<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant" href="#" target="_blank">Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/lasahido" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lius Lasahido</a></em></p>
<p><em>Magic: The Gathering</em> is a game that truly contains multitudes. For every color, there's some means to gain card advantage, to summon enormous creatures, to exert control over the battlefield, and so on. Such is also the case with card recursion. It may be obvious, but black is the best color to resurrect creatures on the whole. However, that won't stop <em>Magic</em>'s most iconic reviving creature, the Phoenix, from doing it the most self-sufficiently. Interestingly, <em>Final Fantasy</em>, the upcoming <em>Universes Beyond</em> set, has given us a fantastic commander to lead a bunch of Phoenixes. As such, today's deck tech features <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant" href="#" target="_blank">Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> of <a href="https://na.finalfantasyxvi.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Final Fantasy XVI</em></a> fame, with a Bracket 2 Phoenix kindred theme!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant"></div></div>
<h2>What Does Joshua, Phoenix's Dominant Do?</h2>
<p>On its front face, this commander from <em>Final Fantasy XVI</em> is a card advantage generator. Joshua is a white-red legendary Human Noble Wizard for <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>. On entry, the Phoenix's Dominant allows you to discard up to two cards and draw that many back. He also has an activated ability 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-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> and tapping Joshua at sorcery-speed to transform him (via exile) into Phoenix, Warden of Fire.</p>
<p>Phoenix, Warden of Fire is where this commander gets <em>really</em> interesting. It's a Saga enchantment in addition to being a Phoenix creature. When each of the first two lore counters are put onto the Warden of Fire, it deals two damage to each opponent. Then, at its final lore addition, it reverts back into Joshua, but not before recurring up to six mana worth of creatures from your graveyard. When Joshua returns, his on-entry triggered ability will trigger once more. And so the cycle begins anew.</p>
<h3>Similar Commanders to Joshua</h3>
<p>As far as I can tell, only a handful of other commanders do anything remotely similar to Joshua. For one, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daretti, Scrap Savant" href="#" target="_blank">Daretti, Scrap Savant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does a neat imitation, albeit stymied by being a planeswalker card rather than a creature. Most other Boros commanders are even further from doing what Joshua can do. However, some, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hofri Ghostforge" href="#" target="_blank">Hofri Ghostforge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for instance, can play the recursion game relatively well.</p>
<p>The closest we're going to get with a Boros commander to this build is Otharri, Suns' Glory, which we'll cover later on, as it <em>is</em> in this deck list. It makes for a decent Phoenix kindred commander, but Joshua very possibly has Otharri beat.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Daretti, Scrap Savant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hofri Ghostforge"></div></div>
<h3>Joshua's Strategy</h3>
<p>Design-wise, Boros is a very conflicted color identity right now. The color pair wants either to innovate with recursive measures, which many players seem potentially wary of on a power-level basis, or it wants to be pure combat, which many players seem fairly tired of overall. Therefore, this deck will take hints from both ends of the Boros spectrum and add in a little extra flair.</p>
<p>This deck is a Phoenix kindred build, where we want to be attacking as often as possible with creatures that can recur themselves easily. We have the necessary means to make them cost much less than they normally would, as well as ways to buff them on the battlefield. Those who've played either with or against any kindred build know the typical gist of this.</p>
<p>Additionally, this deck boasts a sizeable <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sunforger" href="#" target="_blank">Sunforger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> package, which we'll get into when discussing specific card choices. Overall, we want this deck to play well at a Bracket 2, or "Core," table.</p>
<h2>Card Choices For This Joshua Deck</h2>
