Build a Rebels Deck with Banon, the Returners' Leader

Building an Edgar, Master Machinist Commander Deck

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Bahamut" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Bahamut</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/arifwijaya" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arif Wijaya</a></em></p>
<p><em>Final Fantasy</em> has taken over <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>, and Summons are among the most flavorful and powerful cards introduced in the set. Seeing as Summons in the actual <em>Final Fantasy</em> franchise only stick around for a few turns, having them represented as Sagas in <em>Magic</em> makes perfect sense.</p>
<p>As a “Timmy” <em>Magic </em>player, many of these Summons feel as if they were printed explicitly for me. A giant 9/9 flyer that can destroy permanents and then nukes your opponents as it dies? Yes, please! A 7/7 Giant for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-3" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> with reach and trample that brings back all of your lands from the graveyard and then boosts another creature’s power and toughness equal to the number of lands you have? That works for me.</p>
<p><em>Final Fantasy</em> is both a design and sales dynamo for <em>Wizards of the Coast</em>, and with cards like these amazing Summons, it’s no wonder that the set is already <em>Magic’s</em> best-selling release of all time. So today we're ranking the ten best Summon spells in the set.</p>
<p><em>Note: While I never delved too far into the Final Fantasy video games, I did play </em>FF8 <em>when it released (that opening cinematic blew my mind as a lad), and I nearly beat </em>FFX<em>, but was derailed by a crippling <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blitzball" href="#" target="_blank">Blitzball</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> addiction – even without the <a href="https://www.thegamer.com/final-fantasy-10-jecht-shot-location-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jecht shot</a>!</em></p>
<h3>10. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Ixion" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Ixion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<p>A 3/3 with first strike for three mana used to be a helluva deal… but those days are long gone. Now, this 3/3 first striker for three provides you with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fiend Hunter" href="#" target="_blank">Fiend Hunter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in its first chapter (exile another target creature while it’s on the battlefield). Already, that’s pretty sweet.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Ixion"></div></div>
<p>While it’s next two chapters – place a +1/+1 counter on two target creatures and gain two life – aren’t wildly powerful, they still provide you ample value for the low, low price of <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>.</p>
<h3>9. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Magus Sisters" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Magus Sisters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<p>Sometimes the extreme power found across a wide variety of <em>Magic</em>’s most popular formats can get a bit tiresome. Sure, winning the game consistently by turn four is fun, but where’s the variety, the spice? This Summon grants something that many games of <em>Magic </em>sorely lack: randomness.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Magus Sisters"></div></div>
<p>Coming down as a hasty 5/5 for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-4" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> means you can deal some damage right away, but it’s the random options that can truly swing a game: putting three +1/+1 counters on target creature, putting a shield counter on target creature and gaining three life, or fighting another target creature a foe controls. As the sisters say: “Sorry, but your quest will be over here!”</p>
<h3>8. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Yojimbo" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Yojimbo</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<p>A strong Summon as well as a great greeting for any of your friends named Jim, Yojimbo is a 5/5 with vigilance for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-3" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> – already a good rate – from the <em>Final Fantasy Commander</em> precons.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Yojimbo"></div></div>
<p>Its first chapter provides a situational <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oblivion Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Oblivion Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, its next two chapters provide a temporary <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Propaganda" href="#" target="_blank">Propaganda</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to help thwart “go-wide” strategies, and its final chapter lets you net some Treasure tokens so long as at least one of your opponents has a creature with power four or greater.</p>
<h3>7. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Leviathan" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Leviathan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<p>As previously evinced, Summons seem perfectly positioned as go-to “Timmy/Tammy” cards. Any card that mentions the sea monster creature types of <em>Magic</em> – Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus, or Serpent – are always going to be attractive to players that love the biggest, baddest beaters around.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Leviathan"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Leviathan" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Leviathan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, in particular, is extremely potent in such builds as it delivers a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whelming Wave" href="#" target="_blank">Whelming Wave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for its first chapter and then draws you a card whenever one of those creatures attacks (a trigger for each one, that is). To add to the fun, this card also works well in Merfolk strategies and has built-in protection thanks to having ward <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. What’s not to like?</p>
<h3>6. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Good King Mog XII" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Good King Mog XII</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<p>One of the finest additions that <em>Final Fantasy</em> has made to the world of <em>Magic </em>is the inclusion of Moogles as a playable creature type. These adorable little marshmallows are featured throughout the set, though they don’t have quite the support that Chocobos/Birds received upon release.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Good King Mog XII"></div></div>
