Deckbuilding Contest Finalists - July 2025

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dreamtide Whale" href="#" target="_blank">Dreamtide Whale</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://ronspearsart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron Spears</a></em></p>
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<p>As we move into the second half of 2025 it's once more time for another Archidekt Deckbuilding Contest.</p>
<p>This is a monthly contest with a different theme each month. Your goal is to build a Commander-legal deck that fulfills the prompt in a creative or unique fashion. At the end of each month, three finalists will be selected for you to vote on.</p>
<p>Whoever gets the most votes will be crowned the winner, although all three finalists receive a prize.</p>
<p>This month we're exploring what's possible with a transformational sideboard in commander. Similar in concept to a modular deck, the goal of a transformational sideboard is to add as much variety to your deck in as little space as possible.</p>
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<h2>What’s the Contest All About?</h2>
<p>Working within the parameters of the prompt provided below, construct a decklist with your own creative spin. Three chosen finalists will be awarded <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">store credit to use on Cardsphere</a>.</p>
<p><strong>For July's deck building contest - </strong>build a Commander-legal deck with a 20 card transformational "sideboard." This should be 20 cards that you can swap into your deck to change it's theme, power level, or to an entirely different commander.</p>
<p>Decks will be judged on their creativity and originality, as well as how effectively the sideboard transforms the deck. Submissions should also clearly indicate what cards would be swapped out through the use of a custom category.</p>
<p>See this deck, which swaps between creatures and planeswalkers, as an example: <a href="https://archidekt.com/decks/13608220" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://archidekt.com/decks/13608220</a>.</p>
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<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kenrith, the Returned King"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Muldrotha, the Gravetide"></div></div>
<p>Commander decks are large, but somehow never large enough to fit all the cards I want. Especially for commanders that easily support multiple themes, I invariably end up with a pile of 150 cards that all support different strategies.</p>
<p>Instead of having to put all those extra cards away, why not set them aside to swap in later? This let's you easily test different versions of your deck, or just quickly vary the play experience from game to game. Especially for themes that have significant overlap, like Enchantress, Tokens, and Lands, you can also shift the primary focus of your deck from one to another to stop a deck from ever feeling stale.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rhystic Study"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smothering Tithe"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Underworld Breach"></div></div>
<p>A transformational sideboard could also be used to help match the power level of a given pod. When playing at a local game store or convention it's helpful to be flexible with the strength of your deck. Swapping in or out <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changers</a>, or just adjusting some of the more focused cards in the deck to match a more relaxed pod.</p>
<p>This also saves space compared to carrying around multiple decks, and is a great approach for rediscovering the magic in an old favorite by reintroducing old cards you cut for upgrades.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lord Windgrace"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yurlok of Scorch Thrash"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Korvold, Fae-Cursed King"></div></div>
<p>Taking this concept as far as possible, you could even swap your commander for a different one, along with a set of cards to better support them. This is a great way to get extra mileage out of an expensive mana base, compare how two similar commanders actually play, or get even more variety in your games.</p>
<p>At its most extreme, you could change both the commander and theme of your deck, functionally fitting two decks into 120 cards. How creative can you get with 20 extra cards?</p>
<h2>How to Participate</h2>
<ul>
<li>Brew an EDH/Commander-legal deck on <a href="https://archidekt.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archidekt</a> that satisfies the prompt.</li>
<li>Any unreleased cards spoiled during the contest’s duration are allowed.</li>
<li>Silver-bordered and acorn cards, while cool, are not allowed.</li>
<li>Digital-only cards (such as those designed for the Alchemy format on Arena) are not allowed.</li>
<li>Strictly one deck submitted per user.</li>
</ul>
<p>Reply to the Archidekt news post, or submission post on the <a href="https://discord.gg/sctEc9Ru36" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archidekt Discord</a> with a link to your deck before <strong>9:00 pm EST</strong> (UTC -4, currently) on <strong>Wednesday, July 9, 2025</strong> (do not submit the same deck in multiple places).</p>
<p>Only one submission per user! From the eligible submissions, we'll select three finalists with lists that we believe best embody the spirit of the prompt. Deck descriptions are not required but certainly may provide valuable context!</p>
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<p>On <strong>Wednesday, July 16, 2025</strong>, we’ll announce three finalists via the Archidekt Discord and a brief article on EDHREC highlighting each deck.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/sets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Each finalist will be awarded credit to use on Cardsphere</a>. The value of the credit is in US dollars and depends on the finalist's placement in deck upvotes at the end of the week-long polling period:</p>
<ul>
<li>1st Place Prize - $250</li>
<li>2nd Place Prize - $150</li>
<li>3rd Place Prize - $100</li>
</ul>
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<p>Finalists will be contacted via email or Discord (depending on where they submitted) regarding their winnings within roughly 24 hours following the conclusion of voting on <strong>Wednesday, July 23, 2025</strong>.</p>
<p>Please note, you must have a Cardsphere account in order to receive your winnings. It's quick and free - <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/signup?referrer=archidekt_contest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">register here</a> if you don't have an account already!</p>
<p>Here are the <a href="https://archidekt.com/contestRules" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official contest rules</a>. If you have any questions, feel free to ask here, or join the Archidekt <a href="https://discord.gg/sctEc9Ru36" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public Discord server</a>. We look forward to seeing what you all come up with!</p>


