Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate | |||||
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Set Information | |||||
Set symbol | |||||
Symbol description | Shield with a centered hexagon | ||||
Design |
Glenn Jones (lead) Corey Bowen Gavin Verhey Chris Mooney Michael Grothe Chris VanMeter Jules Robins David Iezzi Ethan Fleischer Mike Mearls | ||||
Development |
Corey Bowen (lead) Gavin Verhey Jules Robins David Iezzi Ethan Fleischer Mike Mearls Jadine Klomparens Megan Smith Michael Hinderaker Bryan Hawley | ||||
Release date | June 10, 2022 | ||||
Plane | Forgotten Realms | ||||
Themes and mechanics | Legendary, Background, Dice rolling, Flavor words, Gates | ||||
Keywords/ability words | Adventure, Choose a Background, Goad, Initiative, Myriad, Party, Venture into Undercity | ||||
Set size | 361 + 575 | ||||
Expansion code | CLB[1] | ||||
Development codename | Pentagon[2] | ||||
Commander series | |||||
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Magic: The Gathering Chronology | |||||
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This article documents an upcoming release. |
Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate is the second Magic: The Gathering Commander set that is designed to be drafted. It will be released on June 10, 2022.[3] It is also a Dungeons & Dragons crossover set.[4][5]
Contents
Set details[]

CLB expansion symbol

Battle for Baldur's Gate is larger than a normal set, with both oft-asked-for Commander reprints and new cards. There are TBA new cards, including 85 legendary creatures and planeswalkers. The set is designed to play Limited Commander: you can play Draft or Sealed with it. It will also be available and draftable on Magic Online. Building on the Commander-first gameplay of 2020's Commander Legends, Battle for Baldur's Gate brings in iconic characters, new mechanics, more flavorful spells from D&D, and Commander Legends-style foil-etched legendary creatures.[6]
For Booster Fun, the Showcase "rulebook" frames of Adventures in the Forgotten Realms are expanded upon to include non-creatures.[7] There are also borderless cards and foil-etched legends.[7][8]
Similar to the original Commander Legends, Battle for Baldur's Gate contains 361 regular cards (141 commons, 120 uncommons, 77 rares, 22 mythic rares, 1 special) and includes randomly inserted premium versions of all cards. Alternate card frames have another card number than the original version. Borderless planeswalkers are numbered #362-TBA. Other borderless cards are #TBA-TBA. "Rulebook frames" are #TBA-TBA. The extended artwork cards are numbered #TBA-TBA. The Bundle promo is #935 and the Buy-a-Box card is #936. The dark frame treatment cards from the Universal promo pack are numbered #TBA-TBA.
Eight weeks before the release of the set, someone opened multiple Collector Boosters on TikTok. Multiple cards and mechanics were revealed. [9]
Drafting rules[]
Commander draft uses three draft boosters per player. For every pick, players take two cards at a time.[10] This is to ensure coherency of decks, as players will need to conform to the color identities of their eventual commanders, and for speed.
After the draft, players build a 60-card deck — much like how a traditional deck of Magic is 60 cards and a traditional draft is 40, here it's 60 to Commander's 100. All other Commander rules apply with one exception: the Singleton rule does not apply. You may play as many copies of a card as you draft of it, though given the set size compared to how many cards players get, it's not very likely to get more than 1 copy of a card. Players may always use one or more Faceless Ones as a commander, even if they didn't draft one.[11]
Storyline[]
This article or section discusses story elements that are not canonical. |
The set takes place in the Forgotten Realms, and focuses on the city of Baldur's Gate.[6]
Marketing[]
Battle for Baldur's Gate is sold in 20-card Draft booster packs. Each booster pack contains 1–4 cards of rarity Rare or higher and 1 guaranteed Traditional Foil card. A 21st card is a Marketing card. The set is also sold in 15-card Set Boosters, Collector Boosters, a Draft Pack, the Baldur's Gate Bundle and four Commander decks.[12] The Draft Boosters feature art from TBA ; the Set Boosters depict Boo and the Collector Boosters feature art from TBA.
Events[]
- Debut Day: May 17, 2022
- Previews: May 17-23
- Commander Deck Previews: May 24 & 25, 2022
- Prerelease: June 3–5, 2022
- Global Release: June 10, 2022
Promotional cards[]
- Buy-a-Box promo: Alternate art foil Elder Brain
- Bundle promo: Alternate art foil Wand of Wonder
Tokens and markers[]
Battle for Baldur's Gate comes with 20 tokens and markers. Tokens and markers appear in the marketing card slot.
2/2 Knight creature, for The Council of Four.
1/1 Rabbit creature, for Cadira, Caller of the Small.
1/1 Soldier creature, for Abdel Adrian, Gorion's Ward, Isgard's Call, and Veteran Soldier.
1/1 Faerie Dragon creature with flying, for Elminster, Feywild Caretaker, and Feywild Visitor.
3/3 Demon creature, for Tasha, the Witch Queen.
4/1 Skeleton creature with menace, for Gut, True Soul Zealot and Undercity.
Boo, a 1/1 legendary Hamster creature with trample and haste, for Minsc & Boo, Timeless Heroes.
1/1 Devil creature with "When this creature dies, it deals 1 damage to any target.", for Raphael, Fiendish Savior.
4/4 Dragon creature with flying, for Dragon Cultist.
1/1 Squirrel creature, for Cloakwood Hermit.
1/1 Construct artifact creature," for Jan Jansen, Chaos Crafter.
Treasure artifact, for Battle Angels of Tyr, Blood Money, Descent into Avernus, Dungeoneer’s Pack, Guild Artisan, Gluntch, the Bestower, Jan Jansen, Chaos Crafter, Mahadi, Emporium Master, Noble’s Purse, Safana, Calimport Cutthroat, and Undercity.
Volo’s Journal, a legendary artifact with hexproof and “Whenever you cast a creature spell, note one of its creature types that hasn’t been noted for this artifact.”, for Volo, Itinerant Scholar.
- Copy for Elminster’s Simulacrum, Irenicus’s Vile Duplication and Myrkul, Lord of Bones.
- Undercity dungeon / The Initiative marker.
Themes and mechanics[]