<p>This five-mana Saga Moogle (a fun phrase to say) creates two 1/2 Moogle tokens with lifelink in its first chapter, then can duplicate any non-Saga token you control in its next two chapters. Its final chapter gives a Moogle “lord” payoff by tacking on two +1/+1 counters to all Moogles you control before it exits the battlefield. A strong Moogle payoff, and an extremely cute creature “lord.”</p>
<h3>5. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Brynhildr" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Brynhildr</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<p>Of course, a Summon exists that looks like it will be a strong addition to the mono-red Aggro decks that have long been eminently attractive options in Standard. This 2/1 for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> provides an “impulse draw” that you can play for as long as the card has lore counters on it – so roughly three turns – for its first chapter. Early card advantage is eminently important for mono-red decks.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Brynhildr"></div></div>
<p>Then, for its final two chapters, the next creature spell you play gains haste – which can provide some stunning surprise attacks and delivers yet more ammo for mono-red strategies (or Jeskai Prowess strategies) to run roughshod over Standard for the foreseeable future.</p>
<h3>4. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Knights of Round" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Knights of Round</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<p>One of the rarest Summons in <em>Final Fantasy VII</em>, this eight-mana 3/3 with indestructible sticks around for four turns, producing a 2/2 white Knight creature (though not a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="White Knight" href="#" target="_blank">White Knight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) for each of its first four chapters.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Knights of Round"></div></div>
<p>Then, for its fifth chapter, it gives all of your other creatures a +2/+2 boost as well as the real kicker, indestructible counters – which stick around, making your entire team pretty tough to defeat. While the price point of this splashy 3/3 Saga Knight is high (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-6" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>), the payoff is well worth it.</p>
<h3>3. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Titan" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Titan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<p>Now we’re getting to the good stuff. In the <em>Final Fantasy</em> games, Titan is found across a number of entries in the franchise as a strong, high damage-dealing bruiser. In <em>Magic</em>, that same logic applies, as this green powerhouse already comes in at an incredibly good rate: <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-3" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> for a 7/7 with both reach and trample – a strong creature in its own right.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Titan"></div></div>
<p>But when you tack on milling synergies in its first chapter, returning all lands from your graveyard to the battlefield in the second chapter and another target creature getting +X/+X equal to the number of lands you control in the final chapter, you’ve got the makings of a top-flight game-finisher and yet another example of Summons being playgrounds for the Timmys/Tammys of the world (like me).</p>
<h3>2. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Primal Odin" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Primal Odin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<p>Speaking of big, flashy Summons and cards that scream Timmy/Tammy, how does a creature with the text “Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player loses the game” sound?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Primal Odin"></div></div>
<p>While <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-4" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> is pretty steep for a 5/3 creature, when it enters, its first chapter destroys target creature a foe controls, its second chapter is the “your foe loses the game” one, which is obviously awesome, and the third chapter draws you two cards and forces all players to lose two life. Wouldn’t it be funny if your foe survived the second chapter and then fell to the third one?</p>
<h3>1. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Bahamut" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Bahamut</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<p>You could see where this was going. So far, most Summons have been massively high-powered, splashy, and downright fun cards that make a huge impact on the game both as soon as they’re cast as well as during each of their powerhouse chapters. No Summon card from <em>Final Fantasy</em> defines this quite like the 9/9 flyer for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-9" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Bahamut" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Bahamut</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Bahamut"></div></div>
<p>A tremendously powerful card with four strong chapters, this card can easily win the game for you on its own, especially in Commander if you’re running a dedicated colorless build that’s full of high-mana colorless bombs like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ugin, the Spirit Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Ugin, the Spirit Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or Eldrazi Titans. Eminently flavorful and game-warping, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Bahamut" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Bahamut</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the ideal of what a Summon card should be in <em>Final Fantasy.</em></p>
<h2><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRXE3NNaiks&amp;pp=ygUMaSBzdW1tb24geW91" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I Summon You</a> Here to My Game</h2>
<p><em>Final Fantasy</em> might end up being not just the highest-selling <em>Magic</em> set of all time, but also the most popular. Combining the <em>Final Fantasy</em> franchise with the original trading card game was always going to make this release a mega-hit. The fact that many of the cards within, such as Summons, are so well designed only adds to the set’s appeal and overall success.</p>
<p><strong>Read More:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/meld-ragnarok-with-fang-and-vanille-in-pauper-commander/">Meld Ragnarok With Fang and Vanille In Pauper Commander</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/20-best-zombie-cards-for-commander">20 Best Zombie Cards for Commander</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-through-the-ages-reprint-review/">Final Fantasy Through the Ages Reprint Review</a></li>
