<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie" href="#" target="_blank">Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/simondominic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Simon Dominic</a></em></p>
<h2>A New Meld Commander?</h2>
<p><em>Final Fantasy</em>'s release date is coming up and I'm quite eager to write about some of these new commanders. There's so much neat stuff for Pauper in here! I haven't even looked at the whole list, but I've already got a few I want to write about, the first of which are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie" href="#" target="_blank">Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vanille, Cheerful l&#039;Cie" href="#" target="_blank">Vanille, Cheerful l&#039;Cie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>The last time we saw the meld mechanic was in <em>The Brother's War</em>, and we got some of the coolest commanders we've ever had in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Titania, Voice of Gaea" href="#" target="_blank">Titania, Voice of Gaea</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza, Lord Protector" href="#" target="_blank">Urza, Lord Protector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mishra, Claimed by Gix" href="#" target="_blank">Mishra, Claimed by Gix</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. So does this new pair of melding legends live up to the hype of the past set?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vanille, Cheerful l&#039;Cie"></div></div>
<p>Well, they're not quite as cool. Unfortunately, the flip side of this meld pair is just a big avatar with some keywords and a death trigger. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ragnarok, Divine Deliverance" href="#" target="_blank">Ragnarok, Divine Deliverance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is mostly just a beat stick. It doesn't do a whole lot, but hey, it is cool, and we're gonna try and make something fun with it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ragnarok, Divine Deliverance"></div></div>
<h2>Rule Zero</h2>
<p>But first, I need to establish a few ground rules about this deck. Mainly the fact that I'm going to rule zero <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie" href="#" target="_blank">Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into the command zone, along with Vanille, as if they were partners with each other.</p>
<p>I'm not doing this because of color identity issues preventing us from running both otherwise; Vanille has both a black and green pip in her textbox, and could lead the deck by herself legally. But the problem is that we'd never be able to find Fang if we did that. And trust me, I've tried everything. Generic tutors? They just don't exist in pauper. Transmute cards? None of them can find creatures with mana value three. Milling our deck until we mill Fang, then <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dread Return" href="#" target="_blank">Dread Return</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>ing her? I couldn't find a way to mill the whole deck without just losing. Cascading for a mana value of three? We can't afford to play no other three-, two-, or one-drops.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fierce Empath"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dimir House Guard"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Natural Reclamation"></div></div>
<p>I swear I tried to figure this one out, but I came to the conclusion that even if there were some convoluted way of pulling Fang out of our deck like a rabbit out of a hat, it would take up way too much deck space anyways. And all I really wanted to do was build a cool graveyard deck with the opportunity to meld. So because this deck isn't gonna be great either way, I decided to go with the more fun route, and treat them like they have partner.</p>
<h2>The Game Plan With Fang and Vanille</h2>
<p>Now for the actual strategy of the deck. We have a few things to consider: our commanders on the front, and our commander on the back. On the front, we've got Vanille, who doesn't do anything more than a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grapple with the Past" href="#" target="_blank">Grapple with the Past</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and a fairly potent card advantage engine in Fang. On the back, we've got a big monster. So our strategy shapes itself pretty well: we use Fang to sculpt our hand and collect assets for the first half of the game, then we merge our two commanders together and beat face, taking advantage of the cards we've hoarded.</p>
<p>So how are we gonna get that card advantage out of Fang? Fang is phrased really similarly to <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/brewing-a-pauper-commander-deck-with-kheru-goldkeeper" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a card I wrote about a week ago</a>; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kheru Goldkeeper" href="#" target="_blank">Kheru Goldkeeper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes a Treasure every time a card leaves our graveyard, and Fang draws us a card whenever the same happens. So many of the cards that worked there will be just as good here. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Relic of Progenitus" href="#" target="_blank">Relic of Progenitus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merrow Bonegnawer" href="#" target="_blank">Merrow Bonegnawer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in particular are spectacular, giving us a card every turn for the low cost of a tap.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Relic of Progenitus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Merrow Bonegnawer"></div></div>
<p>But while those are the best, there's plenty more that'll put in work. For instance, any card that returns something from the graveyard. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tortured Existence" href="#" target="_blank">Tortured Existence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Revive the Shire" href="#" target="_blank">Revive the Shire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolution Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Evolution Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are all great ways to get back lost pieces, and they draw us a card with Fang. Or, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grisly Salvage" href="#" target="_blank">Grisly Salvage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will have a similar effect, milling, then snatching something out of the graveyard. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mulch" href="#" target="_blank">Mulch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winding Way" href="#" target="_blank">Winding Way</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cache Grab" href="#" target="_blank">Cache Grab</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Commune with the Gods" href="#" target="_blank">Commune with the Gods</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and plenty more are card advantage fountains. Some grab a land, some grab a creature, some even grab enchantments, but they all draw cards with our commander.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tortured Existence"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grisly Salvage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mulch"></div></div>
