The Best Equipment Cards From Final Fantasy

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><strong>Reaper of the Wilds | Art by: <a href="https://karlkopinski.com/">Karl Kopinski</a></strong></h6>
<p>Earlier this year, long-time artist for <em>Magic: The Gathering, </em>Karl Kopinski, suffered a stroke.</p>
<p>While his recovery is ongoing, Kopinski has incurred medical costs as a result. To help defray those costs, fans of Kopinski's work have organized a charity auction with the proceeds directly benefitting Kopinski.</p>
<p>The auction is now live, and will close on Sunday, June 15.</p>
<p><a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3Akopinski+game%3Apaper+not%3Areprint&amp;order=edhrec&amp;as=grid&amp;unique=cards">Karl Kopinski</a> to date has illustrated nearly 200 <em>Magic: The Gathering </em>cards and tokens beginning in 2008's <em>Shards of Alara. </em>Most recently, he illustrated the card <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Endrider Catalyzer" href="#" target="_blank">Endrider Catalyzer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which appeared in <em>Aetherdrift. </em>Among Commander players, his work on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hinterland Harbor|ISD|241" href="#" target="_blank">Hinterland Harbor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cathars&#039; Crusade|AVR|10" href="#" target="_blank">Cathars&#039; Crusade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elvish Archdruid|M10|176" href="#" target="_blank">Elvish Archdruid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is likely best-known, but his catalog is well-represented in Commander decklists worldwide.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krenko, Mob Boss|M13|138"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Consuming Aberration|GTC|152"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stormtide Leviathan|M11|74"></div></div>
<p>A native of Nottingham, England, Kopinski has worked in the illustration industry since 1997 and in addition to his work with Wizards of the Coast, has also illustrated for clients such as Ubisoft, Games Workshop, and Peter Jackson. A few months ago, Kopinski took to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DHRpP8eoKRd/">Instagram</a> to provide an update of his recovery process:</p>
<p><em>"The day after my stroke while my wife was visiting I managed to move my arm and hand, which apparently was a good sign. I decided at that point the only option was to try take the same obsessive and dedicated attitude I have taken with my art over the last 30 years and put into retraining my brain and body to do what used to be simple movements. So I picked up my pencil, it was incredibly difficult, upsetting and frustrating but repetition and hard work seems to be the only way!"</em></p>
<p>That hard work is paying off, as Instagram posts as recently as today <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DKr9TkiIXPb/">offer a look</a> at his artistic process and improvement in his extremities.</p>
<p>Currently at auction and featured among the available artwork is the original oil painting by Karl Kopinski himself for the card <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reaper of the Wilds" href="#" target="_blank">Reaper of the Wilds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which debuted in <em>Theros</em>. The piece, probably most recognizable to <em>Magic </em>fans among the art listed and is estimated to be worth $2,000-$2,300.</p>
<p>In total, there are 23 original works of fantasy art available, including several more by Kopinski as well as pieces by fellow <em>Magic </em>artists <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3Aejsing&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=name">Jesper Ejsing</a>, <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3Aciruelo&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=name">Ciruelo Cabral</a> and <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3Aorizio&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=name">Daniele Orizio</a>.</p>
<p>Head over to <a href="https://www.catawiki.com/en/a/1124611">auction-hosting site Catawiki</a> to place a bid.</p>