<p>This is a Phoenix kindred-themed build. As such, Phoenixes are core to our gameplay strategy. There is one other major concept we need to discuss as well, but let's start with the firebirds in question:</p>
<h3>Phoenixes - <em>Magic</em>'s "Kenny McCormick"</h3>
<p>Some Phoenixes I want to bring into this discussion are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skyfire Phoenix" href="#" target="_blank">Skyfire Phoenix</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Everquill Phoenix" href="#" target="_blank">Everquill Phoenix</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory" href="#" target="_blank">Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. They all have certain nuances about them and make for excellent cards to add to the deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skyfire Phoenix"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Everquill Phoenix"></div></div>
<p>Skyfire Phoenix is a great card to simply discard as soon as Joshua hits the battlefield. Unfortunately, it won't trigger off of Joshua's entry trigger. But whenever you cast Joshua during later plays, you can recur this Phoenix, giving you an additional flying, hasty body to smash into things.</p>
<p>Everquill Phoenix, like Joshua, is an excellent support card. When you get a chance to mutate it onto another creature, you'll be able to create a Feather token. You can sacrifice a Feather token to recur a Phoenix for just one mana. This recursion doesn't just apply to Everquill Phoenix! You can bring back <em>any</em> Phoenix from your graveyard with a Feather. In this way, Everquill is a fantastic choice to bring something back with a minimal amount of effort.</p>
<p>Otharri, Suns' Glory probably boasts the superlative for "most likely to be converted into a Joshua, Phoenix's Dominant deck." At the time of writing, Otharri and Joshua are probably the only real Boros Phoenix kindred commanders to hold any weight in the conversation. However, Otharri can only bring itself back, whereas Joshua can bring back any creature you want.</p>
<p>The commonality between these cards is their durability, tenacity, and ability to just resurrect for little effort. They are the "Kenny McCormick" (of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc2jdgA3f9Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>South Park</em></a> fame) of <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>, and I mean that in the most endearing way possible.</p>
<h3>Sunforger Package</h3>
<p>Now, let's look at some cards that form a strong <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sunforger" href="#" target="_blank">Sunforger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> package. Sunforger often needs a ton of build-around to make it work optimally. You can only cast instants with a mana value of four or less with the card, so we've added in a whopping <em>sixteen</em> cards that fit the bill in here.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sunforger"></div></div>
<p>Sunforger counts towards our Bracket 2 limit of three tutors. The other two, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Steelshaper&#039;s Gift" href="#" target="_blank">Steelshaper&#039;s Gift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Open the Armory" href="#" target="_blank">Open the Armory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, are in this deck almost exclusively to tutor up Sunforger itself. Efficiency is key, especially in a lower bracket.</p>
<p>Some of the stronger instants to cast with Sunforger are:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akroma&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Akroma&#039;s Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: This is an extremely versatile combat trick. You can safely use it to protect your creatures in all manner of ways. Alternatively, it can provide your creatures with additional offensive capabilities.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Master Warcraft" href="#" target="_blank">Master Warcraft</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: Another combat trick in Boros, Master Warcraft is one of my favorite combat manipulation spells. Being able to force players to attack and/or block how you wish them to can turn the tides of entire games very quickly. Sadly, on another player's turn, you can't choose how creatures attack. However, you can manipulate the flow of battle with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Island Sanctuary" href="#" target="_blank">Island Sanctuary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for an easier time on an opposing player's turn.