devourer, obsession etc.)
Status (frozen, delayed, immaterial)
Active symbol status (momentum)
Passive symbol status (adrenaline, infection, aflatoxin, immaterial (presumably))
Yes, the game is a little confusing. I've always loved that. In the end, the developer is not a picker of nits (hat off to Pella) and extremely careful about letting other people work on his game. That's just who he is, and none of us can change it.
