Shadowheart is a fascinating companion from Baldur’s Gate 3. In the video game, she’s a cleric devoted to Shar, and she wields all kinds of deceptive magic. She’s also one of the first people you meet, and her storyline is one that keeps you guessing as you learn more about her. Now, if you want to bring that same energy into a Commander game of Magic: The Gathering, you can do it with Shadowheart, Dark Justiciar as your Commander (with a Background alongside her). Below you’ll find a deck that helps you recreate Shadowheart’s themes and tactics on the tabletop.
Who Is Shadowheart?
In the lore, Shadowheart is a half-elf raised by Shar’s followers. She was kidnapped as a child and then molded into a devout servant. She grew up worshipping Shar’s sister, Selûne, before her abduction, which twisted her faith into something far darker. By the time you meet her in the game, her entire existence is shaped by Shar’s ideals of secrecy and loss.
In Magic terms, Shadowheart, Dark Justiciar is a legendary creature with a tap ability that sacrifices another creature to draw cards. She can also Choose a Background, which functions as a partner. That Background is crucial for capturing her story because you want something that reflects her past and her dedication to Shar.
Which Background Should You Choose?
While the game states she has an Acolyte background, the actual Acolyte of Bahamut card doesn’t match Shadowheart’s style at all. A better choice here is Haunted One. Whenever your Commander becomes tapped, Haunted One grants undying and a power boost to creatures that share a type with it. Because Shadowheart’s activated ability requires tapping, you end up with a neat synergy that helps keep your creatures around and ups their damage.
Leaning into Shar’s Influence
Shar is the goddess of sorrow, secrets, and memory loss. In MTG terms, that idea often shows up in discard effects, but Shadowheart and Haunted One both benefit from sacrifice effects too. We’ll use discard to sap our opponents’ resources, and we’ll sacrifice our own creatures to gain advantages. You’ll find a few cards here that encourage everyone else to pitch cards too, because it can be fun bringing people down to your level. This isn’t just an “Aristocrats” deck (the style that steadily drains your opponents’ life total via sacrifice triggers); it’s also about stealing and reanimating creatures, reflecting the trickster vibe of Shar’s followers.
Tergrid, God of Fright is perfect for this because it lets you steal permanents that your opponents discard or sacrifice. Rankle, Master of Pranks also shows up to cause more chaos. You might say that together, they’re your stand-ins for Shar herself, always ready to twist the minds of others.
Shadowheart Origin Deck
Commander (2)
- Shadowheart, Dark Justiciar
- Haunted One
Creatures (34)
- Abyssal Harvester
- Aclazotz, Deepest Betrayal
- Archon of Cruelty
- Archpriest of Shadows
- Ayara, First of Locthwain
- Braids, Arisen Nightmare
- Crypt Ghast
- Cunning Lethemancer
- Deathgreeter
- Doomed Necromancer
- Drana, the Last Bloodchief
- Elderfang Disciple
- Elvish Doomsayer
- Gray Merchant of Asphodel
- K’rrik, Son of Yawgmoth
- Magus of the Coffers
- Phyrexian Obliterator
- Pitiless Plunderer
- Plaguecrafter
- Priest of Forgotten Gods
- Rankle, Master of Pranks
- Rottenmouth Viper
- Sadistic Hypnotist
- Sangromancer
- Shadow-Rite Priest
- Sheoldred, Whispering One
- Skirsdag High Priest
- Taborax, Hope’s Demise
- Tergrid, God of Fright
- The Raven Man
- Tinybones, Trinket Thief
- Tourach, Dread Cantor
- Twilight Prophet
- Viconia, Drow Apostate
Sorceries (10)
- Blasphemous Edict
- Damnation
- Dark Deal
- Death Cloud
- Killing Wave
- Rankle’s Prank
- Reanimate
- Rush of Dread
- Torment of Hailfire
- Victimize
Instants (3)
- Defile
- Hellish Rebuke
- Soul Shatter
Artifacts (5)
- Caged Sun
- Geth’s Grimoire
- Jet Medallion
- Sol Ring
- Sword of Feast and Famine
Enchantments (8)
- Black Market
- Bottomless Pit
- Dictate of Erebos
- Grave Pact
- Oppression
- Painful Quandary
- Waste Not
- Words of Waste
Lands (38)
- Bojuka Bog
- Cabal Coffers
- Cabal Stronghold
- Command Beacon
- Crypt of Agadeem
- Geier Reach Sanitarium
- Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
- Phyrexian Tower
- Swamp (29)
- Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
How It All Ties Together
The deck leans heavily on making your opponents discard cards, sacrificing your own creatures, and occasionally reanimating them for value. That theme mirrors Shadowheart’s devotion to a mysterious and manipulative deity. You end up draining or discarding your opponents into submission, all while drawing plenty of cards yourself through Shadowheart’s ability.
If you’d rather roleplay as another Baldur’s Gate 3 character, there are also Commanders for Karlach, the fiery tiefling, or Astarion, the slick vampire. But for now, if you want to channel a trickster cleric who serves the Lady of Sorrows, this deck has you covered. It’s a mix of subtle sabotage, constant sacrifice, and occasional bursts of sadistic glee. It might even reflect Shadowheart’s own internal struggle, if you want to be poetic about it.
I enjoy how it all comes together, though I’ll admit it can be pretty frustrating for your opponents. Then again, that’s exactly what you’d expect from a worshipper of Shar. So tap your Commander, fuel those sacrifices, discard everyone’s cards, and keep reviving your favorites for another round of mischief. In my opinion, that’s exactly what Shadowheart would do.
