Black Market ConnectionsBlack Market Connections | Art by Evyn Fong

Hey, everyone! After a few weeks alternating between new and old sets — you can check out Marvel Super Heroes's most-played cards here — we're back on our little jaunt into the past. Have I got a good one this time! Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate came out just four years ago, but it gave us a slew of cards that have already made six figures in terms of EDHREC decks they feature in. Let's find out which cards have made the top ten!

10. Karlach, Fury of AvernusKarlach, Fury of Avernus - 128,384 decks

Let's start with a rules clarification: Strapping a Helm of the HostHelm of the Host onto Karlach won't get you infinite combat phases like it does with Combat CelebrantCombat Celebrant, because its ability only triggers on the first combat phase of the turn.

That doesn't mean you can't slot it into decks focusing on the "extra combat" theme, because building critical mass of these effects does allow you to put opponents through a world of hurt earlier and more often. You can also still get a second extra attack phase out of its ability with Isshin, Two Heavens as OneIsshin, Two Heavens as One, which explains why it's a popular inclusion in Isshin's 99.

9. Cut a DealCut a Deal - 141,503 decks

The Standard- and Pioneer-loving wolf in me is reading this card and crying out, "No! It's card disadvantage, because it still costs you a card to play this, no matter how many cards you draw!" But then the 100-card gamer wolf butts in and reminds the other wolf that group hug is a (mostly) fun and powerful strategy in Commander, and that decks like Giada, Font of HopeGiada, Font of Hope still often lag behind other colors in terms of raw card draw. Drawing three cards with this is going to be really good most of the time, and it lets decks like Gluntch, the BestowerGluntch, the Bestower and Iroh, Tea MasterIroh, Tea Master keep up with opposing card draw while also staying in-theme.

8. Irenicus's Vile DuplicationIrenicus's Vile Duplication - 149,294 decks

Clone effects are really cool, but the fact that this is a spell and not a permanent lets it go infinite with Dualcaster MageDualcaster Mage, Kiki-Jiki, Mirror BreakerKiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, and Naru Meha, Master WizardNaru Meha, Master Wizard, a bit of upside that I'm sure holds a lot of sway over its play rate.

Even without the combo potential, however, it still slaps in decks with busted, heavily influential commanders like The MindskinnerThe Mindskinner, Koma, Cosmos SerpentKoma, Cosmos Serpent, and Adrix and Nev, TwincastersAdrix and Nev, Twincasters, among others. The legend rule exists for a reason!

7. Jaheira, Friend of the ForestJaheira, Friend of the Forest - 153,355 decks

It's interesting that Jaheira has an ability that lets other permanents generate mana but can't add to your pool itrself. That doesn't really affect its power level, as I imagine a very common play pattern with Jaheira is to build out a huge board with token producers like Academy ManufactorAcademy Manufactor, Tireless ProvisionerTireless Provisioner, or even Officious Interrogation, depending on the color identity, and then play it to suddenly give yourself access to ridiculous amounts of mana.

The tokens theme is incredibly versatile and extremely popular, and whether you've got Frodo, Adventurous HobbitFrodo, Adventurous Hobbit + Sam, Loyal AttendantSam, Loyal Attendant, Chatterfang, Squirrel GeneralChatterfang, Squirrel General, or Baylen, the HaymakerBaylen, the Haymaker leading your pack, Jaheira is basically always going to improve the 99 it's in.

6. Descent into AvernusDescent into Avernus - 155,840 decks

My loyal readers know that I often evaluate the cards on these lists using similar cards and effects. Descent, however, has me scratching my head a little, and that's a great thing, because I don't think simply comparing this to Sulfuric VortexSulfuric Vortex really does it justice. While that family of cards certainly makes games shorter, I can't think of a permanent that really heralds the late game quite like this does. Jonathan Zucchetti agrees; he's included this among the five best upkeep triggers in Commander. Run this in Obeka, Splitter of SecondsObeka, Splitter of Seconds if you enjoy fifteen-minute Commander games, or you could put even more pressure on your opponents with punishing leaders like Vazi, Keen NegotiatorVazi, Keen Negotiator. It even works with proliferate!