Archidekt Deckbuilding Contest - July 2025

MagicCon Vegas 2025: A Recap

Deckbuilding Contest Finalists - June 2025

<p style="text-align: right;"><em>FlyQuest x Archidekt Duel Land event hosts | image still from livestream day 2</em></p>
<p><a href="https://flyquest.gg/pages/duelland">FlyQuest'sDuel Land celebrity charity event</a> has concluded, with two teams each winning a $5,000 prize to the charity of their choice!</p>
<p>The format was <em>Final Fantasy</em> Two-Headed Giant Sealed, with sixteen players paired up over two days of epic livestreamed matches.</p>
<p>We'll reveal the winners at the end of this article, so if you don't want to be spoiled, be sure to check out our livestream embeds below!</p>
<h2>Where Can I Watch the Duel Land Charity Event?</h2>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot_2025-06-09_18-41-41.webp"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-156585" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot_2025-06-09_18-41-41-1024x576.webp" alt="player roster for duel land charity event" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot_2025-06-09_18-41-41-1024x576.webp 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot_2025-06-09_18-41-41-300x169.webp 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot_2025-06-09_18-41-41-768x432.webp 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot_2025-06-09_18-41-41-1536x864.webp 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot_2025-06-09_18-41-41.webp 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></p>
<p>Sixteen players (minus <strong>Rachel Weeks</strong>, shown in the image above) gathered at the Flyquest headquarters in Los Angeles for an epic weekend of <em>Final Fantasy</em> Sealed.</p>
<p>Each day was filled with epic matches (and two collector booster box openings!), plenty of laughs, and a ton of hype for the new <em>Final Fantasy</em> cards.</p>
<h3>Day One</h3>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="FlyQuest Duel Land Presented by Archidekt - Final Fantasy 2HG ft. Jimmy Wong, Atrioc &amp; more" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T5JkCdHGL_s?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>There were a total of six 45 minute rounds of Two-Headed Giant for Day One.</p>
<div id="attachment_156586" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/taaliaaa.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-156586" class="wp-image-156586 size-large" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/taaliaaa-1024x567.png" alt="taalia vess and brodin plett" width="1024" height="567" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/taaliaaa-1024x567.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/taaliaaa-300x166.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/taaliaaa-768x425.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/taaliaaa-1536x851.png 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/taaliaaa.png 1820w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-156586" class="wp-caption-text">Taalia Vess and Brodin Plett in round 4</p></div>
<h3>Day Two</h3>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="FlyQuest Duel Land Presented by Archidekt - Final Fantasy 2HG ft. Jimmy Wong, Atrioc &amp; more" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o8tbKRzXFUo?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Day Two saw the semi-finals and finals matches, along with a sweet Commander precon showdown with none other than<a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/joseph-schultz" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Joey Schultz</strong></a>!</p>
<div id="attachment_156594" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jmschutlz.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-156594" class="wp-image-156594 size-large" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jmschutlz-1024x574.png" alt="joey schultz as the monarch" width="1024" height="574" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jmschutlz-1024x574.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jmschutlz-300x168.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jmschutlz-768x430.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jmschutlz-1536x860.png 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jmschutlz.png 1810w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-156594" class="wp-caption-text">Joey Schultz and Joel are Magic</p></div>
<h3>Final Fantasy 2HG Sealed Pools and Deck Lists</h3>
<p>Duel Land event teams graciously posted their Sealed pools and deck lists on Archidekt for each day.</p>
<p><a href="https://archidekt.com/u/FlyQuest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out what your favorite players opened and sleeved up on Archidekt!</a></p>
<h3>Celebrating the Magic of esports</h3>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/winners.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-156588" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/winners-1024x576.jpeg" alt="brodin plett and taalia vess as duel land winners" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/winners-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/winners-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/winners-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/winners-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/winners.jpeg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></p>
<p>Finalists <strong>Brodin Plett</strong> and <strong>Taalia Vess</strong> ended up taking the winner's crown on Day Two, with a $5,000 charity gift to Village Enterprise, notable for "Equipping women, refugees, and youth in rural Africa to launch small businesses and break the cycle of extreme poverty."</p>
<p>Not to be outdone, Archidekt donated an additional $5,000 to the runners up, <a href="https://x.com/Theasianavenger?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The</strong> <strong>Asian Avenger</strong> </a>(Crim Nguyen) and <a href="https://x.com/heybillierae?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Billie Rae</strong></a>, and their charity of choice, The Tourette Association of America, which "<span class="css-1jxf684 r-bcqeeo r-1ttztb7 r-qvutc0 r-37j5jr r-a023e6 r-rjixqe r-16dba41" dir="auto"><span class="css-1jxf684 r-bcqeeo r-1ttztb7 r-qvutc0 r-poiln3">is dedicated to making life better for all people affected by Tourette, Tic Disorders, and associated conditions."</span></span></p>
<p>Duel Land was a successful charity event, with esports and MTG players at max hype all weekend. Who was your favorite to watch? Are you ready to see the next FlyQuest x Archidekt streaming event? Shout us out below or on social media with your thoughts!</p>