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clever Concealment" href="#" target="_blank">Clever Concealment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: Sometimes your Phoenixes can't withstand a board wipe without a ton of necessary rebuilding afterwards. A strictly defensive option, Clever Concealment allows you to protect your creatures from so much removal in this game. Being able to skirt around mass-exile effects, or even board wipes that remove defenses like indestructible, can be massive. To that end, it's a fantastic card to cast via Sunforger.</li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Akroma&#039;s Will"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Master Warcraft"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clever Concealment"></div></div>
<p>Now that we've discussed the cards that should further our game plan, let's talk about how Joshua plans to win!</p>
<h2>Winning With Joshua</h2>
<p>The plan is remarkably simple for any Bracket over 2. This is a Bracket 2 deck, though, so let's keep this in mind as we discuss our plan for victory. Put plainly, we want to use this deck to overrun our opponents with an army of giant, flying, flaming birds. We want to protect them whenever we need to, but we also want to swing for the fences with reckless abandon. If one Phoenix falls, there is a means to bring it back safely. If many Phoenixes could fall, you have the methods to prevent that occurrence. Eventually, you'll be remarkably ahead on damage output, while your opponents will have exhausted their many resources trying to quell the firestorm.</p>
<h2>Joshua, Phoenix's Dominant Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant // Phoenix, Warden of Fire
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Adaptive Automaton
*1 Arclight Phoenix
*1 Brass Herald
*1 Codsworth, Handy Helper
*1 Detective&#039;s Phoenix
*1 Everquill Phoenix
*1 Flame-Wreathed Phoenix
*1 Flamewake Phoenix
*1 Glory
*1 Kuldotha Phoenix
*1 Lightning Phoenix
*1 Magma Phoenix
*1 Magus of the Moat
*1 Metallic Mimic
*1 Nemesis Phoenix
*1 Ornithopter of Paradise
*1 Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory
*1 Phoenix of Ash
*1 Pinnacle Monk // Mystic Peak
*1 Rekindling Phoenix
*1 Roaming Throne
*1 Skyfire Phoenix
*1 Summon: Esper Valigarmanda
*1 Weathered Wayfarer
*1 Witch Enchanter // Witch-Blessed Meadow
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Akroma&#039;s Will
*1 And They Shall Know No Fear
*1 Angel&#039;s Grace
*1 Boros Charm
*1 Clever Concealment
*1 Cloud&#039;s Limit Break
*1 Comeuppance
*1 Deflecting Palm
*1 Final Showdown
*1 Flawless Maneuver
*1 Master Warcraft
*1 Olórin&#039;s Searing Light
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Silence
*1 Stroke of Midnight
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Banner of Kinship
*1 Boros Signet
*1 Herald&#039;s Horn
*1 Isochron Scepter
*1 Lavaspur Boots
*1 Patchwork Banner
*1 Phoenix Down
*1 Power Conduit
*1 Progenitor&#039;s Icon
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Sunforger
*1 Sunglasses of Urza
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Talisman of Conviction
*1 Urza&#039;s Incubator
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Island Sanctuary
*1 Molten Echoes
*1 Reconnaissance
*1 Shared Animosity
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Open the Armory
*1 Steelshaper&#039;s Gift
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Arena of Glory
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Battlefield Forge
*1 Cavern of Souls
*1 Command Beacon
*1 Command Tower
*1 Elegant Parlor
*1 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
*1 Evolving Wilds
*8 Mountain
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Needleverge Pathway // Pillarverge Pathway
*10 Plains
*1 Prismatic Vista
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Secluded Courtyard
*1 Spectator Seating
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Three Tree City
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>When this commander got previewed, I was floored. I knew nothing about <em>Final Fantasy XVI</em>, but I knew there was a Joshua somewhere in the series canon. Joshua, being a Phoenix summoner, was kind of a big deal to me for very personal reasons. So, I decided that, for this deck tech of a character who shared my name, I'd lean into it in just as big a way.</p>
<p>If you're a fan of atypical kindred decks that you'd seldom see on a battlefield, this is a deck for you. Likewise, if you like the idea of a recursion strategy but can't fathom playing black, this deck is also a great potential fit. It's not the most powerful deck at your local game store's Commander night, to be frank, but it may be the most fun Bracket 2 deck you'll see there.</p>


