Final Fantasy Deck Tech: Terra, Magical Adept

Best Final Fantasy Spoilers From Tuesday, May 20th

<p>With week 2 of <em>Final Fantasy</em> previews well underway, Tuesday, May 20th's <a href="http://twitch.tv/magic">WeeklyMTG Twitch stream</a> got in on the action! This week, the stream focused on the <em>Through the Ages</em> bonus sheet. Therein, Wizards of the Coast revealed eleven cards. But what were they? Well, we will elaborate!</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy Through the Ages</em></h2>
<p>Overall, WeeklyMTG showcased ten cards from <em>Through the Ages</em>, putting the current count for revealed cards from the bonus sheet to 53 out of 64. We will focus on what that means at the moment in a bit. But for now, we're guessing you want to see those cards, so here they are!</p>
<h2><em>Through the Ages</em> Previews</h2>
<h3>Wild Rose Rebellion</h3>
<div id="attachment_153530" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01-Wild-Rose-Rebellion-Counterspell-FFII.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153530" class="wp-image-153530" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01-Wild-Rose-Rebellion-Counterspell-FFII.jpg" alt="Counterspell reskinned as &quot;Wild Rose Rebellion&quot;, a scene from FFII depicted in Final Fantasy's Through the Ages bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01-Wild-Rose-Rebellion-Counterspell-FFII.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01-Wild-Rose-Rebellion-Counterspell-FFII-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153530" class="wp-caption-text">Counterspell reskinned as "Wild Rose Rebellion", a scene from <em>FFII</em> depicted in <em>Final Fantasy</em>'s <em>Through the Ages</em> bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<h3>Crystal of Altar Cave</h3>
<div id="attachment_153531" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/02-Crystal-of-Altar-Cave-Chromatic-Lantern-FFIII.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153531" class="wp-image-153531" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/02-Crystal-of-Altar-Cave-Chromatic-Lantern-FFIII.jpg" alt="Chromatic Lantern reskinned as &quot;Crystal of Altar Cave&quot;, a major plot point from FFIII depicted in the Through the Ages bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/02-Crystal-of-Altar-Cave-Chromatic-Lantern-FFIII.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/02-Crystal-of-Altar-Cave-Chromatic-Lantern-FFIII-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153531" class="wp-caption-text">Chromatic Lantern reskinned as "Crystal of Altar Cave", a major plot point from <em>FFIII</em> depicted in the <em>Through the Ages</em> bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<h3>To the Crystal Tower</h3>
<div id="attachment_153532" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/03-To-the-Crystal-Tower-Cryptic-Command-FFIII.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153532" class="wp-image-153532" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/03-To-the-Crystal-Tower-Cryptic-Command-FFIII.jpg" alt="Cryptic Command reskinned as &quot;To the Crystal Tower&quot;, a scene from FFIII depicted in the Through the Ages bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/03-To-the-Crystal-Tower-Cryptic-Command-FFIII.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/03-To-the-Crystal-Tower-Cryptic-Command-FFIII-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153532" class="wp-caption-text">Cryptic Command reskinned as "To the Crystal Tower", a scene from <em>FFIII</em> depicted in the <em>Through the Ages</em> bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<h3>Kefka Palazzo</h3>
<div id="attachment_153533" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/04-Kefka-Palazzo-Purphoros-God-of-the-Forge-FFVI.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153533" class="wp-image-153533" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/04-Kefka-Palazzo-Purphoros-God-of-the-Forge-FFVI.jpg" alt="Purphoros, God of the Forge reskinned as &quot;Kefka Palazzo&quot;, a character from FFVI depicted in the Through the Ages bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/04-Kefka-Palazzo-Purphoros-God-of-the-Forge-FFVI.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/04-Kefka-Palazzo-Purphoros-God-of-the-Forge-FFVI-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153533" class="wp-caption-text">Purphoros, God of the Forge reskinned as "Kefka Palazzo", a character from <em>FFVI</em> depicted in the <em>Through the Ages</em> bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<h3>Darkness of Eternity</h3>
<div id="attachment_153534" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05-Darkness-of-Eternity-Dark-Ritual-FFIX.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153534" class="wp-image-153534" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05-Darkness-of-Eternity-Dark-Ritual-FFIX.jpg" alt="Dark Ritual reskinned as &quot;Darkness of Eternity&quot;, a pivotal moment from FFIX depicted in the Through the Ages bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05-Darkness-of-Eternity-Dark-Ritual-FFIX.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05-Darkness-of-Eternity-Dark-Ritual-FFIX-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153534" class="wp-caption-text">Dark Ritual reskinned as "Darkness of Eternity", a pivotal moment from <em>FFIX</em> depicted in the <em>Through the Ages</em> bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<h3>Fal'Cie Paradise</h3>
<div id="attachment_153535" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/06-FalCie-Paradise-Carpet-of-Flowers-FFXIII.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153535" class="wp-image-153535" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/06-FalCie-Paradise-Carpet-of-Flowers-FFXIII.jpg" alt="Carpet of Flowers reskinned as &quot;Fal'Cie Paradise&quot;, a scene from FFXIII depicted in the Through the Ages bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/06-FalCie-Paradise-Carpet-of-Flowers-FFXIII.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/06-FalCie-Paradise-Carpet-of-Flowers-FFXIII-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153535" class="wp-caption-text">Carpet of Flowers reskinned as "Fal'Cie Paradise", a scene from <em>FFXIII</em> depicted in the <em>Through the Ages</em> bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<h3>Newfound Adventure</h3>
<div id="attachment_153536" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/07-Newfound-Adventure-Farseek-FFXIV.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153536" class="wp-image-153536" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/07-Newfound-Adventure-Farseek-FFXIV.jpg" alt="Farseek reskinned as &quot;Newfound Adventure&quot;, a scene from FFXIV depicted in the Through the Ages bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/07-Newfound-Adventure-Farseek-FFXIV.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/07-Newfound-Adventure-Farseek-FFXIV-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153536" class="wp-caption-text">Farseek reskinned as "Newfound Adventure", a scene from <em>FFXIV</em> depicted in the <em>Through the Ages</em> bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<h3>Blessing of the Oracle</h3>
<div id="attachment_153537" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/08-Blessing-of-the-Oracle-Akromas-Will-FFXV.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153537" class="wp-image-153537" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/08-Blessing-of-the-Oracle-Akromas-Will-FFXV.jpg" alt="Akroma's Will reskinned as &quot;Blessing of the Oracle&quot;, a scene from FFXV depicted in the Through the Ages bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/08-Blessing-of-the-Oracle-Akromas-Will-FFXV.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/08-Blessing-of-the-Oracle-Akromas-Will-FFXV-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153537" class="wp-caption-text">Akroma's Will reskinned as "Blessing of the Oracle", a scene from <em>FFXV</em> depicted in the <em>Through the Ages</em> bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<h3>Astral Titan</h3>
<div id="attachment_153538" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/09-Astral-Titan-Primeval-Titan-FFXV.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153538" class="wp-image-153538" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/09-Astral-Titan-Primeval-Titan-FFXV.jpg" alt="Primeval Titan reskinned as &quot;Astral Titan&quot;, a creature from FFXV depicted in the Through the Ages bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/09-Astral-Titan-Primeval-Titan-FFXV.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/09-Astral-Titan-Primeval-Titan-FFXV-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153538" class="wp-caption-text">Primeval Titan reskinned as "Astral Titan", a creature from <em>FFXV</em> depicted in the <em>Through the Ages</em> bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<h3>Benedikta Harman</h3>
<div id="attachment_153539" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/10-Benedikta-Harman-Ishai-Ojutai-Dragonspeaker-FFXVI.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153539" class="wp-image-153539" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/10-Benedikta-Harman-Ishai-Ojutai-Dragonspeaker-FFXVI.jpg" alt="Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker reskinned as &quot;Benedikta Harman&quot;, a character from FFXVI depicted in the Through the Ages bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/10-Benedikta-Harman-Ishai-Ojutai-Dragonspeaker-FFXVI.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/10-Benedikta-Harman-Ishai-Ojutai-Dragonspeaker-FFXVI-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153539" class="wp-caption-text">Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker reskinned as "Benedikta Harman", a character from <em>FFXVI</em> depicted in the <em>Through the Ages</em> bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<h3>Clive Rosfeld</h3>
