Unbender Tine MTG Card


By untapping permanents, Unbender Tine can double resources and maintain a strong grip on gameplay. It serves as a utility artifact with potential for resource acceleration and combo enabler in various decks. While versatile, it has specific mana requirements and a higher activation cost, making it a strategic choice.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact

Text of card

: Untap another target permanent.

Creations made in madness may contain great power. The path to that power is as labyrinthine as the creator's mind.


Cards like Unbender Tine

Unbender Tine occupies a unique niche in MTG as an artifact that focuses on untapping permanents. A close relative in this aspect might be Voltaic Key, which also untaps artifacts but at a lower activation cost. Unbender Tine, however, has the distinction of targeting any permanent, including lands, thus offering more flexibility despite its higher cost. Another parallel can be drawn with Magewright’s Stone, a card that untaps creatures with an activated ability. While not as versatile as Unbender Tine, Magewright’s Stone can be a tactical piece in creature-centric strategies.

Then we have Staff of Domination, a multifaceted tool that can untap itself along with creatures or artifacts, and provides a suite of additional abilities. While Staff of Domination demands a significant mana investment to fully harness its powers, its utility in diverse situations can’t be overlooked. Unbender Tine stands out in scenarios where a player needs to continuously untap specific, impactful permanents, like a land enchanted with a mana multiplier or a creature with a potent tap ability.

The strategic depth of MTG ensures that cards like Unbender Tine have their place in decks that are built around untapping mechanics, giving players the opportunity to maximize their resources and pull off powerful combos within their game plan.

Voltaic Key - MTG Card versions
Magewright's Stone - MTG Card versions
Staff of Domination - MTG Card versions
Voltaic Key - MTG Card versions
Magewright's Stone - MTG Card versions
Staff of Domination - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Unbender Tine by color, type and mana cost

Shorikai, Genesis Engine - MTG Card versions
Esper Cormorants - MTG Card versions
Arcanist's Owl - MTG Card versions
Belisarius Cawl - MTG Card versions
Cephalopod Sentry - MTG Card versions
Granite Witness - MTG Card versions
Shorikai, Genesis Engine - MTG Card versions
Esper Cormorants - MTG Card versions
Arcanist's Owl - MTG Card versions
Belisarius Cawl - MTG Card versions
Cephalopod Sentry - MTG Card versions
Granite Witness - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Unbender Tine assists you in maintaining a solid grip on the game by untapping another permanent. This utility can effectively transform any card with a tap ability into an additional resource, doubling its effectiveness and ensuring you’re seldom at a loss for options.

Resource Acceleration: With the ability to untap lands, Unbender Tine acts as a pseudo ramp, allowing you to accelerate your resources. It can be particularly potent with lands that provide more than one mana, or with artifacts and creatures that tap for mana, ensuring that your plays outpace the opponent’s.

Instant Speed: Its ability to be used at instant speed gives you flexibility to respond during your opponent’s turn. This flexibility means you could untap a creature to block unexpectedly or untap a land for a surprise spell, keeping your adversaries on their toes and strategically one step behind.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unbender Tine requires players to untap another permanent, which could be seen as a form of discarding a resource since that permanent isn’t available for other uses.

Specific Mana Cost: This artifact has a colored mana requirement in its activation cost, necessitating a commitment to blue mana and potentially restricting its utility in decks that aren’t aligned with blue’s strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an activation cost that includes three mana, Unbender Tine might be considered mana-intensive compared to other mana-fixing options or artifacts that offer untapping abilities.


Reasons to Include Unbender Tine in Your Collection

Versatility: Unbender Tine serves as a flexible tool, capable of untapping any permanent, not just lands. This makes it a valuable asset in decks that aim to exploit tap and untap mechanics or those that require frequent activation of abilities.

Combo Potential: With the ability to untap creatures, artifacts, or lands, this card can become a combo enabler, synergizing with cards that benefit from being untapped or have powerful tap abilities. The potential for unlimited use within a turn makes it an integral piece for intricate combo lines.

Meta-Relevance: Given its adaptability, Unbender Tine can be particularly effective in environments where control or engine decks prevail. It enables users to maintain momentum by untapping vital resources for defense or to further advance their board state.


How to beat Unbender Tine

Unbender Tine stands out in Magic: The Gathering for its versatile mana untapping ability. It taps to untap another target artifact, creature, or land, potentially ramping up your mana resources or readying your creatures for defense. To effectively counteract this flexible tool, focusing on removal or disruption strategies is key. Targeted artifact destruction spells like Shatter or Naturalize can remove Unbender Tine from the battlefield, nipping the problem in the bud. Disruptive plays, such as countering the artifact when it’s cast with spells like Counterspell, also serve to prevent your opponent from gaining the advantage Unbender Tine offers.

Moreover, keeping pressure on your opponent’s resources limits the effectiveness of Unbender Tine’s ability. Land destruction or denial cards like Stone Rain or Blood Moon can constrict their available mana, making it harder to utilize the untapping benefit. By proactively managing your opponent’s threats and potential advantages, you can ensure that Unbender Tine doesn’t tilt the scales in their favor during the match.

In essence, the key to overcoming Unbender Tine lies in readiness to deploy the right tools at the precise moment, whether they are aimed at disassembling the artifact itself or at hindering your opponent’s overall strategy that warrants its use.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into the dynamic MTG realm with Unbender Tine, a versatile artifact that’s ready to shift the tide of battle in your favor. Leverage its untapping potential to double down on your resources and surprise opponents with instant-speed plays. Whether you’re ramping up mana, enabling combos, or sustaining control, Unbender Tine offers strategic advantages worth exploring. Adapt to the evolving meta and refine your deck with this tactical inclusion. Looking for more insights and strategies to maximize your gameplay with Unbender Tine or similar cards? We’re here to guide you through. Learn more and transform your deck into a formidable arsenal.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Unbender Tine MTG card by a specific set like Alara Reborn and Archenemy, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Unbender Tine and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Unbender Tine Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2009-04-30 and 2010-06-18. Illustrated by Greg Hildebrandt.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12009-04-30Alara RebornARB 152003NormalBlackGreg Hildebrandt
22010-06-18ArchenemyARC 972003NormalBlackGreg Hildebrandt

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Unbender Tine has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal