We're back with more Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate Pauper action! On Wednesday I covered the White, Blue, and Black cards and now I'm here to talk about the rest. There's a ton of cool cards to discuss in the set - so much that it simply couldn't be contained to a single article. There's a tremendous number of cards to discuss, so without further ado, let's go ahead and dive right on in!

Bhaal's Invoker

It's time for another Invoker and, hey, wait a minute... this one looks a little familiar! Dealing damage to your opponent's face with an Invoker card is hardly anything new, as it's been the go-to method of victory for Wonderwalls (Valakut Invoker and Bloodrite Invoker) and Goblin Combo (Flamewave Invoker) for some time now. This one has some more aggressive stats so if you want to get in for some damage as well, I guess this is an acceptable option. Valakut Invoker hitting creatures as well as players and Flamewave Invoker being specifically a goblin make them both more relevant in those specific decks, however, so I doubt this card will end up seeing play.

Breath Weapon

This is basically a different version of Fiery Cannonade that hits pirates - a type that sees some play - now and misses dragons - a type that's barely played. If a deck happens to be playing pirates in red (usually monarch cards) then they'll probably stick with Fiery Cannonade. If they aren't, then Breath Weapon likely becomes the new Standard. For the majority of the format, though, they're fairly interchangeable with only extremely minor differences, so it's largely a toss-up on what you choose unless you want the slightest edges in your meta.

Coronation of Chaos

Is it weird that I kind of like this one? Making opponents' creatures basically not be able to block and then forcing them into a bad attack seems like an interesting effect and one we haven't really seen before. It's a bit costly at three mana and I do think there's likely to be better things you can do for a strategy, so I doubt it ultimately makes the cut and sees play. Despite that, I do like what's going on here.

Earth Tremor

Well, I definitely misread this card as "player or planeswalker" which may have confused people reading this review the first time around. As it says "creature or planeswalker" the card just isn't good. We already have comparable options like Stonefury and Rumbling Rockslide and neither see play. There's a myriad of better removal options so just stick with those.

Fang Dragon

Hey look, an Electrickery stapled to a creature. That's neat! Oh, wait, but it's a sorcery on the adventure side. That's extremely not good, as one of the things that makes spells like Electrickery and Fiery Cannonade so good is the fact that they can be cast at instant speed and used as a reactive spell. It's not very often that you'll see people breaking out Blazing Volley, for example. What's more, the creature side of this card is very expensive and yet fails the Bolt test. I really wouldn't expect this one to see play as a result of both sides being little more than a resounding "meh."

Genasi Enforcers

Speaking of "meh," we've got this card. You'll notice I haven't really mentioned any of the myriad cards with this review and that's because they're by and large virtually useless unless you're in a multiplayer game. Genasi Enforcers is probably the lone exception to the rule, however. The myriad effect won't do anything, but being able to get some cheap creatures that block well and turn into very aggressive creatures with two mana is pretty solid. If you get multiples, one effect activation will affect every one of them, meaning you can get big swings for a fairly reasonable investment. That said, it still takes a lot to assemble multiples like that and aggressive decks aren't looking for good blockers. I think this one will get left in the dust, but it's definitely a unique option and addition to the format.

Ingenious Artillerist

Hey, it's another Reckless Fireweaver! This one's more expensive and more fragile, though has much more power making it a bit more aggressive. The real benefit to this is the fact that it's 5-8 of Fireweaver which means there's far more redundancy now to deal heavy damage for simply playing artifacts. Reckless Fireweaver's been seeing a bit more play lately thanks to the resurgence of Affinity and while I don't think this will supplant it due to the difference in mana costs, I think we'll see a few adding a copy or two of this into the mix as well. I could also see some newer, more dedicated lists to these two cards coming up so it'll be interesting to see where this card lands, but it looks like a playable one.