</ul>


The 10 Best Summon Cards in Final Fantasy

Matoya, Archon Elder - Final Fantasy Bracket 2 Commander Deck

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Chromatic Lantern | Illustrated by David Alvarez</h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>June is Pride Month, and people of many walks of life are celebrating LGBTQIA+ lives and legacies this month. Wizards of the Coast is no exception! All this month, they are showing their many ways to celebrate Pride. On Monday, June 9th, Wizards explained exactly how they're going about it!</p>
<h2><em>Magic</em> Presents: Pride</h2>
<p>From June 27th-29th, participating Wizards Play Network stores will conduct <em>Magic</em> Presents: Pride, a <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> celebration of Pride Month. Commander is the name of the game here, but with a twist in that every commander-eligible legendary is treated as having the partner mechanic! Feel free to pair any two legendary creatures together (regardless of orientation or gender expression) and make a deck based around their unity and synergies. It will be a great time to get together and play some Commander with friends in an interesting format twist.</p>
<p>Furthermore, participating WPN stores may offer participants a promotional copy of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chromatic Lantern" href="#" target="_blank">Chromatic Lantern</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (while supplies last). These promos feature <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niko Aris" href="#" target="_blank">Niko Aris</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and are illustrated by <strong>David Alvarez</strong>. They look like this!</p>
<div id="attachment_156016" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/apW61E1Lvm.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-156016" class="wp-image-156016" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/apW61E1Lvm.png" alt="Image credit: Wizards of the Coast" width="400" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/apW61E1Lvm.png 744w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/apW61E1Lvm-215x300.png 215w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/apW61E1Lvm-733x1024.png 733w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-156016" class="wp-caption-text">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast</p></div>
<p>Beyond this, according to the article on <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/celebrate-pride-at-your-local-game-store-and-beyond">DailyMTG</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>The Chromatic Lantern promo card we're releasing with <i>Magic</i> Presents: Pride was a Studio X-wide effort, with members of Worldbuilding, WPN, Marketing, and Design working to create a card worthy of being our first WPN Pride promo.</p>
<p>To celebrate this and put a spotlight on the folks behind it, <i>The Magic Story Podcast</i> will be releasing a behind-the-scenes video with Senior Worldbuilding Game Designer <strong>Neale LaPlante Johnson</strong> and Wizards Pride ERG President <strong>Meredith Pendragon</strong>. Stay tuned!</p></blockquote>
<h2>More <em>Magic</em> Stories On Audiobook For Pride Month</h2>
<p>Speaking of <em>The Magic Story Podcast</em>, Vorthos <em>Magic</em> enthusiasts should rejoice! Wizards of the Coast has announced that they'll be releasing four <em>Magic</em> short stories on audiobook that revolve around LGBTQIA+ characters of the <em>Magic</em> Multiverse:</p>
<blockquote><p>Hosts <strong>Natalie Kreider</strong> and <strong>Harless Snyder</strong> will narrate four brand-new audiobooks for <i>The Magic Story Podcast</i>. Additionally, we'll republish these stories on DailyMTG for your reading and listening pleasure. Check back on these dates to listen to some stellar stories:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>June 10</strong>: "Note for a Stranger" by <strong>Alison Lührs</strong></li>
<li><strong>June 12</strong>: "Know Which Way the Wind Is Blowing" by <strong>Setsu Uzumé</strong></li>
<li><strong>June 16</strong>: "His Eyes, All of Them" by <strong>Margaret Killjoy</strong></li>
<li><strong>June 17</strong>: "Aim Through the Target" by <strong>Setsu Uzumé</strong></li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<h2>Pride At MagicCon</h2>
<p>The fun doesn't stop there! At MagicCon: Las Vegas, Wizards of the Coast is collaborating with their Pride Employee Resource Group (or the Wizards ERG) and <a href="https://www.birdsofmtg.com/">Birds of Paradise</a>, a collective of <em>Magic</em> players, to introduce <a href="https://mcvegas.mtgfestivals.com/en-us/experience/the-gathering-grounds.html">the Gathering Grounds</a>, "a dedicated space for celebrating and uplifting marginalized [<em>Magic</em>] communities". They'll be hosting the <em>Magic</em> Presents event a week early at MagicCon!</p>
<h2>Pride Dice, Shirts, and Playmats</h2>
<p>Beyond MagicCon and your local game store, the Wizards of the Coast webstore is selling special t-shirts and playmats. Have a look!</p>
<p>(Image credits: Wizards of the Coast)</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/3yOe4gXkZm.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-156017" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/3yOe4gXkZm.jpg" alt="" width="559" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/3yOe4gXkZm.jpg 900w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/3yOe4gXkZm-300x300.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/3yOe4gXkZm-150x150.jpg 150w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/3yOe4gXkZm-768x768.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 559px) 100vw, 559px" /></a> <a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/On2FIuW7aQ.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-156018" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/On2FIuW7aQ.jpg" alt="" width="559" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/On2FIuW7aQ.jpg 900w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/On2FIuW7aQ-300x300.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/On2FIuW7aQ-150x150.jpg 150w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/On2FIuW7aQ-768x768.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 559px) 100vw, 559px" /></a> <a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Magic_bVSQuEgLfo.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-156022" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Magic_bVSQuEgLfo.jpg" alt="" width="559" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Magic_bVSQuEgLfo.jpg 1200w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Magic_bVSQuEgLfo-300x300.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Magic_bVSQuEgLfo-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Magic_bVSQuEgLfo-150x150.jpg 150w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Magic_bVSQuEgLfo-768x768.