<p>And because we've got all this card advantage, we might as well throw in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thought Vessel" href="#" target="_blank">Thought Vessel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Decanter of Endless Water" href="#" target="_blank">Decanter of Endless Water</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to preserve it while we move to the next stage of our plan.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thought Vessel"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Decanter of Endless Water"></div></div>
<p>Which is, of course, just beating face with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ragnarok, Divine Deliverance" href="#" target="_blank">Ragnarok, Divine Deliverance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I won't lie, there's not a whole lot special going on here, just the typical Auras and Equipment to add things that aren't already covered by our commander's keywords. (I was briefly running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Haunted Cloak" href="#" target="_blank">Haunted Cloak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> before I realized that Ragnaraok already has all three keywords that the Cloak grants.) We'll take some flying from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cliffhaven Kitesail" href="#" target="_blank">Cliffhaven Kitesail</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, some double strike from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brass Knuckles" href="#" target="_blank">Brass Knuckles</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and some shroud from <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>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vampiric Link" href="#" target="_blank">Vampiric Link</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives lifelink, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snake Umbra" href="#" target="_blank">Snake Umbra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives umbra armor. Everything has something to help.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cliffhaven Kitesail"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brass Knuckles"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Snake Umbra"></div></div>
<p>And then, because we don't want our really cool, awesome commander to die, we're gonna run a bunch of stuff to keep Ragnarok safe: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tamiyo&#039;s Safekeeping" href="#" target="_blank">Tamiyo&#039;s Safekeeping</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> kinda stuff that'll grant indestructible. There are a good amount of cards to choose from, which range from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gaea&#039;s Gift" href="#" target="_blank">Gaea&#039;s Gift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Armor of Shadows" href="#" target="_blank">Armor of Shadows</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. We can also use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Undying Evil" href="#" target="_blank">Undying Evil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Not Dead After All" href="#" target="_blank">Not Dead After All</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, although those cards have the downside of returning our commanders to the battlefield split up. But hey, in that case, we can just pay five mana and meld them again. Or alternatively, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Undying Evil" href="#" target="_blank">Undying Evil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be used to trigger Fang early in the game.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tamiyo&#039;s Safekeeping"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gaea&#039;s Gift"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Undying Evil"></div></div>
<h2>Fang and Vanille Pauper Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Pauper Commander - Fang and Vanille" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie
*1 Vanille, Cheerful l&#039;Cie
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Brass Knuckles
*1 Cliffhaven Kitesail
*1 Decanter of Endless Water
*1 Ghoulcaller&#039;s Bell
*1 Golgari Signet
*1 Kitesail
*1 Relic of Progenitus
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Whispersilk Cloak
*1 Wings of Hubris
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Blanchwood Prowler
*1 Circle of the Land Druid
*1 Eccentric Farmer
*1 Glowspore Shaman
*1 Masked Vandal
*1 Merrow Bonegnawer
*1 Patient Naturalist
*1 Persistent Specimen
*1 Pothole Mole
*1 Satyr Wayfinder
*1 Scaretiller
*1 Town Greeter
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Armor of Shadows
*1 Cache Grab
*1 Corrupted Conviction
*1 Costly Plunder
*1 Evolution Charm
*1 Feign Death
*1 Gaea&#039;s Gift
*1 Grapple with the Past
*1 Grisly Salvage
*1 Harrow
*1 Heritage Reclamation
*1 Moment&#039;s Peace
*1 Not Dead After All
*1 Orcish Medicine
*1 Pulse of Murasa
*1 Raise the Draugr
*1 Supernatural Stamina
*1 Tamiyo&#039;s Safekeeping
*1 Undying Evil
*1 Undying Malice
*1 Village Rites
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Crawling Infestation
*1 Eternal Thirst
*1 Lignify
*1 Scion of Halaster
*1 Snake Umbra
*1 Tortured Existence
*1 Vampiric Link
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Commune with the Gods
*1 Cultivate
*1 Feed the Swarm
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Mulch
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Revive the Shire
*1 Unearth
*1 Urborg Repossession
*1 Walk with the Ancestors
*1 Winding Way
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Barren Moor
*1 Evolving Wilds
*17 Forest
*15 Swamp
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Tranquil Thicket
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<p>That's pretty much the whole deck, minus a bit of ramp and removal. There are just two phases to our game plan: get ready to fight, and fight! While this deck isn't legal, it is a lot of fun, and I doubt I'd have any trouble playing with it in a pod. One thing I'm curious about, however, is how lore accurate these commanders are. <em>Final Fantasy</em> players, do these two seem right? And if not, how would you have designed them? Let me know in the comments.</p>


