EDH Optimizer

Balthor the Stout

Card: Balthor the Stout

Legendary Creature — Dwarf Barbarian · 1RR

Color identity: Red

Balthor the Stout is red: its deck can only run cards of that color plus colorless ones.

Rules text:
Other Barbarian creatures get +1/+1.
{R}: Another target Barbarian creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.

Reference price of the card: €0.52

Average lands in decks for Balthor the Stout: 35

BarbariansAggroDiscardAnthemsEquipmentFirebendingRampTron

Build your Balthor the Stout deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.

🛠️ Build a deck for Balthor the Stout 📥 Analyze my deck

🎲 How the average Balthor the Stout deck starts over 4,000 games

The list people actually play (the 99 most-included cards, with its average land count), simulated with the EDH Optimizer engine: hands, mulligans, lands, curve and commander. It does not model opponents; it measures whether the plan gets going.

3.0average turn the commander comes down
100 %of games have it on the battlefield before turn 7
31 %of games miss at least one land drop in the first six turns (mana screw)
10 %of games flood (three or more turns with nothing to cast)
96 %of games close out the table before turn 12
9median closing turn

Deck health of the average list: D (47/100)

See the cards of the average deck · 99 cards, 35 lands (12 nonbasic, 23 Mountain)

Plundering Barbarian · Sardian Cliffstomper · Kamahl, Pit Fighter · Reckless Barbarian · Jeska, Warrior Adept · Hell-Bent Raider · Keldon Warlord · Lovisa Coldeyes · Hobgoblin Captain · Balduvian Warlord · Jurin, Leading the Charge · Karlach, Fury of Avernus · Tiger-Tribe Hunter · Caves of Chaos Adventurer · Halberdier · Zalto, Fire Giant Duke · Pardic Arsonist · Sol Ring · Balduvian Barbarians · Taurean Mauler · Barbarian Lunatic · Arcane Signet · Adaptive Automaton · Barbarian Bully · Chaos Warp · Keldon Champion · Hazoret's Monument · Shared Animosity · Godo, Bandit Warlord · Vanquisher's Banner · Blasphemous Act · Archetype of Aggression · Ruby Medallion · Balduvian Horde · Barbarian Riftcutter · Herald's Horn · Spellgorger Barbarian · Abrade · Fire Diamond · Vandalblast · Metallic Mimic · Heraldic Banner · Balduvian War-Makers · Battle Hymn · Big Score · Pardic Lancer · Unexpected Windfall · Berserkers' Onslaught · Faithless Looting · Bloodline Pretender · Patchwork Banner · Pillaging Horde · Rage Reflection · Anger · Lightning Bolt · Mana Geyser · Mind Stone · Thrill of Possibility · Demand Answers · Wayfarer's Bauble · Crash Through · Mizzium Mortars · Barbarian General · Gauntlet of Power · Castle Embereth · Path of Ancestry · Barbarian Ring · War Room · Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle · Rogue's Passage · Dwarven Mine · Forgotten Cave · Spinerock Knoll · Myriad Landscape · Arena of Glory · Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx

🃏 Recommended cards for Balthor the Stout

The highest-synergy cards in decks for Balthor the Stout, with their inclusion rate.

CardInclusionSynergy
Sardian Cliffstomper 87% +86%
Kamahl, Pit Fighter 83% +83%
Jeska, Warrior Adept 81% +81%
Plundering Barbarian 87% +81%
Hell-Bent Raider 80% +80%
Reckless Barbarian 82% +79%
Keldon Warlord 77% +77%
Lovisa Coldeyes 77% +76%
Hobgoblin Captain 76% +76%
Balduvian Warlord 73% +73%
Jurin, Leading the Charge 73% +73%
Tiger-Tribe Hunter 70% +70%
Halberdier 69% +69%
Zalto, Fire Giant Duke 69% +69%
Pardic Arsonist 68% +68%
Caves of Chaos Adventurer 69% +68%
Karlach, Fury of Avernus 73% +67%
Balduvian Barbarians 65% +65%
Barbarian Lunatic 63% +63%
Taurean Mauler 65% +61%
Barbarian Bully 60% +60%
Keldon Champion 57% +57%
Adaptive Automaton 60% +56%
Godo, Bandit Warlord 54% +51%

💰 The best cards for your Balthor the Stout deck, by budget

Three tiers based on the maximum price PER CARD you are willing to pay. Paste your list and hit Optimize: you pick that cap and the AI only suggests swaps that fit under it.

Tier 1 · Budget up to €2/card

The most value for almost nothing. Coming from a precon? Start here.

  • Sardian Cliffstomper€0.07 · 87% inclusion
  • Kamahl, Pit Fighter€0.15 · 83% inclusion
  • Jeska, Warrior Adept€1.34 · 81% inclusion
  • Plundering Barbarian€0.16 · 87% inclusion
  • Hell-Bent Raider€0.36 · 80% inclusion
  • Reckless Barbarian€0.27 · 82% inclusion
🛠️ Optimize my deck · up to €2/card

Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card

The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.

  • Vanquisher's Banner€4.81 · 52% inclusion
  • Shared Animosity€3.78 · 56% inclusion
  • Herald's Horn€3.18 · 49% inclusion
  • Barbarian General€7.35 · 28% inclusion
  • Battle Hymn€2.26 · 41% inclusion
  • Caged Sun€2.15 · 25% inclusion
🛠️ Optimize my deck · up to €10/card

Tier 3 · No cap no cap

The cards your price cap was hiding from you.

  • Karlach, Fury of Avernus€21.32 · 73% inclusion
  • Chronicle of Victory€20.98 · 23% inclusion
  • Molten Echoes€10.78 · 19% inclusion
  • Urza's Incubator€15.91 · 18% inclusion
🛠️ Optimize my deck · no cap

Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.

♾️ Known combos with Balthor the Stout

Other commanders

Frequently asked questions

What is Balthor the Stout's color identity?

Balthor the Stout is red: its deck can only run cards of that color plus colorless ones. Color identity comes from every mana symbol on the card, including those in the rules text, not just the casting cost.

What turn does Balthor the Stout come down, and how often does the deck get stuck?

In the average Balthor the Stout deck (the 99 cards most played with it, with 35 lands), simulated 4,000 times, the commander comes down on turn 3.0 on average and is on the battlefield before turn 7 in 100 % of games. It misses at least one land drop in the first six turns 31 % of the time and floods 10 %. Deck health: D (47/100).

How many lands should a Balthor the Stout deck run?

Real Balthor the Stout decks run 35 lands on average. That is a starting point, not a rule: a lower curve can shave one or two, big-mana builds want more. The EDH Optimizer simulator tells you, over 10,000 games, how often you get mana screwed or flooded with your exact count.

What are the best cards for Balthor the Stout?

The three highest-synergy cards are Sardian Cliffstomper, Kamahl, Pit Fighter, Jeska, Warrior Adept. This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Balthor the Stout decks.

What combos does Balthor the Stout have?

Balthor the Stout has 6 known combos. The most popular one is Dualcaster Mage + Twinflame. Note that two-card combos raise your deck's bracket, so it is worth knowing which ones you are running before you sit down.

How much does a Balthor the Stout deck cost?

You can start cheap: Sardian Cliffstomper, Kamahl, Pit Fighter, Jeska, Warrior Adept are under €2 each. The "Level up" section on this page splits the best cards into three price caps PER CARD (up to €2, up to €10 and no cap), and the optimizer only suggests swaps that fit the cap you pick.

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