<div id="attachment_153541" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/11-Clive-Rosfield-Vial-Smasher-the-Fierce-FFXVI.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153541" class="wp-image-153541" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/11-Clive-Rosfield-Vial-Smasher-the-Fierce-FFXVI.jpg" alt="Vial Smasher the Fierce reskinned as &quot;Clive Rosfeld&quot;, the main character from FFXVI depicted in the Through the Ages bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/11-Clive-Rosfield-Vial-Smasher-the-Fierce-FFXVI.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/11-Clive-Rosfield-Vial-Smasher-the-Fierce-FFXVI-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153541" class="wp-caption-text">Vial Smasher the Fierce reskinned as "Clive Rosfeld", the main character from <em>FFXVI</em> depicted in the <em>Through the Ages</em> bonus sheet. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<h2><em>Through the Ages</em> Game Crunch</h2>
<p>So, there are 53 of 64 cards from <em>Through the Ages</em> currently previewed at the time of writing. With four cards from each mainline <em>Final Fantasy</em> game on the bonus sheet, that means there are a fair few <em>Through the Ages</em> cards left to showcase. But what games are there left to preview for? Let's break it down:</p>
<ul>
<li><em>FFI</em> 0</li>
<li><em>FFII</em> 0</li>
<li><em>FFIII</em> 1</li>
<li><em>FFIV</em> 1</li>
<li><em>FFV</em> 1</li>
<li><em>FFVI</em> 0</li>
<li><em>FFVII</em> 1</li>
<li><em>FFVIII</em> 1</li>
<li><em>FFIX</em> 2</li>
<li><em>FFX</em> 1</li>
<li><em>FFXI</em> 1</li>
<li><em>FFXII</em> 1</li>
<li><em>FFXIII</em> 0</li>
<li><em>FFXIV</em> 0</li>
<li><em>FFXV</em> 1</li>
<li><em>FFXVI</em> 0</li>
</ul>
<p>At this time, that means that we are still awaiting two previews for <em>Through the Ages</em> for <em>Final Fantasy IX</em>, one from each of <em>FFIII</em>, <em>FFIV</em>, <em>FFV</em>, <em>FFVII</em>, <em>FFVIII</em>, <em>FFX</em>, <em>FFXI</em>, <em>FFXII</em>, and <em>FFXV</em>. After those eleven cards, that's it for the sheet.</p>
<p>With that firmly in mind, what do you think we will see for some of the yet-unrevealed cards? Do you think any particular <em>Final Fantasy</em> characters will definitely make it into this bonus sheet? What do you think <em>won't</em> make it in? Sound off below!</p>


Final Fantasy Through The Ages Sheet WeeklyMTG Reveals

Scions &#038; Spellcraft Precon Guide - Final Fantasy

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zenos yae Galvus" href="#" target="_blank">Zenos yae Galvus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/mokhman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alexander Mokhov</a></em></p>
<p>Previews are now flooding in for <em>Magic's </em>upcoming <em>Universes Beyond - Final Fantasy </em>set. And with new previews comes new monocolored legends to fuel our deckbuilding frenzy here on <em>The Monolith</em>, the EDHREC series where it's all mono, all the time! Today we're delving into the murky swamps of mono-black to play a deck that your opponents are going to absolutely hate. Oh sorry, did I say opponents plural? I meant opponent singular. Introducing the monstrous new legend that'll be leading our deck today, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zenos yae Galvus" href="#" target="_blank">Zenos yae Galvus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zenos yae Galvus"></div></div>
<h2>What Does Zenos yae Galvus Do?</h2>
<p>For <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-3" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> we get a 4/4 Human Noble Warrior that on entering the battlefield will choose exactly one creature that an opponent controls.</p>
<p>Once your "first friend" is chosen, all other creatures on the battlefield will get hit with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Massacre Wurm" href="#" target="_blank">Massacre Wurm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> style -2/-2. Now board wipes in the command zone have always been pretty decent, and very handy. Having repeatable access to a card like <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> isn't exactly fun and flashy but it can lock down a game of Commander for control minded players.</p>
<h3>Til Death Do Us Part</h3>
<p>But whilst the soft board wipe attached to our commander is cool and all, that's not why we're here. Oh no no no. Because Zenos has a hidden backside with an absolutely bonkers bit of rules text. One that will have Standard players asking, "Why is this even legal in our format?" and will have Commander players asking, "It does what?!"</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards only-back"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zenos yae Galvus"></div></div>
<p>When the enemy creature chosen as part of Zenos' ETB dies, our commander will immediately transform into its reverse side. Shinryu, Transcendent Rival is an 8/8 Dragon with flying that will have us instead choose a player as it transforms. Then, and here's nuts the part, when the chosen player loses the game, we win the game.</p>
<h2>The Game Plan for Zenos yae Galvus</h2>
<p>So the path is clear. In this deck we enter ourselves into mortal combat with one of the other players around the table. Our second and third opponents will no longer matter to us; all we care about is taking one player, and only that player, down. It's a fight to the death!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Compelled Duel"></div></div>
<p>Or at least, that's the most obvious way to build it. It's also the easiest way to completely telegraph your game plan to the rest of the table. And besides, we're playing mono-black. Why be honorable about it? Let's win the game in a far, far sneakier way.</p>
<h2>Whoever Loses, I Win</h2>
<p>Because the player we choose to hinge our efforts on is tied to the transform trigger on Zenos' backside, and because that trigger only comes into effect when our chosen creature leaves the battlefield, we have a horrible secret power up our sleeves: we can win the game on a combat trick.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sneak Attack"></div></div>
<p>In fact, playing Zenos this way is like taking part in a triple threat wrestling match and winning the champ's belt without even pinning them. We can win the game due to someone else's combat damage. We can win the game without even attacking.</p>
<p>Yes I did make this a wrestling reference, I'm sorry I don't know anything about <em>Final Fantasy. </em>That's about as close as I could get. Feel free to provide your own analogy in the comments.</p>
<h3>Trick Shot</h3>
<p>Here's the ideal scenario for winning the game at instant speed with Zenos on board. First, we need to have picked a creature when he entered. The ideal target for this is something that's difficult to kill but we have a spell in hand that can deal with it. For example, an indestructible creature that we can cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Defile" href="#" target="_blank">Defile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Barbed Servitor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Defile"></div></div>
<p>That helps to prevent our opponents from killing the creature early, or the creature's controller chump blocking with it, before we're ready to make our choice. We want to be able to transform Zenos at the perfect moment.</p>
<p>Then we're going to wait for an opponent's life to be in danger. Maybe they're about to take more burn than they can handle. Or maybe an opponent is swinging in with a tonne of commander damage that they can't block. That's when we strike.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Booby Trap"></div></div>
<p>Wait until lethal damage is about to resolve and then kill the creature you chose when Zenos entered the battlefield with some instant speed removal. Doesn't matter if they die, bounce, or exile, as Zenos will transform when that creature leaves the battlefield. If it resolves without interference, Zenos will flip and you'll be able to choose the unlucky target as a dance partner, winning you the game as soon as they die.</p>
<h3>Force Their Hand</h3>
<p>The truly bonkers thing about all this is that we can force our opponents to accidentally kill each other using a perfectly timed combat trick. The thing about combat tricks is that most of them don't actually specify that they need to be used on a creature you control. For example, if an opponent is about to take unblocked damage from a creature with at least nine power, we can simply cast this:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tainted Strike"></div></div>
<p>Even when the other players at the table are perfectly aware of what we're up to and decide to swing on the player with the most health, we can add a lethal edge to their attacks with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tainted Strike" href="#" target="_blank">Tainted Strike</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Now, all of a sudden, their nine damage becomes ten poison counters.</p>
<p>And of course we can do this to our own creatures too! If you've got a big trampler to bundle in with (or your opponent does), watch as they hastily assemble a wall of chump blockers to soak up the damage and then whack some instant speed deathtouch onto the creature.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Touch of Moonglove"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Alchemist&#039;s Gift"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lash of Thorns"></div></div>
<p>The absolute best example is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Touch of Moonglove" href="#" target="_blank">Touch of Moonglove</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will not only wipe out every creature with a single point of your trample damage each, but will also drain the blocking player for every blocker that dies in the process. This effectively increases your creature's power by one for every blocker, and then dealing damage as though it were never blocked.</p>
