Magic: The Gathering’s first crossover set of Dungeons & Dragons-themed cards was a hit, becoming one of Wizards of the Coast’s best-selling summer releases of all time. Now the Hasbro subsidiary is going back to the well with Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate. The new set debuted Thursday on Twitch; here’s what we learned, plus a look at the first few preview cards.
While Battle For Baldur’s Gate is focused on the Commander format — the popular 100-card multiplayer mode also known as Elder Dragon Highlander (EDH) — it will also be draftable. Dice rolling, which made its debut with Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, will be returning with the new set. The popular retro line-art style from Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, reminiscent of D&D’s classic Monster Manual, will also be back. It will be applied to spells in this new set as well as creatures.
As a nod to diminishing COVID infection rates here in the United States, CommandFest — a series of in-person and online events — will be returning in 2022. Fans should expect more details in the coming months.
For fans of online play, know that Battle for Baldur’s Gate will also be part of Magic: The Gathering – Arena. Details were sparse, but Wizards tells Polygon that Arena will include some cards from Battle for Baldur’s Gate that work well for one-on-one play. Other cards will be rebalanced specifically for Arena. The digital version of the set will also include some unique cards.
Wizards will host a public debut for Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate online May 16. Preview cards will appear at multiple outlets from that date through May 20, with Commander deck previews running May 23-26. Pre-release weekend will be hosted in stores from June 3-6, with a physical release slated for June 10.
Source: Polygon
