Toughness matters with Rasaad yn Bashir in MTG Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate

The classic toughness matters in Magic: The Gathering is gaining a new legendary monk via Rasaad yn Bashir in Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate, doubling toughness via Initiative.

Wizards of the Coast dropped a Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate (CLB) spoiler today that has big butt fans rejoicing. The slang Magic term, big butt, refers to a creature whose toughness becomes their power level upon attacking. The tribal theme supports Walls and Defender creatures, with Arcades, the Strategist as the ideal commander for a big butt deck. The addition of Rasaad yn Bashir not only supports the Arcades, the Strategist Commander deck but also opens up toughness matters support within Baulder’s Gate Limited via Draft and Sealed. 

Rasaad yn Bashir

A Dungeons & Dragons: Forgotten Realms monk who seeks enlightenment and revenge has transformed into toughness matters tribal lord.

• Mana cost: 2W
• Type: Legendary Creature—Human Monk
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Stats: 0/3
• Keyword: Background
• Static ability: Each creature you control assigns combat damage equal to its toughness rather than its power.
• Ability: Whenever Rassad yn Bashir attacks, if you have the Initiative, double the toughness of each creature you control until the end of the turn. 

The Initiative is a new mechanic within the CLB set, triggering a Venture into the Undercity dungeon while also having similar qualities to the Monarch mechanic from the first Commander Legends set. Having the Initiative within a Baldur’s Gate Limited match has its benefits, which are now increased when playing big butt creatures with Rasaad yn Bashir as a commander. 

Rasaad yn Bashir is a legendary creature who has Background, another new mechanic within the CLB set that allows a legendary Enchantment that also has Background to get paired with it in the command zone. Revealed earlier in the week during Baldur’s Gate spoilers was Dungeon Delver, an Enchantment Background that triggers room abilities of dungeons an additional time.

It’s still early in the Baldur’s Gate spoiler season but a paring of Rasaad yn Bashir and Dungeon Delver has potential within CLB Limited Draft, especially since Defender and high toughness creatures are often found in the MTG colors White and Blue. 

Players can test out Rasaad yn Bashir in an Arcades, the Strategist commander deck when the CLB set releases on June 10 or during Baldur’s Gate Draft from June 3 to 5 at pre-release events.