FlyQuest x Archidekt Draws Thousands to Watch Celebrity MTG Stream Event

<p>Day Two of the FlyQuest Duel Land charity event Day Two has wrapped! Check out the embed below <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/flyquest?utm_source=edhrec">or go to FlyQuest's Twitch channel</a> to watch the stream and see who will take it all to win a cash prize and $5,000 to the charity of their choice!</p>
<p>We're starting with a Commander Showmatch with EDHRECast's Joey Shultz! Then, the Bracket Stage will showcase the remaining teams into the finals.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="FlyQuest Duel Land Presented by Archidekt - Final Fantasy 2HG ft. Jimmy Wong, Atrioc &amp; more" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o8tbKRzXFUo?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p><a href="https://archidekt.com/u/FlyQuest?utm_source=edhrec">Decklists will be added on FlyQuest's dedicated Archidekt account</a> as they're updated with Sealed pools as well as player decklists!</p>
<p>We'll see you tomorrow for a recap of this weekend's events!</p>


Archidekt x FlyQuest Duel Land Charity Event Day Two

<p>The Duel Land Charity Livestream event has ended and Day Two is nearly upon us! Read on to see what happened today:</p>
<p>Check out the Youtube embed below to watch or <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/flyquest">head to the FlyQuest Twitch</a> to get in on the Final Fantasy 2-Headed-Giant action!</p>
<p>Here's who you'll see from the player roster below <em>(update: Rachel Weeks is no longer on the player roster)</em>:</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Duel-Land-players.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-156135" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Duel-Land-players-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Duel-Land-players-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Duel-Land-players-300x169.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Duel-Land-players-768x432.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Duel-Land-players-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Duel-Land-players.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="FlyQuest Duel Land Presented by Archidekt - Final Fantasy 2HG ft. Jimmy Wong, Atrioc &amp; more" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T5JkCdHGL_s?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h3>Decklists for Final Fantasy 2HG Sealed</h3>
<p>The first batch of decks are LIVE on Archidekt and will be updated continuously at the link below:</p>
<p><a href="https://archidekt.com/u/FlyQuest">2-Headed-Giant Sealed Decklists</a></p>
<p>Be sure to grab some fresh popcorn, hop in chat on the EDHRECast Youtube or FlyQuest Twitch and let us know your favorite parts of the stream! And <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/archidekt-x-flyquest-duel-land-event-begins-june-14th">check out the rest of this weekend's schedule</a>!</p>


