Our next adventure in the D&D universe is about to begin with Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate releasing June 10th. While being a focused draft set, there are some good reprints (Bond lands, Kindred Discovery, Bramble Sovereign, Nature’s Lore, and Blade of Selves), and a plethora of new designs. There’s an exciting cycle of Ancient Dragons that lets you roll a d20 and reap a reward equal to the result, along with a variety of new cards that will meet many players' needs. Like other Top 10 lists we’ve had in the past, this list will exclude Legendary creatures unless they are worth slotting in the 99. Let’s delve into these Dungeons and see what Dragons (and non-Dragons) await us.

1.Archivist of Oghma

Archivist of Oghma may be a teeny Halfling, but they sure pack a punch. This little two drop offers a much needed repeatable card draw engine in White. At the floor you’ll net one card Flashing it in, but the ceiling for this card is quite high - especially when your opponents are ramping and grabbing their best cards. I’d strongly recommend picking up at least one when you can, as it will likely be sought after for a long time. 

2.Your Temple Is Under Attack

An upgraded Secret Rendevous? Yes please! The keen among you will call out that these aren’t exactly the same, with Your Temple Is Under Attack only drawing two for both players instead of three. I’d argue that these are similar enough, but the added modality and Instant speed more than make up for the one card difference. This card will net you card advantage, and may even translate to a win if played at the right time. 

3.Displacer Kitten

This furry, tentacle laden kitty cat makes for some great tech in Blink decks. Displacer Beast makes every noncreature spell you cast act as a Cloudshift, letting you re-trigger enter the battlefield (ETB) effects. While it meets a narrow need, ETBs are a common form of generating value with Creatures, so it’s likely worth running in a variety of decks. 

4.Wizards of Thay

Another four mana value Creature, the Wizards of Thay offer some added value to spellslinger decks. This set of Wizards offers some interesting decisions. Do you attack and reduce the cost of your spells by three, and risk losing the ability to cast Sorceries at Instant Speed? Do you keep the Wizards of Thay around as a pseudo Vedalken Orrery? Do you equip them with a Helm of the Host and get the best of both worlds? Whichever route you pick, this card will do work in decks that want to cast a bunch of spells. 

5.Altar of Bhaal

While it’s no Recurring Nightmare, Altar of Bhaal offers us a neat way to get some repeated recursion into our decks in a similar vein (note, Recurring Nightmare is banned in Commander). You do need to exile a creature for the Altar, but it fits wonderfully into token decks that have supporting Creatures. It can also do some work in power-matters decks or those that have high mana value Creatures. If you have the mana, you can even start with the Adventure, creating a token to be exiled. 

6.Descent Into Avernus

Now this is a Treasure producing card I can get behind. Descent Into Avernus does two things I like: advances the game and helps everyone play the game. How long this Enchantment sticks around will depend on the playgroup, but paying one life for a Treasure is a pretty good rate, especially if it can get you (and your opponents) two plus turns ahead. Yes, giving two mana to your opponents is a lot, but this is a great place to work your politicking skill and get your opponents to leverage that mana against your mutual enemies. 

7.Wild Magic Surge

Conditionless removal is a wonderful thing to see, and in Red makes it even better! Wild Magic Surge is akin to Chaos Warp, but with the slight downside of not whiffing. Your opponent will get a replacement for whatever you destroy, but it will cost you one less mana. Timed well, you can interrupt a combo or save yourself from combat damage. Despite its limitations, Wild Magic Surge is still a welcome addition to the removal suite for Red.

8.Jaheira’s Respite

Five mana for a fog is quite a steep price, but searching more than three lands at the same rate is a steal. Jaheira’s Respite is a tempo machine, offering you a turn of survival while also helping set up an explosive following turn. This card will perform better in decks with more basics, so it’s not a slam dunk in all situations. I’ll be picking up a few of these, and you should too. 

9.Fraying Line

Feeling similar to Coercive Portal, Fraying Line offers every player a choice to save one of their creatures or wrath the board. In some situations, the choice will be obvious and you can set up a delayed Duneblast. In others, there will be tough decisions between protecting a game plan and removing threats. I’m curious to see how this one plays out, but expect it to add some interesting decision points as well as politics to games.  

10.Navigation Orb

Armillary Sphere may have fallen from favour in recent years to mana rocks and more efficiently costed ramp, but it is still an excellent option in Colours with limited ramp access. Navigation Orb costs one more to cast, but has the added benefit of putting one of the lands into play as well as letting you search for gates. A solid option for non-Green decks that want to benefit from land ramp.

There we have it, ten must-have cards you should pick up from Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate. Along with these functional cards, there are a bunch of splashy effects worth looking into and more than one hundred new Commander possibilities (Choose a Background Legendary Creatures are similar to Partner, but more limited). This set truly has something for everyone, so I’d recommend scouring the pre-order page to find some new additions for your decks. 

Were there any cards you’re excited about that I missed? Let me know in the Chimera Discord, or you can reach me directly on Twitter. Happy shuffling, and hope to jam a game or two with you in the future!