<h2>Backup Options</h2>
<p>Now this is all well and good but we don't want to spend the entire game just sitting around waiting for someone to die. The quickest and most effective way to cause someone to lose the game is to make them lose ourselves. Lucky for us, there's a nice collection of cards in black that do just that.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vorpal Sword"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Primal Odin"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phage the Untouchable"></div></div>
<p>That's right, mono-black is one of the best color identities we can be in if we want to make our opponents straight up lose the game. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vorpal Sword" href="#" target="_blank">Vorpal Sword</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of my favorite dumb artifacts that I've wanted a good home for for a while. The activation is super expensive, but you're only one <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rogue&#039;s Passage" href="#" target="_blank">Rogue&#039;s Passage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> away from slicing down another player for good.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Triskaidekaphobia"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vraska, Scheming Gorgon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Strixhaven Stadium"></div></div>
<p>What's extra great about these lose-the-game effects is that they're abilities that will go on the stack. You don't have to reveal your hand until that player is guaranteed to lose the game. Just look out for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stifle" href="#" target="_blank">Stifle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects!</p>
<p>Once it's on the stack, you can hold priority and cast your instant speed kill spell to trigger Zenos. This can be much more effective than using cards like the brand new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Primal Odin" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Primal Odin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card definitely seems like it was printed as an intentional combo piece with Zenos, but it's very telegraphed. The first chapter will achieve your transformation for you. But you'll have to wait a whole other turn for the effect you want on the creature to win the game.</p>
<h3>Consolation Prize</h3>
<p>In general this whole thing is pretty easy to interact with. Someone could hold up removal to kill Zenos. They could play the aforementioned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stifle" href="#" target="_blank">Stifle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to counter the transform or "lose the game" effect. Or they could just straight up counter the kill spell in the first place.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Counterspell"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stifle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Murder"></div></div>
<p>The thing is though, even if someone stops us winning the game, it's very likely we're still going to take a player out. If we have to win the old fashioned way, we're still one third of the way there. We can add a few additional payoffs to the situation though, to get the most bang for our kill-bucks.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curse of Vengeance"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elbrus, the Binding Blade"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sengir, the Dark Baron"></div></div>
<p>These cards aren't exactly slam dunks but they do fit the theme of assassinating our opponents pretty well. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Vengeance" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Vengeance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> feels like the best of the bunch due to its low cost and insidious nature. The target of the Curse isn't very likely to remove it as it doesn't actually do anything to them until they die. And at that point, who cares? Meanwhile, if we didn't win the game due to their loss, we're flooding our hand and our life points.</p>
<h2>My Last Friend</h2>
<p>If you want to end your EDH games a little bit quicker, or if you like picking one opponent at the table to absolutely bully, then <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zenos yae Galvus" href="#" target="_blank">Zenos yae Galvus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be the deck for you. Just be warned that he's going to be an absolute lightning rod for removal. And I can foresee quite a lot of players not enjoying playing against this deck too much!</p>
<p>Thanks so much for reading <em>The Monolith </em>and I'll see you on the next issue for some more monocolored shenanigans. Until then have a lovely day, and why not check out some of these articles from the wonderful writers here at EDHREC.com:</p>
<p></p>
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Ruin a Player's Day With Zenos yae Galvus - Commander Deck Tech

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian" href="#" target="_blank">Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Illustrated by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pauliusdscr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paulius Dascioras</a></em></p>
<p>Have you always wondered what it would be like to raise armies for fun and profit? Has your research brought you to the brink of madness, delirium, or, at the very least, some other valid graveyard-based strategies? If so, dear reader, then you're in luck! This Commander deck tech revolving around <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian" href="#" target="_blank">Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a character from <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>, is sure to raise eyebrows, if not entire bodies!</p>
<p>In the context of <em>FFXIV</em>, Fandaniel is an <a href="https://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/a_realm_reborn/world/#!/threats/content?threats_08" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ascian</a>, or a "Bringer of Chaos," as it were. He's allied with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zenos yae Galvus" href="#" target="_blank">Zenos yae Galvus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, one of the game's central antagonists, and is a secondary antagonist in <em>Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers</em>.</p>
<p>In the context of <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>, Fandaniel is an excellent source of self-mill for you, and an even better source of life loss for your opponents.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian"></div></div>
<h2>What Does Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian Do?</h2>
<p>To succinctly describe Fandaniel's abilities and how they measure in the context of Commander, we must look at them through the lens of his having <em>four</em> abilities, not just the two as printed. The first ability, which allows you to surveil 2 when you cast an instant or sorcery spell, can quickly fill your graveyard when you desire. However, this ability also grants you card selection. Surveiling, like scrying, doesn't <em>force</em> you to put the cards you see into the graveyard, after all. In fact, you put the cards back on top in any order if you don't put them there!</p>
<p>For that reason, the surveil ability is more like half of a copy of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Index" href="#" target="_blank">Index</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (rounded down) for the price of casting something entirely different! That's two abilities in one.</p>
<p>Now, let's look at his other ability. At your end step, your opponents choose how this ability affects them, with there being two choices. On an individual basis, your opponents will either sacrifice a nontoken creature or they will lose a <em>lot</em> of life. Usually abilities that allow opponents to pick their poison are not incredibly beneficial to you. Generally, a discerning opponent will choose the option that benefits them the most (read here as "hurts them the least"). However, if you can either a) limit their options or b) make both options positively sting, none of that will truly matter to you. You couldn't care less about the pain, but your opponents certainly will.</p>
<h3>Breaking the Chain With Fandaniel</h3>
<p>For this deck, we want to look at Fandaniel as an optimal reanimator commander. As a five-mana creature, my thoughts immediately go to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chainer, Dementia Master" href="#" target="_blank">Chainer, Dementia Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. However, as a mono-black commander that cares immensely about instants and sorceries, I have other thoughts as well (more on those shortly). For a moment, though, let's quickly talk about reanimation in a Chainer deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chainer, Dementia Master"></div></div>
<p>Generally speaking, I find Chainer to be utterly fascinating. Of all the content I've written throughout my writing career, he's been my most discussed commander. To date, I've written three whole articles on the card. However, Chainer is a reanimator commander that couldn't be further from Fandaniel in a variety of ways. For one, Chainer <em>actually</em> reanimates creatures, while Fandaniel fills your graveyard and potentially others' as well. Chainer isn't limited to your turn, while Fandaniel is somewhat stuck triggering at your end step. And, perhaps most damning of all, Chainer has downsides in costing mana to resurrect things as well as that nasty leaves-the-battlefield trigger he has. Fandaniel is all upside.</p>
<h3>A Common Link In Support</h3>