Meld Ragnarok With Fang and Vanille In Pauper Commander

Final Fantasy Through the Ages Reprint Review

Building Vivi Ornitier for cEDH

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>It's Tuesday, June 10th, and we are still three days away from the release of the <em>Final Fantasy Magic</em> set! Meanwhile, I've been hard at work covering the best and most flavorful cards from every mainline game in the series for our 16-day Count-Up! Yesterday I covered <em>FFXIII</em>; today, I'm looking at <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>!</p>
<p>To reiterate, here is the criteria I'm looking at:</p>
<ul>
<li>Honorable Mention - These usually will be a cycle or group of cards that are great but don't quite measure up to the "best" in the categories we have chosen to cover. Today's list will have one card in this category.</li>
<li>Best as a Commander - This category covers, as advertised, the best commander to lead a deck in Commander, but may also look briefly at other Command Zone-driven formats.</li>
<li>Best in the 99 - This section discusses my choice for the best card in a given 99 of a deck. It may be a ubiquitous card, but it might also just be a card with a fair amount of utility.</li>
<li>Most Flavorful - The most fun to play card in a storytelling context will be deemed Most Flavorful. For example, we covered <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Town Greeter" href="#" target="_blank">Town Greeter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in our <em>FFI</em> list for its fun lore synergies with Towns, especially those with specific <em>Final Fantasy</em> town names.</li>
<li>Best In Show - The very best of these cards in a balance of the above categories.</li>
</ul>
<p>Furthermore, cards from the Commander precons, <em>Through the Ages</em>, and promotional/<em>Secret Lair</em> cards are ineligible for consideration. We want to keep this strictly from the main set.</p>
<p>With that, let's look at some amazing <em>FFXIV</em> cards!</p>
<h2>Honorable Mention</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Matoya, Archon Elder"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Matoya, Archon Elder" href="#" target="_blank">Matoya, Archon Elder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a deceptively strong creature. She puts in more work as a good imitation of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eligeth, Crossroads Augur" href="#" target="_blank">Eligeth, Crossroads Augur</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but somehow her ability is even better. While she doesn't draw quite as many cards as Eligeth does, she allows you to improve the quality of the draw she provides. What's more, she also triggers off of surveilling, which is a big part of <em>Magic</em> these days.</p>
<p>The primary reason Matoya is only an Honorable Mention for this subset of cards is that she's outclassed by a ton of cards that are even better than she is. Let's take a look at some of them!</p>
<h2>Best as a Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emet-Selch, Unsundered"></div></div>
<p>Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a copy of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yawgmoth&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Yawgmoth&#039;s Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in your command zone? If you've never owned a copy of Yawgmoth's Will but can appreciate the value it provides, chances are good that you have. Well, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emet-Selch, Unsundered" href="#" target="_blank">Emet-Selch, Unsundered</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is very much that card. While rather unassuming on its front face, Emet-Selch eventually transforms into a permanent version of Yawgmoth's Will on its rear face. While this version only works on your turns, it's still a fantastic iteration of an arguably broken effect. As such, Emet-Selch is my pick for Best as a Commander for <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>.</p>
<h2>Best in the 99</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark Confidant"></div></div>
<p>"Bob" is back! Designed by <em>Magic</em> Invitational winner <strong>Bob Maher</strong> back for the original <em>Ravnica: City of Guilds</em>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Confidant" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Confidant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has finally come home to Standard. However, that doesn't mean he's out of place in Commander! For a simple and low cost of <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-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and some life, you can have all the comforts of extra card advantage at each of your upkeep steps. Maher's elegant design shines through this card even today, providing "greatness, at any cost" (to quote the original <em>Ravnica</em> flavor text).</p>
<h2>Most Flavorful</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Primal Odin"></div></div>
<p><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> is a card that, understandably, evokes Primal Odin, a figure in <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em> that you must face at a given point in the game. He does, in fact, take a party member out of the game with his might during that portion of combat, I'm told, and as such, his <em>Zantetsuken</em> ability on the card aligns well with the things the game's iteration is capable of. With that in mind, Summon: Primal Odin is my pick for Most Flavorful.</p>
<p>With that, we come to <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>'s Best In Show. There are 43 eligible entries in the entire subset and 39 cards left after the above. So, what won out? Well...</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy XIV</em> Best In Show</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Wandering Minstrel"></div></div>
<p>It's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Wandering Minstrel" href="#" target="_blank">The Wandering Minstrel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p>The Wandering Minstrel is nothing short of amazing. His basic affinities for Town lands mean it's easier to build around those kinds of nonbasic lands with him. Plus, as a 2-cost, five-color commander he can be used with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lurrus of the Dream-Den" href="#" target="_blank">Lurrus of the Dream-Den</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zirda, the Dawnwaker" href="#" target="_blank">Zirda, the Dawnwaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gyruda, Doom of Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Gyruda, Doom of Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Umori, the Collector" href="#" target="_blank">Umori, the Collector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jegantha, the Wellspring" href="#" target="_blank">Jegantha, the Wellspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as companions. That's assuming you build The Wandering Minstrel around them, but all are technically eligible companions for him.</p>
<p>Lorewise, The Wandering Minstrel is, in the game, a self-insert by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naoki_Yoshida"><strong>Naoki Yoshida</strong></a>. Also known as "Yoshi-P", Yoshida is a major game producer, director, and designer for Square Enix. Most notably, he produced <em>Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn</em>! As such, he needed to be our Best In Show for the subset - I accept no substitutions here.</p>
<p>With that, we wrap up our coverage of <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>. This set has a <em>lot</em> of <em>FFXIV</em> representation compared to many other games in the series. How did you feel we fared with this list? Do you think we missed anything of note? Sound off in the comments! And, please feel free to look at our entries for previous games in the various links below!</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-one-ffi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 1: <em>FFI</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-two-ffii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 2: <em>FFII</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-three-ffiii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 3: <em>FFIII</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-four-ffiv?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 4: <em>FFIV</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-five-ffv?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 5: <em>FFV</em></a></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-six-ffvi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Day 6: <em>FFVI</em></strong></a><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-seven-ffvii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 7: <em>FFVII</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eight-ffviii/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 8: </a><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eight-ffviii/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>FFVIII</em></a></strong><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-nine-ffix?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 9: <em>FFIX</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-ten-ffx/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 10: <em>FFX</em></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eleven-ffxi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 11: <em>FFXI</em></a></strong><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-twelve-ffxii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 12: <em>FFXII</em></a></strong><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-thirteen-ffxiii">Day 13: <em>FFXIII</em></a></strong></p>