Archidekt x FlyQuest Duel Land Charity Event Day One

<p>Mark your calendars, <em>Final Fantasy</em> fans! <a href="https://archidekt.com/flyquest?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Archidekt is teaming up with FlyQuest</a>, a multi-title American esports organization, to host the epic celebrity Duel Land event!</p>
<p>Duel Land is a streaming charity and <em>Final Fantasy</em> prerelease tournament hosted by <a href="https://x.com/FlyQuest">FlyQuest</a>, featuring sixteen well-known names from the <em>Magic</em> and esports worlds.</p>
<p>These titans of their respective gaming universes will clash head-to-head from Saturday, June 14th (tomorrow) through June 15th, for $5,000 to go to the charity of the winning team's choice.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Introducing Duel Land: A Celebrity Magic: The Gathering Tournament" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2B7-O30WSwI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h2>Who's Hosting the Event?</h2>
<p><a href="https://archidekt.com/flyquest?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Brought to you by Archidekt</a>, Duel Land will be hosted by <em>Magic</em> personality <strong>Brian Kibler</strong> and esports veteran <strong>Travis Gafford</strong>. The event seeks to put sixteen creators into eight teams of two for this 2-day 2HG competition.</p>
<p>Each team shall consist of a <em>Magic</em> player and an esports player. The format? <em>Final Fantasy</em> 2-Headed Giant Sealed.</p>
<p>Your favorite MTG and esports personalities will also be showcasing some of Archidekt's coolest collection and deckbuilding features to check out on stream as you brew up your own <em>Final Fantasy</em> decks.</p>
<h3>What Does the Event Schedule Look Like?</h3>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/eventschedule.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-155176 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/eventschedule.png" alt="flyquest event schedule" width="512" height="236" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/eventschedule.png 512w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/eventschedule-300x138.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p>
<p><strong>On Day One</strong>, the competing teams will be put into two groups to compete. Those players are in the image below!</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Duel-Land-players.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-156135" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Duel-Land-players.jpg" alt="The sixteen Duel Land competitors" width="994" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Duel-Land-players.jpg 1920w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Duel-Land-players-300x169.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Duel-Land-players-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Duel-Land-players-768x432.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Duel-Land-players-1536x864.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 994px) 100vw, 994px" /></a></p>
<p>The top two teams from each group will face each other on <strong>Day Two</strong> for the title, and $5,000 to go to the charity of their choice.</p>
<p>You can also<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/EDHRECast?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> expect to see the EDHRECast</a> at the event for a Commander Showmatch on Day Two!</p>
<p><strong>Day Three</strong> also promises epic action on the Bracket stage!</p>
<h2>Where Can I Watch?</h2>
<p>The Duel Land charity event will be streaming LIVE on <strong>June 14th and 15th</strong>!</p>
<p><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/FLYQUEST?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Be sure to bookmark the FlyQuest Twitch page</a> and get notifications for match start times.</p>
<p>For more information on this prestigious for-charity event, you can also visit <a href="https://flyquest.gg/pages/duelland?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">FlyQuest's dedicated event page</a>.</p>
<p>Which celebrities and MTG personalities do you think will head up this epic charity prerelease event?</p>
<p><a href="http://twitch.tv/flyquest">Stay tuned for this event</a>, starting tomorrow!</p>