Insufferable Balladeer

A Goblin Piker without a good effect is always going to be boring. I know I mentioned above how Coronation of Chaos can be decent utilizing this kind of effect, but that's because of how it affects multiple creatures. Only impacting one isn't going to do a whole ton so what you get is a dull attacker, a bad blocker, and a middling effect. I'd pass on this one.

Javelin of Lightning

Now this is my kind of card! This is a really sweet way to throw down a permanent buff that sticks around after your creature dies and can be equipped again for a hefty - if somewhat reasonable - cost. The fact that the buff only happens on your turn keeps it from being truly great, but let's be real: if you're playing this you're probably trying to be aggressive anyways. It's a neat card that I wouldn't be surprised to see sometimes in low numbers, but probably not too often compared to other cards in the format.

Patron of the Arts

A slightly affordable creature that gives you treasure if it enters or dies isn't too bad. You get a pretty aggressive creature and a treasure at thre mana on the front. Then, you can make this trade with opponents' creatures or eat their removal for an additional treasure, or get through for a bunch of damage if they don't have blockers or don't want you to get the treasure. You can also sacrifice it to Deadly Dispute and the like once its usefulness has dried up. There's a ton of upside that I love to this, but the three mana is an unmistakable barrier to entry for a format like Pauper. It'll be interesting to see if this one ends up finding a home somewhere, but it definitely has a shot.

Reckless Barbarian

Rituals on creatures is something we don't see often. The last effect I can think of off-hand for Pauper would be Catalyst Elemental - which was unplayable due to its three mana cost - and Generator Servant - which required you to tap it to use it. This card feels like it's got a lot more flexibility to it, making for a solid attacker that can turn into mana at the drop of a hat to close out a game. It feels like the kind of card a Burn-style deck would want. Get in for some damage and then use the excess mana to be able to cast the card(s) that will deal the finishing blow. And, obviously, you can use it to hold up mana over multiple turns for Storm style decks whenever they show up. I'm definitely interested to see where this one lands.

Shiny Impetus

This is probably my favorite of the Impetus cycle when it comes to Pauper. Giving your creature a pump that also gives you a treasure token whenever you attack is really sweet - especially if you put it onto an evasive target. If for whatever reason you feel obligated to put it on an opponent's creature, you will also get a treasure when their creature attacks thanks to the way Shiny Impetus reads. While I still think the uses for the Impetus cards - including this - are going to be far more niche than I'd like them to be, this downshift is pretty clearly the best of the bunch.

Warehouse Thief

There's some good card advantage and sacrifice synergy going on here that I really like. There are two glaring problems with this card, however: the mana cost and the toughness. Being four mana is going to make this very difficult for most decks to cast. What's more, it does nothing when it hits the board and as such, having only 2 toughness makes it unlikely that it'll end up sticking around. What you end up with as a result is a nifty effect that's ultimately not going to make it in Pauper.

Young Red Dragon

The adventure side making a token and then you still getting a creature out of the bargain later on is pretty solid. The creature itself, however, is incredibly mediocre and the stats don't make me too confident with regards to its playability. Still, this feels like the kind of card where two somewhat mediocre cards stapled like this can be better than the individual parts themselves, so I'm inclined to give this one the benefit of the doubt. I don't think it'll be a very played card myself, but also wouldn't be surprised to see it at the same time because of the versatility it offers in one small package.

You've Been Caught Stealing

On my first read through of this card, I thought it was much better than it was. Then I looked at it a little more closely. The second effect is largely bad and unnecessary as you can only ever get one treasure out of it and it has to be played on your second main phase exclusively. What's more, making each creature block is neat, but can turn into some exceptionally bad blocks that you don't want if you're not careful. For my money, I can't really see a world where this is worth playing and it's a big pass from me personally.

Ambitious Dragonborn

The fact that this counts creatures in your graveyard as well as on the battlefield is really interesting. Unfortunately, it still costs four mana and I doubt it's unlikely to make an impact on the format as a result. That's just too much mana for the decks that much want something like this and more often than not, I can't imagine you'll be getting a creature out of the deal that's big enough to warrant paying that much mana.