<p>Truth be told, they complement each other nicely for these reasons. Fandaniel enables Chainer (and others) as a more support-focused card, put simply. This is where that prior comparison I alluded to comes in: Fandaniel is Chainer support in a similar but slightly different way to <em>Portal Three </em><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><em>Kingdoms</em>'</span> own <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed" href="#" target="_blank">Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed"></div></div>
<p>Hear me out. Xiahou Dun might be a $90-$150 card (depending on what printing you want), but his effect is novel and supports both of these commanders in a huge way. Far and away, Xiahou Dun is the most expensive card to grace this deck tech, but it's also unique for what it does. In the exact same vein as how you can bring creatures back with it, Xiahou Dun allows you to also bring back instant and sorcery cards. The synergy is there, and it is in the slinging of spells.</p>
<h3>It Takes an Ascian to Raise a Family</h3>
<p>This brings us to the strategy portion of this deck tech. As this is a reanimator deck, we want to fill our grave with creatures and bring them back with our instant and sorcery spells. Put plainly, in the early game, we want to ramp up to 5 mana at least with our 50 or so mana sources while filling our graveyard. Then, in the mid-game, we want to start slinging spells left and right to gain value off of our card selection and continued self-mill. This should allow us to bring a few haymaker creatures back from the dead in the process. Finally, we want to cause such a tough ultimatum for our opponents that they can't help but lose the game.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for Fandaniel</h2>
<p>Fandaniel, as a reanimation commander, needs a lot of build-around support. After all, he himself doesn't reanimate. To that end, we have to curate our deck around the goal we're setting: raising the dead for fun and profit!</p>
<h3>Grouping #1: Self-Mill</h3>
<p>To kickstart this deck's overall game plan, we need a way to get cards into the graveyard. After all, the grave is our spawn point for a great many cards! Notable cards that help assist with this include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syr Konrad, the Grim" href="#" target="_blank">Syr Konrad, the Grim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oriq Loremage" href="#" target="_blank">Oriq Loremage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and dredgers <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stinkweed Imp" href="#" target="_blank">Stinkweed Imp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Golgari Thug" href="#" target="_blank">Golgari Thug</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doom Whisperer" href="#" target="_blank">Doom Whisperer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, while a good reanimation target in its own right, also serves as a strong self-mill piece. And let's not neglect to mention <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Warring Triad" href="#" target="_blank">The Warring Triad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a new card from the <em>Final Fantasy</em> Commander decks. Apparently, being able to provide double-duty in the early game (both self-mill <em>and</em> mana acceleration) is quite potent.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oriq Loremage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Warring Triad"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doom Whisperer"></div></div>
<p>Okay, we have a sizable graveyard. So now what?</p>
<h3>Grouping #2: Reanimation Spells</h3>
<p>To cast a reanimation spell with this <em>Final Fantasy</em> legend is tricky. Whenever we cast an instant or sorcery, we have to adhere to a couple of rules:</p>
<ol>
<li>When we select targets, we haven't yet cast the spell. As such, cards we surveil away won't be legal resurrection targets.</li>
<li>We want instants and sorceries in the graveyard, but not the ones that revive our creatures. At least, this is true in the short term. To that end, we don't want to surveil those away unless there's no use for them, which is a rare situation by the time we have Fandaniel in play.</li>
</ol>
<p>So, in order to maximize our value, we don't necessarily want to run resurrection-based enchantments, so <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Animate Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Animate Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necromancy" href="#" target="_blank">Necromancy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are out while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stitch Together" href="#" target="_blank">Stitch Together</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reanimate" href="#" target="_blank">Reanimate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> proper, and the new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rejoin the Fight" href="#" target="_blank">Rejoin the Fight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are all in.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reanimate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rejoin the Fight"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stitch Together"></div></div>
<p>There are couple of exceptions here. Reanimation that repeats itself, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strands of Night" href="#" target="_blank">Strands of Night</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for instance, feels good for when or if you run out of fuel. And don't think we forgot about creatures that can do the job as well! That's the second main exception. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sheoldred, Whispering One" href="#" target="_blank">Sheoldred, Whispering One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Delver" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Delver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doomed Necromancer" href="#" target="_blank">Doomed Necromancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> all can take part in this. Furthermore, the new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ardyn, the Usurper" href="#" target="_blank">Ardyn, the Usurper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from <em>Final Fantasy</em> does a similar trick. We have to appreciate the ingenuity of a creature that brings back friends.</p>
<p>On that note, we include both of the aforementioned legendary mono-black Reanimator creatures as well. Importantly, Xiahou Dun will bring back our black spells for even more mileage.</p>
<p>That's the main idea for how to resurrect things. On to payoffs!</p>
<h3>Grouping #3: Reanimation Targets</h3>
<p>Let's discuss various targets for our resurrection spells. This section can be curated to taste, but we have a few particularly nice ones in here. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archon of Cruelty" href="#" target="_blank">Archon of Cruelty</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a modern classic (and a Modern classic, to boot!). <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vilis, Broker of Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Vilis, Broker of Blood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows you to trade some pain for cards, which is important as life is a resource to the discerning black-aligned planeswalker. We even have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Massacre Wurm" href="#" target="_blank">Massacre Wurm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a minor board wipe that can, potentially, discourage further board wipes down the road.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archon of Cruelty"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vilis, Broker of Blood"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Massacre Wurm"></div></div>
<p>When talking about the life loss that Vilis or Chainer inflict upon you, we need to talk about mitigation. Not only is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sangromancer" href="#" target="_blank">Sangromancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> a strong inclusion here for its lifegain opportunities, as a flyer, it can prove remarkably helpful in a pinch. We also have the tried-and-true duo of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kokusho, the Evening Star" href="#" target="_blank">Kokusho, the Evening Star</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gray Merchant of Asphodel" href="#" target="_blank">Gray Merchant of Asphodel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to drain opponents to their doom. How fun!</p>
<h2>How Does Fandaniel Win?</h2>
<p>As you'd expect, this deck wants to win by either making opponents unable to prevent losing a ton of life, or simply drains and damages them to death by a horde of ultimately unkillable creatures. The most ideal scenario here is this: by the end of the game, your opponents will lose on your turn because they have no creatures in play and so can't sacrifice them to sate Fandaniel's ability. To this end, obligatory board wipes are nice to have handy.</p>
<p>Alternatively, you could also cast and recast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Temporal Extortion" href="#" target="_blank">Temporal Extortion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with a repeatedly-resurrected Xiahou Dun, but I hear tell that chaining extra turns is a bit icky. Thankfully, your opponents can choose to let that happen; that frees you from the onus (kind of)!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Temporal Extortion"></div></div>
<h2>Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Altar of Dementia
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Sol Ring
*1 The Darkness Crystal
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Whip of Erebos
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Archon of Cruelty
*1 Ardyn, the Usurper
*1 Bog Witch
*1 Braids, Arisen Nightmare
*1 Chainer, Dementia Master
*1 Crypt Ghast
*1 Dimir House Guard
*1 Doom Whisperer
*1 Doomed Necromancer
