<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>


Archidekt x Flyquest To Host Celebrity Final Fantasy Prerelease Event June 14-15

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="PuPu UFO" href="#" target="_blank">PuPu UFO</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://linktr.ee/racrufi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Racrufi</a></em></p>
<p>Believe it or not, the <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/fin" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Final Fantasy</em></a> set is almost here. Whether you’re going to a pre-release, a draft, buying packs, or just picking up singles, you’ll be getting tons of playable cards for Commander. Spoiler season has been headlined by some flashy rares and mythics, but today we'll be taking a look at a few great commons and uncommons that might've slipped under your radar.</p>
<p>My name is Tyler ‘Savesya’ Bucks, and on this edition of <em>Bulk Up</em> we're shining a spotlight on those cards people tend to skip over when opening a booster. With this list, I'll be highlighting new singles that can fit in a broader range of decks, or pair well with popular strategies. So, let’s not waste any more time and jump right into things!</p>
<h2>The Best Commons and Uncommons in <em>Final Fantasy</em></h2>
<h3>PuPu UFO</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="PuPu UFO"></div></div>
<p>Kicking things off this week with not only one of the best bulk cards of the set, but also one of the worst named cards of all time. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="PuPu UFO" href="#" target="_blank">PuPu UFO</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great blocker that offers up some amazing ramp capabilities in the right build. If your deck is drawing one to two additional cards each turn rotation, there's a good chance you’ll be able to throw a land down with the UFO while still hitting your land drop for the turn.</p>
<p>As for a deck I'd suggest you add this little Alien to, let’s pair it up with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niv-Mizzet, Parun" href="#" target="_blank">Niv-Mizzet, Parun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Those decks are already filled with ways to draw cards, which means that from the start of the game you could be throwing down an additional land each turn rotation. Having the right lands to cast your commander is paramount in this deck, so that means you’ll be dropping that egotistical Dragon earlier than anyone is ready for.</p>
<h3>Summon: Fenrir</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Fenrir"></div></div>
<p>Speaking of land ramp, the first Summon card we'll look at today can help with that. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Fenrir" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Fenrir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a Saga creature that fetches a basic land on its first chapter, gives a counter to a creature you cast on the second chapter, then draws you a card if you have the biggest creature on the board before sacrificing itself. If you're running a deck that's centered around creatures primarily, this might be more helpful than a normal <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultivate" href="#" target="_blank">Cultivate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in that deck.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tayam, Luminous Enigma" href="#" target="_blank">Tayam, Luminous Enigma</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works perfectly with these new Saga creatures. Feeding into those counter synergies as well as the fact that you can bring them back to your board if they do end up in your graveyard. I recently did an <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/build-a-tayam-luminous-enigma-deck-with-your-dragonstorm-bulk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article about a Tayam deck</a> made primarily out of bulk from <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/tdm" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Tarkir: Dragonstorm</em></a>, and I definitely think you could start throwing some of these Summons in that list to power it up!</p>
<h3 class="m-2">Relm's Sketching</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Relm&#039;s Sketching"></div></div>
<p>You know what they say: if you can’t ramp lands, copy them. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Relm&#039;s Sketching" href="#" target="_blank">Relm&#039;s Sketching</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a sorcery that lets you copy the best land, artifact, or even creature on the board. Four mana is a little steep for getting a copy of something, but since you can grab three different permanent types, that kind of makes up for it if you ask me. Plus, as the years go on, we've been getting more and more ways to go off with tokens. So, as we get more sets, this spell will only continue to grow in value.</p>
<p>A really interesting commander from last year that would work great with this new spell is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eluge, the Shoreless Sea" href="#" target="_blank">Eluge, the Shoreless Sea</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Not only does it care about lands, but it can also reduce the blue mana in the casting cost of instant and sorcery spells you cast. If you can copy the best creature, artifact, or land with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Relm&#039;s Sketching" href="#" target="_blank">Relm&#039;s Sketching</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for only two mana, you're definitely in a good position to take that game!</p>
<h3>Sidequest: Catch A Fish</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sidequest: Catch a Fish"></div></div>
<p>Next up, let’s turn an enchantment into a land with <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>. On the front side, this can help you draw a card, make you a Food token, and then flip over into a land. That's already really great, but that activated ability of the land shouldn’t be overlooked. Sacrificing an artifact, like the Food you just made, to put a +1/+1 counter on all your creatures is a really good effect to keep in your back pocket.</p>
<p><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> is a commander that cares both about enchantments as well as artifacts, making it perfect for this Sidequest. Creating a Faerie when you cast the enchantment side, and then again when you cast the artifact you draw off the top is very nice. Once it’s flipped over to that land side, you can wait for the right moment to throw a counter on your board of flyers to help them pack even more of a punch.</p>
<h3>Summon: G.F. Ifrit</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: G.F. Ifrit"></div></div>
<p>Our next entry on this list offers both card rummaging and a little bit of ramp. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: G.F. Ifrit" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: G.F. Ifrit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another Saga creature that gives you the ability to discard a card to draw a card for its first two chapters, and then its final two gives you a red mana on your first main phase. A card like this can help you sculpt a better hand for your late game and then gives you some additional mana to enact those plans.</p>