Carefree Swinemaster

This is a card I really want to be good and is so close but probably won't make the cut. I love it because it's decently cost, has a solid statline that passes the Bolt test and blocks effectively, and makes fresh attackers turn after turn. The problem is that this is a creature that is almost never going to get in for damage. What's more, it's very easy to double block this or remove with other effects in a way that you get virtually nothing out of this. Even if you make a boar token, there's no guarantee that it'll stick around or even make a favorable trade. If you can give this some evasion, then it becomes a stellar card, but as is it feels like too much work to make decent.

Circle of the Land Druid

Much like Gray Slaad, this feels very much like a great card for Tortured Existence decks. Not only does it fill up your graveyard to get your TortEx plays going, but it also gets you back lands when it dies. Not a bad deal all around and I definitely expect it to show up in those kind of decks. Probably not anywhere else, though, sadly barring other big self-mill payoffs.

Cloakwood Swarmkeeper

Now here's a card I really love. Before you ask, no, I'm not thinking about this card for Elves. Yeah, the card can make a ridiculous amount of tokens with Lys Alana Huntmaster, but that being a four mana card means that most of the game, this card will just be a 1/1 doing nothing. I'd rather have Elvish Vanguard, and even that doesn't see play as the full four-of a lot of the time. Where I think this will shine is in its own token focused decks. There's a lot of decks that make tokens and it could easily slot in with them or even allow entirely new decks to pop up. It doesn't take much for this card to get out of hand and I definitely think it has a shot at being one of the best cards in the set as a result.

Colossal Badger

Again, we have some self-mill nonsense, though unlike Gray Slaad and Circle of the Land Druid, the creature side here isn't that great and is also very expensive to cast. There's a lot of other great self-mill options both in this set and that already exist in Pauper (hell we have dredge in this format for crying out loud) so I highly doubt this will make the cut anywhere.

Dread Linnorm

The adventure side of this is very good when cast and the creature side is also a powerhouse if it hits the battlefield. The problem, however, is that both sides are quite expensive to cast. As a result, while both are great, they're not great enough to make the cut in a format like Pauper. Ramp decks may like it as a finisher where it's more unblockable than creatures like Greater Sandwurm, but at least you can cycle away the Sandwurm.

Druidic Ritual

Half the time this is a Cultivate or better on a stick at four mana, half the time it's a more expensive Borderland Ranger that grabs you an extra land in the process. Using the logic from Recruitment Drive last week, we have to look at how this is when you hit it at your worst compared to your best. While Recruitment Drive is solid even getting two 1/1s, this is a lot worse getting both lands into your hand instead of one onto the battlefield. I'd rather just stick to the many better existing ramp effects that already exist in the format.

Ettercap

This is a neat card in that it kills fliers and then becomes a big defensive creature that survives Lightning Bolt, Galvanic Blast, and so on. The problem is, once again, the mana costs make it a hard card to justify playing. If Web Shot were two mana instead of three, this would be substantially more playable, but as is it's generally going to be a pass I think. The only exception would maybe be in some ramp decks, but I simply don't think I'd want to waste three mana blowing up what's usually going to be a single 1/1 or 2/2.

Lurking Green Dragon

This card got some players talking as a neat foil to flying decks. As a cheap 4/4 flier, it seems pretty solid. There're two problems with this, though. One is that it's four mana, and most aggressive Green decks don't go that high on their mana values. Second is the fact that your opponent needs to have a flier to attack. As this has no trample, what that means is frequently your opponent will chump block this card forever and it'll almost never connect for any meaningful damage. As such, it might as well have defender most of the time. I just can't see many worlds where this card is going to be good enough to take for format by storm.

Myconid Spore Tender

Hey now, this is basically a downshifted Reclamation Sage! It's an expensive one and it's not an elf (so it lacks tribal synergy) but it's still an incredibly welcome effect. Masked Vandal already sees some play and while that does benefit from some tribal synergy and being cheap, it's also possible that the card does nothing if you don't have any creatures in your graveyard. Myconid Spore Tender doesn't have that requirement, so it's going to hit more often and can make for a decent alternative in decks that go deeper on their mana.

