As Wizards of the Coast owns both Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons, it should come as no surprise that characters from Baldur’s Gate 3 have appeared in card game form. They even had their own set, as part of 2022’s Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate, where they appeared alongside heroes and villains from the original Baldur’s Gate games.
It might have made sense to launch the Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate set near the release of Baldur’s Gate 3, but the game was delayed many times, so it’s possible that schedules just couldn’t align. Players did have access to Baldur’s Gate 3 through its Early Access version, so they were at least familiar with the characters.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 2’s Slayer Form Makes Surprise Return In Baldur’s Gate 3
Lae’Zel, Vlaakith’s Champion
The powerful Gith warrior who saves you in the Nautilod appears as a white creature in Magic: the Gathering. In Magic: the Gathering, Lae’zel can grant additional counters that are being played to the field. Laz’zel also appears on another card called Lae’Zel’s Acrobatics.
Gale, Waterdeep Prodigy
The Wizard who just won’t take no for an answer was given a powerful blue card in Magic: the Gathering, with a power that lets the player cast an Instant or Sorcery from the graveyard. Gale also appears on the Gale’s Redirection card.
Volo, Itinerant Scholar
The annoying scholar with a knack for getting captured appears as a blue card in Magic: the Gathering, with the ability to create a journal that lets the player draw additional cards. This reflects Volo’s role as one of the most accomplished scholars in the Forgotten Realms despite his knack for exaggeration.
Astarion The Decedant
Magic: the Gathering has many vampires, with Astarion now counted among their ranks. Astarion appears on a white/black card, with a power centered around gaining additional life, based on the life you have already added this turn. Astarion also appears on the Astarion’s Thirst card.
Duke Ulder Ravengard
The savior of Elturel appears on a red and white card, with the ability to give another creature Haste and Myriad. Duke Ulder Ravengard has a much bigger role in Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus (a D&D prequel to Baldur’s Gate 3), but he still deserves a card in Magic: the Gathering.
Elminster
As the Gandalf of the Forgotten Realms, seeing the Sage of Shadowdale in Magic: the Gathering as a powerful Planeswalker card is unsurprising. Elminster does appear in Baldur’s Gate 3 as an advisor to Gale, which means he makes this list.
Kahga, Shadow Archdruid
The character who everyone hates in Act I of Baldur’s Gate 3 received her own card in Magic: the Gathering, as Kagha is a black and green creature. Not only does she have Deathtouch and a Mill ability, but she lets the player cast lands or permanents from the graveyard if they were put there from the library, meaning you might want to forget your enmity for Kagha and use her in your deck.
Minsc & Boo, Timeless Heroes
The two most popular characters from the Baldur’s Gate franchise were always a shoo-in to appear in Magic: the Gathering, but it’s surprising that they’re considered Planeswalkers. Minsc is a potential party member in Baldur’s Gate 3, with the miniature giant space hamster Boo ever at his side.
Minthara, Merciless Soul
Possibly the least-used party member in Baldur’s Gate 3 (because she’s locked to the evil route), this Paladin of Lolth received a black and white card in Magic: the Gathering. Minthara has a Ward ability tied to experience point counters, gradually strengthening her over time.
Raphael, Fiendish Saviour
The devil who offers to help you with the whole “Mind Flayer parasite” problem, Raphael joins the ranks of fiends appearing in Magic: the Gathering. Raphael can strengthen Demons, Devils, Imps, and Tieflings you control, and can spawn Devil tokens to aid you in battle.
Shadowheart, Dark Justiciar
The Cleric of Shar was bound to appear in Magic: the Gathering as a black card, with an ability that lets you sacrifice a creature and draw cards equal to its Power. As with the other party members who appear in Magic: the Gathering, Shadowheart also lets you select a Background card as a second Commander, further tieing the set to D&D rules.
Viconia, Dark Apostate
Originally appearing in Baldur’s Gate and its sequel, the drow Cleric returns in Baldur’s Gate 3. Viconia also appeared in Magic: the Gathering as a black card with the power to return a creature from the graveyard if you already have four or more creatures in there.
Gut, True Soul Zealot
One of the three True Souls who appears in the Goblin Camp, Gut is easy to isolate and slay should you wish to kill the enemy leaders and disperse the growing Goblin threat. In Magic: the Gathering, Gut is a red creature with the ability to sacrifice creatures or artifacts in order to create 4/1 Skeleton tokes with menace.
Karlach, Fury Of Avernus
The master of the Infernal Engine brings her strength to bear in Baldur’s Gate 3. In Magic: the Gathering, Karlach is a red creature with the ability to give you a second combat phase, strengthening all her allies and giving them First Strike until the end of the turn.
Wyll, Blade of Frontiers
The Blade of Frontiers appears as a red card in Magic: the Gathering, with an ability tied to his D&D roots. Wyll essentially gives you D&D-style Advantage on dice rolls made in Magic: the Gathering, while giving him a +1/+1 counter whenever a dice is rolled.
Halsin, Emerald Archdruid
The star of Baldur’s Gate 3’s infamous bear scene, Halsin also appeared as a green card in Magic: the Gathering. It’s only fitting that Halsin has a bear-themed power, which can transform a token into a 4/4 Bear creature.
Jaheria, Friends Of The Forest
Another returning party member from the original Baldur’s Gate games, Jaheira appears as a potential ally in Baldur’s Gate 3. In Magic: the Gathering, she’s her recognizable younger self on her green card, with the ability to give tokens a power that lets you tap them for a green mana.
Zevlor, Elturel Exile
Zevlor is the leader of the Tiefling refugees in Baldur’s Gate 3, as they were all chased out of Elturel after the city was dragged into Avernus. In Magic: the Gathering, Zevlor is a black, blue, and red creature with the ability to let you copy an Instant or Sorcery that targets one permanent in order to target another permanent used by the same player.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: What’s The Level Cap?
All of the characters who appeared in Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate were people who appeared in Act I of Baldur’s Gate 3, not counting those from the older games. If Magic: the Gathering does another D&D-themed set, then maybe some of the later Baldur’s Gate 3 characters will make their cardboard debut.
Published: Sep 15, 2023 01:17 pm