<p>Let's go back to a classic mono-red commander with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feldon of the Third Path" href="#" target="_blank">Feldon of the Third Path</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. He cares about filling up the graveyard with threats to replace his wife with, so the Summon’s ability to throw cards in the bin that you can make tokens of later is a great pairing. Then it will give you some extra mana that you can use to activate that ability, helping smooth out your later turns.</p>
<h3>Overkill</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Overkill"></div></div>
<p>This next card might be in the running for the most aptly named spell of all time: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overkill" href="#" target="_blank">Overkill</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. If you or someone you know is still a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Murder" href="#" target="_blank">Murder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> believer (and I know you’re out there) this is just another nail in your favorite kill spell’s coffin. Giving a creature -0/-9999 at instant speed is just a wild ability and can help get you out of some extra tricky situations. Indestructible creatures won’t stand a chance against <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overkill" href="#" target="_blank">Overkill</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is especially brutal if someone was holding up a protection spell like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boros Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Boros Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to protect a key piece.</p>
<p>If you’re looking to make your opponents' creatures die with zero toughness, then <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Massacre Girl, Known Killer" href="#" target="_blank">Massacre Girl, Known Killer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the commander for you! Her decks are usually filled with all kinds of ways to lower the board's stats, drawing you a whole bunch of cards all at once. Which is great value, but sometimes you just need to clear one thing off the board. So, three mana to remove a threat, and then draw a card isn’t too bad of a combo.</p>
<h3>Phoenix Down</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phoenix Down"></div></div>
<p>One of the most important items in the <em>Final Fantasy</em> franchise is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phoenix Down" href="#" target="_blank">Phoenix Down</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and its ability was perfectly captured with this card. Sure, the ability to snipe a few specific creature types might come up in a game once in a while. However, the main star of the show is that recursion ability. The fact that this can sit on the battlefield gives you the opportunity to activate it when the time is right. Pair this with a commander that loves to fill your graveyard, and your deck just got all the more resilient.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Queen Kayla bin-Kroog" href="#" target="_blank">Queen Kayla bin-Kroog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a commander I’ve considered building around for a while, because it just plays so well with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phoenix Down" href="#" target="_blank">Phoenix Down</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Since Queen Kayla has you discard your hand, and lets you return some of the cards you threw away to the battlefield, you can choose this new artifact to be one of them. Once it’s on your board, you can then use it to bring back something else you discarded, which helps give you even more access to the cards in your bin.</p>
<h3>Self-Destruct</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Self-Destruct"></div></div>
<p>We have a new addition in the long line of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fling" href="#" target="_blank">Fling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-style spells with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Self-Destruct" href="#" target="_blank">Self-Destruct</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Two mana for an instant-speed way for one of your creatures to deal a killing blow to a troublesome creature or even an opponent is a great rate. The fact that it deals that damage to itself as well is where things can get tricky. Of course, if your creature’s power is lower than its toughness that's great, but if the creature you choose is indestructible you don’t have to deal with that downside.</p>
<p>I recently did an <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-kuja-genome-sorcerer-on-a-budget-fourteen-cards-under-14" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article covering the new card</a> for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kuja, Genome Sorcerer" href="#" target="_blank">Kuja, Genome Sorcerer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which was based around Wizards and burn. If you're planning to build that deck, I think you should consider throwing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Self-Destruct" href="#" target="_blank">Self-Destruct</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in there. Once Kuja doubles the damage your Wizards do, this new instant could be a way to just take a player out at any point. Sure, you might lose one of your creatures in the process, but that’s a risk Kuja is willing to take.</p>
<h3>Quina, Qu Gourmet</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Quina, Qu Gourmet"></div></div>
<p>Token strategies are incredibly popular, especially in green, which is what makes <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quina, Qu Gourmet" href="#" target="_blank">Quina, Qu Gourmet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> such a great Legend in the uncommon slot. Whenever you make any type of token, you will also make a 1/1 Frog. That means you can be adding more bodies to a board with other creature tokens or give a bit more punching power to a deck that only makes noncreature tokens, like Treasures, Clues, or Food.</p>
<p>Let’s make our own little <em><a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/blb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomburrow</a></em> party with Quina and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chatterfang, Squirrel General" href="#" target="_blank">Chatterfang, Squirrel General</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With just those two out, anytime you make a token you’ll also make a Frog and a Squirrel. That turns a popular card like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tireless Provisioner" href="#" target="_blank">Tireless Provisioner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into an outlet for getting three tokens anytime a land enters your board. Just think about that interaction for every other token engine in your deck… Now that's what I call value right there!</p>
<h2>The Wrap Up</h2>
<p>There you have it, some of the best commons and uncommons from the new <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/fin"><em>Final Fantasy</em></a> set. Which were your favorites? Were there any bulk cards I missed? Let me know in the comments below! I might revisit this set with another Bulk Up in the coming weeks since the power level of these cards keep getting better and better. So, until next time, enjoy forming your team, and slaying your foes!</p>