Art Auction to Benefit Magic Artist Goes Live

Cloud, Midgar Mercenary Deck Tech

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>It's Monday, June 9th! As we enter the final week before the <em>Final Fantasy</em> <em>Magic</em> set officially releases, we have even more Count-Up articles for you! To refresh you, I've been listing the best and most flavorful cards for each game in the series, in order from <em>FFI</em> to <em>FFXVI</em>. Yesterday we covered <em>FFXII</em>; today, I'll be examining <em>Final Fantasy XIII</em>!</p>
<p>To reiterate, here is the criteria I'm looking at:</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 two cards for this category.)</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>Let's waste no time and dive right in!</p>
<h2>Honorable Mentions</h2>
<p>For the past few days, pickings were sparse for the games covered. As a result, we couldn't look at any Honorable Mentions. Today, we have enough cards handy for not only one, but <em>two</em> Honorable Mentions! What are those cards? Well...</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vanille, Cheerful l&#039;Cie"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie" href="#" target="_blank">Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vanille, Cheerful l&#039;Cie" href="#" target="_blank">Vanille, Cheerful l&#039;Cie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are a pair of melding legendary creatures. They're a remarkable duo of cards that work exceptionally well with graveyard-filling decks and create a creature together that is more than the sum of its parts. What is that melded creature?</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fin-526b-ragnarok-divine-deliverance.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-155670" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fin-526b-ragnarok-divine-deliverance.jpg" alt="" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fin-526b-ragnarok-divine-deliverance.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fin-526b-ragnarok-divine-deliverance-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a></p>
<p>Ragnarok, Divine Deliverance is a fearsome creature that has a ton going for it, if you can manage to meld Fang and Vanille together (and it's definitely not easy). So, while these two have to be Honorable Mentions in this article due to the nature of the cards, Fang and Vanille merited inclusion with absolutely no doubt.</p>
<h2>Best as a Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Serah Farron"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Serah Farron" href="#" target="_blank">Serah Farron</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a strong white-green creature in a deck archetype that you don't often see for that color pair: legends matter. Yes, we've historically seen it before with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Captain Sisay" href="#" target="_blank">Captain Sisay</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Sisay players are probably <em>delighted</em> to see a card like Serah Farron in her 99, and vice-versa. As such, the card is a great commander if one can't necessarily afford to get Captain Sisay as a commander, financially speaking. It is a fantastic card, and while our Best In Show is even better in many categories, Serah deserves high marks as well.</p>
<h2>Best in the 99</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Magic Damper"></div></div>
<p>The card I'm choosing for my Best in the 99 category is extremely utilitarian by many metrics and can be quite useful. At instant speed, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magic Damper" href="#" target="_blank">Magic Damper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> untaps a creature, provides it with a turn of protection and a buff, <em>and</em> only costs one blue mana. That's a lot for one mana, and it feels extremely pushed for a common. It is probably the best utility piece for the <em>Final</em> <em>Fantasy XIII</em> subset of cards.</p>
<h2>Most Flavorful</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thunder Magic"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thunder Magic" href="#" target="_blank">Thunder Magic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fabulous example of a tiered spell from the game series. Thunder, Thundara, and Thundaga are all extremely powerful electric attacks in the games, and this card encapsulates the concept swimmingly. While Thundara is a little below rate compared to both Thunder and Thundaga here, the spells all do exactly what you'd expect a bolt of electricity to do to a creature: fry it!</p>
<p>With that, it's time to move on to our Best In Show for <em>Final Fantasy XIII</em>. Which card got there above the others?</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy XIII</em> Best In Show</h2>
<p>When there's Thunder Magic, often there's also...</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lightning, Army of One"></div></div>
<p><a href="https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Lightning_(Final_Fantasy_XIII)">Lightning</a>! Namely, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning, Army of One" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning, Army of One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card is an amazing Aggro powerhouse, capable of defeating opponents quite easily. For just <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, you have a 3/2 that is capable of putting the hurt on opponents quickly and efficiently. She also facilitates even more damage with her ability to double the output of creatures that don't deal damage at the same time as, or before, Lightning. That's generally a lot faster than most creatures, so she's super reliable for this purpose.</p>
<p>It's also really neat that Lightning, Army of One synergizes nicely with Thunder Magic, a card she's depicted on. After hitting with Lightning, you can then cast Thunder Magic for any of its tiers. This can deal a heap of damage to something. It's amazingly strong!</p>
<p>With that, we conclude our entry on <em>Final Fantasy XIII</em>. Have you played this game before? How did you enjoy it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! And while awaiting our coverage of <em>FFXIV</em>, feel free to peruse our other entries in the Count-Up series 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">Day 12: <em>FFXII</em></a></strong></p>