*1 Evin, Waterdeep Opportunist
*1 Golgari Thug
*1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
*1 Kokusho, the Evening Star
*1 Magus of the Will
*1 Massacre Wurm
*1 Oriq Loremage
*1 Phyrexian Delver
*1 Pitiless Plunderer
*1 Sangromancer
*1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Stinkweed Imp
*1 Stitcher&#039;s Supplier
*1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
*1 The Warring Triad
*1 Vilis, Broker of Blood
*1 Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Bitterblossom
*1 Chthonian Nightmare
*1 Dictate of Erebos
*1 Necropotence
*1 Strands of Night
*1 Teval&#039;s Judgment
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Bubbling Muck
*1 Damnation
*1 Dead of Winter
*1 Dread Return
*1 Exhume
*1 Final Parting
*1 Nightmare Void
*1 Reanimate
*1 Rejoin the Fight
*1 Stitch Together
*1 Temporal Extortion
*1 Toxic Deluge
*1 Victimize
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Cabal Ritual
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Darkblast
*1 Darkness
*1 Espers to Magicite
*1 Fell the Profane // Fell Mire
*1 Sacrifice
*1 Snuff Out
*1 Withering Boon
*1 Withering Torment
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Cabal Coffers
*1 Command Beacon
*1 Dakmor Salvage
*1 Fabled Passage
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Prismatic Vista
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Scrying Sheets
*1 Shizo, Death&#039;s Storehouse
*20 Snow-Covered Swamp
*1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 Verdant Catacombs
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy</em>? More Like Final Fandaniel!</h2>
<p>To conclude, Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian is a new commander from <em>Final Fantasy</em> that's fun for the whole Fandaniel! ...To be fair, I am not sorry for that pun, but I'm <em>also</em> not sorry for providing this deck tech! If it has helped inspire you to look at this card in an inspired light, sound off below! Furthermore, you can check out any of our other deck techs, including <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/group-slugging-with-kefka-court-mage">this one</a> for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kefka, Court Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Kefka, Court Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>


Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian Reanimator Commander Deck Tech

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gau, Feral Youth" href="#" target="_blank">Gau, Feral Youth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CEgl%C4%97+Mosakait%C4%97%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eglė Mosakaitė</a></em></p>
<p>Welcome to our deck tech featuring one of <em>Final Fantasy VI</em>'s most unique characters. Gau grew up in the Veldt, an area teeming with dangerous monsters, where he was left there by his father. Despite this unceremonious parting, Gau grew up and learned to fend for himself. Despite being largely detached from society and the nearby town of Mobliz, Gau becomes an unlikely ally of The Returners. In the upcoming <em>Magic</em> <em>Final Fantasy</em> set, Gau has his own card, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gau, Feral Youth" href="#" target="_blank">Gau, Feral Youth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and in this article we're exploring a way to build Gau into a recursion machine.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gau, Feral Youth"></div></div></p>
<h2><strong>What Does Gau, Feral Youth Do?</strong></h2>
<p>Gau is a 2/2 Human Berserker that costs <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> to cast. He has two abilities that work in tandem to produce a unique effect in red. The first is a triggered ability that reads, "Whenever Gau attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it." This ability is not unique, with dozens of other cards having the same or similar abilities. The second ability, however, is unique for a red card, reading "At the beginning of each end step, if a card left your graveyard this turn, Gau deals damage equal to its power to each opponent." Effects that care about cards leaving the graveyard exist in <em>Magic</em>, but mainly in black.</p>
<p>The strategy of this deck centers around triggering Gau's second ability as much as possible using artifact recursion, taking advantage of the fact that Gau can trigger every end step, not just <em>your</em> end step, for maximum damage.</p>
<p>The deck has three distinct components to facilitate this objective. The first is recurring artifacts, either to your hand or to the battlefield, satisfying the condition for Gau to trigger at the end step. The second is to allow Gau to attack while staying protected, to get the boost from its first ability and to perhaps deal some extra damage. The third is to boost Gau's power so when he does trigger, it will pack a bigger punch. In the way we're using Gau for this deck, there are several red commanders that have decks built in similar fashions. Examples include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daretti, Rocketeer Engineer" href="#" target="_blank">Daretti, Rocketeer Engineer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Slobad, Iron Goblin" href="#" target="_blank">Slobad, Iron Goblin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>Gau's Shiny Treasures</h2>
<p>The core pieces of this deck involve causing cards to leave your graveyard as often as possible. This deck mainly uses artifact recursion pieces to accomplish this, and red and colorless have many options for this purpose. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Welder" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Welder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scrap Trawler" href="#" target="_blank">Scrap Trawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are pivotal to this objective, and can be triggered or activated at instant speed so Gau will trigger during an opponent's turn. The deck also uses many utility artifacts like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ichor Wellspring" href="#" target="_blank">Ichor Wellspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prized Statue" href="#" target="_blank">Prized Statue</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to get extra advantage from the constant cycle of artifacts leaving and entering the battlefield. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Slobad, Iron Goblin" href="#" target="_blank">Slobad, Iron Goblin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krark-Clan Ironworks" href="#" target="_blank">Krark-Clan Ironworks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> serve as sacrifice outlets, allowing cards like Scrap Trawler to then trigger with ease.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Welder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Slobad, Iron Goblin"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ichor Wellspring"></div></div></p>
<p>While the main purpose of the deck centers around recurring artifacts, several other effects are also included that can help Gau trigger. The deck contains several cards with flashback, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faithless Looting" href="#" target="_blank">Faithless Looting</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Isengard Unleashed" href="#" target="_blank">Isengard Unleashed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as casting them for their flashback costs will cause them to leave the graveyard. Some other notable ways to trigger Gau include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elixir of Immortality" href="#" target="_blank">Elixir of Immortality</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scrap Mastery" href="#" target="_blank">Scrap Mastery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, among many others.</p>
<p>This deck also includes cards with the sole purpose of helping Gau deal more damage when it does trigger. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nettlecyst" href="#" target="_blank">Nettlecyst</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> work extremely well in this deck, boosting Gau's power by a large amount due to the number of artifacts the deck contains. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Excalibur, Sword of Eden" href="#" target="_blank">Excalibur, Sword of Eden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another very useful buff piece that should be fairly cheap to cast. While these cards boost Gau's power directly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="City on Fire" href="#" target="_blank">City on Fire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and other cards simply amplify the damage dealt by Gau, causing a similar effect overall.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nettlecyst"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Excalibur, Sword of Eden"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scrap Mastery"></div></div></p>
<p>Several cards are also included to protect Gau when it attacks, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brotherhood Regalia" href="#" target="_blank">Brotherhood Regalia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whispersilk Cloak" href="#" target="_blank">Whispersilk Cloak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. However, with Gau only costing <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, he won't be outlandishly expensive to recast even if he's wiped off the board a couple times. Many of the buff effects (like the Equipment mentioned earlier) are also not very expensive to reattach to Gau, so him being wiped off the board is nowhere near game-ending. While keeping Gau around is best to stack counters from attacking, the deck can still function fine with just using external buffs.</p>
<h2>How Will Gau End the Game?</h2>