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 559px) 100vw, 559px" /></a> <a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DungeonsAndDragons_bVSQuEgLfo.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-156019" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DungeonsAndDragons_bVSQuEgLfo.jpg" alt="" width="559" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DungeonsAndDragons_bVSQuEgLfo.jpg 1200w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DungeonsAndDragons_bVSQuEgLfo-300x300.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DungeonsAndDragons_bVSQuEgLfo-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DungeonsAndDragons_bVSQuEgLfo-150x150.jpg 150w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DungeonsAndDragons_bVSQuEgLfo-768x768.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 559px) 100vw, 559px" /></a> <a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/NikoPlaymat-scaled.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-156020" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/NikoPlaymat-scaled.png" alt="" width="987" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/NikoPlaymat-scaled.png 2560w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/NikoPlaymat-300x170.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/NikoPlaymat-1024x580.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/NikoPlaymat-768x435.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/NikoPlaymat-1536x870.png 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/NikoPlaymat-2048x1160.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 987px) 100vw, 987px" /></a> <a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DungeonsAndDragonsPlaymat-scaled.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-156021" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DungeonsAndDragonsPlaymat-scaled.png" alt="" width="987" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DungeonsAndDragonsPlaymat-scaled.png 2560w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DungeonsAndDragonsPlaymat-300x170.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DungeonsAndDragonsPlaymat-1024x580.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DungeonsAndDragonsPlaymat-768x435.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DungeonsAndDragonsPlaymat-1536x870.png 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/DungeonsAndDragonsPlaymat-2048x1160.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 987px) 100vw, 987px" /></a></p>
<p>You'll be able to find the t-shirts and playmats at the <a href="https://mtgproshop.com/collections/pride">MTG Pro Shop</a> webstore from June 16th through July 31st! Plus, the dice and dice holder are evergreen products and there are many different avenues both online and off to purchase them. For every set of dice sold, $5 will go towards <a href="https://www.thetrevorproject.org/">The Trevor Project</a>, and for every dice holder, $28 will be donated there as well!</p>
<h2>Wizards of the Coast at Seattle Pride</h2>
<p>Finally, Wizards of the Coast will be parading at Seattle Pride! According to the article:</p>
<blockquote><p>On Sunday, June 29, the Seattle Pride Parade kicks off at Westlake Park. Wizards of the Coast—as we have done in past years—will be joining the parade alongside thousands of others. We're excited to support Seattle Pride and their invaluable work toward promoting celebration and visibility.</p>
<p>Wizards of the Coast has been closely involved with our local Seattle community. From local gaming groups to larger charitable organizations, we believe in giving back to the place that we call home.</p></blockquote>
<p>Are you excited about any of these Pride Month events? Sound off below!</p>


Magic: The Gathering Celebrates Pride Month This June

<div id="attachment_155871" class="wp-caption alignright">
<p id="caption-attachment-155871" class="wp-caption-text"><em>The EDHRECast live at Magic Con Chicago 2025, photo credit: Nick Wolf</em></p>
</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>What Is the International Day of Play?</h2>
<p>On June 11, 2025, EDHREC is happy to celebrate International Day of Play (IDOP)!</p>
<p>Marking the importance of play in children's lives is the primary goal of IDOP. Even for adults, making some time to move away from screens into the open-world RPG that is life is a great way to celebrate the holiday through in-person play.</p>
<p>Various organizations across the globe are celebrating IDOP. Even the United Nations is taking part in this holiday!</p>
<p>According to <a href="https://www.un.org/en/delegate/international-day-play-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">their press release on the subject</a>, 2025 marks the second year of the celebration of a person's right to engage in play. Their release goes on to say:</p>
<blockquote><p>Building on the success of the inaugural International Day of Play in 2024 and the adoption of the General Assembly resolution recognizing every child’s right to play, we are pleased [...] to participate in the 2025 celebration of the International Day of Play (IDOP) [...] This year’s celebration will move from conversation to commitment. We hope to see broad and meaningful participation from Member States to help advance the right to play in practical and visible ways.</p></blockquote>
<p>International Day of Play is a worldwide holiday that emphasizes a child's right to play.</p>
<p>However, everyone needs some time for their own leisure and play now and again.</p>
<h3>What Are Some Ways I Can Participate?</h3>
<p><a href="https://newsroom.hasbro.com/news-releases/news-release-details/hasbro-celebrates-international-day-play-global-initiatives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hasbro has announced</a> family-friendly, in-person Dungeons &amp; Dragons events at over 300 local gaming stores (LGS) nationwide.</p>
<p>Plus, with <em>Magic: The Gathering's</em> tentpole<em> Final Fantasy</em> set releasing on June 13th, many gamers are looking forward to a jam-packed weekend of play.</p>
<div id="attachment_155873" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/mattmorgansealedpool.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-155873" class="wp-image-155873" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/mattmorgansealedpool-768x1024.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="667" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/mattmorgansealedpool-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/mattmorgansealedpool-225x300.jpg 225w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/mattmorgansealedpool-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/mattmorgansealedpool.jpg 1500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-155873" class="wp-caption-text">Matt Morgan of the EDHRECast's Final Fantasy Sealed deck</p></div>
