The Balrog, Durin's Bane
Color Identity
Details
Mana Value
7
Special Set
Universes Beyond
Popularity
#1,099
of 3,466 commanders · via EDHREC
Card Text
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
Playstyle
Aggro · Fast · Heavy interaction · Wins by combat
- Aggression
- 4 of 5
- Speed
- 4 of 5
- Interaction
- 3 of 5
- Combat
- 4 of 5
- Engine
- 2 of 5
- Complexity
- 2 of 5
Card Price
Strategy Guides
Sacrifice Strategy Guide
Sacrifice decks are for players who want their own permanents to be flexible resources rather than pieces to protect at all costs. This strategy wants to feed creatures, artifacts, and tokens into a sacrifice outlet, using fodder makers, recursion, and sacrifice commanders, to win through mana loops, edicts, drain payoffs, or a steady resource lead. Unlike Aristocrats, it is broader than death trigger drain, and unlike Tokens it values bodies mainly as expendable fuel. The best sacrifice commanders keep the engine moving even when opponents point removal at your board.
Aristocrats Strategy Guide
Aristocrats decks are for players who enjoy turning expendable creatures into cards, Treasure, damage, and life drain whenever they die. This strategy wants to make cheap bodies, use sacrifice commanders and free outlets, and convert each death trigger into value to win through drain effects or recursive sacrifice loops. Unlike Tokens, it cares less about attacking with many bodies, and unlike broad Sacrifice decks it is specifically built around death trigger payoffs. The best aristocrats commanders let you grind from small pieces while the table decides whether removing your board helps you or hurts them.
Voltron Strategy Guide
Voltron decks are for players who want the game to revolve around one protected attacker and the timing of each combat step. This strategy wants to build one creature, usually a commander, using equipment and auras for power, evasion, and protection, to win through 21 commander damage on each opponent. Unlike Tokens or Aggro, Voltron does not spread pressure across many bodies, and unlike broad Equipment decks the gear is focused on one threat rather than a wider artifact engine. The best Voltron commanders make commander damage decks feel like a resource puzzle: suit up, connect, protect the threat, then rebuild if the table answers it.
Aggro Strategy Guide
Aggro decks are for players who want to commit threats early, attack often, and make combat math matter every turn. This strategy wants to pressure all opponents with efficient attackers, using anthems, haste, attack triggers, extra combats, and aggro commanders, to win through repeated combat damage before slower engines stabilize. In Commander that still means pushing through 120 total damage, so go-wide aggro EDH decks need refueling and scaling damage rather than only fast starts. Aggro differs from Tokens because it focuses on attacking with the bodies, from Voltron because it spreads pressure across many creatures, and from Infect because it deals life-total damage instead of poison.
Appears in These Collections
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