<p>The main way Gau plans to end the game is by damage dealt with its second ability. Over the course of the game, Gau should be able to be buffed and fling a considerable amount of damage at opponents. Even if he isn't heavily buffed, dealing damage during each end step can quickly add up to a devastating amount if left unchecked. The deck does contain a few pieces of redundancy that can also fling damage, and possibly end the game on their own. This includes cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fuming Effigy" href="#" target="_blank">Fuming Effigy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reckless Fireweaver" href="#" target="_blank">Reckless Fireweaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which can supplement Gau's damage or continue to deal damage if Gau happens to leave the battlefield.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fuming Effigy"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reckless Fireweaver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ingenious Artillerist"></div></div></p>
<p>This deck does contain some other possible win conditions. One such condition is combat damage, as we're constantly attacking (hopefully) with Gau and maybe other creatures, which can be amplified by the damage increasers and possibly end a game. This method, of course, isn't the primary focus or an overly reliable plan, but it could work in a pinch.</p>
<p>The deck also contains several combos that, when paired with some payoffs, can end the game on the spot. According to <a href="https://commanderspellbook.com/find-my-combos/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Commander Spellbook's Find My Combos</a> feature, this deck contains eight infinite combos. These combos can largely trigger Reckless Fireweaver or similar cards repeatedly, leading to infinite damage and thus ending the game. Let's work through one of the simplest combos in the deck:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mirrorworks"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Myr Retriever"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krark-Clan Ironworks"></div></div></p>
<p>To perform this combo, cast Myr Retriever for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. When it enters, Mirrorworks and Reckless Fireweaver trigger, dealing one damage to each opponent and triggering you to pay <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> to copy Myr Retriever. You can then sacrifice the nontoken Myr Retriever to Krark-Clan Ironwroks for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-c" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-c" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. Myr Retriever will trigger, allowing you to return another artifact card from your graveyard to your hand. Then, repeat the same process with the token Myr Retriever, instead returning the nontoken Myr Retriever to your hand. From here, repeat the combo infinitely until the game ends from Reckless Fireweaver's damage. Below are a few other possible combos in this deck, thanks to help from <a href="https://commanderspellbook.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Commander Spellbook</a>.</p>
<div id="1020-1117-2866-4659-5034" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
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<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="." width="0" height="0"></iframe></p>
<div id="1020-2866-4659-5346" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
<script id="1020-2866-4659-5346" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/embed.js?v=1&uses=%5B%22Crime%20Novelist%22%2C%22Krark-Clan%20Ironworks%22%2C%22Myr%20Retriever%22%2C%22Scrap%20Trawler%22%5D&requires=%5B%5D&produces=%5B%22Infinite%20LTB%22%2C%22Infinite%20ETB%22%2C%22Infinite%20sacrifice%20triggers%22%2C%22Infinite%20death%20triggers%22%2C%22Infinite%20storm%20count%22%2C%22Infinite%20%2B1%2F%2B1%20counters%20on%20Crime%20Novelist%22%2C%22Infinite%20colorless%20mana%22%2C%22Infinite%20red%20mana%22%5D&id=1020-2866-4659-5346&color=R&extraRequirementCount=1"></script></div>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="." width="0" height="0"></iframe></p>
<div id="1721-3210-4659" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
<script id="1721-3210-4659" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/embed.js?v=1&uses=%5B%22Scrap%20Mastery%22%2C%22Codex%20Shredder%22%2C%22Krark-Clan%20Ironworks%22%5D&requires=%5B%5D&produces=%5B%22Infinite%20colorless%20mana%22%2C%22Infinite%20magecraft%20triggers%22%2C%22Infinite%20mana%20artifacts%20you%20control%20can%20produce%22%2C%22Infinite%20storm%20count%22%5D&id=1721-3210-4659&color=R&extraRequirementCount=2"></script></div>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="." width="0" height="0"></iframe></p>
<p>With that out of the way, let's get to the fun part: the deck.</p>
<h2>Gau, Feral Youth's Artifact Déjà Vu - Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Gau&#039;s Artifact Déjà Vu" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Gau, Feral Youth
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Adaptive Omnitool
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Blackblade Reforged
*1 Brotherhood Regalia
*1 Codex Shredder
*1 Cursed Mirror
*1 Dowsing Device // Geode Grotto
*1 Elixir of Immortality
*1 Excalibur, Sword of Eden
*1 Genesis Chamber
*1 Ichor Wellspring
*1 Krark-Clan Ironworks
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mimic Vat
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Mirrorworks
*1 Mycosynth Wellspring
*1 Mystic Forge
*1 Nettlecyst
*1 Perpetual Timepiece
*1 Prized Statue
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Throne of Eldraine
*1 Unlicensed Hearse
*1 Whispersilk Cloak
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Big Score
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Deflecting Swat
*1 Demand Answers
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Isengard Unleashed
*1 Reckless Handling
*1 Scrap Mastery
*1 Trash for Treasure
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 City on Fire
*1 Fiery Emancipation
*1 Pia&#039;s Revolution
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Combustible Gearhulk
*1 Crime Novelist
*1 Daretti, Rocketeer Engineer
*1 Feldon of the Third Path
*1 Foundry Inspector
*1 Fuming Effigy
*1 Goblin Engineer
*1 Goblin Welder
*1 Gogo, Mysterious Mime
*1 Ingenious Artillerist
*1 Jhoira&#039;s Familiar
*1 Junk Diver
*1 Metalwork Colossus
*1 Myr Battlesphere
*1 Myr Retriever
*1 Reckless Fireweaver
*1 Ruin Grinder
*1 Scrap Trawler
*1 Scrap Welder
*1 Slobad, Iron Goblin
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Tersa Lightshatter
*1 Toggo, Goblin Weaponsmith
*1 Workshop Assistant
*1 Yidaro, Wandering Monster
[/Creatures]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Daretti, Scrap Savant
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Buried Ruin
*1 Command Tower
*1 Forgotten Cave
*1 Great Furnace
*27 Mountain
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
*1 War Room
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>This deck is a fun way to explore a unique card while having a legitimate chance of winning a few games. It fits well into Bracket 3 - being reasonably strong while not being excruciating to play against. It's probably not going to fare well against ultra-polished Bracket 4/5 decks, but it fits well for the average casual player who wants to play something unique and different. It is worth noting that Gau is not the optimal recursion commander - cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tormod, the Desecrator" href="#" target="_blank">Tormod, the Desecrator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> have far more options and are generally more useful.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, Commander is about having fun, especially in a casual environment. Gau allows you to have fun while pioneering a reasonably strong deck. However, if you're looking for an extremely strong or polished commander, especially for cEDH, I would recommend checking out Tormod or other options instead. Perhaps, if Gau was in Rakdos, you could make it a lot stronger and accomplish this, but it doesn't seem to be possible with it in mono-red.</p>


Artifact Déjà Vu With Gau, Feral Youth

<p>The <em>Final Fantasy</em> preview season is now in full swing, and official spoilers are popping up left and right. As such, we're rolling out a daily spoiler recap so players can look for these previews before their addition into the official <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/products/final-fantasy/card-image-gallery">Card Image Gallery</a> for the set. So, without further ado, here are the official reveals from Monday, May 19th!</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy</em> Reveals</h2>
<p>First, let's look at the spoilers from the <em>Final Fantasy</em> set proper. Five have been revealed so far today.</p>
