It's Fine That MTG's Battle For Baldur's Gate Is Weaker Than Commander Legends
Magic: The Gathering's first Commander Legends set was a major shake-up of the Commander format when it launched in 2020. Alongside reprints of staples like Sol Ring, Swords to Plowshares, and Mana Drain, we also had new, format-defining tools that pushed Commander into new design spaces, like Opposition Agent and the now-banned Hullbreacher. Its mix of high power and a novel drafting format made it a huge success, and is among my personal favourites of all time.
The follow-up to Commander Legends, Battle For Baldur's Gate, isn't quite that. Gone are the bomb spells and format-benders – we've not even had controversy as big as the stir Jeweled Lotus caused yet. Baldur's Gate is much more restrained, aiming to inject a lot of new cards into the lower end of the power spectrum and banking on its Dungeons & Dragons theme to shift packs.
RELATED: Everything We Learned In Magic: The Gathering's Commander Legends: Battle For Baldur's Gate Debut
While players criticise Baldur's Gate for its lack of new staples and prize cards to crack boosters, they're completely missing the point. Not only is it fine that Battle for Baldur's Gate is weaker than the original Commander Legends set, but it's also probably even better for it.
To argue that Baldur’s Gate isn’t bringing high-powered cards into Commander is just bunk. We've seen a new flicker deck toy with Lulu, Loyal Hollyphant; and Owlbear Cub is arguably a better Collected Company you can trigger every turn. It isn't that Baldur's Gate isn't introducing power to the format; it's that it isn't repeating the problems Commander Legends had by trying to push too far into cEDH (competitive Commander) territory.
The power level of Commander has been inching its way upwards in the year
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