<p>In addition, Hasbro is teaming up with the Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of America to spearhead multiple <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em> campaigns at after-school programs. According to Hasbro's release:</p>
<blockquote><p>Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast is piloting official afterschool D&amp;D clubs at 10 <a id="modalLink" href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bgca.org%2F&amp;esheet=54271231&amp;newsitemid=20250609564065&amp;lan=en-US&amp;anchor=Boys+%26amp%3B+Girls+Clubs&amp;index=4&amp;md5=43f6949839d0d8e359f3ea9a70f78cce" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" shape="rect">Boys &amp; Girls Clubs</a> nationwide, complete with mini libraries, game materials, and support to train the next generation of Dungeon Masters. To celebrate, Hasbro volunteers will be visiting a local Boys &amp; Girls Club to bring the fun in person.</p></blockquote>
<p>Meanwhile, <em>Magic</em><em>: The Gathering</em> is also a great way to play! Here at EDHREC, we encourage you to take your best and most fun Commander decks to your LGS and see if you can make new friends, sling some spells, and enjoy the gathering that makes <em>Magic</em> so great.</p>
<h2>Play Alongside the EDHRECast at MagicCon Las Vegas</h2>
<p>MagicCon Vegas is just around the corner, so if you're looking to play at the event, the EDHRECast's got you covered! <strong>Joey Schultz</strong>, <strong>Dana Roach</strong>, and <strong>Matt Morgan</strong> will be available for <a href="https://mcvegas.mtgfestivals.com/en-us/experience/panels-and-events/panel-information.html?gtID=901484&amp;panel-name=Meet-EDHRec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">meet and greets on Saturday, June 20th</a>, from 10:30am to 12pm!</p>
<p>And speaking of in-person play, you'll also be able to <a href="https://mcvegas.mtgfestivals.com/en-us/experience/panels-and-events/panel-information.html?gtID=898650&amp;panel-name=EDHRECast-Live" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Challenge the Stats in person</a> with the Cast at MagicCon Las Vegas!</p>
<div id="attachment_155946" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EDHRECast21-1-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-155946" class="wp-image-155946 size-large" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EDHRECast21-1-1024x698.jpg" alt="edhrecast photo at magic con chicago 25" width="1024" height="698" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EDHRECast21-1-1024x698.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EDHRECast21-1-300x205.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EDHRECast21-1-768x524.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EDHRECast21-1-1536x1047.jpg 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/EDHRECast21-1-2048x1396.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-155946" class="wp-caption-text">The EDHRECast live at Magic Con Chicago 2025, photo credit: Nick Wolf</p></div>
<p>Stop by the Spindown Panel Room S224, June 21 at 4 pm, to showcase your data knowledge and chat with the cast LIVE! Test your chops against our panelists.</p>
<blockquote><p>In this live version of our popular Challenge the Stats segment, audience members will be given a chance to go head to head against one of the show hosts to guess various stats on cards and decks from the EDHREC database. Do you know better than the Necromancer himself Joey Schultz what the most popular graveyard commander is in Boros? Can you out-guess Mr. Selesnya Matt Morgan about which green/white card shows up highest among the most popular cards on the site? Will you out-hipster Dana Roach by correctly naming the most-built commander from Ice Age? This is your chance to challenge our stats and see what we know live and in person.</p></blockquote>
<p>This event requires no pre-registration and is first-come, first-serve, so make sure you get to the Panel Room S224 in time to grab a seat and get ready to play!</p>


EDHREC Celebrates International Day of Play 2025

The Best Graveyard Cards in Final Fantasy

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Today is Wednesday, June 11th, the second-to-last day before <em>Final Fantasy</em>'s <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> set officially releases! As such, it's time to continue our Count-Up series. Each day leading up to Friday, June 13th, I've been compiling the best and most flavorful cards from each mainline game in the series. Yesterday, we looked at <em>FFXIV</em>, and today we'll be covering <em>Final Fantasy XV</em>!</p>
<p>To refresh you about the criteria I'm using to rank cards from each game subset:</p>
<ul>
<li>Honorable Mention - These usually will be a cycle or group of cards that are great but don't quite measure up to the "best" in the categories we have chosen to cover. Today's list will have three cards.</li>
<li>Best as a Commander - This category covers, as advertised, the best commander to lead a deck in Commander, but may also look briefly at other Command Zone-driven formats.</li>
<li>Best in the 99 - This section discusses my choice for the best card in a given 99 of a deck. It may be a ubiquitous card, but it might also just be a card with a fair amount of utility.</li>
<li>Most Flavorful - The most fun to play card in a storytelling context will be deemed Most Flavorful. For example, we covered <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Town Greeter" href="#" target="_blank">Town Greeter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in our <em>FFI</em> list for its fun lore synergies with Towns, especially those with specific <em>Final Fantasy</em> town names.</li>
<li>Best In Show - The very best of these cards in a balance of the above categories.</li>
</ul>
<p>Furthermore, cards from the Commander precons, <em>Through the Ages</em>, and promotional/<em>Secret Lair</em> cards are ineligible for consideration. We want to keep this strictly from the main set.</p>
<p>With that, let's hit the road and delve into the wide world of <em>FFXV</em>!</p>
<h2>Honorable Mentions</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prompto Argentum"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gladiolus Amicitia"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ignis Scientia"></div></div>
<p>I chose Noctis's retainers/friends as <em>FFXV</em>'s Honorable Mentions. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prompto Argentum" href="#" target="_blank">Prompto Argentum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gladiolus Amicitia" href="#" target="_blank">Gladiolus Amicitia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ignis Scientia" href="#" target="_blank">Ignis Scientia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are all interesting cards individually. They each have their own niche usage in the context of <em>Magic</em>, just as in <em>Final Fantasy XV</em>. But they're also best evaluated as a team (and especially alongside Noctis). Where <em>is</em> Noctis, you may ask? You'll see later. But because of this grouping, they're best as our Honorable Mentions.</p>