<div id="attachment_153390" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Coral-Sword.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153390" class="wp-image-153390" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Coral-Sword.jpg" alt="Coral Sword, a new card from Final Fantasy. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Coral-Sword.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Coral-Sword-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153390" class="wp-caption-text">Coral Sword, a new card from <em>Final Fantasy</em>. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<div id="attachment_153394" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Syncopate.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153394" class="wp-image-153394" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Syncopate.jpg" alt="Syncopate, a reprinted card from Final Fantasy. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Syncopate.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Syncopate-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153394" class="wp-caption-text">Syncopate, a reprinted card from <em>Final Fantasy</em>. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<div id="attachment_153393" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Queen-Brahne.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153393" class="wp-image-153393" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Queen-Brahne.jpg" alt="Queen Brahne, a new card from MTGFIN. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Queen-Brahne.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Queen-Brahne-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153393" class="wp-caption-text">Queen Brahne, a new card from MTGFIN. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<div id="attachment_153392" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lindblum-Industrial-Regency.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153392" class="wp-image-153392" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lindblum-Industrial-Regency.jpg" alt="Lindblum, Industrial Regency, a new card from MTGFIN. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lindblum-Industrial-Regency.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lindblum-Industrial-Regency-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153392" class="wp-caption-text">Lindblum, Industrial Regency, a new card from MTGFIN. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<div id="attachment_153391" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Haste-Magic.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153391" class="wp-image-153391" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Haste-Magic.jpg" alt="Haste Magic, a new card from MTGFIN. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Haste-Magic.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Haste-Magic-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153391" class="wp-caption-text">Haste Magic, a new card from MTGFIN. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<p>The previews for <em>Final Fantasy</em> from May 19th are mostly red-centric, with a few outliers, especially from the <em>Through the Ages</em> bonus sheet. In terms of the main set, we mainly got spoilers of lower rarities, with Lindblum, Industrial Regency as the one rare from the main set as of the time of writing.</p>
<p>For those collecting cards from specific games in the series, the spoilers today yielded cards from <em>FFV</em>, <em>FFVII</em>, <em>FFIX</em>, and one reprinted card - <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syncopate" href="#" target="_blank">Syncopate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - from <em>FFX</em>. A fine haul going into Week 2 of previews!</p>
<h3><em>Through The Ages</em> Bonus Sheet</h3>
<p><em>Through the Ages</em>, the bonus sheet for the set, continues to produce some really cool previews. Getting a reprint of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kraum, Ludevic&#039;s Opus" href="#" target="_blank">Kraum, Ludevic&#039;s Opus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for example, really seems like a bang-up job from the set design team. Meanwhile. seeing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire" href="#" target="_blank">Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as Ardyn from <em>FFXV</em> feels like a home run, flavor-wise.</p>
<div id="attachment_153395" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/A-Promise-Fulfilled-Light-Up-The-Stage.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153395" class="wp-image-153395" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/A-Promise-Fulfilled-Light-Up-The-Stage.jpg" alt="A Promise Fulfilled, a reskin of Light Up the Stage, originally printed in Guilds of Ravnica. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/A-Promise-Fulfilled-Light-Up-The-Stage.jpg 488w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/A-Promise-Fulfilled-Light-Up-The-Stage-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153395" class="wp-caption-text">A Promise Fulfilled, a reskin of Light Up the Stage, originally printed in <em>Guilds of Ravnica</em>. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<div id="attachment_153396" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Ardyn-Izunia-Varragoth-Bloodsky-Sire.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153396" class="wp-image-153396" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Ardyn-Izunia-Varragoth-Bloodsky-Sire.jpg" alt="Ardyn Izunia, a reskin of Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire, originally printed in Kaldheim. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Ardyn-Izunia-Varragoth-Bloodsky-Sire.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Ardyn-Izunia-Varragoth-Bloodsky-Sire-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153396" class="wp-caption-text">Ardyn Izunia, a reskin of Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire, originally printed in <em>Kaldheim</em>. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<div id="attachment_153397" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Barnabas-Tharmr-Kraum-Ludevics-Opus.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-153397" class="wp-image-153397" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Barnabas-Tharmr-Kraum-Ludevics-Opus.jpg" alt="Barnabas Tharmr, a reskin of Kraum, Ludevic's Opus, originally printed in Commander 2016. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Barnabas-Tharmr-Kraum-Ludevics-Opus.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Barnabas-Tharmr-Kraum-Ludevics-Opus-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-153397" class="wp-caption-text">Barnabas Tharmr, a reskin of Kraum, Ludevic's Opus, originally printed in <em>Commander 2016</em>. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<p>Overall, with nearly two weeks left in preview season, we can hardly believe that Wizards of the Coast has already revealed so many cool cards! Even today's previews make us wonder what tomorrow holds.</p>
<p>How do you feel about the previews so far? Are you enthused by the set thus far? And how about the bonus sheet? Are there any characters or concepts from <em>Final Fantasy</em> that you're awaiting but haven't graced <em>Through the Ages</em> yet? Sound off below!</p>


Best Final Fantasy Spoilers for Monday, May 19th

Counter Blitz Precon Guide - Final Fantasy

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yuna, Grand Summoner" href="#" target="_blank">Yuna, Grand Summoner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by: <a href="https://kevinglint-studios.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin Glint</a></em></p>
<p>Friendly greetings and welcome to Spira, the world of <em>Final Fantasy X</em>. I'm <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/john-sherwood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Sherwood</a>, and I'm taking a break from my regular <em>Bracketeering</em> series to feature a new commander. This deck tech is brought to you in part by mixed feelings about a video game I never beat. It wasn't for lack of trying. I spent an unhealthy number of hours grinding every corner of Spira's map. Some of that time was spent side questing for the focal character of this dech tech: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yuna, Grand Summoner" href="#" target="_blank">Yuna, Grand Summoner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yuna, Grand Summoner|fic|208"></div></div>
<p>Although Yuna is the secondary commander in the <a href="https://edhrec.com/precon/counter-blitz" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Counter Blitz</em> preconstructed deck</a>, this is not a precon upgrade guide. This is also not a budget deck; it's way too rich for me, but it's fun to theorycraft. So here I go, brewing Yuna for the Optimized (4) Bracket.</p>
<h2>Who Is Yuna, Grand Summoner and What Does She Do?</h2>
<p>Yuna is a central story character and vital party member in <em>Final Fantasy X</em>. In the role-playing game, Yuna is on a religious pilgrimage and she summons powerful creatures in battle. In <em>Magic</em>, Yuna is a Cleric with a mana ability that rewards you for casting creatures. That's a flavor win as far as I'm concerned. While you can use Yuna's mana for anything, she promises upside to the next creature spell you cast this turn by giving it two additional +1/+1 counters. Notably, this second part of Yuna's mana ability is a delayed trigger, and creates a decision point during deck construction and gameplay. The straightforward line is to spend the mana on a creature spell <em>now</em> and immediately get the counters. Some of the more interesting lines involve saving the trigger for later (more on this later).</p>
<p>Yuna's second ability is a triggered ability that allows us to manipulate counters and play with our graveyard. If this ability reflects any aspect of Yuna's character, I don't remember it. Granted, a lot of my mental bandwidth for <em>Final Fantasy X</em> is devoted to despising <a href="https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Blitzball" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blitzball</a>. Despite not remembering any reason for Yuna to care about permanents hitting the graveyard, I'm excited about this card ability. If a permanent you control with counters on it is put into any graveyard, then Yuna places an equal number of+1/+1 counters on any target creature. The permanent that goes in the bin doesn't have to be a creature, and the original counters don't have to be +1/+1 counters. In other words, there's a wide range of possible triggers.</p>
<p>Just a quick nonbo note: avoid finality counters. These counters create a replacement effect that exiles instead. Any counters that would have been available for Yuna's second ability will be lost.</p>
<h2>Veggies and Value</h2>
<p>I created this deck on <a href="http://www.archidekt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archidekt</a> with card packages for ramp, mana base, and board wipes. Card packages are a great feature to expedite adding essential cards to a deck, saving time for the fun parts of the deck building process.</p>