Final Fantasy 16-Day Count-Up, Day Thirteen: FFXIII

The Best Final Fantasy Combo Cards for Commander

The Best New Cards for Minotaur Typal in Final Fantasy

Why Final Fantasy XV Cards Matter the Most

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Get ready to queue up! <em>Secret Lair</em> is having its 2025 Summer Superdrop event starting today, June 9th, at 9 AM Pacific (Noon Eastern). The Superdrop event has six potential drops for you to try and nab. What are those drops, and how concerned should you be about getting them before they sell out completely? Read on, and we'll elaborate!</p>
<h2>Six Drops, One Summer (2025) <em>Secret Lair</em> Superdrop</h2>
<p>The Summer 2025 Superdrop is a big deal because in it, we are getting three <em>Final Fantasy</em>-themed drops. We covered these previously, and <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/secret-lair-x-final-fantasy-three-new-drops-revealed">you can find that coverage here</a>. Naturally, due to the intense hype surrounding the upcoming release of the <em>Final Fantasy</em> <em>Magic</em> set this Friday and the Prerelease events that happened this past weekend, demand for these will be astronomical. Expect queues to be long for those three drops specifically.</p>
<p>We <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/secret-lair-summer-superdrop-2025-officially-announced">covered the other three drops</a> as well. The other three <em>Secret Lair</em> drops will be a bit less trendy, but still are heavy hitters in their own right. For one, <strong>Phil Foglio</strong>'s art is iconic among <em>Magic</em> players, new and old. This drop will probably sell out as well, if not for the artist's name, then because it's the first foil iteration of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Constant Mists" href="#" target="_blank">Constant Mists</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <strong>Frank Frazetta</strong>'s second drop collection will similarly sell out because Frazetta's name is essentially revered in the fantasy and pulp-art communities across the globe. And while <strong>Imiri Sakabashima</strong>'s name isn't necessarily as well-known in the United States, his drop is weird and wild enough to sell out in due time as well.</p>
<p>The order in which these drops may sell out is up for debate, but it's almost certain to some that the foil <em>Final Fantasy</em> drops will sell out first. Time will tell, though, and we may be in for a surprise!</p>
<p>The Summer Superdrop 2025 event can be found on <a href="https://secretlair.wizards.com/us">the official webstore for <em>Secret Lair</em></a>. Remember, this superdrop event starts at 9 AM Pacific, Noon Eastern!</p>
<p>And now, let us open the floor to you, dear readers. Are you planning on queueing up for this <em>Secret Lair</em> Superdrop? Are you <em>already</em> in the queue? Which drops do you want most? Sound off in the comments below!</p>


