Balin, Loremaster

Legendary Creature — Dwarf Bard

Storied (If you control three or more artifacts, legendaries, and/or Sagas, you have an enduring story for the rest of the game.)

Whenever Balin or another Dwarf you control enters, you may discard your hand. Draw X cards, where X is the number of cards discarded this way. If you have an enduring story, Balin deals X damage to each opponent.

4 / 4

Set

The Hobbit (HOB #87)

Rarity

Rare

Mana value

5

Released

2026-08-14

Artist

Colin Boyer

EDHREC rank

#12,318

Colour identity

Finishes

Nonfoil, Foil

Served from

Local database

Commander bracket

EDHREC

Combos

Not part of any combo on Commander Spellbook.

Commander recommendations

Format legality

Rulings

• 2026-06-29

  A permanent is any object on the battlefield, including tokens and lands. Spells and emblems aren't permanents.

• 2026-06-29

  A single permanent can only count once toward the three legendary, Saga, and/or artifact permanents needed to get an enduring story, even if it has more than one of those qualities. If you control one permanent that is a legendary artifact and a second permanent that is a Saga, you will only have two of the three permanents required to get an enduring story.

• 2026-06-29

  If you control three legendary, Saga, and/or artifact permanents but don't control a permanent with storied, you don't get an enduring story. For example, if you controlled three artifacts, lost control of two, then cast Thorin Oakenshield, you won't have an enduring story.

• 2026-06-29

  If your third legendary, Saga, or artifact permanent enters the battlefield and then one of those permanents leaves the battlefield immediately afterwards (most likely due to the "legend rule" or due to being a creature with 0 toughness), you get an enduring story before it leaves the battlefield.

• 2026-06-29

  Once you have an enduring story, you have it for the rest of the game, even if you lose control of some or all of your storied permanents. The enduring story designation is on the player and can't be removed by any effect.

• 2026-06-29

  Storied isn't a triggered ability and doesn't use the stack. Players can respond to a spell that will give you your third legendary, Saga, and/or artifact permanent, but they can't respond to you getting an enduring story once you control that third permanent.

• 2026-06-29

  The decision to discard your hand is made during the resolution of the ability, so there is no opportunity for an opponent to respond between choosing to discard your hand and drawing cards.

• 2026-06-29

  You may choose to discard your hand even if your hand contains zero cards.