Magic: The Gathering‘s second Dungeons & Dragons crossover set Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate introduces three new Planeswalker cards to the game.
In both Limited and Constructed, Planeswalkers are powerful permanents that are self-contained value engines. Many Planeswalkers can offer card draw, card selection, token generation, or a game-winning damage ability.
Recent Planeswalker design in Magic has focused more on supporting specific archetypes over generic good cards that fit in any strategy. That trend continues in Battle for Baldur’s Gate. All three Planeswalkers in this set are key characters in Baldur’s Gate lore and offer a range of useful abilities.
Whether you’re picking these up in Draft or for your 100-card Commander deck, each Planeswalker offers solid abilities for the mana cost.
Here are all of the Planeswalkers in Battle for Baldur’s Gate.
Elminster
Elminster supports a control or tempo deck that runs a lot of scry effects. The static ability reduces the cost of a spell based on the number of cards you looked at while scrying. Elminster’s +2 ability directly fuels the static ability by drawing a card and scrying two. After manipulating the top card of your library, the -3 can generate 1/1 tokens.
Minsc & Boo, Timeless Heroes
After appearing in Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, Minsc & Boo returns as a Planeswalker. This card fits perfectly in an aggressive R/G deck that runs a mass of Creatures with trample and haste. It enters the battlefield with Boo, a 1/1 with trample and haste. No matter what, you’ll have a good target for the +1 ability.
The -2 is a good way to deal with a problematic Creature, or deal that last bit of damage for the win. The card draw is a nice addition to an aggro deck.
Tasha, the Witch Queen
Theft decks are powerful in Commander. Anyone that’s sat across from Sen Triplets will know how frustrating it is to have someone steal their best spells. Tasha is another card that supports theft decks. The static ability creates tokens when you cast a spell you don’t own.
The +1 enables this by exiling an Instant or Sorcery spell from opposing graveyards with a page counter. The -3 then allows you to cast a spell that was exiled without paying its mana cost. It can’t be repeated enough that casting free spells is one of the best things you can do in Magic.
Even if Tasha gets removed immediately, at least she will replace herself by drawing you a card with the +1.
All images via WotC