Amazing Commons &#038; Uncommons from the Final Fantasy Set

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola Rhul" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola Rhul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://immanuelacrovius.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Immanuela Crovius</a></em></p>
<p>Mono-blue is a tricky color in Commander, as it usually screams control. I'm not much of a control player, but I do love value, which is something Y'shtola Rhul provides in spades.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Y&#039;shtola Rhul"></div></div>
<p>Not being well-versed in <em>Final Fantasy</em> didn’t prevent my previous brewing of the mono-red legend, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Firion, Wild Rose Warrior" href="#" target="_blank">Firion, Wild Rose Warrior</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and it certainly didn’t prevent me brewing this commander either. Y’shtola has a crazy Esper counterpart from one of the <em>Final Fantasy</em> precons in the form of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but I think this iteration feels more fun. If you like “enters” triggers and taking a lot of game actions, this is the deck for you.</p>
<p>The first thing I noticed about this card is the ability to effectively double our end step. I immediately looked for anything and everything in blue that deals with the end step, and the list was, unfortunately, very small. Sure, double triggering a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chimil, the Inner Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Chimil, the Inner Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wondrous Crucible" href="#" target="_blank">Wondrous Crucible</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> seems like a ton of fun, but the list pretty much ends there, so I leaned hard into the first ability.</p>
<p>The first ability reminded me of an old <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thassa, Deep-Dwelling" href="#" target="_blank">Thassa, Deep-Dwelling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> build I had, and that was a deck I loved dearly. Two <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conjurer&#039;s Closet" href="#" target="_blank">Conjurer&#039;s Closet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects on every one of our turns? Sign me up! With this kind of deck, especially when most blue "enters" triggers can be pretty mean, I will warn my readers that my build of this commander fits solidly into Bracket 4.</p>
<h2>Category #1: End Step Triggers</h2>
<p>As I previously mentioned, our options are pretty limited in mono-blue when it comes to end step triggers, but that doesn't mean the limited options are bad. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wondrous Crucible" href="#" target="_blank">Wondrous Crucible</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chimil, the Inner Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Chimil, the Inner Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> let us cast spells for free; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Palantír of Orthanc" href="#" target="_blank">Palantír of Orthanc</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a terrific source of card draw or incidental burn, depending on what our opponents choose; and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primordial Mist" href="#" target="_blank">Primordial Mist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives us manifest creatures that we can flip up later with our commanders first ability (flickering a face down creature makes it return face up; this concept will come up later).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chimil, the Inner Sun"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wondrous Crucible"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Palantír of Orthanc"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Primordial Mist"></div></div>
<h2>Category #2: "Enters" Triggers</h2>
<p dir="auto">As mentioned before, this deck is full of creatures with enters triggers, but I’m just going to highlight some of the heavy hitters here. We have creatures that cover anything you may need over the course of a game:</p>
<p dir="auto">Need to "borrow" a creature or spell? Try <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sower of Temptation" href="#" target="_blank">Sower of Temptation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Agent of Treachery" href="#" target="_blank">Agent of Treachery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diluvian Primordial" href="#" target="_blank">Diluvian Primordial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p dir="auto"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sower of Temptation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Agent of Treachery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Diluvian Primordial"></div></div></p>
<p dir="auto">Need to ramp? Try <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Solemn Simulacrum" href="#" target="_blank">Solemn Simulacrum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peregrine Drake" href="#" target="_blank">Peregrine Drake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p dir="auto"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Solemn Simulacrum"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Peregrine Drake"></div></div></p>
<p dir="auto">Need to remove troublesome creatures? Try <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Amphin Mutineer" href="#" target="_blank">Amphin Mutineer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meteor Golem" href="#" target="_blank">Meteor Golem</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exclusion Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Exclusion Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p dir="auto"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Amphin Mutineer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Meteor Golem"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Exclusion Mage"></div></div></p>
<p dir="auto">How about drawing some cards? Try <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Serum Visionary" href="#" target="_blank">Serum Visionary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mulldrifter" href="#" target="_blank">Mulldrifter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overlord of the Floodpits" href="#" target="_blank">Overlord of the Floodpits</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p dir="auto"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Serum Visionary"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mulldrifter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Overlord of the Floodpits"></div></div></p>
<h2>Category #3: Our Secret Gameplan = Face Down Creatures</h2>
<p>I told you I would come back to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primordial Mist" href="#" target="_blank">Primordial Mist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! Manifest creatures, or face down creatures in general, is our secret gameplan. Why? Because, like I said before, if we flicker a face down creature, that card returns to play <em>face up</em>. For this reason, we have some really heavy hitters in the deck in the hopes that we can execute this "cheating of mana cost".</p>
<p>The other ways we have to put things into face down are cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="They Came from the Pipes" href="#" target="_blank">They Came from the Pipes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cryptic Coat" href="#" target="_blank">Cryptic Coat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cursed Windbreaker" href="#" target="_blank">Cursed Windbreaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="They Came from the Pipes"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cryptic Coat"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cursed Windbreaker"></div></div>
<p>When we have face down creatures, we can turn up crazy game-ending threats, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blightsteel Colossus" href="#" target="_blank">Blightsteel Colossus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Void Winnower" href="#" target="_blank">Void Winnower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blightsteel Colossus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Void Winnower"></div></div>
<p>We also have standard all-star <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abhorrent Oculus" href="#" target="_blank">Abhorrent Oculus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in this deck, as it's another great way to give us face down creatures.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abhorrent Oculus"></div></div>
<h2>Category #4: Infinite Combos</h2>
<p>I would be remiss if I didn't mention the infinite combos that I included in my decklist. The main combo involves an old format boogeyman, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadeye Navigator" href="#" target="_blank">Deadeye Navigator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Pairing it with any of our enters creatures is very good, but pairing it with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peregrine Drake" href="#" target="_blank">Peregrine Drake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> grants us infinite mana. Infinite mana isn't an immediate guaranteed win, but it's certainly a good start.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deadeye Navigator"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Peregrine Drake"></div></div>
<p>The other combo in the deck is one that people may find frustrating, so be warned. This combo involves three cards: our commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archaeomancer" href="#" target="_blank">Archaeomancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Time Warp" href="#" target="_blank">Time Warp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>It works like this: we cast Time Warp, giving us an extra turn. During the extra turn, we play Archaeomancer to return Time Warp to our hand and cast it again. If our commander is on the board at this point, we can choose to blink the Archaeomancer, returning Time Warp to our hand again. This generates a loop of infinite turns, which, again, doesn't necessarily win the game, but it's a huge step towards doing so.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Y&#039;shtola Rhul"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archaeomancer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Time Warp"></div></div>
<h2>Closing Thoughts</h2>
<p>That will do it for our deck tech on Y'shtola Rhul! I hope this article has persuaded you to brew around this very strong and fun commander!</p>
<p>Check out my decklist below!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Y’shtola Rhul" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Y&#039;shtola Rhul
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Chimil, the Inner Sun
*1 Cryptic Coat
*1 Cursed Windbreaker
*1 Decanter of Endless Water
*1 Midnight Clock
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Palantír of Orthanc
*1 Panharmonicon
*1 Sapphire Medallion
*1 Scroll of Fate
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Sword of Hearth and Home
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Worn Powerstone
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Abhorrent Oculus
*1 Aether Adept
*1 Aether Channeler
*1 Agent of Treachery
*1 Amphin Mutineer
*1 Archaeomancer
*1 Blightsteel Colossus
*1 Circuit Mender
*1 Deadeye Navigator
*1 Diluvian Primordial
*1 Dour Port-Mage
*1 Exclusion Mage
*1 Fblthp, the Lost
*1 Glitch Interpreter
*1 Kozilek, the Broken Reality
*1 Man-o&#039;-War
*1 Master of Waves
*1 Meteor Golem
*1 Mulldrifter
*1 Naga Fleshcrafter
*1 Overlord of the Floodpits
*1 Peregrine Drake
*1 Phyrexian Metamorph
*1 Serum Visionary
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Sower of Temptation
*1 Thassa, Deep-Dwelling
*1 Tomb of Horrors Adventurer
*1 Venser, Shaper Savant
*1 Void Winnower
*1 Whirler Rogue
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Aetherize
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Become Anonymous
*1 Cyber Conversion
*1 Ghostly Flicker
*1 Pongify
*1 Rapid Hybridization
*1 Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Candlekeep Sage
*1 Imprisoned in the Moon
*1 Mirror Room // Fractured Realm
*1 Primordial Mist
*1 Propaganda
*1 They Came from the Pipes
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Quantum Misalignment
*1 Rite of Replication
*1 Time Warp
*1 Unnerving Grasp
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Arid Archway
*1 Castle Vantress
*1 Command Beacon
*1 Conduit Pylons
*25 Island
*1 Lonely Sandbar
*1 Mystic Sanctuary
*1 Otawara, Soaring City
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Scavenger Grounds
*1 Talon Gates of Madara
[/Lands]"></span></div>


