Top Backgrounds in Magic: The Gathering – Power Up Your Commander Deck

Magic’s Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate did more than just bring D&D flavor—it dropped one of the coolest mechanics the format has seen in a while: Backgrounds.

These enchantments sit in your command zone alongside your commander and grant them unique buffs—some subtle, some wild. And while not every Background is worth sleeving up, a few can completely reshape how your deck plays. Let’s dive into the ones that stand out.

Cultist of the Absolute – When Sacrifice is Strength

This one’s not for the faint of heart—or decks that can’t afford to throw a creature into the fire every turn. But for sacrifice-heavy builds? Cultist of the Absolute is pure gas.It slaps your commander with a monstrous +3/+3, flying, deathtouch, and ward (but you gotta pay 3 life to target it). The tradeoff? You lose a creature every upkeep. But hey, in a deck running Teysa Karlov, Mikaeus, the Unhallowed, or anything that thrives on death triggers, that’s not a cost—it’s synergy.

Master Chef – Feast on Counters

If +1/+1 counters are your thing, this Background is borderline busted. Master Chef gives your commander a simple ability: every time another creature ETBs under your control, it gets a counter.Decks like Lathril, Blade of the Elves, or Marath, Will of the Wild start scaling like crazy. Even casual go-wide lists turn into massive boards that force opponents to wipe or die. Easy, elegant, dangerous.

Sword Coast Sailor – Sneaky Wins via Commander Damage

You like winning with commander damage? This is your ticket. Sword Coast Sailor gives your commander a neat trick: if it attacks solo, it becomes unblockable for that player.It’s a dream for Voltron fans. Imagine this on Rafiq of the Many—double strike, pump spells, unblockable. Brutal. Or slap it on Sigarda, Host of Herons and let her glide past defenses while ignoring sacrifice effects. A low-key finisher that hits like a truck.

Agent of the Shadow Thieves – Consistent Pressure

You know what’s underrated? Consistency. Agent of the Shadow Thieves might not make flashy plays, but giving your commander +1/+1 and deathtouch when you hit your opponent? That adds up fast.This Background shines in decks where the commander’s meant to get in early and often. Sythis, Harvest’s Hand and Tymna the Weaver love this. Suddenly, your value engines are also hard-to-block threats, and players will think twice before swinging back.

Scion of Halaster – Mill with a Purpose

Graveyard players, listen up. Scion of Halaster is here to help you dig deep. Every upkeep, you mill two, then maybe grab an instant or sorcery from them. That’s not just selection—it’s recursion fuel.Decks like Kess, Dissident Mage or Muldrotha, the Gravetide don’t just want cards in the yard—they need them. This Background keeps the engine running while setting up wild plays.

Raised by Giants – Go Big, Then Go Bigger

Straightforward, but stupid fun. Raised by Giants turns your commander into a 10/10. Period.It’s not subtle, but who cares? You’re swinging with a giant. Pair this with anything evasive—Thassa, God of the Sea, Uril, the Miststalker, or even a random hexproof beatstick—and you’ve got a win condition with no frills.

Noble Heritage – Commander Politics Done Right

Some decks win by making friends first. Noble Heritage leans into that. Every upkeep, you and the active player get two +1/+1 counters on your commanders.Sure, you’re giving your opponents some juice—but you’re also becoming their “buddy.” If you’re piloting Tana, the Bloodsower, Daxos of Meletis, or any commander that scales well with counters, this becomes a low-cost way to build your own threat—while staying off the radar a little longer.

Passionate Archaeologist – Burn While You Cast

Spellslinger decks have a new toy. Passionate Archaeologist turns every spell you cast from the command zone into a fireball. Literally—it deals damage equal to that spell’s mana value to any target.It’s extra nasty with commanders like Veyran, Voice of Duality, or Zevlor, Elturel Exile, where you’re already slinging spells. Now you’re doubling value—casting your commander and pinging for serious damage.

One Last Thing…

If you’re putting together a new commander brew and want to experiment with Backgrounds, check out https://mtgetsy.com/. We’ve got custom and hard-to-find cards for your next deck, including alt-art proxies that won’t break your budget.

Backgrounds might’ve flown under the radar when they dropped, but for anyone who plays Commander regularly, they’re a hidden gem. The right one turns a decent list into a threat—and if you know what you’re doing, you’ll pick the one that hits your strategy like a glove.Which one’s your favorite? Or better yet, what weird combo are you running with these? The next time you hit the table, let your Background speak for itself.