Final Fantasy 16-Day Count-Up, Day Fourteen: FFXIV

The Best Equipment Cards From Final Fantasy

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>It's Monday, June 9th! As we enter the final week before the <em>Final Fantasy</em> <em>Magic</em> set officially releases, we have even more Count-Up articles for you! To refresh you, I've been listing the best and most flavorful cards for each game in the series, in order from <em>FFI</em> to <em>FFXVI</em>. Yesterday we covered <em>FFXII</em>; today, I'll be examining <em>Final Fantasy XIII</em>!</p>
<p>To reiterate, here is the criteria I'm looking at:</p>
<ul>
<li>Honorable Mention - These usually will be a cycle or group of cards that are great but don't quite measure up to the "best" in the categories we have chosen to cover. (Today's list will have two cards for this category.)</li>
<li>Best as a Commander - This category covers, as advertised, the best commander to lead a deck in Commander, but may also look briefly at other Command Zone-driven formats.</li>
<li>Best in the 99 - This section discusses my choice for the best card in a given 99 of a deck. It may be a ubiquitous card, but it might also just be a card with a fair amount of utility.</li>
<li>Most Flavorful - The most fun to play card in a storytelling context will be deemed Most Flavorful. For example, we covered <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Town Greeter" href="#" target="_blank">Town Greeter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in our <em>FFI</em> list for its fun lore synergies with Towns, especially those with specific <em>Final Fantasy</em> town names.</li>
<li>Best In Show - The very best of these cards in a balance of the above categories.</li>
</ul>
<p>Furthermore, cards from the Commander precons, <em>Through the Ages</em>, and promotional/<em>Secret Lair</em> cards are ineligible for consideration. We want to keep this strictly from the main set.</p>
<p>Let's waste no time and dive right in!</p>
<h2>Honorable Mentions</h2>
<p>For the past few days, pickings were sparse for the games covered. As a result, we couldn't look at any Honorable Mentions. Today, we have enough cards handy for not only one, but <em>two</em> Honorable Mentions! What are those cards? Well...</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vanille, Cheerful l&#039;Cie"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie" href="#" target="_blank">Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vanille, Cheerful l&#039;Cie" href="#" target="_blank">Vanille, Cheerful l&#039;Cie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are a pair of melding legendary creatures. They're a remarkable duo of cards that work exceptionally well with graveyard-filling decks and create a creature together that is more than the sum of its parts. What is that melded creature?</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fin-526b-ragnarok-divine-deliverance.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-155670" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fin-526b-ragnarok-divine-deliverance.jpg" alt="" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fin-526b-ragnarok-divine-deliverance.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fin-526b-ragnarok-divine-deliverance-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a></p>
<p>Ragnarok, Divine Deliverance is a fearsome creature that has a ton going for it, if you can manage to meld Fang and Vanille together (and it's definitely not easy). So, while these two have to be Honorable Mentions in this article due to the nature of the cards, Fang and Vanille merited inclusion with absolutely no doubt.</p>
<h2>Best as a Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Serah Farron"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Serah Farron" href="#" target="_blank">Serah Farron</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a strong white-green creature in a deck archetype that you don't often see for that color pair: legends matter. Yes, we've historically seen it before with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Captain Sisay" href="#" target="_blank">Captain Sisay</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Sisay players are probably <em>delighted</em> to see a card like Serah Farron in her 99, and vice-versa. As such, the card is a great commander if one can't necessarily afford to get Captain Sisay as a commander, financially speaking. It is a fantastic card, and while our Best In Show is even better in many categories, Serah deserves high marks as well.</p>
<h2>Best in the 99</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Magic Damper"></div></div>