Brewing Around A Final Fantasy Commander - Y'shtola Rhul

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>It's Tuesday, June 3rd, and that means it's time for another <em>Final Fantasy</em> count-up entry! Each day ahead of the release of the new <em>Universes Beyond</em> set, I'm writing a piece wherein I list some of the best and most flavorful cards from each game in the series! Yesterday, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-six-ffvi">I covered <em>FFVI</em></a>, my personal favorite. Today, we are looking at <em>Final Fantasy VII</em>, arguably the most popular game in the franchise!</p>
<p>The criteria we're working with for this superlative list is as follows:</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 only have one card.)</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 begin!</p>
<h2>Honorable Mention</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER"></div></div>
<p>Wow, I bet you didn't see <em>this</em> coming!</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER" href="#" target="_blank">Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a card that, by most intents and purposes, should be a high-ranking card in most any set. It's powerful, it's iconic, and it rises above and beyond most other cards in its weight class. However, for all it's worth, it doesn't do that here. It's only an Honorable Mention. Why? Well, to be fair, this set is positively <em>stacked</em> with cool cards! It's not that Sephiroth is bad by any stretch of the imagination; however, there are better cards in the set to match my criteria therein. Ultimately, though, this card had to make this list, and so to the Honorable Mentions he goes.</p>
<h2>Best as a Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Midgar Mercenary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a strong choice to pilot a mono-white Commander deck. Cloud Strife is one of the more iconic characters of <em>Final Fantasy VII</em>, if not <em>the most</em> iconic. His reputation precedes him. And, as a powerful, impactful Equipment commander, Cloud certainly lives up to it in <em>Magic</em>.</p>
<p>Cloud is a tutor from the command zone, and a potent one at that. Being able to search up any Equipment and put it into hand is a very strong ability. Be wary, though: some players will attempt to capitalize on timing with this card, and it won't work out. If you were to equip Cloud before his entry trigger resolves (with something like a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hero&#039;s Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Hero&#039;s Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for instance), you'll still only tutor up one Equipment, despite his triggers then being doubled. It's not an ideal play in many cases, unless you prefer to have him equipped for some doubled effect later on.</p>
<p>That said, if you load Cloud up with plenty of Equipment that have triggers, or grant them, such as the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Fire and Ice" href="#" target="_blank">Swords</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Feast and Famine" href="#" target="_blank">Mirrodin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Umezawa&#039;s Jitte" href="#" target="_blank">Umezawa&#039;s Jitte</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you probably have one of the scariest commanders on the battlefield. Happy hunting!</p>
<h2>Best in the 99</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nibelheim Aflame"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nibelheim Aflame" href="#" target="_blank">Nibelheim Aflame</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great variant on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chandra&#039;s Ignition" href="#" target="_blank">Chandra&#039;s Ignition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. For one thing, Nibelheim Aflame only costs four mana to essentially wipe the board of all creatures (sans those protected). If that isn't enough, you can also do it again for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-5" 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-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>! Plus, when you do that, you can get four new cards. That's pretty impactful for a board wipe, especially because if it resolves, your opponents' hands are likely exhausted of cards too. And how cool is that art?</p>
<h2>Most Flavorful</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aerith Gainsborough"></div></div>
<p>Come on, you <em>knew</em> we had to choose <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aerith Gainsborough" href="#" target="_blank">Aerith Gainsborough</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for this superlative! And, if you didn't, feel free to skip ahead a paragraph because this one contains a massive spoiler for <em>Final Fantasy VII</em>. In the game, Sephiroth straight-up kills Aerith, which is a major plot point in the game and ultimately spurs on the end-stage of his plans. He is trying to stop Aerith from using her Holy magic to stop his Meteor spell from destroying the planet. It's a whole thing, and honestly, this iconic scene is probably the last motivation that Cloud and company needed in order to take Sephiroth down.</p>
<p>So that's why Aerith has the triggered ability she does. It's also very possible to enact that very scene from <em>FFVII</em> in this way!</p>
<p>So, with that, we move on to our Best In Show. I feel like you know what's coming, especially if you've been watching YouTube videos or reading other list articles on this very subject. So, in the greatest twist <em>ever</em> (I say with sincerest sarcasm), we chose...</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy VII</em> Best In Show</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Buster Sword"></div></div>
<p>The <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>!</p>
<p>Please, hold your applause. This card is legitimately the best Equipment in the set, even above <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Genji Glove" href="#" target="_blank">Genji Glove</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aettir and Priwen" href="#" target="_blank">Aettir and Priwen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It slices, it dices, it does your laundry, and it even allows you to cast a boatload of spells if it sticks.</p>
<p>Lorewise, it uses <a href="https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Materia_(Final_Fantasy_VII)">Materia</a> as a source for Cloud to use magic and summons, among other abilities. This is a good representation of that, in the context of the <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> card analogue. Overall, it's just a really strong piece of Equipment that can break the game if left alone on a creature for too long! Plus, equipped to Cloud, Midgar Mercenary (or <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>), it performs even better than it would on most any other given creature! How's <em>that</em> for a flavor win?</p>
<p>With that, we have reached the end of our <em>Final Fantasy VII</em> count-up entry. If you liked this series so far, feel free to let us know in the comments below! And, if you wish to read any more of them, the series so far is below as well.</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"><strong>Day 6: <em>FFVI</em></strong></a></p>


Final Fantasy 16-Day Count-Up, Day Seven: FFVII

<p style="text-align: right;"><i><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emet-Selch of the Third Seat" href="#" target="_blank">Emet-Selch of the Third Seat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CMagali+Villeneuve%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Magali Villeneuve</a><br />
</i></p>
<p>Hey, nerds! Welcome to my first <i>Final Fantasy </i>$50 budget deck tech featuring <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emet-Selch of the Third Seat" href="#" target="_blank">Emet-Selch of the Third Seat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (excluding the cost of the commander). I’ve been looking for an interesting spellslinger commander for years now. My first spellslinger deck was a pile of cards I opened from <i>Guilds of Ravnica </i>and bulk I owned featuring <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niv-Mizzet, Parun" href="#" target="_blank">Niv-Mizzet, Parun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It was a hot mess that kind of functioned, but it wasn’t great. Then I got gifted a budget <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krark, the Thumbless" href="#" target="_blank">Krark, the Thumbless</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> // <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix" href="#" target="_blank">Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> partner deck one Christmas. It was such a fun deck, but it only came out on occasion since the turns would take longer than I wanted, so I put it back on my shelf and accepted the fact I’d never find a spell commander that jived with me.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emet-Selch of the Third Seat"></div></div>
<p>That was until <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emet-Selch of the Third Seat" href="#" target="_blank">Emet-Selch of the Third Seat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was spoiled.</p>

