Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Blue and black aren’t just colors in a wheel; they’re a philosophy. When you cast Drown in the Loch, you’re leaning into the Dimir mindset: tempo, control, and a graveyard as a resource. This two-mana instant from Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate is more than a point-and-click solution to a single problem. It embodies the way blue and black define Magic’s color identity by turning the board state into a conversational piece—one where counters and removals are balanced by the number of cards already chilling in the graveyard. And yes, it looks cool on your desk while you tilt your head, mutter a quiet “hmm,” and win the race against time. 🧙♂️🔥
Blue and Black at the Cutting Edge: Identity in a Tiny Package
In the grand tapestry of MTG colors, blue thrives on planning, knowledge, and disruption, while black leans into removal, resource management, and a certain elegance in dealing with sticky situations. Drown in the Loch fuses these traits into a compact, two-mana spell that scales with the game state. Its two options—counter a spell or destroy a creature—both hinge on the number of cards the target player has in their graveyard. That means your decisions are not just about what you’re removing, but about how you’re shaping the graveyard itself. The more you’ve milled, the stronger the impact becomes. It’s a graceful reminder that in blue-black, the board’s tempo and the graveyard’s depth are two sides of the same coin. ⚔️🎨
From a flavor perspective, the card sits squarely in the mood of Dimir: a cool, calculating counterstrike that isn’t flashy, but it’s precise, with a dash of menace. The haunting idea that a graveyard speaks volumes about a card’s power melds with the art’s mood—quiet, shadowed, and a touch arcane. The set, Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate (clb), often leans into bold political games and strategic positioning. Drown in the Loch feels like a microcosm of that design ethos: a small spell that changes the trajectory of a match based on how much a player has already distilled from the past. 🧙♂️💎
Graveyard as a Resource: The Threshold Effect
The card’s oracle text is explicit: choose one—counter target spell with mana value less than or equal to the number of cards in its controller’s graveyard, or destroy target creature with mana value less than or equal to that same number. This means the spell’s power isn’t static; it rises as the game unfolds and players fill their libraries with memories of cards long gone. In practical terms, this creates a dynamic decision point: early on, you might counter a tiny spell or remove a fragile critter if the graveyard count is low; later, you’ve got a broader range of targets, and the spell grows with the board presence. It’s a textbook example of how Dimir leverage can feel almost fair and still be absolutely terrifying to those who misjudge the graveyard’s gravity. 🧲🎲
Strategically, this supports a deck that leans into milling, self-muffin graveyard mechanics, or value trading around the late game. In multiplayer Commander, where players often sculpt their own resource pools, Drown in the Loch nudges opponents toward careful timing and careful development of their graveyard. It’s almost a whisper: “I know what you’re saving for, and I’ll find a way to answer it.” That kind of mindset is quintessential blue-black. ⚔️
In Action: Playing with Drown in the Loch
Think of a typical Dimir control plan with Drown in the Loch as a flexible finisher for the late game. When you’re up against a dangerous spell or a threatening creature, you look at the graveyard count—both yours and your foe’s—and decide which mode to fire. If your opponent has a modest graveyard, you might hold back, waiting for a bigger target to appear. If you’re stacking value and grinding, you can flip the switch to counter a high-impact spell or to erase a larger threat—always with the knowledge that the threshold is shifting as the game continues. This is blue and black thinking in motion: anticipate, adapt, and exploit the evolving resource pool on the battlefield. 🧙♂️🔥
- Counter path: If you anticipate a key spell that could swing the game, and the spell’s mana value fits within the current graveyard threshold, counter it and keep the game in your control. This is tempo by inches as the board stabilizes under your watchful eye.
- Removal path: When a crucial creature is pressing in for a swing, remove it if its power and mana value fit within the graveyard count. It’s not just about removal; it’s about timing the removal to deny your opponent the moment they need. 🧙♂️
- Graveyard-aware play: If you’re the one building up the graveyard, this instant rewards your philosophy. Your very strategy can tilt the balance toward more potent counters or bigger removals later in the game.
Deckbuilding Tips for Dimir Control
If you’re inspired to brew around Drown in the Loch, here are a few concrete ideas to anchor your plan:
- Incorporate self-mill or graveyard-thin strategies to accelerate the threshold for both modes. Cards that fill graveyards without helping opponents can be surprisingly potent here.
- Pair with other counterspells or removal to maximize the value of each decision. The more your graveyard grows, the more you leverage this spell’s double potential.
- Include card draw and filtering to ensure you hit the right moment to cast Drown in the Loch. You’ll want to know which targets are worth countering or destroying as the game unfolds. 🎲
- Maintain a healthy balance of threats and answers. A two-mana spell that grows stronger with graveyard size rewards thoughtful resource management more than pure ramp or raw speed.
Art, Lore, and the Aesthetic of Dimir
John Stanko’s illustration for Drown in the Loch captures that shadowed, watchful energy that blue and black drink in with every draw. The artwork’s mood perfectly mirrors the card’s identity: a calm surface concealing a deep, almost predatory current below. It’s a reminder that in Dimir, perception is a weapon, and the graveyard is a ledger kept in the dark. The artistry aligns with the set’s theme of bold, strategic play that rewards patient builders and fearless tacticians alike. 🎨
Rarity, Market, and Collector Value
As an uncommon reprint in Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate, Drown in the Loch sits in that sweet spot where casual players admire the design and collectors appreciate the art and print history. The card’s price on popular trackers sits near modest levels for uncommon black-blue staples, with values fluctuating as meta shifts and demand grows. In this sense, it’s the kind of piece that earns a place on kitchen-table tables and in glass cases alike—a reminder that even a two-mana spell can carry a heavy, iconic identity. 💎
The set’s “draft_innovation” framing often gives these cards a second life in Commander, where the graveyard becomes both resource and risk. If you’re chasing value, keep an eye on reprint timelines and appearance in other formats—often a card like this resurfaces in new printings that reframe its role for modern or commander play. ⚔️
A Soft Tie-In for Your Desk
While you brew and battle, why not keep the station looking sharp with a splash of neon flair? The Custom Neon Desk Mouse Pad is a playful desk companion for long sessions of thinking deeply about threshold values and lane control—an homage to the card’s blue-black vibe and a wink to the modern gaming desk aesthetic. It’s a perfect desk accessory for the MTG enthusiast who loves a little glow with their strategy. If you’re curious, you can explore the product here: Custom Neon Desk Mouse Pad 9.3x7.8 in. 🧭
As you’re setting up your next Commander session, remember that Drown in the Loch isn’t just a spell—it’s a statement about how blue and black define the game: flexible, thoughtful, and always listening to the graveyard. And if you’re looking to bring a little extra personality to the table, that neon pad never hurts when you’re navigating the tides of blue-black control. 🎲