The Top 10 Most Played Esper Cards in Commander

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="G&#039;raha Tia, Scion Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">G&#039;raha Tia, Scion Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Art by <a href="https://www.mtgpics.com/illus?art=2208" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yasunari Hirasaka</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, and welcome back! In this week's <em>Beyond the Multiverse</em>, I'm killing two birds with one stone. Firstly, I'm tackling a deck centered on a mechanic that I'm currently enamored with. Secondly, every card in today's deck will be from the <em>Final Fantasy</em> release, highlighting my personal ambitions for the set. And I'm doing it with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="G&#039;raha Tia, Scion Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">G&#039;raha Tia, Scion Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="G&#039;raha Tia, Scion Reborn"></div></div>
<p>Between the precons, the notoriously anxiety-inducing <em>Secret Lair Drops</em>, the bonus sheet, and the main set itself (Starter Kit included), building a Bracket 2 deck was easy. However, there's no small number of <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changers</a>, making Bracket 3 decks very possible. Those, and even mono-color decks are very possible here.</p>
<p>A set as large as this one is something I've been waiting for a long time, and the stars aligned!</p>
<p>But you didn't click the link to hear me gush about the set. You're here because of the deck list, so let's not waste anymore time (or words for that matter).</p>
<h2>Entering the Crystal Tower</h2>
<p>G'raha Tia was a major character in the critically acclaimed <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>, guiding the hero character in various main quests. Specifically, he's a descendant of an ancient race, and the newest member of the Scions.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="G&#039;raha Tia, Scion Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">G&#039;raha Tia, Scion Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> wants two things: noncreature spells and Hero tokens. There's going to be quite a few subthemes with G'raha, since we also need some lifegain to buoy our life total to take advantage of his ability.</p>
<p>There's two ways to approach our commander. The first puts much greater emphasis on his ability, filling the deck with noncreature spells, and the Hero tokens will come out stronger.</p>
<p>The other takes the focus off G'raha and utilizes <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/ranking-the-job-select-equipment-cards-from-final-fantasy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the various job select cards</a> from throughout the <em>Final Fantasy</em> release. The former paints a bigger target on our commander, as we'll be more dependent on him to stick around.</p>
<p>However, if you picked up the hint from the introduction, we're going the latter route, putting the job select cards to perfect use.</p>
<h2>Choose Your Character</h2>
<p>Before I begin, I want to say that I originally wanted to make this five color to add the red and green job select cards. That said, their numbers were few, and there's no five-color commander that fits the bill perfectly. Hopefully, we'll get one some day, but I digress.</p>
<p>Looking at the card pool for job select, there's only so many. Not only does cutting two of the colors sting a bit, but we only have one release to go on. So, we're running as many as we can here.</p>
<p>Firstly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dancer&#039;s Chakrams" href="#" target="_blank">Dancer&#039;s Chakrams</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows our Hero to put up a performance, getting +2/+2 and lifelink, but also giving our commander the same deal. With all of the artifacts we'll be having in the deck, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Machinist&#039;s Arsenal" href="#" target="_blank">Machinist&#039;s Arsenal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes our Hero token into a sizeable threat.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dancer&#039;s Chakrams"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Machinist&#039;s Arsenal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reaper&#039;s Scythe"></div></div>
<p>Secondly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paladin&#039;s Arms" href="#" target="_blank">Paladin&#039;s Arms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> may be costly to equip, but it also provides some protection with ward <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thief&#039;s Knife" href="#" target="_blank">Thief&#039;s Knife</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> nets us a card each time the equipped Hero connects.</p>
<p>Speaking of connecting, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ninja&#039;s Blades" href="#" target="_blank">Ninja&#039;s Blades</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doesn't just net us a card, but also makes us discard and make our opponent lose life equal to the mana value.</p>
<p>Thirdly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reaper&#039;s Scythe" href="#" target="_blank">Reaper&#039;s Scythe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can make our equipped Hero token grow quickly, especially if multiple players lost life during our turn.</p>