<hr />
<h2>What Does Emet-Selch of the Third Seat Do?</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emet-Selch of the Third Seat" href="#" target="_blank">Emet-Selch of the Third Seat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> reduces the cost of any spell you cast from your graveyard by two. This effect might seem innocuous, but cheating on mana is one of the strongest things you can do in a game. If you only cast two spells from your graveyard, it's like you got to cast Emet for free. However, that second ability is what drew me in. There are two key things to note about this ability. First, you don’t need to be the one to deal the damage. Second, the spell would only be exiled if it were put back into the graveyard.</p>
<p>The first idea I had was a Dimir Buyback deck. Buyback is an additional cost, which Emet would reduce. Let’s say you cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clockspinning" href="#" target="_blank">Clockspinning</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from your graveyard and pay for the buyback cost. Instead of being exiled, it would return to your hand, since Emet’s second ability only exiles the spell if it goes back to your graveyard. However, there are only 18 spells with buyback in Dimir, and that isn’t enough to build a dedicated deck.</p>
<p>That was when I remembered a deck I played a few weeks ago. My best friend built a budget <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lord of the Nazgûl" href="#" target="_blank">Lord of the Nazgûl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Dimir spells deck. He wanted some feedback, so I took it for a spin. After playing it, it got me thinking about how to improve the deck. One idea I had was to use it as a Spellslinger Aristocrat deck. The deck makes tokens that can be sacrificed for value, and black has plenty of cards that drain when creatures die.</p>
<p>So instead of doing a buyback deck or some generic Dimir spells deck, I want to build a Dimir Tokens deck. The idea is simple. You play instants, sorceries, and creature-token-generators, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects for value when your creatures die, and sacrifice outlets to enable the deaths of said creatures, plus some other key cards you’ll play in any Emet deck.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Key Cards for Emet-Selch of the Third Seat</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lab Rats"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cackling Counterpart"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Geralf, the Fleshwright"></div></div>
<p>The first set of spells is the token-generators. These spells either make their own tokens, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lab Rats" href="#" target="_blank">Lab Rats</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Retrieve the Esper" href="#" target="_blank">Retrieve the Esper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Otterball Antics" href="#" target="_blank">Otterball Antics</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, make token copies of your creatures, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cackling Counterpart" href="#" target="_blank">Cackling Counterpart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quasiduplicate" href="#" target="_blank">Quasiduplicate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Self-Reflection" href="#" target="_blank">Self-Reflection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or creatures that are payoffs for casting spells, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lord of the Nazgûl" href="#" target="_blank">Lord of the Nazgûl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sedgemoor Witch" href="#" target="_blank">Sedgemoor Witch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Geralf, the Fleshwright" href="#" target="_blank">Geralf, the Fleshwright</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. When choosing token-generators, I prioritized cards that we could cast from the graveyard without Emet’s ability.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nasty End"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Corrupted Conviction"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yahenni, Undying Partisan"></div></div>
<p>Next are value sacrifice spells. These are usually cheap instants that require us to sacrifice a creature to draw cards. Cheap cantrips, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nasty End" href="#" target="_blank">Nasty End</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadly Dispute" href="#" target="_blank">Deadly Dispute</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corrupted Conviction" href="#" target="_blank">Corrupted Conviction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, are great here. Because of how the stack works, you won’t be able to cast a Deadly Dispute from your graveyard the same turn you cast it, unless you have your opponent lose life again, since it won’t be in the graveyard to target, which is why I’d add more sacrifice outlets, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Carrion Feeder" href="#" target="_blank">Carrion Feeder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Viscera Seer" href="#" target="_blank">Viscera Seer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yahenni, Undying Partisan" href="#" target="_blank">Yahenni, Undying Partisan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lier, Disciple of the Drowned"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Taigam, Master Opportunist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oona&#039;s Grace"></div></div>
<p>Now, before we get into the Blood Artist effects, I wanted to share five cards I think are worth considering in nearly every Emet deck, those being <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lier, Disciple of the Drowned" href="#" target="_blank">Lier, Disciple of the Drowned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="River Kelpie" href="#" target="_blank">River Kelpie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Taigam, Master Opportunist" href="#" target="_blank">Taigam, Master Opportunist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oona&#039;s Grace" href="#" target="_blank">Oona&#039;s Grace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syphon Life" href="#" target="_blank">Syphon Life</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Lier turns Emet into a powerful mana acceleration tool, allowing you to recast your instants and sorceries for cheaper. River Kelpie provides card advantage by just existing, and persist makes it a bit harder to kill. Taigam can put spells you cast from your graveyard with Emet’s ability suspend instead of them getting exiled forever. This interaction works great with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clockspinning" href="#" target="_blank">Clockspinning</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Oona's Grace essentially gives lands in your hand cycling for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> if Emet is in play, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syphon Life" href="#" target="_blank">Syphon Life</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides a consistent way to trigger Emet’s ability at the cost of a land.</p>
<hr />
<h2>How to Win with Emet-Selch of the Third Seat</h2>
<p>There are three ways to win with the deck. First are the aforementioned Blood Artist effects. These are cards that ping to our opponent when creatures die, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Al Bhed Salvagers" href="#" target="_blank">Al Bhed Salvagers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirkwood Bats" href="#" target="_blank">Mirkwood Bats</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zulaport Cutthroat" href="#" target="_blank">Zulaport Cutthroat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bastion of Remembrance" href="#" target="_blank">Bastion of Remembrance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. They make great kicked <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rite of Replication" href="#" target="_blank">Rite of Replication</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> targets.</p>
<p>The second option is just to beat face with the tokens. Many of the tokens have some evasion, either flying or menace. I even toyed around with the idea of adding <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maskwood Nexus" href="#" target="_blank">Maskwood Nexus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conspiracy" href="#" target="_blank">Conspiracy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Adaptation" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Adaptation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lord of the Nazgûl" href="#" target="_blank">Lord of the Nazgûl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Geralf, the Fleshwright" href="#" target="_blank">Geralf, the Fleshwright</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> better, but that interaction is too cute and doesn’t help the main gameplan enough.</p>
<p>Finally, I always like adding one generically powerful win condition to a deck. Sometimes your key cards are exiled, or you’re too behind on the board. My go-to budget option is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exsanguinate" href="#" target="_blank">Exsanguinate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It can get your opponents low enough to finish off with drain effects, or if you have enough mana, just end the game on its own.</p>
<h2>Emet-Selch of the Third Seat Commander Decklist</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Budget Emet-Selch Spellslinger Sacrifice" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Emet-Selch of the Third Seat
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Al Bhed Salvagers
*1 Archmage of Runes
*1 Baral, Chief of Compliance
*1 Blood Artist
*1 Boggart Trawler // Boggart Bog
*1 Carrion Feeder
*1 Geralf, the Fleshwright
*1 Hydroelectric Specimen // Hydroelectric Laboratory
*1 Lier, Disciple of the Drowned
*1 Lord of the Nazgûl
*1 Mirkwood Bats
*1 Morbid Opportunist
*1 Murmuring Mystic
*1 Osteomancer Adept
*1 River Kelpie
*1 Sedgemoor Witch
*1 Skyclave Shade
*1 Taigam, Master Opportunist
*1 Talrand, Sky Summoner
*1 Viscera Seer
*1 Wizards of Thay
*1 Yahenni, Undying Partisan
*1 Zulaport Cutthroat
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Dimir Signet
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Liquimetal Torque
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Dominance
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Bastion of Remembrance
*1 Case of the Ransacked Lab
[/Enchantments]
[Instants]
*1 Cackling Counterpart
*1 Corrupted Conviction
*1 Deadly Dispute
*1 Drag the Canal
*1 Fanatical Offering
*1 Filter Out
*1 Go for the Throat
*1 Infernal Grasp
*1 Jwari Disruption // Jwari Ruins
*1 Nasty End
*1 Oona&#039;s Grace
*1 Plumb the Forbidden
*1 Reality Shift
*1 Rotten Reunion
*1 Szat&#039;s Will
*1 Village Rites
*1 Waterlogged Teachings // Inundated Archive
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Exsanguinate
*1 Irenicus&#039;s Vile Duplication
*1 Lab Rats
*1 Lórien Revealed
*1 Otterball Antics
*1 Quasiduplicate
*1 Retrieve the Esper
*1 Ringsight
*1 Rite of Replication
*1 Self-Reflection
*1 Syphon Life
*1 Unending Whisper
*1 Winternight Stories
[/Sorceries]
[Battles]
*1 Invasion of Segovia // Caetus, Sea Tyrant of Segovia
[/Battles]
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Choked Estuary
*1 Command Tower
*1 Darkslick Shores
*1 Darkwater Catacombs
*1 Dimir Aqueduct
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Fetid Pools
*1 Field of Ruin
*8 Island
*1 Murky Sewer
*1 Mystic Sanctuary
*1 Sunken Hollow
*7 Swamp
*1 Tainted Isle
*1 Temple of Deceit
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Underground River
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>I love playing decks that break the norms of what people expect, and this particular build of Emet is exactly that. I wouldn’t put it up against any Bracket Four decks, but if you’re looking for a solid middle-of-the-road deck that can have insane turns and is always doing something, I’d try Emet.</p>
<p>I’d love to hear your thoughts on this list below. Do you think I missed any cards? What upgrades would you make? Alrighty nerds, I’ll see you in the next one!</p>


