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The Balrog, Durin's Bane
USD $0.46
USD foil $2.85
EUR €0.60
MTGO 0.02 tix

The Balrog, Durin's Bane

{5}{B}{R}

Legendary Creature — Avatar Demon

This spell costs {1} less to cast for each permanent sacrificed this turn.

Haste

The Balrog can't be blocked except by legendary creatures.

When The Balrog dies, destroy target artifact or creature an opponent controls.

7 / 5

Haste
Set
The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth (LTR #195)
Rarity
Rare
Mana value
7
Released
2023-06-23
Artist
Kekai Kotaki
EDHREC rank
#6,578
Colour identity
{B}{R}
Finishes
Nonfoil, Foil
Served from
Local database

Commander bracket

1 +
Fits any bracket
No Game Changer, land denial, extra turns or two-card combos.

Derived from card traits, not a ruling — bracket rules turn on how a deck intends to use a card. Bracket rules

EDHREC

Salt Score 0.43
How much players resent seeing this card. The scale tops out around 3.1.
Can be your commander
Removal

Combos 8

The Balrog, Durin's Bane+Phyrexian Altar+Pitiless Plunderer
{B}{R}
Infinite commander castsInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite creature sacrifice triggersInfinite death triggersInfinite storm count
407 decks Commander Spellbook ↗
The Balrog, Durin's Bane+Phyrexian Altar+Pawn of Ulamog
{B}{R}
Infinite commander castsInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite creature sacrifice triggersInfinite death triggersInfinite storm count
127 decks Commander Spellbook ↗
The Balrog, Durin's Bane+Phyrexian Altar+Sifter of Skulls
{B}{R}
Infinite commander castsInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite creature sacrifice triggersInfinite death triggersInfinite storm count
47 decks Commander Spellbook ↗
The Balrog, Durin's Bane+Phyrexian Altar+Anax, Hardened in the Forge
{B}{R}
Infinite colored manaInfinite commander castsInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite creature sacrifice triggersInfinite creature tokensInfinite death triggersInfinite storm count
44 decks Commander Spellbook ↗
The Balrog, Durin's Bane+Phyrexian Altar+Blight Mound
{B}{R}
Infinite commander castsInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite creature sacrifice triggersInfinite death triggersInfinite lifegainInfinite lifegain triggersInfinite storm count
26 decks Commander Spellbook ↗
The Balrog, Durin's Bane+Phyrexian Altar+Ogre Slumlord
{B}{R}
Infinite commander castsInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite creature sacrifice triggersInfinite death triggersInfinite storm count
21 decks Commander Spellbook ↗
The Balrog, Durin's Bane+Phyrexian Altar+Open the Graves
{B}{R}
Infinite commander castsInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite creature sacrifice triggersInfinite death triggersInfinite storm count
14 decks Commander Spellbook ↗
The Balrog, Durin's Bane+Phyrexian Altar+Warbeast of Gorgoroth
{B}{R}
Infinite commander castsInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite creature sacrifice triggersInfinite death triggersInfinite storm count
4 decks Commander Spellbook ↗

All 8 combos.

Commander recommendations

Top synergy 50

Played far more in this commander's decks than elsewhere.

  1. Impulsive Pilferer 64 %+56.9 %
  2. Mines of Moria 59 %+54.5 %
  3. Innocent Blood 54 %+52.8 %
  4. Visions of Ruin 52 %+51.2 %
  5. Accursed Marauder 55 %+49.4 %
  6. Mahadi, Emporium Master 60 %+47.5 %
  7. Deadly Dispute 74 %+46.1 %
  8. Plaguecrafter 49 %+44.9 %
  9. Pitiless Plunderer 57 %+43.9 %
  10. Juri, Master of the Revue 49 %+43.0 %
  11. Kalain, Reclusive Painter 46 %+42.3 %
  12. Xorn 48 %+39.0 %
  13. Greedy Freebooter 42 %+38.4 %
  14. Mayhem Devil 63 %+38.2 %
  15. The Balrog of Moria 39 %+37.1 %
  16. Mirkwood Bats 51 %+36.8 %
  17. Lobelia Sackville-Baggins 38 %+36.6 %
  18. The Reaver Cleaver 42 %+35.9 %
  19. There and Back Again 37 %+35.2 %
  20. Lash of the Balrog 36 %+35.1 %
  21. Blasphemous Edict 43 %+35.1 %
  22. Big Score 56 %+34.2 %
  23. Goldspan Dragon 45 %+33.9 %
  24. Fleshbag Marauder 36 %+33.6 %
  25. Merciless Executioner 34 %+33.1 %
  26. Professional Face-Breaker 50 %+33.0 %
  27. Crime Novelist 39 %+32.7 %
  28. Ruthless Technomancer 37 %+32.7 %
  29. Unexpected Windfall 47 %+31.9 %
  30. Sheoldred's Edict 34 %+31.3 %
  31. Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge 33 %+30.8 %
  32. Blood Money 36 %+30.5 %
  33. Spiteful Banditry 33 %+30.2 %
  34. Nasty End 34 %+30.0 %
  35. Crack the Earth 30 %+29.5 %
  36. Fatal Grudge 31 %+29.3 %
  37. Village Rites 43 %+27.6 %
  38. Too Greedily, Too Deep 27 %+26.6 %
  39. Grim Hireling 36 %+26.3 %
  40. Warren Soultrader 33 %+25.0 %
  41. Smaug, Wicked Worm 37 %+24.8 %
  42. Rankle and Torbran 24 %+22.7 %
  43. Seize the Spoils 30 %+22.4 %
  44. Ashnod's Altar 32 %+22.3 %
  45. Soul Shatter 26 %+22.2 %
  46. Captain Lannery Storm 27 %+22.2 %
  47. Treasure Vault 28 %+21.9 %
  48. Cavern-Hoard Dragon 25 %+21.8 %
  49. Evolving Wilds 42 %+21.3 %
  50. Corrupted Conviction 31 %+21.3 %

