Flame of Anor – LOTR: TALES OF MIDDLE-EARTH
Date Reviewed: June 28, 2023
Ratings:
Constructed: 3.63
Casual: 4.50
Limited: 4.50
Multiplayer: 3.88
Commander [EDH]: 4.13
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is bad. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
“Flame of Anor” is a term that only appears once in the main Lord of the Rings novels, but it actually has a lot of hidden depth and connections in the worldbuilding, and that’s why I think they made the Magic card of it so powerful. Just choosing one of those modes would often let you win a game at the right time – we all know how urgent it is to get certain artifacts off the table, and five damage is enough to answer an awful lot of creatures. The occasions when you get to choose two will make it feel an awful lot like the three-mana analogue of Cryptic Command: instantly swinging the game in your favor and making space for whichever Wizard you have in play to do what they do. Ironically, it could be the decidedly adversarial Saruman, but if it works, you may as well!
Constructed: 3.5
Casual: 4.5
Limited: 4.5
Multiplayer: 4
Commander [EDH]: 4
Depicting part of Gandalf’s arsenal he wielded in the battle against the Balrog, Flame of Anor is a pretty potent and flexible “charm” spell. Five damage is enough to dispatch many creatures, being able to pop an artifact is especially nice on a card that isn’t devoted purely to popping artifacts, and drawing two cards is always good. The upside of being able to get both is you control a Wizard is certainly helpful on top of all of it, and being able to kill a big creature and draw cards is helpful. Of note is that all modes target, so you won’t have it thwarted if an opponent pulls a bit of subterfuge with protective abilities against their creatures or shinies. I think Flame of Anor is quite a strong spell for any control-adjacent shell, and while it’s not perfect, it’s always useful some way or another.
Constructed: 3.75 (five damage is a solid number to hit, and being a twist on Divination isn’t so bad in a pinch)
Casual: 4.5
Limited: 4.5 (even without a Wizard, this is prime removal with a bit more flexibility)
Multiplayer: 3.75
Commander [EDH]: 4.25
We would love more volunteers to help us with our Magic the Gathering Card of the Day reviews. If you want to share your ideas on cards with other fans, feel free to drop us an email. We would be happy to link back to your blog / YouTube Channel / etc. 😉