Budget Dimir Spellslinger Sacrifice: Emet-Selch of the Third Seat

Is Tifa Lockhart a Good Mono-Green Landfall Commander?

The Best Monocolored Cards in Final Fantasy

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</h6>
<p>Today is Monday, June 2nd, the sixth day of our count-up towards the release date of the <em>Magic</em> set for <em>Final Fantasy</em>! For the past five days, I've been examining the best cards in the set from each game in the series based on superlatives. Yesterday we looked at <em>FFV</em>, and today we'll be looking at <em>Final Fantasy VI</em>! Like many other <em>FF</em> fans, this game is my favorite entry in the main series, so I have some thoughts on this one. So join me as we look into this masterpiece of a game and the most powerful and faithfully adapted cards for <em>FFVI</em>!</p>
<p>The criteria we're working with for this superlative list is as follows:</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 only have one card.)</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 begin!</p>
<h2>Honorable Mention</h2>
<p>It was actually very difficult to find an optimal Honorable Mention for <em>Final Fantasy VI</em>. Every card in this subset is extremely well made and faithful to the game in a huge way. However, having found one, I can safely say it is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Opera Love Song" href="#" target="_blank">Opera Love Song</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Opera Love Song"></div></div>
<p>Opera Love Song depicts such an important and iconic scene from <em>FFVI</em>. This is the moment that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Celes, Rune Knight" href="#" target="_blank">Celes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is quite torn about the affections of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Locke Cole" href="#" target="_blank">Locke Cole</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, her fellow party member who is himself torn between Celes and <span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terra, Magical Adept" href="#" target="_blank">Terra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. He's smitten with both, but at that time, Terra had left the party, having gone into an Esper Trance form. One of Celes' main concerns is if, to Locke, she's just a rebound or "replacement" for Terra. Celes is also performing in an opera during this scene, but her passion, alongside this particular issue, shines through her performance.</p>
<p>Now, the reason I have to only give this scene-depicting card Honorable Mention over Most Flavorful is that there are still more important scenes in this subset. Furthermore, Opera Love Song is an okay card at best. Mechanically, it's not terrible, but it doesn't exactly shine, either. I love how it shows this scene, but love isn't an easy thing to represent in <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>. Given enough time for Wizards of the Coast to figure that out, it might be okay eventually to redo. But for now, the concept is a bit mechanically undercooked.</p>
<h2>Best as a Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kefka, Court Mage"></div></div>
<p>For full disclosure, <span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kefka, Court Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Kefka, Court Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a subject of my clear-cut biases. Whether it's Piedmon from the <em>Digimon Adventure 01</em> anime, Dhoulmagus from <em>Dragon Quest VIII</em>, or even Chuckles from <em>Legends of Avantris</em>, I'm an absolute sucker for evil or demented clowns. I even have my own evil clown "BBEG" (or "Big Bad Evil Guy"), in the <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em> campaign I currently act as Dungeon Master for. Suffice to say, after Dhoulmagus and Piedmon, Kefka is probably my favorite of the lot.</p>
<p>Anyway, Kefka is the best commander of the <em>FFVI</em> options. As a tricolor legend, he has more versatility than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Edgar, King of Figaro" href="#" target="_blank">Edgar, King of Figaro</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or Locke Cole, but a less-difficult required mana base than Terra, Magical Adept. His control strategy paired with the ability to pivot into a combo stance is also a really powerful playstyle. I <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/group-slugging-with-kefka-court-mage">covered Kefka in a deck tech</a> early on in the preview season. And, I still stand by the idea that he's my favorite commander in the set overall.</p>
<h2>Best in the 99</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phoenix Down"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phoenix Down" href="#" target="_blank">Phoenix Down</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a strong modal artifact with a use in many white decks. If you need to reanimate a reasonably-sized creature, Phoenix Down has your back. Do you need to remove a pesky undead? Phoenix Down is available to help you here as well. This falls in line with how the card works in the <em>Final Fantasy</em> series, as healing magic can kill undead creatures. But overall, it's a very versatile card and works great in the 99 of most white decks for its extreme utility in a pinch.</p>
<h2>Most Flavorful</h2>
<p>With cards like Opera Love Song and Phoenix Down in other superlative spots, what takes the cake as Most Flavorful? Well, we have to give this one to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Suplex" href="#" target="_blank">Suplex</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Suplex"></div></div>
<p>The flavor of Suplex is that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sabin, Master Monk" href="#" target="_blank">Sabin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is faced against the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phantom Train" href="#" target="_blank">Phantom Train</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Normally, you could kill the Train with a Phoenix Down, which would deal 9,999 damage to it, but Sabin can <em>also</em> suplex the Train. Yes, you read that correctly. It's apparently a major rite of passage for <em>Final Fantasy VI</em> players to suplex the Phantom Train, and many do it just for bragging rights.</p>
<p>What's that? Suplex can exile an artifact? And the Phantom Train is an artifact? What a supreme flavor win!</p>
<p>The card depicts this memetic scene so well that it had to be my Most Flavorful.</p>
<p>And that brings us to our Best In Show. With so many awesome entries ultimately relegated to other categories, what could this one be? Well...</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy VI</em> Best In Show</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stolen Uniform"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stolen Uniform" href="#" target="_blank">Stolen Uniform</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a card that, like Suplex, depicts a really cool scene from <em>Final Fantasy VI</em>. In the game, at some point in the first half, Locke has to infiltrate the ranks of the Gestahlian Empire to find a way to escape a town. To do this, he robs an Imperial soldier blind, down to his uniform. The soldier flees, naked down to his boxers, in a scene that can be best described as "pathetic for the soldier" and "funny for Locke". So, this card has a ton of flavor to it.</p>
<p>It also has a ton of mechanical usage. In Limited, it's going to be a card that changes games in a big way due to all of the job select cards. And in Commander, the same will happen; someone is bound to steal and equip a pair of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Greaves" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Greaves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, making something susceptible to removal for upwards of a turn cycle. I can't wait to cast it on my <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tetsuo, Imperial Champion" href="#" target="_blank">Tetsuo, Imperial Champion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, though, and equip my own <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaldra Compleat" href="#" target="_blank">Kaldra Compleat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> onto him. The potential is basically endless here!</p>
<p>That does it for our count-up of <em>Final Fantasy VI</em>! Do you agree with my takes on this game's cards? Sound off below! Also, if you missed any of our past coverage of this count-up, feel free to read these articles below to refresh yourself!</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">Day 5: <em>FFV</em></a></strong></p>


