Magic in R with scryr
scryr is a lightweight wrapper around Scryfall, an amazing (and free!) Magic: The Gathering API. With scryr you can ingest card data as tidy data frames, allowing for frictionless integration with tidyverse pipelines.
Currently there are 2 main endpoints: cards and sets. The other 4 endpoints
(bulk_data, catalogs, rulings, and symbols) are mostly auxiliary to the
main ones.
# Install scryr
install.packages("scryr")
# Start scryr and helpers
library(dplyr)
library(scryr)Cards
This endpoints is, by far, the most complex. Make sure to read
scry_cards()'
full documentation before diving in! For the curious, more relevant information
about cards can be found in
vignette("syntax")
(Query Syntax) and
vignette("layouts")
(Layouts and Faces).
The most important function here is
scry_cards(). It
returns a data frame of card data given a query:
# Legendary vampires
vampires <- scry_cards("t:vampire t:legend")
# There are many, many columns
print(vampires)
#> # A tibble: 48 × 70
#> id name set lang colors color_identity mana_cost cmc
#> <chr> <chr> <chr> <chr> <list> <list> <chr> <dbl>
#> 1 913dd06f-… Anje Fa… c19 en <chr … <chr [2]> {1}{B}{R} 3
#> 2 1bfac4ab-… Anje, M… vow en <chr … <chr [2]> {2}{B}{R} 4
#> 3 b8630ae1-… Anowon,… voc en <chr … <chr [1]> {3}{B}{B} 5
#> 4 bca84fc4-… Anowon,… znc en <chr … <chr [2]> {2}{U}{B} 4
#> 5 e811f37a-… Arvad t… dom en <chr … <chr [2]> {3}{W}{B} 5
#> 6 213ad4ba-… Ascenda… hop en <chr … <chr [1]> {4}{B}{B} 6
#> 7 e5fb44d7-… Baron S… me1 en <chr … <chr [1]> {5}{B}{B… 8
#> 8 487e843f-… Crovax … tpr en <chr … <chr [1]> {2}{B}{B} 4
#> 9 2c58ce5e-… Drana, … c17 en <chr … <chr [1]> {3}{B}{B} 5
#> 10 31d0c37f-… Drana, … jmp en <chr … <chr [1]> {1}{B}{B} 3
#> # … with 38 more rows, and 62 more variables: oracle_text <chr>,
#> # power <chr>, toughness <chr>, type_line <chr>, edhrec_rank <int>,
#> # keywords <list>, layout <chr>, legalities <list>, oversized <lgl>,
#> # reserved <lgl>, oracle_id <chr>, mtgo_id <int>,
#> # multiverse_ids <list>, tcgplayer_id <int>, cardmarket_id <int>,
#> # uri <chr>, scryfall_uri <chr>, rulings_uri <chr>,
#> # prints_search_uri <chr>, artist <chr>, artist_ids <list>, …Note that many columns are list-columns with deeply nested information inside. This is a result of Scryfall’s data model and is the reason why scryr needs tibbles to work. But don’t be alarmed! It’s all pretty consistent.
# Get Anje's related cards
vampires %>%
filter(name == "Anje, Maid of Dishonor") %>%
pull(all_parts)
#> [[1]]
#> # A tibble: 2 × 6
#> object id component name type_line uri
#> <chr> <chr> <chr> <chr> <chr> <chr>
#> 1 related_card 1bfac4ab-… combo_pie… Anje, M… Legendary … https://api.s…
#> 2 related_card a6f374bc-… token Blood Token Arti… https://api.s…
# Get Anje's color identity
vampires %>%
filter(name == "Anje Falkenrath") %>%
pull(color_identity)
#> [[1]]
#> [1] "B" "R"There are also “singular” functions, that is, functions that return one card
instead of many. They are
scry_card() and
its siblings, all of them methods that find a card given some sort of
identifier.
# Using an ID
scry_card("913dd06f-ed2f-4128-9c9d-9cd0d8a55425")$name
#> [1] "Anje Falkenrath"
# Using a name
scry_card_name("Anje Falkenrath")$name
#> [1] "Anje Falkenrath"
# Using a collector number and a set
scry_card_number(37, "c19")$name
#> [1] "Anje Falkenrath"
# Just get a random vampire commander
scry_card_random("t:vampire t:legend")$name
#> [1] "Vito, Thorn of the Dusk Rose"If you’re unsure of exactly what card you’re looking for, don’t worry. Scryfall also has an endpoint that tries to autocomplete the name of a card and scryr makes it available so that you don’t have to ever leave R to look for a card.
# There she is
autocomplete_name("falken")[12]
#> [1] "Anje Falkenrath"Sets
The other main endpoint retrieves information about sets. There are also many
list-columns but, again, they are all handled consistently; following in the
footsteps of cards, sets also has a “plural” function and a “singular”
function. Note that
scry_cards() is
the only “plural” method that can filter results with its q argument.
