The Balrog, Durin's Bane

Legendary Creature — Avatar Demon · from $0.43

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.

Build with this commander Start with a starter shell Card details, printings & prices

A typical Commander deck

A starting template, not a rule — counts to fill in around the commander.

Lands3736–38 for most decks; fewer with cheap curves
Ramp10mana rocks, dorks, land ramp — mostly 2–3 mana
Card draw10repeatable engines beat one-shot cantrips
Targeted removal6answers for creatures AND artifacts/enchantments
Board wipes3sweepers reset boards you've lost
Synergy & win conditions33the deck's actual plan

Staples in these colors

The 100 cards that fit this color identity in the most EDHREC decklists (EDHREC rank via Scryfall).

Budget

57 of 100 at $5 or less · 39 at $1 or less

#	Card	Type	MV	Price
1	Sol Ring	Artifact	1	$1.07
2	Command Tower	Land	0	$0.26
3	Arcane Signet	Artifact	2	$0.34
4	Exotic Orchard	Land	0	$0.19
5	Reliquary Tower	Land	0	$4.28
6	Swiftfoot Boots	Artifact	2	$1.43
7	Lightning Greaves	Artifact	2	$3.86
8	Path of Ancestry	Land	0	$0.16
9	Fellwar Stone	Artifact	2	$0.47
10	Rogue's Passage	Land	0	$0.31
11	Evolving Wilds	Land	0	$0.09
12	Thought Vessel	Artifact	2	$2.23
13	Blasphemous Act	Sorcery	9	$0.72
14	Bojuka Bog	Land	0	$1.12
15	Terramorphic Expanse	Land	0	$0.10
16	Chaos Warp	Instant	3	$0.32
17	Myriad Landscape	Land	0	$0.25
18	Mind Stone	Artifact	2	$0.21
19	Dark Ritual	Instant	1	$0.44
20	Polluted Delta	Land	0	$19.85
21	Flooded Strand	Land	0	$12.78
22	Skullclamp	Artifact	1	$4.85
23	Solemn Simulacrum	Creature	4	$0.27
24	Misty Rainforest	Land	0	$35.98
25	Bloodstained Mire	Land	0	$14.54
26	Fabled Passage	Land	0	$0.65
27	Windswept Heath	Land	0	$11.19
28	Wooded Foothills	Land	0	$17.96
29	Verdant Catacombs	Land	0	$29.16
30	Scalding Tarn	Land	0	$36.86
31	Marsh Flats	Land	0	$32.04
32	Commander's Sphere	Artifact	3	$0.19
33	Reanimate	Sorcery	1	$6.56
34	Arid Mesa	Land	0	$31.40
35	Demonic Tutor	Sorcery	2	$62.80
36	Toxic Deluge	Sorcery	3	$5.04
37	Blood Crypt	Land	0	$8.68
38	Ancient Tomb	Land	0	$56.94
39	Deflecting Swat	Instant	3	$70.85
40	Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth	Land	0	$56.13
41	Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth	Land	0	$16.76
42	Temple of the False God	Land	0	$0.19
43	Dragonskull Summit	Land	0	$0.45
44	Chromatic Lantern	Artifact	3	$0.38
45	Feed the Swarm	Sorcery	2	$0.19
46	Smoldering Marsh	Land	0	$0.27
47	City of Brass	Land	0	$9.17
48	The One Ring	Artifact	4	$109.88
49	Faithless Looting	Sorcery	1	$0.36
50	Vandalblast	Sorcery	1	$1.74
51	Phyrexian Arena	Enchantment	3	$1.92
52	Jeska's Will	Sorcery	3	$39.58
53	Deadly Rollick	Instant	4	$26.52
54	Cavern of Souls	Land	0	$47.72
55	Vampiric Tutor	Instant	1	$48.13
56	Mana Confluence	Land	0	$34.75
57	Urza's Saga	Enchantment	0	$34.67
58	Lotus Petal	Artifact	0	$35.11
59	Wayfarer's Bauble	Artifact	1	$0.31
60	Talisman of Indulgence	Artifact	2	$0.47
61	Black Market Connections	Enchantment	3	$10.78
62	Victimize	Sorcery	3	$0.57
63	Deadly Dispute	Instant	2	$0.29
64	Roaming Throne	Creature	4	$47.06
65	Ashnod's Altar	Artifact	3	$8.15
66	Big Score	Instant	4	$0.41
67	War Room	Land	0	$0.79
68	Blood Artist	Creature	2	$2.78
69	Sulfurous Springs	Land	0	$0.49
70	Abrade	Instant	2	$0.17
71	Herald's Horn	Artifact	3	$2.88
72	Mana Vault	Artifact	1	$91.59
73	Chrome Mox	Artifact	0	$51.19
74	Lightning Bolt	Instant	1	$0.75
75	Luxury Suite	Land	0	$8.62
76	Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx	Land	0	$45.68
77	Reflecting Pool	Land	0	$5.50
78	Rakdos Signet	Artifact	2	$0.31
79	Three Tree City	Land	0	$29.09
80	Gemstone Caverns	Land	0	$62.05
81	Night's Whisper	Sorcery	2	$0.23
82	Command Beacon	Land	0	$7.99
83	Idol of Oblivion	Artifact	2	$2.40
84	Prismatic Vista	Land	0	$28.10
85	Buried Ruin	Land	0	$0.38
86	Phyrexian Tower	Land	0	$29.06
87	Thran Dynamo	Artifact	4	$1.94
88	Storm-Kiln Artist	Creature	4	$1.74
89	Fell the Profane // Fell Mire	Instant	4	$5.80
90	Cabal Coffers	Land	0	$20.77
91	Impact Tremors	Enchantment	2	$2.52
92	Patchwork Banner	Artifact	3	$1.52
93	Village Rites	Instant	1	$0.30
94	Mox Amber	Artifact	0	$86.45
95	Karn's Bastion	Land	0	$2.51
96	Professional Face-Breaker	Creature	3	$4.99
97	Ash Barrens	Land	0	$0.15
98	Thrill of Possibility	Instant	2	$0.17
99	Secluded Courtyard	Land	0	$0.31
100	Ornithopter of Paradise	Creature	2	$0.35