Poison the Blade

Bladebrand has shown up once in awhile, and this is just a colorshifted version of that. I highly doubt that it's anywhere near good enough - especially for Green decks - but basically being cantripping removal means someone will likely try it somewhere.

Predatory Impetus

Getting a big creature and forcing blocks isn't that bad, but that's one hefty mana cost. If this were a little cheaper and gave a smaller buff, I'd probably be a lot more on board, but as is it's a very easy pass.

Scaled Nurturer

This might as well be a Vine Trellis with only 2 toughness and no defender - which makes it worse because you can't even play it in Walls. The life gain from casting dragons may be decent in other formats, but Pauper has so few of them and most of them are so bad that I simply doubt that players will be gaining any life from this card ever. If we get more dragons in the future, this card's stock may go up, but for the time being I'm not holding my breath.

Silvanus's Invoker

Making lands into gigantic trampling beaters is a great way to close out the games. It's even better in a format that has indestructible lands that can be used in this way. The only problems with this are that the lands only temporarily become creatures and that the ability costs the usual Invoker eight mana to activate. For big mana ramp decks that can swing it, however, this is a game ending card. I'd expect it to show up in those kinds of lists once in a while at low numbers.

Undercellar Myconid

A three-cost mana dork isn't that great, but the fact that it makes a token when it enters the battlefield as well as when it does makes it at least somewhat decent. The big problem is that I don't want a three-cost mana dork, or if I do I want it to be tapping for far more mana than just one. The token making is neat, but not neat enough to save this and make it a good card.

You Meet in a Tavern

Oh boy, now here's an unexpectedly spicy downshift! This was a card that I was lamenting was uncommon when Adventures in the Forgotten Realms came out last year, but hey, better late than never I suppose. This card is great for creature decks and more specifically Elves. There's definitely been a non-zero amount of times where I would've loved to have the overrun effect to close out a game rather than Lead the Stampede's effect. This card gives you the choice between one another.

Now, I wouldn't say this card is a perfect solution either. Being four mana instead of three mana is actually a big deal. One of the things that makes Lead the Stampede so good is that it allows you to recover from a board wipe fairly easily. Even at three mana that can be difficult to pull off sometimes as your mana dorks usually get wiped out with everything else. Playing this at four mana makes that even rougher. As such, I do think You Meet in a Tavern is very good and will definitely see play, but I kind of think it'll end up being a split between it and Lead the Stampede and we'll need to see where that split ends up as the dust settles.

Bronze Walrus

Alloy Myr already sees no play. Hell, non-creature mana rocks don't even really see play at three mana. Sticking scry on this doesn't make me think it's anymore playable, but it is at least a little more enticing. Not enticing enough to actually stick it in a deck over other ramping or fixing options, though, sadly.

Cloak of the Bat

This card looked neat to me until I realized we already have Fleetfeather Sandals - a functionally identical card - which sees zero play as is. Expect this to see exactly the same amount of play.

Clockwork Fox

Decent stats on an artifact creature that also draws you cards when it dies. All in all, it's a solid package, but it's soured a bit by the fact that your opponent gets to draw a card as well. I could see this showing up sometimes, but I think in general it's unlikely to make the cut.

Decanter of Endless Water

Thought Vessel already exists and sees no play anywhere. That card costs one less mana, so I'm inclined to think at first glance that this won't see any play either. However, this card makes colored mana, which is a lot more helpful for control oriented decks - specifically Tron - which like to load up their hands with as many cards as possible. It's a neat card that might see play but just as well may not. Time will tell if this one makes the cut where Thought Vessel didn't.

Dire Mimic

This is basically a flashable 5/5 for five mana, though you can also just cast it at an opponent's end step and turn it into a creature on your turn. This seems best as a control finisher that can also be used to fuel other spells in a pinch. Definitely think this one has some strong potential.