5. Archivist of OghmaArchivist of Oghma - 188,888 decks

I love a nice, clean hatebear design. This is probably one of the best ones to run in Commander, as searching the library has to rank up there with the most common actions players take during a game. Just think of all the fetch lands and tutors people run! Its effortless power is evinced by its presence in a wide range of strategies touching , from Winota, Joiner of ForcesWinota, Joiner of Forces aggro, where its non-Human typing matters, to Tivit, Seller of SecretsTivit, Seller of Secrets's wily politics.

4. Ancient Copper DragonAncient Copper Dragon - 197,731 decks

It's not quite a "battlecruiser" at six mana, but it's absolutely going to feel like one when it connects with an opponent and ramps you by twenty mana, because you're the luckiest person on Earth. This whole cycle of D20-referencing flyers landed in Alejandro Fuentes' Elder Dragon tier list, and when you look at the competition — Nicol Bolas, the RavagerNicol Bolas, the Ravager, Velomachus LoreholdVelomachus Lorehold, Beledros WitherbloomBeledros Witherbloom, and more — you'll see how much of an honor that is.

It's also part of an infinite combo in mono-red with Aggravated AssaultAggravated Assault, with the hilarious caveat that you need to be fortunate enough not to roll a so poorly that you don't have enough Treasures to pay for the enchantment activation. You'll be fine.

3. Displacer KittenDisplacer Kitten - 230,991 decks

Kitty's Commander Spellbook entry is so stacked that I'm only going to focus on one of the newest ways to go off with it: the prepared mechanic from Secrets of Strixhaven. With Blazing FiresingerBlazing Firesinger, for example, you can get infinite red mana aside from the usual infinite enters- and leaves-the-battlefield triggers you get from displacing stuff:

You can learn more about the prepared interaction and about more recent combos in Ezra Sassaman's piece from July.

2. Decanter of Endless WaterDecanter of Endless Water - 340,755 decks

Do you know how much Magic: The Gathering players love drawing cards? Reliquary TowerReliquary Tower, a land that doesn't produce colored mana, is in more than 2.8 million EDHREC decks. There are also tons of ManalithManalith variants you can play that add one pip of mana and also pack a bit of utility, like Bonder's OrnamentBonder's Ornament or Commander's SphereCommander's Sphere, which has also cracked seven figures in decks. That makes this a Commander nepo baby, if you think about it, and it's no wonder deckbuilders aren't just walking, but cantering into stores to grab this.

1. Black Market ConnectionsBlack Market Connections - 600,503 decks

Just to give you an idea of how ubiquitous this enchantment is, it's currently the 11th most played mono-black card on EDHREC, beating out the likes of Blood ArtistBlood Artist, Night's WhisperNight's Whisper, and Animate DeadAnimate Dead. These are all powerhouses of Commander that have been around for much longer than Connections, but this upstart Phyrexian ArenaPhyrexian Arena riff outperforms them all. Call that great marketing.

Of course, it's not just an Arena. It's also a BitterblossomBitterblossom or a Dark RitualDark Ritual, depending on what you need the most at the time. That's a simply irreplaceable level of flexibility. The life loss to pay the costs can add up, sure, but decks playing tend to run Lifegain cards anyway, so it's trivially easy to get obscene value out of this.

You Can't Remember a Time When You Didn't Feel the Pull of Forgotten Stories and Buried SecretsYou Can't Remember a Time When You Didn't Feel the Pull of Forgotten Stories and Buried Secrets

That's another set — and a pretty powerful one, to boot — in the books, dear reader. I'm really enjoying exploring the most played cards from Magic: The Gathering's past with you, so stay tuned for another flashback article next week. Until then, what's your favorite Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate card that didn't make the list? Let us know!