<p>The card I'm choosing for my Best in the 99 category is extremely utilitarian by many metrics and can be quite useful. At instant speed, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magic Damper" href="#" target="_blank">Magic Damper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> untaps a creature, provides it with a turn of protection and a buff, <em>and</em> only costs one blue mana. That's a lot for one mana, and it feels extremely pushed for a common. It is probably the best utility piece for the <em>Final</em> <em>Fantasy XIII</em> subset of cards.</p>
<h2>Most Flavorful</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thunder Magic"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thunder Magic" href="#" target="_blank">Thunder Magic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fabulous example of a tiered spell from the game series. Thunder, Thundara, and Thundaga are all extremely powerful electric attacks in the games, and this card encapsulates the concept swimmingly. While Thundara is a little below rate compared to both Thunder and Thundaga here, the spells all do exactly what you'd expect a bolt of electricity to do to a creature: fry it!</p>
<p>With that, it's time to move on to our Best In Show for <em>Final Fantasy XIII</em>. Which card got there above the others?</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy XIII</em> Best In Show</h2>
<p>When there's Thunder Magic, often there's also...</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lightning, Army of One"></div></div>
<p><a href="https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Lightning_(Final_Fantasy_XIII)">Lightning</a>! Namely, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning, Army of One" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning, Army of One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card is an amazing Aggro powerhouse, capable of defeating opponents quite easily. For just <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, you have a 3/2 that is capable of putting the hurt on opponents quickly and efficiently. She also facilitates even more damage with her ability to double the output of creatures that don't deal damage at the same time as, or before, Lightning. That's generally a lot faster than most creatures, so she's super reliable for this purpose.</p>
<p>It's also really neat that Lightning, Army of One synergizes nicely with Thunder Magic, a card she's depicted on. After hitting with Lightning, you can then cast Thunder Magic for any of its tiers. This can deal a heap of damage to something. It's amazingly strong!</p>
<p>With that, we conclude our entry on <em>Final Fantasy XIII</em>. Have you played this game before? How did you enjoy it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! And while awaiting our coverage of <em>FFXIV</em>, feel free to peruse our other entries in the Count-Up series below!</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-one-ffi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 1: <em>FFI</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-two-ffii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 2: <em>FFII</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-three-ffiii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 3: <em>FFIII</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-four-ffiv?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 4: <em>FFIV</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-five-ffv?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 5: <em>FFV</em></a></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-six-ffvi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Day 6: <em>FFVI</em></strong></a><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-seven-ffvii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 7: <em>FFVII</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eight-ffviii/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 8: </a><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eight-ffviii/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>FFVIII</em></a></strong><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-nine-ffix?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 9: <em>FFIX</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-ten-ffx/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 10: <em>FFX</em></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eleven-ffxi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 11: <em>FFXI</em></a></strong><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-twelve-ffxii">Day 12: <em>FFXII</em></a></strong></p>


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

The Best Final Fantasy Combo Cards for Commander

The Best New Cards for Minotaur Typal in Final Fantasy

Why Final Fantasy XV Cards Matter the Most

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


final fantasy