<h2>Best as a Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ardyn, the Usurper"></div></div>
<p>My Best as a Commander pick is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ardyn, the Usurper" href="#" target="_blank">Ardyn, the Usurper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Ardyn is a fabulous Demon-kindred commander option in mono-black, despite not being a Demon himself. He instead brings out the very worst in everyone, turning the dead into Demon creatures with a bunch of extra keywords. You can read <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-a-demon-typal-deck-with-ardyn-the-usurper">our deck tech on Ardyn here</a> to find out more about how absolutely <em>awesome</em> Ardyn is. You don't have to take my word for that. And granted, he costs 8 mana, but that's an easy enough cost to pay in black.</p>
<h2>Best in the 99</h2>
<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Regalia" href="#" target="_blank">The Regalia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>
<p>We are really focusing on a lot of legendary cards in this Count-Up entry, huh? The Regalia is a powerful Vehicle card that can quickly get you ramping on lands. While it costs a somewhat-frustrating 4 mana to cast, having haste and the low, low crewing cost of 1 means it'll be useful soon thereafter. Vroom, vroom!</p>
<h2>Most Flavorful</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ancient Adamantoise"></div></div>
<p>Creatures like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Adamantoise" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Adamantoise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are decidedly very easy to encounter in the context of <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>. Note that I don't mean based on what it does; rather, I mean its level of impact on the game. However, Ancient Adamantoise is a 20-hour fight in <em>Final Fantasy XV</em> and rightly so. Its defenses are nigh-impenetrable. So, too, will this creature protect you in a huge way in a given Commander game. That in itself is enough to give this titanic Turtle the Most Flavorful distinction for this subset.</p>
<p>And so, that brings us to my Best In Show. What card could it be?</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy XV</em> Best In Show</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Noctis, Prince of Lucis"></div></div>
<p>It's no surprise that our Best In Show is Noctis! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Noctis, Prince of Lucis" href="#" target="_blank">Noctis, Prince of Lucis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a powerful white-blue-black commander that's firing on all cylinders immediately out of the gate. He's a fantastic card that even has some cEDH potential (due to his ability's interactions with cheap, instantaneously-countered artifacts and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherflux Reservoir" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherflux Reservoir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>). Noctis has shown himself to be a competent card in the format and is our Best In Show primarily for that reason.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, he can't join his comrades/retainers in a given deck led by any of them. However, he has a <em>Through the Ages</em> reskin wherein he is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kenrith, the Returned King" href="#" target="_blank">Kenrith, the Returned King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> who <em>can</em> field them all, even this iteration of Noctis as well.</p>
<p>With that, we conclude our Count-Up entry on <em>Final Fantasy XV</em>! Have you ever played <em>FFXV</em>? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments below. And, if you like this series so far, please stay tuned as tomorrow we go over <em>FFXVI</em>, the final entry in this series! The rest of the articles can be found in the links below!</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-one-ffi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 1: <em>FFI</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-two-ffii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 2: <em>FFII</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-three-ffiii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 3: <em>FFIII</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-four-ffiv?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 4: <em>FFIV</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-five-ffv?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 5: <em>FFV</em></a></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-six-ffvi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Day 6: <em>FFVI</em></strong></a><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-seven-ffvii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 7: <em>FFVII</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eight-ffviii/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 8: </a><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eight-ffviii/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>FFVIII</em></a></strong><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-nine-ffix?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 9: <em>FFIX</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-ten-ffx/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 10: <em>FFX</em></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eleven-ffxi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 11: <em>FFXI</em></a></strong><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-twelve-ffxii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 12: <em>FFXII</em></a></strong><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-thirteen-ffxiii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 13: <em>FFXIII</em></a></strong><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-fourteen-ffxiv">Day 14: <em>FFXIV</em></a></strong></p>


Final Fantasy 16-Day Count-Up, Day Fifteen: FFXV

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rocco, Street Chef|mat|94" href="#" target="_blank">Rocco, Street Chef</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CJack+Hughes%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jack Hughes</a></em></p>
<hr />
<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?</p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>and wondered if you were the bad guy. I'm here to take in your story with all of its nuances so I can bring some clarity to all those asking, "Am I the Bolas?"</p>