Undercity dungeon
Battle for Baldur's Gate features new legendary creatures themed as D&D characters and several multiplayer keywords.[7][13]
Adventure, D20 dice rolling, Goad, and Myriad are returning mechanics. Flavor words also made a comeback.[5]
Each prerelease pack comes with an Undercity Dungeon Card. This is a unique card that shares the same mechanic as Dungeon Cards from Adventures in the Forgotten Realms. The card is not included in a player's deck size or sideboard and is activated by the Initiative mechanic to Venture into Undercity.[14] However, the Forgotten Realms Dungeons are not making a return. The Bundle provides an oversized version.
Monocolored Legendary creatures in the set have the ability to Choose a Background. By choosing a Background, you can customize your Commander.
Limited archetypes[]
Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate features the following limited archetypes:
: Flicker (Oji, the Exquisite Blade)
: Initiative (Rilsa Rael, Kingpin)
: Sacrifice (Mahadi, Emporium Master)
: Dragon Power (Thrakkus the Butcher)
: Tokens (Cadira, Caller of the Small)
: Leaves the battlefield effect (Minthara, Ruthless Soul)
: Adventures with Dragons (Lozhan, Dragons’ Legacy)
: Graveyard Recursion (Kagha, Shadow Archdruid)
: Attack effects (Commander Liara Portyr)
: Dragon value (Korlessa, Scale Singer)
Card types[]
The set features the new Background Enchantment type, that is only featured on Legendary Enchantments.[13]
The set also introduces the Elminster, Minsc and Tasha planeswalker type and the Gith creature type.
Cycles[]
Commander Legends has at least two cycles.
Double cycles[]
Pairs[]
Lore pair | Description | |
---|---|---|
Descend into Avernus ( |
Ascend from Avernus ( |
Two cards representing the fall and later rise of Elturel from Avernus. |
Reprints[]
- Ambition's Cost, first printed in Portal Three Kingdoms, last seen in Commander 2021.
- Arcane Encyclopedia, first printed in Core Set 2019, last seen in Jumpstart.
- Arcane Signet, first printed in Throne of Eldraine, last seen in Neon Dynasty Commander.
- Basilisk Collar, first printed in Worldwake, last seen in Forgotten Realms Commander.
- Bramble Sovereign, first printed in Battlebond.[15]
- Command Tower, first printed in Commander 2011, last seen in New Capenna Commander.
- The Diamonds cycle, first printed in Mirage, last seen in Commander Legends.
- The Allied color Bond lands, first printed in Battlebond, last seen in Zendikar Rising/Expeditions.
- Geode Golem, first printed in Commander 2018.
- Reflecting Pool, first printed in Tempest, last seen in Conspiracy.
- Thieves' Tools, first printed in Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms.
- Traverse the Outlands, first printed in Commander 2017, last seen in The List.
- Treasure Keeper, first printed in Aether Revolt, last seen in Double Masters.
- Swiftfoot Boots, first printed in Magic 2012, last seen as Streets of New Capenna launch party promo.
- Wayfarer’s Bauble, first printed in Fifth Dawn, last seen in Forgotten Realms Commander.
Notable cards[]
- Faceless One is a Background creature, and printed at common. As such, it is the second common legendary creature printed, the second legal in Pauper, and fills the role that The Prismatic Piper did in the original Commander Legends. It lacks a creature type.
- Zevlor, Elturel Exile received errata before it was released, "When you next cast an instant or sorcery spell that targets only a single opponent [...]"
Preconstructed decks[]
Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate features four preconstructed Commander decks that are released as a regular part of a set's product line.[4] These are meant to be on-ramps to Commander.
Theme deck name |
Color Identity | Commander | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party Time | W | B | Nalia de'Arnise | |||
Mind Flayarrrs | U | B | Captain N'ghathrod | |||
Draconic Dissent | U | R | Firkraag, Cunning Instigator | |||
Exit from Exile | R | G | Faldorn, Dread Wolf Herald |
References[]
- ↑ Information below the text box
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (March 26, 2022). "Hi Mark, what was the code name for Baldur's Gate?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (February 24, 2022). "Streets of New Capenna and Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate Release Dates". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Adam Styborski (March 24, 2022). "A First Look at Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Mark Rosewater (May 17, 2022). "First Out of Baldur's Gate". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Adam Styborski (August 24, 2021). "What Happened In Magic Showcase 2021?". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b c Magic Showcase 2021 (live) (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (August 24, 2021).
- ↑ Max McCall (May 17, 2022). "Collecting Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Commander Legends Baldur's Gate Leak Gallery. Reddit (April 15, 2022).
- ↑ WPN (April 25, 2022). "How to Draft Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate". Wizards Play Network.
- ↑ Adam Styborski and Billie Kaplan (May 17, 2022). "Welcome to Your Magic Adventure with Dungeons & Dragons". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Harless Snyder (May 17, 2022). "Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate Product Overview". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Jess Dunks (May 18, 2022). "Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate Mechanics". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ WPN (March 24, 2022). "Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate Retail Guide". Wizards Play Network.
- ↑ Magic: The Gathering (May 17, 2022). "Bramble Sovereign translated to the D&D concept very neatly and contributes to the politics at a Commander table.". Twitter.