Final Fantasy 16-Day Count-Up, Day Six: FFVI

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephiroth, Planet&#039;s Heir" href="#" target="_blank">Sephiroth, Planet&#039;s Heir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/magali_villeneuve/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Magali Villeneuve</a></em></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Welcome to <em>Roman Begs Anybody Else To Build a Bracket One Deck - Deck Tech Edition</em>. If you’re looking for the more “competitive” version of this deck, it will be coming later. But first, please, bear with me a moment and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1PPoIAOO2Y" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consider the following</a>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Obviously the new <em>Final Fantasy</em> <em>Magic: the Gathering</em> set has a ton of very, very powerful cards. It has <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jumbo Cactuar" href="#" target="_blank">a creature which can attack for ten thousand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It has </span><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sin, Spira&#039;s Punishment" href="#" target="_blank">Sin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who you <span style="font-weight: 400;">only have to read once to know that it will be used with pure criminal intent. Heck, just the spoiler release of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vivi Ornitier" href="#" target="_blank">Vivi Ornitier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> caused upward of 50 reported hospitalizations. These cards are busted. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This means that but a single question remains about this set: Which card is the most fun? And to answer that, I present to you <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephiroth, Planet’s Heir" href="#" target="_blank">Sephiroth, Planet’s Heir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sephiroth, Planet’s Heir"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I missed the <em>Final Fantasy</em> games as a kid, so I know Sephiroth from two things. First, the incredible moment where he torpedoes 500 feet down from the sky to put a sword straight through Aerith. It’s a moment so iconic that they had him <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJo25Dtglbo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recreate it with Mario when they introduced him in <em>Smash</em></a>. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The second is his wonderful cameo in <em>Kingdom Hearts</em> where he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPjbwSH5Bps" target="_blank" rel="noopener">serves as a harsh reminder of the consequences of curiosity</a>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Given that the <em>Kingdom Hearts</em> version of this deck would require the inclusion of upwards of 50 <em>Lorcana</em> cards, we’ll stick with the first moment when looking to idolize Sephiroth with his own Bracket 1 deck. And to pay homage to that glorious moment, we’ll play it out again, and again, and again, in a deck I’ve lovingly titled<em> Oops, All Sephiroths.</em></span></p>
<h2>What Does Sephiroth, Planet’s Heir do?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephiroth, Planet’s Heir" href="#" target="_blank">Sephiroth, Planet’s Heir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, has two main abilities. The first pays wonderful tribute to that moment of terminal velocity swordplay. When he enters, creatures your opponents control get -2/-2 until end of turn. Eat that, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Sephiroth is a one-man board wipe for tokens and mana dorks. When he enters he really resets the playing field.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His second ability is what really sends him to the moon. Whenever a creature an opponent controls dies, he gets a +1/+1 counter. And given that he already has vigilance, this makes him a pretty tough customer to deal with. Especially if he has a deck to back him up that's loaded with removal. A deck very much like <em>Oops, All Sephiroths</em>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But not just any removal. The one thing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephiroth, Planet&#039;s Heir" href="#" target="_blank">Sephiroth, Planet&#039;s Heir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> loses thematically, especially as a commander, is the suddenness of that moment. Everybody sees him up there, waiting to descend and wreak mass destruction. Where’s the surprise? The drama? This deck seeks to rectify this injustice.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">How do we do this? By making as many Sephiroths as we can. Not copies of Sephiroth, mind you. But creatures that come in suddenly and remove opposing creatures. But do they come in on our turn? Absolutely not! We're going to do our damage in cutscenes. Well, the closest thing <em>Magic</em> has to cutscenes: our opponents' turns. To that end, we’re giving everything flash.</span></p>
<h2>Key Cards for Sephiroth, Planet’s Heir</h2>
<h3>Flash: The 500-Foot Divebomb of <em>Magic: the Gathering</em></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vedalken Orrery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Quicksilver Amulet"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Leyline of Anticipation"></div></div></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These three beauties are going to help us bring out our creatures anytime. This is necessary to create removal at the height of drama, as is the Sephiroth way. There are only a few such cards in the deck, but your first mulligan is free, so don’t be afraid to search for them - especially that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Leyline of Anticipation" href="#" target="_blank">Leyline of Anticipation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. And don’t be afraid to mulligan down to six, five, even four for them, as reckless, insane risk taking in the pursuit of power is very much the Sephiroth way!</span></p>
<p>You'll also find a couple of other helpers in this regard, notably <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="High Fae Trickster" href="#" target="_blank">High Fae Trickster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for as long as you can keep them on the board. I've also included <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emergence Zone" href="#" target="_blank">Emergence Zone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Borne Upon a Wind" href="#" target="_blank">Borne Upon a Wind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for some single-turn Sephirothing if you don't have access to these other tools. If you happen to have a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winding Canyons" href="#" target="_blank">Winding Canyons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> sitting around in your collection, this is certainly a use for it. But when I'm designing for Bracket 1, I use cards worth over $5 very sparingly, and never over $10, so the canyons didn't make the cut.</p>