# Get all sets
scry_sets()
#> # A tibble: 721 × 19
#> id code name uri scryfall_uri search_uri released_at set_type
#> <chr> <chr> <chr> <chr> <chr> <chr> <date> <chr>
#> 1 a6012… tunf Unfi… http… https://scr… https://a… 2022-04-01 token
#> 2 b314f… unf Unfi… http… https://scr… https://a… 2022-04-01 funny
#> 3 b11b2… pw22 Wiza… http… https://scr… https://a… 2022-03-05 promo
#> 4 5bd03… tnec Neon… http… https://scr… https://a… 2022-02-18 token
#> 5 8bb11… tneo Kami… http… https://scr… https://a… 2022-02-18 token
#> 6 5b4d9… nec Neon… http… https://scr… https://a… 2022-02-18 command…
#> 7 59a20… neo Kami… http… https://scr… https://a… 2022-02-18 expansi…
#> 8 78a7f… cc2 Comm… http… https://scr… https://a… 2022-01-28 command…
#> 9 5c163… dbl Inni… http… https://scr… https://a… 2022-01-28 draft_i…
#> 10 8a673… y22 Alch… http… https://scr… https://a… 2021-12-09 expansi…
#> # … with 711 more rows, and 11 more variables: card_count <int>,
#> # parent_set_code <chr>, digital <lgl>, nonfoil_only <lgl>,
#> # foil_only <lgl>, icon_svg_uri <chr>, tcgplayer_id <int>,
#> # mtgo_code <chr>, arena_code <chr>, block_code <chr>, block <chr>
# Get a single set with an ID
scry_set("vow")
#> # A tibble: 1 × 19
#> id code name mtgo_code arena_code tcgplayer_id uri scryfall_uri
#> <chr> <chr> <chr> <chr> <chr> <int> <chr> <chr>
#> 1 8144… vow Inni… vow vow 2862 http… https://scr…
#> # … with 11 more variables: search_uri <chr>, released_at <date>,
#> # set_type <chr>, card_count <int>, printed_size <int>,
#> # digital <lgl>, nonfoil_only <lgl>, foil_only <lgl>,
#> # block_code <chr>, block <chr>, icon_svg_uri <chr>Other Endpoints
All other endpoints return way less information than the two above. Here is a short demonstration of what else you can do with the rest of scryr:
# Get information from a catalog
head(scry_catalog("keyword-actions"))
#> [1] "Meld" "Bolster" "Clash" "Fateseal"
#> [5] "Manifest" "Monstrosity"
# Get rulings for a card
scry_ruling("913dd06f-ed2f-4128-9c9d-9cd0d8a55425")
#> # A tibble: 1 × 4
#> oracle_id source published_at comment
#> <chr> <chr> <date> <chr>
#> 1 4dab6a96-4376-4aea-983d-406167993214 wotc 2019-08-23 If you disca…
# Get information about symbols
scry_symbols()
#> # A tibble: 34 × 11
#> symbol colors cmc loose_variant english gatherer_alterna…
#> <chr> <list> <dbl> <chr> <chr> <list>
#> 1 {X} <NULL> 0 X X generic mana <chr [2]>
#> 2 {Y} <NULL> 0 Y Y generic mana <NULL>
#> 3 {Z} <NULL> 0 Z Z generic mana <NULL>
#> 4 {0} <NULL> 0 0 zero mana <chr [1]>
#> 5 {½} <NULL> 0.5 ½ one-half generic… <chr [1]>
#> 6 {1} <NULL> 1 1 one generic mana <chr [1]>
#> 7 {2} <NULL> 2 2 two generic mana <chr [1]>
#> 8 {3} <NULL> 3 3 three generic ma… <chr [1]>
#> 9 {4} <NULL> 4 4 four generic mana <chr [1]>
#> 10 {5} <NULL> 5 5 five generic mana <chr [1]>
#> # … with 24 more rows, and 5 more variables: transposable <lgl>,
#> # represents_mana <lgl>, appears_in_mana_costs <lgl>, funny <lgl>,
#> # svg_uri <chr>
# Parse mana costs
parse_cost("2g2")$cost
#> [1] "{4}{G}"
# Get names of bulk files
scry_bulk_files()$name
#> [1] "Oracle Cards" "Unique Artwork" "Default Cards" "All Cards"
#> [5] "Rulings"
# Download (and parse) bulk rulings
scry_bulk_file("Rulings")
#> # A tibble: 44,486 × 4
#> oracle_id source published_at comment
#> <chr> <chr> <date> <chr>
#> 1 0004ebd0-dfd6-4276-b4a6-de0003e94237 wotc 2004-10-04 If there ar…
#> 2 0007c283-5b7a-4c00-9ca1-b455c8dff8c3 wotc 2019-08-23 The "comman…
#> 3 0007c283-5b7a-4c00-9ca1-b455c8dff8c3 wotc 2019-08-23 Certain car…
#> 4 0007c283-5b7a-4c00-9ca1-b455c8dff8c3 wotc 2019-08-23 If your com…
#> 5 000e5d65-96c3-498b-bd01-72b1a1991850 wotc 2004-10-04 The target …
#> 6 0012bc78-e69d-4a67-a302-e5fe0dfd4407 wotc 2019-05-03 A land norm…
#> 7 00187de2-bc48-4137-97d8-a9a0fafc76c1 wotc 2019-01-25 You can alw…
#> 8 00187de2-bc48-4137-97d8-a9a0fafc76c1 wotc 2019-01-25 Pteramander…
#> 9 00187de2-bc48-4137-97d8-a9a0fafc76c1 wotc 2019-01-25 If a creatu…
#> 10 001c6369-df13-427d-89df-718d5c09f382 wotc 2009-05-01 Vedalken He…
#> # … with 44,476 more rows