<p>Finally, even the commons have some uses. <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> pings opponents when we cast a noncreature spell - useful if Reaper's Scythe is out as well. On the other hand, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Knight&#039;s Greatsword" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Knight&#039;s Greatsword</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> turns our equipped Hero into a sizeable but fragile threat.</p>
<p>Lastly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sage&#039;s Nouliths" href="#" target="_blank">Sage&#039;s Nouliths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has us untap a creature when the equipped Hero attacks, giving us a potential blocker later.</p>
<p>That said, we need to buff those Heroes further. I wonder how we can do that. But, of course! The Cids!</p>
<h2>Are You Cid-ding Me?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cid, Timeless Artificer"></div></div>
<p>I'm not sorry for pulling that pun, by the way. No regrets, because I'm evil.</p>
<p>We're running a total of 15 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cid, Timeless Artificer" href="#" target="_blank">Cid, Timeless Artificer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s here. We don't need too many of those, as they'll only end up clogging our hand. Crucially, the idea is to keep a few back, and cycle the rest. The reason is that the Cids will have targets painted on their backs the second they drop. Removal spells will be flung, boards will be wiped, and your graveyard can get exiled, setting back your hard work.</p>
<p>If you have access to instant-speed recursion or cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clever Concealment|fic|236" href="#" target="_blank">Clever Concealment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, use those to protect both G'raha and what Cids are in play. They only draw one card, but they can cycle through your deck.</p>
<p>However, for reasons I stated above, it's best to not cycle or play every Cid you see. Those Hero tokens will be weak on their own, and will need some help to become threats.</p>
<h2>G'raha Tia, Scion Reborn Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Beyond the Multiverse-G&#039;raha Tia" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 G&#039;raha Tia, Scion Reborn
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Astrologian&#039;s Planisphere
*1 Black Mage&#039;s Rod
*1 Dancer&#039;s Chakrams
*1 Dark Knight&#039;s Greatsword
*1 Dragoon&#039;s Lance
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Machinist&#039;s Arsenal
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Monk&#039;s Fist
*1 Ninja&#039;s Blades
*1 Paladin&#039;s Arms
*1 Reaper&#039;s Scythe
*1 Sage&#039;s Nouliths
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Talisman of Dominance
*1 Talisman of Hierarchy
*1 Talisman of Progress
*1 Thief&#039;s Knife
*1 Tome of Legends
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
*1 White Mage&#039;s Staff
*1 World Map
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Ashe, Princess of Dalmasca
*1 Bastion Protector
*1 Cid, Timeless Artificer
*1 Cid, Timeless Artificer
*1 Cid, Timeless Artificer
*1 Cid, Timeless Artificer
*1 Cid, Timeless Artificer
*1 Cid, Timeless Artificer
*1 Cid, Timeless Artificer
*1 Cid, Timeless Artificer
*1 Cid, Timeless Artificer
*1 Cid, Timeless Artificer
*1 Cid, Timeless Artificer
*1 Cid, Timeless Artificer
*1 Cid, Timeless Artificer
*1 Cid, Timeless Artificer
*1 Cid, Timeless Artificer
*1 Cid, Timeless Artificer
*1 Puresteel Paladin
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Weapons Vendor
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Austere Command
*1 Combat Tutorial
*1 Damn
*1 Feed the Swarm
*1 Night&#039;s Whisper
*1 The Crystal&#039;s Chosen
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Battle Menu
*1 Clever Concealment
*1 Into the Story
*1 Overkill
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Restoration Magic
*1 Stroke of Midnight
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Void Rend
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Champions from Beyond
*1 Forge Anew
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Adventurer&#039;s Inn
*1 Arcane Sanctum
*1 Capital City
*1 Choked Estuary
*1 Command Beacon
*1 Command Tower
*1 Contaminated Aquifer
*1 Darkwater Catacombs
*1 Desolate Mire
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Idyllic Beachfront
*1 Insomnia, Crown City
*1 Ishgard, the Holy See // Faith &amp; Grief
*4 Island
*1 Isolated Chapel
*1 Jidoor, Aristocratic Capital // Overture
*1 Midgar, City of Mako // Reactor Raid
*4 Plains
*1 Port Town
*1 Sharlayan, Nation of Scholars
*1 Shineshadow Snarl
*1 Skycloud Expanse
*1 Starting Town
*1 Sunlit Marsh
*4 Swamp
*1 The Gold Saucer
*1 Treno, Dark City
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Saving the World</h2>
<p>Taking the Cids out of the equation, our decklist today is very low to the ground in its mana curve. Even so, we can only trigger our commander once each turn, so be sure to cast some instant-speed stuff on our opponents' turns as well.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Combat Tutorial"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Champions from Beyond"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Forge Anew|sld|7002"></div></div>