<h3>It's Just Sephiroths, All The Way Down</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Big Game Hunter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Black Dragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Meteor Golem"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Behold: These are our Sephiroths. Bring them in with drama. With panache. These will come in to immediately remove opposing creatures, threats or no, all in service of powering up Sephiroth himself. For additional fun, I’d encourage you to use “Sephiroth” as a verb when playing these. For example, “I’m going to play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Big Game Hunter" href="#" target="_blank">Big Game Hunter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to Sephiroth your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brion Stoutarm" href="#" target="_blank">Brion Stoutarm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.” And for extra credit, have a button on your phone to play the “Sephiroth” sting from One Winged Angel whenever you do. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Speaking of which, based on some research, it seems that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meteor Golem" href="#" target="_blank">Meteor Golem</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fairly solid thematic and mechanical inclusion to this deck. Let me know in the comments if there are other thematic inclusions you'd make. As this is a Bracket 1 deck, thematic inclusions are just as important, if not more so, than actual mechanical cohesion.</span></p>
<h3>You Haven't Even Seen My Final Form</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flatline"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Massacre Girl"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These two are nasty combo pieces with Sephiroth. If you can play a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flatline" href="#" target="_blank">Flatline</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> before bringing in Sephiroth, he’ll get almost everything in one go (except for that troublesome <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ms. Bumbleflower" href="#" target="_blank">Ms. Bumbleflower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with 80 +1/+1 counters, Sephiroth’s eternal nemesis). This means that if you have your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swiftfoot Boots" href="#" target="_blank">Swiftfoot Boots</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on the board, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephiroth, Planet&#039;s Heir" href="#" target="_blank">Sephiroth, Planet&#039;s Heir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> may be able to Sephiroth a whole player out of the game, which just feels correct.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Massacre Girl" href="#" target="_blank">Massacre Girl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also a fun combo, as she’ll progressively blow things up around the board, but Sephiroth’s +1/+1 counter for each death should help him outpace the coming storm. This is another one where I'd have to rely on MTG Arena triggers to keep me in line, but please get in the comments and let me know if I'm wrong.</span></p>
<h2>How Does Oops, All Sephiroths Win?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Well, as with all Bracket 1 gameplay, you win by having the silliest, most fun time at the table. But in terms of winning by the actual rules of <em>Magic</em>, you do have some options.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your first option is, of course, winning by commander damage. It’s relatively easy to get <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephiroth, Planet’s Heir" href="#" target="_blank">Sephiroth, Planet’s Heir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> up to the point where he’ll be swinging for 21. And in a deck with so much removal, it'll be hard for many opponents to keep up enough blockers to stop you.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But you can also make use of the cards above, as well as board wipes like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="In Garruk’s Wake" href="#" target="_blank">In Garruk’s Wake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toxic Deluge" href="#" target="_blank">Toxic Deluge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to ensure that he’s both strong enough to swing for lethal and unhindered by pesky blockers.</span></p>
<h2>Oops, All Sephiroths Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Oops, All Sephiroths" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Sephiroth, Planet&#039;s Heir
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Audacious Thief
*1 Big Game Hunter
*1 Black Dragon
*1 Blood Artist
*1 Callidus Assassin
*1 Cavalier of Night
*1 Dread Cacodemon
*1 Dread Presence
*1 Farbog Boneflinger
*1 Harvester of Souls
*1 High Fae Trickster
*1 High-Society Hunter
*1 Kagemaro, First to Suffer
*1 Keening Banshee
*1 Malakir Cullblade
*1 Massacre Girl
*1 Massacre Girl, Known Killer
*1 Massacre Wurm
*1 Meteor Golem
*1 Morbid Opportunist
*1 Mulldrifter
*1 Nekrataal
*1 Nightshade Assassin
*1 Noxious Gearhulk
*1 Overseer of the Damned
*1 Ravenous Chupacabra
*1 Shriekmaw
*1 Silumgar Assassin
*1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
*1 Tidal Barracuda
*1 Vincent Valentine // Galian Beast
*1 Zenos yae Galvus // Shinryu, Transcendent Rival
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Dimir Locket
*1 Dimir Signet
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Quicksilver Amulet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Talisman of Dominance
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Vedalken Orrery
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Leyline of Anticipation
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Ambition&#039;s Cost
*1 Foreboding Fruit
*1 In Garruk&#039;s Wake
*1 Ponder
*1 Risky Shortcut
*1 Toxic Deluge
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Borne Upon a Wind
*1 Consider
*1 Flatline
*1 Go for the Throat
*1 Locust Spray
*1 Murder
*1 Mystic Confluence
*1 Quick Study
*1 Sephiroth&#039;s Intervention
*1 Tragic Slip
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Choked Estuary
*1 Command Tower
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*1 Emergence Zone
*10 Island
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Shipwreck Marsh
*1 Sunken Hollow
*17 Swamp
*1 Tainted Isle
*1 Temple of Deceit
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Some Final Thoughts For Sephiroth, Planet's Heir</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Look, this is a bad guy deck. It has a lot of removal, and that can make for an unfun time for others at the table. My advice: delight in it. Make yourself the villain. Call that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Muldrotha, the Gravetide" href="#" target="_blank">Muldrotha, the Gravetide</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> an “Inferior Dullard.” Decide that things with swords are primary targets. Break out a villainous laugh if you must. If this causes everyone else to turn against you and overcome you in the end, excellent; you played your role well. The joy of this deck isn’t in the outcome, it’s in the experience.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Also, feel free to make this deck your own! Use whatever you have on hand. Put in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Butch DeLoria, Tunnel Snake" href="#" target="_blank">Butch DeLoria, Tunnel Snake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> if you want to. See if your friends will let you run <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Nipton Lottery" href="#" target="_blank">The Nipton Lottery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> outside of color (a must-include in every Bracket 1 deck in my book), just to see if you can use it pre-combat, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIQ8laL0yQk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oliver Swanick</a> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephiroth, Planet’s Heir" href="#" target="_blank">Sephiroth, Planet’s Heir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and swing for lethal in the funniest way possible. Just get out there and have fun with it. It’s what Sephiroth would want*.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">*Disclaimer: I can’t stress this enough, I really don’t know Sephiroth very well. </span></p>


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