<p>I'm ready to hear you out and offer advice. All you have to do is email amithebolas@gmail.com with your story, a pseudonym you want to use, and of course, only include details you don't mind in the column! You might see your story below one day. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a></p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza, aka Mark Carbonza, and I have no idea who this lil guy is, but I can't stop saying his name over and over and over again.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Papalymo Totolymo"></div></div>
<p><em>Papalymo Totolymo! Papalymo Totolymo! Papalymo Totolymo!!!</em></p>
<p>This week, why it's important to have a rule zero chat.</p>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)</p>
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<h2>SUBMISSION</h2>
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<p><em>Hi Mary Carbonara,</em></p>
<div><em>Got a story where I'm trying to determine whether I broke social rules or if someone spilled the salt shaker on his playmat.</em></div>
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<div><em>I play mostly on Spelltable recently and found myself in a lobby titled "Bracket 3 Fun Decks". I pull out my <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rocco, Street Chef" href="#" target="_blank">Rocco, Street Chef</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <a href="https://moxfield.com/decks/joLFwCA-8kOw_O2vQfGe5Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deck</a> before the other players take out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadpool, Trading Card" href="#" target="_blank">Deadpool, Trading Card</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Edgar Markov" href="#" target="_blank">Edgar Markov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kambal, Consul of Allocation" href="#" target="_blank">Kambal, Consul of Allocation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. There was not much of a pre-game discussion and "fun decks" is subjective, but a stax deck, a stax deck, and Eminence reads relatively powerful in my mind.</em></div>
<div><em><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deadpool, Trading Card"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Edgar Markov"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kambal, Consul of Allocation"></div></div></em></p>
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<div><em>My Rocco deck has various win lines, but it does have two combo packages: one centered around <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="All Will Be One" href="#" target="_blank">All Will Be One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Red Terror" href="#" target="_blank">The Red Terror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-type effects and the other around <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rosie Cotton of South Lane" href="#" target="_blank">Rosie Cotton of South Lane</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scurry Oak" href="#" target="_blank">Scurry Oak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects. Notably, neither of these combos are two-card combos, it needs another piece to end the game, and I run a single tutor in the deck: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rocco, Cabaretti Caterer" href="#" target="_blank">Rocco, Cabaretti Caterer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for flavor reasons (pun extremely intended). To me, this makes the combos fair game in a Bracket 3 game. But this was not discussed before mulligans.</em></div>
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<div><em>The game starts off well enough. An early <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Birds of Paradise" href="#" target="_blank">Birds of Paradise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives me a turn-two commander, and every player benefits from it on that turn rotation. By the next turn though, Deadpool comes out and turns off my Rocco, but gives everyone another impulse draw. A turn or so after that, I stick Rosie Cotton on the field and have my one and only tutor on an impulse draw with only a single turn to cast it. I do some quick maths, then move to my turn.</em></div>
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<div><em>My draw for turn is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peregrin Took" href="#" target="_blank">Peregrin Took</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Given my mana situation, I am able to play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rocco, Cabaretti Caterer" href="#" target="_blank">Rocco, Cabaretti Caterer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, tutor <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scurry Oak" href="#" target="_blank">Scurry Oak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to the field, play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peregrin Took" href="#" target="_blank">Peregrin Took</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which starts the loop:</em></div>
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<ul>
<li><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scurry Oak" href="#" target="_blank">Scurry Oak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s evolve trigger puts a counter on it, making a Squirrel</em></li>
<li><em>The Squirrel triggers <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peregrin Took" href="#" target="_blank">Peregrin Took</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, making a Food</em></li>
<li><em>Each token triggers Rosie Cotton to put a counter on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scurry Oak" href="#" target="_blank">Scurry Oak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></em></li>
<li><em>Rinse and repeat</em></li>
</ul>
<div><em>I demonstrate the loop to the table, signaling points to interact, of which the table has none. Deadpool player asks rather assertively whether there is a "may" on any of the triggers. I begin to explain that no, but I can choose to put the counters elsewhere, but I get interrupted by him again before I can finish, asking the same question. I shorten my explanation and end the loop, ending with 69,420,000,000 Foods and Squirrels. I demonstrate drawing most of my deck with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peregrin Took" href="#" target="_blank">Peregrin Took</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with a rather clear line in mind.</em></div>
<div><em> </em></div>
<div><em>Before I can make a play though, the Deadpool player again interrupts saying "Okay I scoop. I'm not about to wait here for ten minutes while you figure out what your lines are." Before I can reply, he alt+F4s, as does the Edgar player. Kambal sticks it out while I ramp out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Night of the Sweets&#039; Revenge" href="#" target="_blank">Night of the Sweets&#039; Revenge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, buff my board and swing out. </em></div>
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<div><em> </em></div>