<p>That said, some hawk-eyed readers will notice some odd card choices in this list. I also went a more flavorful route, and added the "game" cards (like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Combat Tutorial" href="#" target="_blank">Combat Tutorial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) in there. I thought it'd be a fun take on a deck. They, too, have their uses.</p>
<p>While Combat Tutorial draws us cards, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Battle Menu" href="#" target="_blank">Battle Menu</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is very flexible, but you're mostly using the options to destroy a creature or, when needed, the lifegain option. Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="World Map" href="#" target="_blank">World Map</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doesn't ramp us, but it does search for any land if we pay more into it.</p>
<p>Another notable card in the list is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Champions from Beyond" href="#" target="_blank">Champions from Beyond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which gives us an army of Hero tokens on top of the benefits the card provides. Just be sure to protect that board, because even getting back up to four might take some turns.</p>
<p>On the other hand, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Forge Anew|sld|7002" href="#" target="_blank">Forge Anew</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can bypass the first equip cost each turn, and can return an Equipment card from the graveyard onto the battlefield. Speaking of bypassing equip costs, both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Weapons Vendor" href="#" target="_blank">Weapons Vendor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Puresteel Paladin|fic|250" href="#" target="_blank">Puresteel Paladin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> help reattach Equipment that have been fallen off because the equipped Heroes have been removed.</p>
<h2>The Search for More Heroes</h2>
<p>Going beyond <em>Universes Beyond</em> (and <em>Final Fantasy</em> in this case), we can be sure to find more artifact and/or Equipment support for the deck. We even gain a color in red if we take the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Silas Renn, Seeker Adept" href="#" target="_blank">Silas Renn, Seeker Adept</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> &amp; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder" href="#" target="_blank">Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> pairing. That said, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akiri, Line-Slinger" href="#" target="_blank">Akiri, Line-Slinger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> also works instead of Bruse.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Steelshaper&#039;s Gift"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mondrak, Glory Dominus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Silas Renn, Seeker Adept"></div></div>
<p>Outside of that, a lot of the key Equipment cards are reprinted in <em>Universes Beyond</em>, so what I'll do for this section is to cover cards outside of <em>Final Fantasy</em>, both in-universe and beyond it.</p>
<p>Firstly, tutor cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Steelshaper&#039;s Gift" href="#" target="_blank">Steelshaper&#039;s Gift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can find our job select cards that much faster. Meanwhile, token doublers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mondrak, Glory Dominus" href="#" target="_blank">Mondrak, Glory Dominus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> multiplies the number of Hero tokens that arrive.</p>
<p>If you want to expand your Equipment options beyond the job select cards, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of the Animist" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of the Animist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hammer of Nazahn" href="#" target="_blank">Hammer of Nazahn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allow for more Equipment options because, flavorfully, heroes tend to find Equipment. This can be a legendary blade, or something outright superior to what they're already wielding.</p>
<p>In addendum, anthem effects that bolster the Hero tokens are another way to go, making them stronger without having to rely so heavily on Equipment, and being slowed down by the equip costs.</p>
<h2>Saving the Day</h2>
<p>To wrap things up, the job select mechanic is something I adored when it was revealed. Even better, though, is improving on the whole process of creating your Hero. Who said the names have to be "Hero"? Name your Hero tokens!</p>
<p>Maybe you want to take the immersive (some would call vain) route and put yourself on the battlefield. Maybe it's your friends, or characters that you wrote for a novel. Feel that personal attachment, and it's almost as though you're literally playing a <em>Final Fantasy</em> game for real. That's part of the fun for me with this deck. Do you name your Hero tokens?</p>
<p>Before checking out for the week, I do intend on covering box-mander (Commander decks from a booster box, in a nutshell) next week, and I have no less than two lists for you in store. However, whether I cover one or all in detail is something I haven't decided yet. Tune in next week to see what I've assembled from said boxes.</p>


esper commander

The Top 10 Most Played Esper Cards in Commander

Beyond the Multiverse-G'raha Tia