Lantern of Revealing

Bonder's Ornament this is not, but it can still generate card advantage and/or help set up your draws to be as effective as possible. As such, I think there's a pretty good shot at this showing up in decks like Tron and control variants that utilized Ornament in the past. It's not as good, but it still gives you enough value and mana fixing alike to warrant an inclusion.

Marching Duodrone

Repeatedly making treasure tokens is sweet, but it's less sweet when your opponent gets them too. You can benefit from this by getting your opponent to not block this for more treasure, but is it really worth it for that? Probably not, so I'm going to say this is a solid pass.

Marut

If you can get enough treasures to get this going, the rebate can be more than worth it. However, most of the time I doubt you'll get enough treasures to make it worth your while. With the constantly increasing emphasis on treasures, however, I'm not going to say never on this. Keep it in your back pocket if treasures ever get to a critical mass in the format, but also don't hold your breath at the same time.

Navigation Orb

This is basically Cultivate on an artifact. It does cost substantially more at five mana between casting and activation costs. However, those can be paid over multiple turns, and this can also find gates as well. My gut reaction is that this won't end up being played, but given the gate interaction and the fact that it still provides you an artifact - which is quite relevant these days - I'm not fully counting it out. That said, right now it likely won't see any play and I wouldn't expect it to necessarily show up anywhere at the moment either.

Nimblewright Schematic and Prized Statue

Speaking of artifacts being relevant, one thing that's really hot is artifacts that bring another artifact with them. That's what made Blood Fountain such a potent card for the likes of Affinity, and cards like these may make the same amount of play. I'd expect Prized Statue to show up more the way it makes treasures and is excellent sacrifice fodder as a result (Deadly Dispute turns into draw two and make two treasures). I wouldn't count Nimblewright Schematic out either, but I think it's most likely the lesser of the two for the most part. Either way, both are great if somewhat narrow cards.

Basilisk Gate

Now there's a gates payoff card! Sadly, Pauper doesn't really have many decks that will want this. There're very few decks that will want gates right now and it's hard to make a dedicated gates deck like other formats have with so few payoffs in this format. This one won't do it on its own - especially with its ability being at sorcery speed - but with enough gates it's not hard for this ability to crank out some massive damage. Right now, I don't expect this to go anywhere, but gates support continues trickling in year after year, so even though its time may not be now, that may change eventually.

Black Dragon Gate, Citadel Gate, Cliffgate, Manor Gate, Sea Gate

These are simply gate versions of the Thriving lands from Jumpstart. Basically, think of any deck that plays those and you'll probably be able to play these lands in those decks instead. There isn't too much incentive, but there are some cards new and old with gate synergies that can be made better with these. If you aren't playing those synergistic cards, however, they're simply interchangeable with your normal Thriving lands.

Heap Gate

Lands that produce tokens repeatedly - especially treasures - can be quite powerful. However, this has a big issue for Pauper: requiring gate synergy. Most decks don't necessarily want gates - even with some of the best ones ever just printed in this set. The other problem is that you need to tap three lands basically - effectively cutting you down three mana a turn to do this. There are decks where this isn't a problem, but they're usually the more controlling variety. Affinity isn't one of those, for example, so it's less likely this card becomes a force there. I do think this has potential, though, and wouldn't be shocked to see it in the future but in very small numbers when it does.

And that does it for all the new Pauper cards in Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate. The set looks like it's full of neat and interesting cards and very little that seems overly busted. While the whole set won't be coming to Magic Online per the MTGO Weekly Announcements on May 24, I still look forward to seeing which cards show up and what they do to the format in the coming weeks.

Double Masters 2022 is right around the corner, so it won't be long before I see you for another review to talk about all those sweet, sweet downshifts. In the meantime, though, which cards are you most excited to play with in Pauper once Battle for Baldur's Gate drops?

Paige Smith

Twitter: @TheMaverickGal

Twitch: twitch.tv/themaverickgirl

YouTube: TheMaverickGal