Tale of Tinúviel – LOTR: TALES OF MIDDLE-EARTH
Date Reviewed: June 13, 2023
Ratings:
Constructed: 2.37
Casual: 3.50
Limited: 4.00
Multiplayer: 3.50
Commander [EDH]: 3.50
Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale. 1 is bad. 3 is average. 5 is great.
Reviews Below:
Timing is often key in Magic, and in love too for that matter. While the Silmarillion story this card refers to was a matter of fate, in gameplay it’s more a matter of what you’ve got around before you cast it. Making a single creature indestructible for the next two turns is a middle ground between the one-time combat tricks and the longer effects – one we’re not really used to evaluating. I suspect it’ll be most relevant when you have either a creature you want to get through which couldn’t before, or a creature you want to be able to block something more powerful. The second chapter is undeniably powerful, particularly so if, again, you made a powerful play on an earlier turn that your opponent had to stretch to answer. The third chapter is perhaps just icing on the cake, but sometimes lifelink makes a difference against aggressive decks. I think much of this card’s appeal is getting to reference Beren and Luthien in an unusual setting, though it certainly goes well with various existing casual decks.
Constructed: 2.5
Casual: 3.5
Limited: 4
Multiplayer: 3.5
Commander [EDH]: 3.5
The set has certainly featured a fair few deep cuts from Tolkien’s Legendarium, and Tale of Tinúviel is certainly one of those; the story it references, The Tale of Tinúviel, dates to as far back as 1917, but it wouldn’t be published until 1984, when Christopher Tolkien undertook publication of a number of unpublished manuscripts from his father.
The tale in question concerns an elf who falls in love with a man, and after the man passes away in an accident, the elf follows him after surrendering immortality. Those elements are hit on pretty cleanly in this saga: immortality for a creature during the story, reanimation of their beloved, and then the loss of immortality at the end. Of course, that part isn’t as cleanly represented, as lifelink is hardly the same as both joining each other in the after, so here we are.
I do think Tale of Tinúviel is a decent card in all; it’s not a star, thanks to costing five mana, but an unconditional reanimate is a pretty solid effect that white can make the most of, and lifelink is a subtle ability at times that can swing a game impressively. Protecting a creature for two turn cycles is also a pretty effective way to force other answers in all. I think this is a flavorful, interesting card that you can have a fair bit of fun with, both with Saga support and just with things on its own, but it’s probably not going to quite cut it in Constructed.
Constructed: 2.25 (a bit too pricey and slow for what it does)
Casual: 3.5
Limited: 4 (an unconditional revive is deceptively vicious sometimes)
Multiplayer: 3.5
Commander [EDH]: 3.5
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