<p>One of the more enjoyable aspects of brewing a new commander is finding those synergistic value pieces. While both of Yuna's abilities can be played for value, her second ability leans into the graveyard for extra utility and resilience.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evolution Witness"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolution Witness" href="#" target="_blank">Evolution Witness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fantastic pairing with Yuna's second ability. If a permanent goes to the yard with counters on it, then targeting Evolution Witness to receive +1/+1 counters from Yuna will allow us to return a permanent from the graveyard to hand. This interaction can mitigate opponents' removal, or we can take advantage of it with sacrifice outlets.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rikku, Resourceful Guardian"></div></div>
<p>I included a few other cards that benefit from receiving counters. Picks like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scurry Oak" href="#" target="_blank">Scurry Oak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to go wide, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wildwood Scourge" href="#" target="_blank">Wildwood Scourge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to go tall, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rikku, Resourceful Guardian" href="#" target="_blank">Rikku, Resourceful Guardian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for evasion.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ratchet Bomb"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ratchet Bomb" href="#" target="_blank">Ratchet Bomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Engineered Explosives" href="#" target="_blank">Engineered Explosives</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are handy sweepers, and can be played for extra layers of value in this deck since their charge counters will become +1/+1 counters after sacrificing them. We can take this a step further. By aiming for a number of charge counters equal to the mana value of our own permanents, we effectively turn these removal artifacts into sacrifice outlets to pump up more valuable creatures. Set this up preemptively for an impactful attack, or maybe as an edge case to to save an important creature from damage.</p>
<h2>Yuna, Combo Queen</h2>
<p>If Yuna, Grand Summoner is going to make a splash in higher Brackets, then some of the key cards for this deck should be combo pieces. Both of Yuna's abilities have combo potential, but the first ability requires fewer combo pieces to achieve a winning game state.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Freed from the Real"></div></div>
<p>Remember that delayed trigger we saved until later? Saving it gives us opportunities to duplicate it, such as untapping Yuna to do it again. Using either <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pemmin&#039;s Aura" href="#" target="_blank">Pemmin&#039;s Aura</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Freed from the Real" href="#" target="_blank">Freed from the Real</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you can make blue mana with Yuna and spend it to untap her. This allows Yuna to tap and produce mana again. You can repeat this cycle as many times as you like to create any number of delayed triggers, which will all resolve on the next creature spell you cast. That creature will enter with a number of counters equal to twice the number of times Yuna tapped for mana.</p>
<div id="4222-6566" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Even better than Freed from the Real, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pemmin&#039;s Aura" href="#" target="_blank">Pemmin&#039;s Aura</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can protect Yuna from targeted removal and make her more dangerous in combat.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pemmin&#039;s Aura"></div></div>
<p>Just in case we don't find those Auras for Yuna, untappers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ioreth of the Healing House" href="#" target="_blank">Ioreth of the Healing House</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Saryth, the Viper&#039;s Fang" href="#" target="_blank">Saryth, the Viper&#039;s Fang</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provide redundancy. If you have both of those creatures with Yuna, then the three of them combine into a three-card untapping extravaganza.</p>
<div id="1432-4513-6566" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
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<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="." width="0" height="0"></iframe></p>
<p>However you untap Yuna, there are plenty of support pieces to improve the potency. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Leyline of Abundance" href="#" target="_blank">Leyline of Abundance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy" href="#" target="_blank">Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> net extra mana, which we can pump into winning payoffs.</p>
<h2>How to Win With Yuna, Grand Summoner Combos</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Walking Ballista"></div></div>
<p>Let's start our push to victory by circling back to those tapping and untapping combos. The combos I picked don't inherently win the game. It doesn't matter how many times we <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Twiddle" href="#" target="_blank">Twiddle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Yuna, it's nondeterministic until we add a creature payoff. One of my favorite win conditions in this deck is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Walking Ballista" href="#" target="_blank">Walking Ballista</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. First, repeat the cycle of tapping and untapping Yuna a number of times greater than half of your opponents' combined life. Then cast Walking Ballista. It will enter with an amount of counters exceeding your opponents' life totals and you win the game by pinging them to death. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Triskelion" href="#" target="_blank">Triskelion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can serve as a backup for this plan, but it requires more mana.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Twenty-Toed Toad"></div></div>
<p>Another great win condition in this deck is <em>Bloomburrow</em>'s <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Twenty-Toed Toad" href="#" target="_blank">Twenty-Toed Toad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This croaker can puff up with or without Yuna's help into a must-answer threat.</p>
<p>If combos and "you win" cards are unable to carry this deck to victory, there's always combat. Many of the creatures in the deck are ready to turn sideways. Also, Yuna can target herself with her second ability to becoming a serious commander damage threat.</p>
<h2>Yuna, Grand Summoner Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Yuna, Grand Summoner Dech Tech" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Yuna, Grand Summoner
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Astral Cornucopia
*1 Engineered Explosives
*1 Everflowing Chalice
*1 Patriar&#039;s Seal
*1 Ratchet Bomb
*1 Sol Ring
*1 The Ozolith
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Altar of Bone
*1 Distant Memories
*1 Idyllic Tutor
*1 Insist
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Storm the Seedcore
*1 Sylvan Tutor
*1 Three Visits
*1 What Must Be Done
[/Sorceries]
[Creatures]
*1 Abzan Falconer
*1 Birds of Paradise
*1 Bounty Agent
*1 Cankerbloom
*1 Cathar Commando
*1 Crystalline Giant
*1 Danny Pink
*1 Esper Sentinel
*1 Evolution Witness
*1 Forgotten Ancient
*1 Herd Baloth
*1 Ioreth of the Healing House
*1 Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy
*1 Lier, Disciple of the Drowned
*1 Lonis, Genetics Expert
*1 Rikku, Resourceful Guardian
*1 Robaran Mercenaries
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Saryth, the Viper&#039;s Fang
*1 Scurry Oak
*1 Slippery Bogbonder
*1 Triskelion
*1 Tuskguard Captain
*1 Twenty-Toed Toad
*1 Walking Ballista
*1 Wildwood Scourge
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Freed from the Real
*1 Leyline of Abundance
*1 Pemmin&#039;s Aura
*1 Sterling Grove
*1 Utopia Sprawl
*1 Well Rested
*1 Wild Growth
[/Enchantments]
[Instants]
*1 Aetherize
*1 Bant Charm
*1 Beast Within
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Eladamri&#039;s Call
*1 Enlightened Tutor
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Gift of the Viper
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Slip Out the Back
*1 Teferi&#039;s Protection
*1 Worldly Tutor
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Blast Zone
*1 Boseiju, Who Endures
*1 Breeding Pool
*1 Command Tower
*1 Demolition Field
*1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Flooded Strand
*7 Forest
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 High Market
*5 Island
*1 Karn&#039;s Bastion
*1 Minamo, School at Water&#039;s Edge
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Otawara, Soaring City
*1 Path of Ancestry
*3 Plains
*1 Plaza of Heroes
*1 Prismatic Vista
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Shifting Woodland
*1 Spara&#039;s Headquarters
*1 Temple Garden
*1 Windswept Heath
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Sequel Setup</h2>
<p><em>Final Fantasy X </em>has a sequel and a remaster. I've never played either of them, just like I'll never play this deck in paper. It was a lot of fun to tinker with, and hopefully you found a little inspiration here. I love this card; Yuna is a very open ended commander with more potential than there are slots in the 99. If you're building <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yuna, Grand Summoner" href="#" target="_blank">Yuna, Grand Summoner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, tell me about your brew in the comments below.</p>


final fantasy