Tale's End MTG Card


Tale's End - Core Set 2020
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeInstant
Released2019-07-12
Set symbol
Set nameCore Set 2020
Set codeM20
Number77
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byRandy Vargas

Key Takeaways

  1. Counters legendary spells and abilities, providing tactical advantage in games with heavy legendary play.
  2. Mana-efficient at two mana, enabling better tempo and game position advancement.
  3. Instant speed allows for unexpected plays, increasing its strategic utility in matches.

Text of card

Counter target activated ability, triggered ability, or legendary spell.

"When you are gone, will anyone remember your story?" —Unknown


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tale’s End offers strategic flexibility by countering a key legendary spell or triggering abilities which can disrupt your opponent’s game plan significantly. Although it doesn’t draw cards directly, denying your opponent’s crucial plays can serve as a form of card advantage by negating the value they would have gained.

Resource Acceleration: While Tale’s End doesn’t accelerate resources in the traditional sense, it efficiently uses available mana by countering expensive spells and activated abilities with a low-cost investment of only two mana (one blue and one generic). This efficient mana cost can keep you ahead in the race for tempo, effectively accelerating your position in the game.

Instant Speed: As an instant, Tale’s End can be a surprise element against opponents. It allows you to respond reactively to threats on the battlefield or stack, giving you the upper hand at crucial moments of the match.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Tale’s End doesn’t ask you to discard, it’s important to consider that having it in hand instead of a proactive option can sometimes be tantamount to a virtual discard, especially if you are facing decks where it lacks relevant targets.

Specific Mana Cost: This counterspell demands both blue and colorless mana, potentially clashing with decks that want to stay mostly monochromatic or have strict color requirements for other spells.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its unique restriction to countering legendary spells and activated or triggered abilities, it may often sit unused in your hand when a lower mana cost, more general-purpose counter could provide greater flexibility and utility.


Reasons to Include Tale’s End in Your Collection

Versatility: Tale’s End stands out due to its capability to counter legendary spells and activated or triggered abilities, which are common in a variety of MTG formats. Its broad application allows it to fit seamlessly into numerous deck archetypes.

Combo Potential: This card is a powerhouse for combo interruption, stopping opponents’ attempts to execute their game-winning combos. Additionally, it can be a vital piece in decks that aim to control the board and maintain the upper hand throughout the match.

Meta-Relevance: Given its proficiency against many popular commander and planeswalker strategies, Tale’s End is a relevant addition to any collection. With the prevailing meta often featuring legendary cards and abilities, Tale’s End serves as an essential countermeasure.


How to beat

Tale’s End is a powerful counter spell in MTG that can disrupt key plays by your opponent. This unique card specifically targets legendary spells and activated or triggered abilities of legends and planeswalkers, providing a shield against strategies hinging on such valuable cards. A solid approach to overcoming Tale’s End is timing your plays adeptly. It’s a counter that relies on the targets being legal, so playing non-legendary spells, or saving your crucial spells until you have enough mana to cast two in a turn, can overwhelm Tale’s End’s one-shot capability.

Another strategy involves baiting out Tale’s End early by presenting a lesser threat that your opponent may still consider countering. It’s also beneficial to have redundancy in your deck; having multiple copies or similar effects can help ensure that your plan isn’t thwarted by a single Tale’s End. Moreover, since Tale’s End is a card that sits in the hand waiting for the perfect moment to be played, cards with discard effects can forcefully remove it from the opponent’s hand before they get the chance to use it.

Negotiating with the presence of a card like Tale’s End requires careful planning and a proactive approach to gameplay, challenging players to think creatively and strategically about the sequence and choice of spells they cast in MTG.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the art of countering key spells and abilities in MTG can often spell the difference between victory and defeat. With its distinct capability to nullify legendary spells and crucial abilities, Tale’s End is a cornerstone for players contending in meta-dominated by mighty commanders and planeswalkers. Whether you’re thwarting an opponent’s combo or preserving your tempo, understanding when and how to effectively employ Tale’s End is paramount. Elevate your gameplay and outmaneuver adversaries by incorporating strategic counters like Tale’s End into your deck. Dive deeper with us and discover how to optimize your arsenal for your next successful match.


Cards like Tale's End

Within the realm of counter spells in Magic: The Gathering, Tale’s End stands as a specialized option. Its uniqueness lies in its capacity to counter legendary spells and activated abilities or triggered abilities of a legendary permanent. In contrast, offerings like Stifle come to mind as they also aim at neutralizing abilities, albeit at a broader scope without the legendary restriction. Stifle caters to any activated or triggered ability, providing players with a more universal application compared to the specificity of Tale’s End.

Examining Disallow, another versatile counter spell, we note the broader defensive reach. Disallow can target any spell, in addition to triggered and activated abilities, similar to Stifle. What sets Tale’s End apart is its more affordable mana cost, crucial for the strategic timing in gameplay. Another analogous card is Trickbind. While Trickbind shares the trait of countering abilities and comes with a bonus of preventing other copies of the triggered ability from being activated that turn, it’s more narrowly focused and doesn’t address legendary spells, unlike Tale’s End.

Considering the nuanced differences and strategic depth these cards bring, Tale’s End garners attention for its sharp precision in thwarting legendary-relevant maneuvers, carving out its niche in player’s decks that are prepared for high-stake legendary showdowns.

Stifle - MTG Card versions
Disallow - MTG Card versions
Trickbind - MTG Card versions
Stifle - Scourge (SCG)
Disallow - Aether Revolt Promos (PAER)
Trickbind - Time Spiral (TSP)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tale's End MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2020, 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 Tale's End and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tale's End has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Tale's End card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2019-07-12 Abilities that create replacement effects, such as a permanent entering the battlefield tapped or with counters on it, can’t be targeted. Abilities that apply “as
-his creature] enters the battlefield” are also replacement effects and can’t be targeted.
2019-07-12 Activated abilities are written in the form “
-ost:
-ffect].” Some keyword abilities (such as equip) are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder texts, if applicable.
2019-07-12 If you counter a delayed triggered ability that triggered at the beginning of the “next” occurrence of a specified step or phase, that ability won’t trigger again the following time that step or phase occurs.
2019-07-12 Tale’s End can’t target an activated or triggered mana ability. An activated mana ability is one that adds mana to a player’s mana pool as it resolves, doesn’t have a target, and isn’t a loyalty ability. A triggered mana ability is one that adds mana to a player’s mana pool and triggers on an activated mana ability.
2019-07-12 Triggered abilities use the word “when,” “whenever,” or “at.” They’re often written as “
-rigger condition],
-ffect].” Some keyword abilities are triggered abilities and will have “when,” “whenever,” or “at” in their reminder text.

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