Archidekt x FlyQuest Duel Land Event Begins June 14th

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Starting Town" href="#" target="_blank">Starting Town</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/chukov" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hristo D. Chukov</a></em></p>
<div></p>
<p>May has come and gone, which means it's time for a brand new round of the Archidekt deckbuilding contest.</p>
<p>This is a monthly contest with a different theme each month. Your goal is to build a Commander-legal deck that fulfills the prompt in a creative or unique fashion. At the end of each month, three finalists will be selected for you to vote on.</p>
<p>Whoever gets the most votes will be crowned the winner, although all three finalists receive a prize.</p>
<p>Even before its upcoming release on June 13, <em>Final Fantasy</em> is the best selling <em>Magic</em> set of all time. We're embracing the hype and trying to find the best Final Fantasy brew for this month's deckbuilding contest.</p>
<p></div>
<div></p>
<h2>What’s the Contest All About?</h2>
<p>Working within the parameters of the prompt provided below, construct a decklist with your own creative spin. Three chosen finalists will be awarded <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">store credit to use on Cardsphere</a>.</p>
<p><strong>For June's deckbuilding contest, build a Commander-legal list around a new card, or set of cards, from <em>Final Fantasy</em>. This could be building a deck with a new commander from the set, or using any card from the set as a central part of your strategy. If you choose not to use a <em>Final Fantasy</em> commander, be sure that your <em>Final Fantasy</em> card(s) are a key part of your deck's game plan. As always, submissions will be judged on creativity and originality.<br />
</strong></p>
<p></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Choco, Seeker of Paradise"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Wandering Minstrel"></div></div>
<p><em>Final Fantasy</em> adds a whopping 162 brand new commanders to <em>Magic</em>. From new commanders for familiar archetypes, to commanders that enable brand new strategies, there are plenty of options to choose from. <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> is a fresh option for the burgeoning Bird decks, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Freya Crescent" href="#" target="_blank">Freya Crescent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might breath new life into an old Equipment deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Wandering Minstrel" href="#" target="_blank">The Wandering Minstrel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works with a new land sub-type, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zidane, Tantalus Thief" href="#" target="_blank">Zidane, Tantalus Thief</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an effect we've never really seen before.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Bahamut"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Buster Sword"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ishgard, the Holy See"></div></div>
<p>But new commanders aren't the only thing to be excited about. Powerful new Equipment like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buster Sword" href="#" target="_blank">Buster Sword</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Mage&#039;s Rod" href="#" target="_blank">Black Mage&#039;s Rod</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can easily form the centerpiece of a deck. The new Summons lend a lot of support to Historic and Saga decks, especially powerful finishers like <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>. <em>Final Fantasy</em> has also introduced lands with Adventure spells, which means you can now recur actual spells with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Life from the Loam" href="#" target="_blank">Life from the Loam</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hope Estheim"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Estinien Varlineau"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jumbo Cactuar"></div></div>
<p>There are also plenty of opportunities to get a little weird. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hope Estheim" href="#" target="_blank">Hope Estheim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> brings mill and lifegain together, the combination we didn't know we needed. Dragons also got a new commander, in a new color combination, thanks to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Estinien Varlineau" href="#" target="_blank">Estinien Varlineau</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Or you could focus on his other effect, and build an Orzhov spellslinger deck. Finally, there's no shortage of uses for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jumbo Cactuar" href="#" target="_blank">Jumbo Cactuar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. What can you do with 10,000 power?</p>
<h2>How to Participate</h2>
<ul>
<li>Brew an EDH/Commander legal deck on <a href="https://archidekt.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archidekt</a> that satisfies the prompt.</li>
<li>Any unreleased cards spoiled during the contest’s duration are allowed.</li>
<li>Silver-bordered and acorn cards, while cool, are not allowed.</li>
<li>Digital-only cards (such as those designed for the Alchemy format on Arena) are not allowed.</li>
<li>Strictly one deck submitted per user.</li>
</ul>
<p>Reply to the Archidekt news post, or submission post on the <a href="https://discord.gg/sctEc9Ru36" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archidekt Discord</a> with a link to your deck before <strong>9:00 pm EST</strong> (UTC -4, currently) on <strong>Wednesday, June 11, 2025</strong> (do not submit the same deck in multiple places).</p>
<p>Only one submission per user! From the eligible submissions, we'll select three finalists with lists that we believe best embody the spirit of the prompt. Deck descriptions are not required but certainly may provide valuable context!</p>
<div></p>
<p>On <strong>Wednesday, June 18, 2025</strong>, we’ll announce three finalists via the Archidekt Discord and a brief article on EDHREC highlighting each deck.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/sets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Each finalist will be awarded credit to use on Cardsphere</a>. The value of the credit is in US dollars and depends on the finalist's placement in deck upvotes at the end of the week-long polling period:</p>
<ul>
<li>1st Place Prize - $250</li>
<li>2nd Place Prize - $150</li>
<li>3rd Place Prize - $100</li>
</ul>
<p></div>
<p>Finalists will be contacted via email or Discord (depending on where they submitted) regarding their winnings within roughly 24 hours following the conclusion of voting on <strong>Wednesday, June 25, 2025</strong>.</p>
<p>Please note, you must have a Cardsphere account in order to receive your winnings. It's quick and free - <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/signup?referrer=archidekt_contest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">register here</a> if you don't have an account already!</p>
<p>Here are the <a href="https://archidekt.com/contestRules" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official contest rules</a>. If you have any questions, feel free to ask here, or join the Archidekt <a href="https://discord.gg/sctEc9Ru36" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public Discord server</a>. We look forward to seeing what you all come up with!</p>