<div><em>The rage quitting here is what has me questioning my Bolas status. I can't determine whether the reaction was due to losing, or an unexpected combo, or because he really thought I would take too long to round out the game. So my question is: Am I the Bolas for playing a three-card combo in Bracket 3 without discussing it beforehand? And do the decks I'm playing against justify me playing more cutthroat than I might if I was against more "socially fun" decks? </em></div>
<div><em> </em></div>
<div><em>Thanks for your time, </em></div>
<div><em> </em></div>
<div><em>BluePaint</em></div>
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<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scurry Oak"></div></div>
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<h2>VERDICT</h2>
<p>Thank you for writing and asking me to weigh in on your story. As I mention every week, if folks don't write to me, there's no column, so if you, the reader, want to send me a story, whether it's your own or one from Reddit or a friend's, please send it to amithebolas@gmail.com and I'll get to it here.</p>
<p>I like this one so much I might bring it on the podcast this week.</p>
<p>For simplicity's sake, <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/commander-brackets-beta-update-april-22-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here's the most recent bracket breakdown</a> we got in April 2025 from Gavin.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tHg5ycJPfJ.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-155774 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tHg5ycJPfJ-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="649" height="366" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tHg5ycJPfJ-300x169.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tHg5ycJPfJ-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tHg5ycJPfJ-768x432.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tHg5ycJPfJ-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tHg5ycJPfJ.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 649px) 100vw, 649px" /></a></p>
<p>Bracket 3 states that it's the Upgraded bracket with the following expectation:</p>
<p><em>"Decks are thoughtfully designed, full of synergistic or strong cards. Games could end out of nowhere with powerful spells and late-game combos." </em>It forbids mass land denial and chaining extra turns while allowing specifically <em>late-game</em> two-card infinite combos. Notably, the stipulation of "few tutors" disappears in Bracket 3, which we assume means that tutors are good to go in the bracket as long as they aren't Game Changers that surpass the amount you're allowed to have to remain in this bracket. Up to three Game Changers are allowed, but this isn't important here.</p>
<p>Suffice it to say, there's an expectation that you'll be playing with <em>some</em> power and you can expect some games to end abruptly if a deck gets there. If you label games as Bracket 3, these are the things we've come to agree upon. If there's anything that you disagree with in the Bracket 3 breakdown, it should be mentioned in a rule zero discussion. While I don't like tutors for myself, I don't impose that rule on others, so I don't bring it up. However, two-card infinite combos are a bummer no matter when the game comes together. At least three pieces and even then, I'd rather die to a seven-piece combo I've never seen before - and that's just a takeout order! BADUM TSS!</p>
<p>I can see where the others are coming from in the sense that the tutor got the final piece to a combo that essentially wins you the game, but that doesn't take into account the fact that you had to draw <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peregrin Took" href="#" target="_blank">Peregrin Took</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, too. This is now a three-card combo that allows you to draw into a win pretty effectively. There are interaction points, but I'll forgive Bracket 3 for not packing the instant-speed board wipe heat.</p>
<p>There's a bit of a "technically it's Bracket 3" thing happening here where, while it's not the late-game per se, considering the story might take place at turn four or five, it's not a <em>two</em>-card combo, it's a <em>three</em>-card combo. It's still in early stages of the game, but it meets the requirement of not being a <em>two</em>-card combo.</p>
<p>It still ended the game sooner than the others expected, but technically falls within Bracket 3. I think considering the information you had, plus, let's face it, a Kambal and Edgar are at the table along with a new commander that threatens to turn your own commander off, you played within the rules. The hesitance or reluctance to have a rule zero discussion is what led to this and should be a learning moment for the Edgar and Deadpool players. Have the conversation.</p>
<p>It's also totally fair to not want to play with someone who plays combos with so few pieces that go off so early. The way they went about it was dumb and sad, really. You'd figure the Deadpool player (who must've gotten it hot off the presses considering when this submission was made) would find a way to have a laugh about it. This is something to bring up in the rule zero conversation and if that's not been discussed then leaving abruptly, while well within your right, wouldn't make me want to play with you again either. The assumption that you didn't know what you were digging for after explaining the combo clearly is also bananas to me. Why wouldn't you stick around and hear someone out or say "okay, I scoop, but for the next one, how about no infinite combos until later in the game"? It seems so petty and (I've been trying to avoid this word) childish to storm off without hearing about what you're looking for and saying you expect a ten-minute wheel-spinning turn. I see somebody comboing out like that, I'll ask if they know what they're looking for and scoop when they say it's coming.</p>
<p>I think the other thing this highlights is that there's a yearning for the "my deck is a seven" crowd to find a space that lets them build at Bracket 3, but play at Bracket 2 - longer games with no abrupt endings, but they can still use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeska&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Jeska&#039;s Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>You're not the Bolas. I will encourage you to speak up and insist on the rule zero chat and to bring up stuff like this in the future so everybody is clear. That said, this is within the bracket rules and seems like it would have been a hurdle game at worst at most tables - a game you have where you find out that maybe you're not all on the same page but now it's time to chat and get on the same page, pull out new decks and get another going.</p>
<p>Thanks again for writing in!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rocco, Street Chef|mat|94"></div></div>


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