Most included 50

Highest share of decks running them, distinctive or not.

  1. Swamp 99 %+1.2 %
  2. Mountain 98 %+0.9 %
  3. Command Tower 83 %-2.9 %
  4. Sol Ring 82 %-3.9 %
  5. Deadly Dispute 74 %+46.1 %
  6. Arcane Signet 73 %-8.7 %
  7. Impulsive Pilferer 64 %+56.9 %
  8. Dragonskull Summit 64 %-0.9 %
  9. Mayhem Devil 63 %+38.2 %
  10. Smoldering Marsh 63 %-0.6 %
  11. Mahadi, Emporium Master 60 %+47.5 %
  12. Mines of Moria 59 %+54.5 %
  13. Pitiless Plunderer 57 %+43.9 %
  14. Big Score 56 %+34.2 %
  15. Accursed Marauder 55 %+49.4 %
  16. Innocent Blood 54 %+52.8 %
  17. Visions of Ruin 52 %+51.2 %
  18. Mirkwood Bats 51 %+36.8 %
  19. Professional Face-Breaker 50 %+33.0 %
  20. Juri, Master of the Revue 49 %+43.0 %
  21. Plaguecrafter 49 %+44.9 %
  22. Xorn 48 %+39.0 %
  23. Unexpected Windfall 47 %+31.9 %
  24. Sulfurous Springs 46 %-2.4 %
  25. Kalain, Reclusive Painter 46 %+42.3 %
  26. Rakdos Signet 46 %-10.7 %
  27. Blood Crypt 46 %-2.4 %
  28. Goldspan Dragon 45 %+33.9 %
  29. Foreboding Ruins 43 %-2.5 %
  30. Blasphemous Edict 43 %+35.1 %
  31. Village Rites 43 %+27.6 %
  32. Greedy Freebooter 42 %+38.4 %
  33. The Reaver Cleaver 42 %+35.9 %
  34. Evolving Wilds 42 %+21.3 %
  35. Crime Novelist 39 %+32.7 %
  36. Bloodstained Mire 39 %+5.5 %
  37. The Balrog of Moria 39 %+37.1 %
  38. Feed the Swarm 38 %-2.5 %
  39. Lobelia Sackville-Baggins 38 %+36.6 %
  40. Talisman of Indulgence 38 %-17.4 %
  41. There and Back Again 37 %+35.2 %
  42. Smaug, Wicked Worm 37 %+24.8 %
  43. Chaos Warp 37 %-10.1 %
  44. Ruthless Technomancer 37 %+32.7 %
  45. Fleshbag Marauder 36 %+33.6 %
  46. Lash of the Balrog 36 %+35.1 %
  47. Tainted Peak 36 %-7.3 %
  48. Black Market Connections 36 %+17.4 %
  49. Grim Hireling 36 %+26.3 %
  50. Bojuka Bog 36 %+0.1 %

Format legality

Standard Not legal
Pioneer Not legal
Modern Legal
Legacy Legal
Vintage Legal
Pauper Not legal
Commander Legal
Oathbreaker Legal
Duel Commander Legal
Brawl Legal
Standard Brawl Not legal
Historic Legal
Timeless Legal
Alchemy Not legal
Penny Legal
Premodern Not legal
PreDH Not legal
Pauper EDH Not legal
Old School Not legal
Future Not legal
Gladiator Legal
All printingsScryfall ↗Gatherer ↗Edhrec ↗

Rulings

  • 2023-06-16

    The Balrog, Durin's Bane's first ability can't reduce its cost to less than {B}{R}.

  • 2023-06-16

    The Balrog, Durin's Bane's first ability counts every permanent that was sacrificed this turn, by any player.

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