Archidekt Deckbuilding Contest - June 2025

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Flyquest</h6>
<p>Mark your calendars, <em>Final Fantasy</em> fans! <a href="https://archidekt.com/flyquest">Archidekt is teaming up with Flyquest</a>, a multi-title American esports organization, to host the epic celebrity Duel Land event!</p>
<p>Duel Land is a streaming charity and <em>Final Fantasy</em> prerelease tournament hosted by Flyquest, featuring sixteen well-known names from the <em>Magic</em> and esports worlds.</p>
<p>These titans of their respective gaming universes will clash head-to-head for $5,000 to go to the charity of the winning team's choice.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Introducing Duel Land: A Celebrity Magic: The Gathering Tournament" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2B7-O30WSwI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h2>Who's hosting the event?</h2>
<p><a href="https://archidekt.com/flyquest">Brought to you by Archidekt</a>, Duel Land will be hosted by <em>Magic</em> personality <strong>Brian Kibler</strong> and esports veteran <strong>Travis Gafford</strong>. The event seeks to put sixteen creators into eight teams of two for this 2-day 2HG competition.</p>
<p>Each team shall consist of a <em>Magic</em> player and an esports player. The format? <em>Final Fantasy</em> 2-Headed Giant Sealed.</p>
<p>Your favorite MTG and esports personalities will also be showcasing some of Archidekt's coolest collection and deckbuilding features to check out on stream as you brew up your own <em>Final Fantasy</em> decks.</p>
<h3>What does the event schedule look like?</h3>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/eventschedule.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-155176" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/eventschedule.png" alt="flyquest event schedule" width="512" height="236" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/eventschedule.png 512w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/eventschedule-300x138.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p>
<p><strong>On Day One</strong>, the competing teams will be put into two groups to compete.</p>
<p>The top two teams from each group will face each other on <strong>Day Two</strong> for the title, and $5,000 to go to the charity of their choice.</p>
<p>You can also<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/EDHRECast"> expect to see the EDHRECast</a> at the event for a Commander Showmatch on Day Two!</p>
<p><strong>Day Three</strong> also promises epic action on the Bracket stage!</p>
<h2>Where can I watch?</h2>
<p>The Duel Land charity event will be streaming LIVE on <strong>June 14th and 15th</strong>!</p>
<p><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/FLYQUEST">Be sure to bookmark the Flyquest Twitch page</a> and get notifications for match start times.</p>
<p>For more information on this prestigious for-charity event, you can also visit <a href="https://flyquest.gg/pages/duelland">Flyquest's dedicated event page</a>.</p>
<p>Which celebrities and MTG personalities do you think will head up this epic charity prerelease event?</p>
<p>More information will be available soon, <a href="https://edhrec.com/flyquest">so stay tuned</a>!</p>