Curve of these staples

Combos with The Balrog, Durin's Bane

8 combos using this commander that fit its color identity, from Commander Spellbook.

Phyrexian Altar + Pitiless Plunderer + The Balrog, Durin's Bane
Infinite commander casts · Infinite death triggers · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite creature LTB · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers · Infinite storm count
How it works on Commander Spellbook
Build around this combo
Pawn of Ulamog + Phyrexian Altar + The Balrog, Durin's Bane
Infinite commander casts · Infinite death triggers · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite creature LTB · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers · Infinite storm count
How it works on Commander Spellbook
Build around this combo
Phyrexian Altar + Sifter of Skulls + The Balrog, Durin's Bane
Infinite commander casts · Infinite death triggers · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite creature LTB · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers · Infinite storm count
How it works on Commander Spellbook
Build around this combo
Anax, Hardened in the Forge + Phyrexian Altar + The Balrog, Durin's Bane
Infinite colored mana · Infinite commander casts · Infinite creature tokens · Infinite death triggers · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite creature LTB · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers · Infinite storm count
How it works on Commander Spellbook
Build around this combo
Blight Mound + Phyrexian Altar + The Balrog, Durin's Bane
Infinite commander casts · Infinite death triggers · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite lifegain · Infinite lifegain triggers · Infinite creature LTB · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers · Infinite storm count
How it works on Commander Spellbook
Build around this combo
Ogre Slumlord + Phyrexian Altar + The Balrog, Durin's Bane
Infinite commander casts · Infinite death triggers · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite creature LTB · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers · Infinite storm count
How it works on Commander Spellbook
Build around this combo
Open the Graves + Phyrexian Altar + The Balrog, Durin's Bane
Infinite commander casts · Infinite death triggers · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite creature LTB · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers · Infinite storm count
How it works on Commander Spellbook
Build around this combo
Phyrexian Altar + The Balrog, Durin's Bane + Warbeast of Gorgoroth
Infinite commander casts · Infinite death triggers · Infinite creature ETB · Infinite creature LTB · Infinite creature sacrifice triggers · Infinite storm count
How it works on Commander Spellbook
Build around this combo

Card data and images courtesy of Scryfall; popularity ranking from EDHREC decklist data included in Scryfall bulk. Combo data courtesy of Commander Spellbook. Deckwarden is unofficial Fan Content and is not endorsed by Wizards of the Coast.

Commanders