Dungeons & Dragons’ 50th anniversary celebrations are well underway, with new ways to play and sourcebooks for the game’s hyper-popular 5th edition. Magic: The Gathering is contributing to D&D’s anniversary with a selection of Secret Lairs, two of which feature beloved Baldur’s Gate 3 companions.
Dungeons & Dragons has thoroughly stood the test of time, igniting the imaginations of roleplayers and wargamers for half a century. With its booming 5th edition and mainstream media presence through shows like Critical Role and Stranger Things, D&D’s peak popularity has led to all sorts of spin-offs and celebratory products.
Now, Wizards of the Coast is further marking the occasion of D&D’s 50th with a set of commemorative Magic: The Gathering Secret Lairs, which will become available for order on August 27th.
Wizards will be releasing more information on the Secret Lairs in the lead-up to their release. Right now, the sets’ titles have been revealed:
- Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons®: An Exhibition of Adventure
- Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons®: Astarion’s Thirst
- Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons®: Karlach’s Rage
- Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons®: Death is in the Eyes of the Beholder
- Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons®: Death is in the Eyes of the Beholder II
These sets are likely to feature classic D&D monsters and themes, but they also heavily foreground the most popular piece of D&D media to come along in years: Baldur’s Gate 3.
Karlach: Fury of Avernus and Astarion, the Decadent are some of the most useful cards to be found in Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate. Both of these cards will be getting a reprint in their respective Secret Lairs, with brand-new art. It’s likely that their Secret Lairs will also feature other reprinted cards with a Baldur’s Gate 3 makeover.
Karlach and Astarion are among Baldur’s Gate 3’s most beloved companions, and Wizards has made a smart choice in having them front their own Secret Lairs. Additionally, these cards both have great mechanical value.
Karlach’s enabling extra combat steps has made her a staple in many red decks, and MTG players will be glad to see her return.
Astarion may have a high mana value, but his lifegain and drain abilities make him a perfect fit for Orzhov. Expect to see many more Commander decks featuring these two once their Secret Lairs launch.
WotC/Larian StudiosWhile Wizards’ two tentpole franchises once existed entirely separately, MTG and D&D have been growing closer in recent years. What began with tentative crossovers – Unearthed Arcana guides to playing MTG worlds in DND – blossomed into full-fledged Magic sourcebooks for D&D, featuring fan-favorite worlds like Ravnica and Strixhaven.
Magic’s Adventures in the Forgotten Realms and Commanders Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate sets saw the TCG adapt some of D&D’s most famous worlds and characters in return.
While Adventures in the Forgotten Realms focused more on Wizards of the Coast’s characters and locales, Battle for Baldur’s Gate introduced many MTG players to names that would go on to become gaming household names, like Lae’zel, Gale, Minthara, Shadowheart, and more.
The Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate set was released when Baldur’s Gate 3 was still in its early access period, and the game has since gone on to become a global phenomenon.
By placing Baldur’s Gate 3 front and center in these new Secret Lairs, Wizards may be hoping that they will receive a bump in popularity from BG3’s still-flourishing fanbase.
We expect these sets to sell out even faster than the record-breaking Monty Python and the Holy Grail Secret Lair, so keep an eye on the official Secret Lair store on August 27th.
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