The Balrog, Durin's Bane MTG Card
2023-06-23 - Number 195
2023-06-23 - Number 195s
2023-06-23 - Number 646
2023-06-23 - Number 405
2023-06-23 - Number 36
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 7 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Avatar Demon |
| Abilities | Haste |
| Power | 7 |
| Toughness | 5 |
Key Takeaways
- Offers card advantage and board presence, enhancing your strategic depth and resource accessibility in games.
- Demands precise mana and hand management, posing challenges that require thoughtful deckbuilding and play.
- Provides adaptability and meta relevance, making it a formidable contender in various MTG deck types.
Text of card
This spell costs less to cast for each permanent sacrificed this turn. Haste The Balrog, Durin's Bane can't be blocked except by legendary creatures. When The Balrog dies, destroy target artifact or creature an opponent controls.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Balrog, Durin’s Bane leverages its formidable presence on the battlefield to devastate opponents and potentially draw multiple cards. This card’s ability to influence the board creates opportunities for you to outpace your opponents in resources and options throughout the game.
Resource Acceleration: With its incredible might, The Balrog, Durin’s Bane can change the tide of the game by unlocking additional resources for you. Its interaction with the game’s mechanics allows for accelerated resource growth, providing a swift path to deploying even the most mana-intensive spells in your arsenal.
Instant Speed: This card’s abilities can be activated at instant speed, providing strategic flexibility. Keep your opponents guessing as you deftly manage your mana and surprise them with the power of The Balrog when they least expect it, ensuring that no moment is safe for them to overcommit.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: When it comes to the Balrog, Durin’s Bane card, one challenge players face is the discard element embedded in its play dynamics. This can lead to a strategic disadvantage, especially when your hand is already running low on cards, making each card precious and the choice to discard even more critical.
Specific Mana Cost: Harnessing the power of this formidable card requires a specific mana arrangement, which may not dovetail seamlessly with every deck’s strategy. For those decks that aren’t tailored to accommodate such mana demands, the card can become more of a liability than an asset, potentially stalling your game plan.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the Balrog, Durin’s Bane, gives players a significant presence on the battlefield, its effectiveness is weighed down by its mana cost. In the landscape of Magic, where efficiency is key, there are times when deploying a card with a smaller mana footprint could yield a better tempo, keeping you ahead of your opponent.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Balrog, Durin’s Bane effortlessly fits into various deck archetypes due to its inherent power and flexibility. As a potential game-changer on the battlefield, it can adapt to different strategies, whether it’s dominating in a creature-focused deck or acting as a key finisher in control builds.
Combo Potential: This card serves as a pivotal combo piece in several synergistic strategies. Its ability to interact with other cards that manipulate or benefit from powerful creatures makes it a formidable asset in developing an overwhelming board presence.
Meta-Relevance: Considering its impact on gameplay, The Balrog, Durin’s Bane holds its ground in the current meta. It can match or even outclass other heavy hitters in the format, proving to be a valuable counter to prevailing control decks or an ace up your sleeve against aggressive lineups.
How to beat
The Balrog, Durin’s Bane is an imposing presence on the battlefield that can give any MTG player a run for their mana. To overcome this fearsome card, players will need to craft their strategy with precision. The key lies in evasion or removal spells that can handle such a hefty creature. Board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation can clear the field, sweeping the Balrog away before its dominance is asserted. Alternatively, direct removal spells such as Path to Exile or Murder are effective methods for confronting the threat head-on and dispatching it from the game.
Another approach is to utilize counterspell tactics, intercepting the Balrog before it even touches the board. Cards like Counterspell or Mana Leak serve this purpose well, preserving your defenses and keeping your opponent’s strategy at bay. Lastly, implementing a robust defense with creatures that have protection from black or indestructible attributes can provide a sturdy bulwark against the might of the Balrog, ensuring your forces remain standing amidst its wrathful onslaught.
In essence, while the Balrog, Durin’s Bane is a formidable card, the right combination of removal, counterspells, and strategic defense can pave the way to triumph over this legendary foe of Middle-earth in your MTG duels.
Cards like The Balrog, Durin's Bane
The Balrog, Durin’s Bane stands as a formidable creature in MTG, mingling with the fearsome ranks of other heavyweight hitters. Its close kin in terms of raw power and game impact would include Dread Cacodemon, a creature that also commands attention upon entering the battlefield. Both share the capacity to sway the tide of a match, although The Balrog, Durin’s Bane brings with it the fiery echoes of Middle-earth, creating a presence that is not only strong in battle but immersive in its lore.
Skimming through the dark abyss of similar cards, one cannot help but draw a parallel to Desolation Twin. The colossal might of summoning a 10/10 creature resonates with the thematic grandeur that The Balrog imposes. However, the Twin falls short in delivering the ongoing threat that The Balrog does, which thrives on board control and consistent pressure. Then, inspecting another peer, It That Betrays looms ominously with its annihilator ability, enveloping opponents in dread much like The Balrog’s looming threat, but It That Betrays hinges on a specific mechanic, whereas The Balrog encapsulates versatility and a more direct approach to domination.
It’s clear that while there are cards that can mirror the strength and disruption of The Balrog, Durin’s Bane holds a unique position as it balances brute force with an intrinsic connection to the timeless stories from which it draws inspiration. In MTG, it’s not just about the might a card wields, but the narrative it weaves in the tapestry of the game.
Cards similar to The Balrog, Durin's Bane by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase The Balrog, Durin's Bane MTG card by a specific set like The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth and Tales of Middle-earth Promos, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the The Balrog, Durin's Bane and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The The Balrog, Durin's Bane Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2023-06-23 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 195 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kekai Kotaki | |
| 2 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Promos | PLTR | 195s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kekai Kotaki | |
| 3 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 646 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Kekai Kotaki | |
| 4 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 405 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Colin Boyer | |
| 5 | Tales of Middle-earth Art Series | ALTR | 36 | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | Kekai Kotaki |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where The Balrog, Durin's Bane has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering The Balrog, Durin's Bane card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-06-16 | The Balrog, Durin's Bane's first ability can't reduce its cost to less than . |
| 2023-06-16 | The Balrog, Durin's Bane's first ability counts every permanent that was sacrificed this turn, by any player. |