Secret Lair Summer Superdrop 2025 Launches Today

The Best Reprints In Final Fantasy

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sidequest: Catch a Fish" href="#" target="_blank">Sidequest: Catch a Fish</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://galorart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gal Or</a></em></p>
<p>Hey everyone! It's <em>Final Fantasy </em>(FIN) week on EDHREC, so instead of a <em>Back to Basics </em>breakdown of most played cards from a particular set or of a certain type or color identity, I'll be looking at the five Sidequest enchantments from FIN.</p>
<p>Much like the game mechanics they represent, the Sidequests reward you for completing a task. But, these cards also helpfully nudge you in the right direction by providing a a boost that helps you complete the quest a little easier. These are very flavorful cards that are evocative not just of <em>Final Fantasy</em>, but of role-playing games in general, and they've been translated beautifully to <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>. How good are they, though? Let's find out!</p>
<p>I've ranked them roughly by how well they can contribute to existing themes and decks. Let me know if you disagree with my very loose ranking in the comments!</p>
<h2>5. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sidequest: Card Collection" href="#" target="_blank">Sidequest: Card Collection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sidequest: Card Collection"></div></div>
<p>While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sidequest: Card Collection" href="#" target="_blank">Sidequest: Card Collection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would be first on my list of best in-jokes from the set (<span class="edhrecp__link only-back"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sidequest: Card Collection" href="#" target="_blank">Magicked Card</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!!!!), I just don't see this making a huge impact in the format. The ability on its face is a useful one as players are always looking for redundancy in their decks and a lot of builds also want to be filling the graveyard. The effect you get is just too expensive at four mana when cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thirst for Knowledge" href="#" target="_blank">Thirst for Knowledge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Frantic Search" href="#" target="_blank">Frantic Search</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> exist.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thirst for Knowledge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Frantic Search"></div></div>
<p>But, what about the back half? I mean, it seems like a good Limited card, but a 4/4 flyer that still needs to be crewed isn't going to get the job done in the vast majority of games. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Search for Azcanta" href="#" target="_blank">Search for Azcanta</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Treasure Map" href="#" target="_blank">Treasure Map</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> this is not!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Search for Azcanta"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Treasure Map"></div></div>
<h2>4. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sidequest: Hunt the Mark" href="#" target="_blank">Sidequest: Hunt the Mark</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sidequest: Hunt the Mark"></div></div>
<p>The black Sidequest is also expensive and clunky, but at least it affects the board <em>and </em>makes additional pieces of cardboard in the form of Treasure tokens before you flip it. Both halves can cohesively contribute to a Sacrifice theme deck (although Treasures only happen if your opponents' things die), with the legendary creature on the back half giving you a sacrifice outlet and a beefy body.</p>
<p>The problem is, it's <em>still </em>expensive and clunky, even down to the two-mana activation cost for Yizamat's sacrifice ability. Affecting the board and making tokens does help you win games of <em>Magic</em> though, and a 5/6 can brawl, so this definitely edges Card Collection.</p>
<h2>3. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sidequest: Play Blitzball" href="#" target="_blank">Sidequest: Play Blitzball</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sidequest: Play Blitzball"></div></div>
<p>Blitzball is a very focused tool in a deck that would like to deal a lot of damage in one go, which makes me think of Boros-based (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/equipment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Equipment decks</a> and Gruul (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" 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>) <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xenagos, God of Revels" href="#" target="_blank">Xenagos, God of Revels</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anzrag, the Quake-Mole" href="#" target="_blank">Anzrag, the Quake-Mole</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-style builds.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Xenagos, God of Revels"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anzrag, the Quake-Mole"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Embercleave"></div></div>
<p>Being an uncommon, it certainly doesn't quite measure to double strike staple <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Embercleave" href="#" target="_blank">Embercleave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but not many cards do. It still puts a good amount of damage potential on the table and synergizes with commanders like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syr Gwyn, Hero of Ashvale" href="#" target="_blank">Syr Gwyn, Hero of Ashvale</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nahiri, Forged in Fury" href="#" target="_blank">Nahiri, Forged in Fury</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and more. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also a shiny new option that gives you access to green as well.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Syr Gwyn, Hero of Ashvale"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nahiri, Forged in Fury"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER"></div></div>
<h2>2. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sidequest: Raise a Chocobo" href="#" target="_blank">Sidequest: Raise a Chocobo</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sidequest: Raise a Chocobo"></div></div>
<p>This is an interesting one because it powers up Bird kindred decks, but it's also in a tertiary color for that creature type, green. Most of the commanders that really enhance other Birds are in Azorius (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>), like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kastral, the Windcrested" href="#" target="_blank">Kastral, the Windcrested</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kangee, Aerie Keeper" href="#" target="_blank">Kangee, Aerie Keeper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and (more loosely) <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Errant and Giada" href="#" target="_blank">Errant and Giada</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kastral, the Windcrested"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kangee, Aerie Keeper"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Errant and Giada"></div></div>
<p>Diversity in Commander is great though, so having this as a Bird payoff in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Derevi, Empyrial Tactician" href="#" target="_blank">Derevi, Empyrial Tactician</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Falco Spara, Pactweaver" href="#" target="_blank">Falco Spara, Pactweaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tawnos, the Toymaker" href="#" target="_blank">Tawnos, the Toymaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could be great.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Derevi, Empyrial Tactician"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Falco Spara, Pactweaver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tawnos, the Toymaker"></div></div>
<p>Being cheap helps a ton, as does giving you a body upfront that can also brawl. Getting a 2/2 on the backside isn't busted or anything, but being easy enough to get there in a dedicated Birds deck and also spotting you the first <em>landfall</em> trigger by searching up a land can lead to a surprising power spike and a chunk of damage.</p>
<p>It's important to mention that Bant (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) Birds is getting a new commander from FIN in the form of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Choco, Seeker of Paradise" href="#" target="_blank">Choco, Seeker of Paradise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as well as a few new creatures and enablers/payoffs, helping green Birds decks with more options.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Choco, Seeker of Paradise"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bartz and Boko"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chocobo Racetrack"></div></div>
<h2>1. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sidequest: Catch a Fish" href="#" target="_blank">Sidequest: Catch a Fish</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sidequest: Catch a Fish"></div></div>
<p>Raise a Chocobo is more powerful in the right deck, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sidequest: Catch a Fish" href="#" target="_blank">Sidequest: Catch a Fish</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a simply a more flexible card that provides a little bit of a lot of things for a reasonable three mana: you draw a card, you make an artifact token, you get more mana (which is so, so powerful), <em>and</em> you can buff your whole team by sacrificing the "free" token you already received!</p>
<p>Of course, you'll want to slot this into a deck with a lot of creatures, but that's a trivial side quest in a white deck. Tyler Bucks <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/amazing-commons-uncommons-from-the-final-fantasy-set" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes more about this card here</a>, including the great call that this is an excellent option in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alela, Artful Provocateur" href="#" target="_blank">Alela, Artful Provocateur</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Alela, Artful Provocateur"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thraben Inspector"></div></div>
<p>I'm a simple person; I think of how this card meshes well with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thraben Inspector" href="#" target="_blank">Thraben Inspector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and I get excited. Watch out for this in <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/hatebears" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hatebears</a> too!</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shinra Reinforcements" href="#" target="_blank">End of the Line, Punk!</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p>Five sidequests aren't that many, but figuring out how to maximize them should provide ample distraction from the main quest of playing with all the other fantastic FIN cards!</p>


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