Forging Rebirth With Joshua, Phoenix's Dominant

The Over/Under - Predicting the Popularity of Final Fantasy Precon Commanders

Scions &#038; Spellcraft Precon Guide - Final Fantasy

<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

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 />
<script id="4222-6566" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/embed.js?v=1&uses=%5B%22Yuna%2C%20Grand%20Summoner%22%2C%22Freed%20from%20the%20Real%22%5D&requires=%5B%5D&produces=%5B%22Infinite%20%2B1%2F%2B1%20counters%20on%20a%20creature%22%5D&id=4222-6566&color=GWU&extraRequirementCount=1"></script></div>
<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 />
<script id="1432-4513-6566" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/embed.js?v=1&uses=%5B%22Yuna%2C%20Grand%20Summoner%22%2C%22Ioreth%20of%20the%20Healing%20House%22%2C%22Saryth%2C%20the%20Viper's%20Fang%22%5D&requires=%5B%5D&produces=%5B%22Infinite%20%2B1%2F%2B1%20counters%20on%20a%20creature%22%5D&id=1432-4513-6566&color=GWU&extraRequirementCount=1"></script></div>
<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>


Yuna, Grand Summoner Optimized Commander Deck Tech

Celes, Rune Knight Commander Deck Tech

Limit Break Precon Guide - Final Fantasy

Revival Trance Precon Guide - Final Fantasy

<p style="text-align: right;"><em>Image credits: Wizards of the Coast &amp; Square Enix</em></p>
<p>On Monday, May 12th, <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> revealed all four of the <em>Final Fantasy</em> precon decklists for Commander. The four decks are fairly interesting, from the new cards to their reprints, all printed in an in-universe theme. But what cards are particularly powerful in these decks? What reprints make these decks worth getting? Read on, and we'll help with that.</p>
<h2><em>Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy</em>'s New Commander Cards</h2>
<p>To kick this off, there are a few things you'll need to know. First off, there are four distinct Commander precons in this release. These have an MSRP of $69.99. However, there is also a set of "Collector's Edition" precons, each of which has an MSRP of $149.99. These collector items are the same as the standard-issue precons, just with a fully foiled-out deck. They're also likely to be extremely sought-after and hard to find, and when they're bought out, resellers may sell them at inflated markups.</p>
<p>However, it's not our purview to discuss markups. You came here to read up on the precons themselves, and so that's what we will talk about from here on!</p>
<h2>The Decks</h2>
<p>The four <em>Final Fantasy</em> preconstructed decks each represent one of four games from the mainline 16-game series. Let's go over each!</p>
<h3>Revival Trance</h3>
<p><a href="https://archidekt.com/decks/13106730/revival_trance_final_fantasy_commander"><em>Revival Trance</em></a> is a white-black-red deck that represents <em>FFVI</em>. It runs a reanimation strategy seeking to fill your graveyard while reaping value from it. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terra, Herald of Hope" href="#" target="_blank">Terra, Herald of Hope</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the face commander of <em>Revival Trance</em>, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Celes, Rune Knight" href="#" target="_blank">Celes, Rune Knight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is its featured commander (or backup commander, though <em>Wizards</em> now uses this new nomenclature).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Revival Trance - Final Fantasy Commander" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Terra, Herald of Hope
[/Commander]
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Battlefield Forge
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Demolition Field
*1 Desolate Mire
*1 Dragonskull Summit
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Fetid Heath
*1 Foreboding Ruins
*1 Furycalm Snarl
*1 Geothermal Bog
*1 Graven Cairns
*1 High Market
*1 Isolated Chapel
*3 Mountain
*1 Nomad Outpost
*1 Path of Ancestry
*4 Plains
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Rugged Prairie
*1 Sacred Peaks
*1 Shadowblood Ridge
*1 Shineshadow Snarl
*1 Smoldering Marsh
*1 Sulfurous Springs
*1 Sunlit Marsh
*1 Sunscorched Divide
*3 Swamp
[/Lands]
[Creatures]
*1 Angel of the Ruins
*1 Anger
*1 Archfiend of Depravity
*1 Banon, the Returners&#039; Leader
*1 Celes, Rune Knight
*1 Combustible Gearhulk
*1 Cyan, Vengeful Samurai
*1 Edgar, Master Machinist
*1 Flayer of the Hatebound
*1 Gau, Feral Youth
*1 General Leo Cristophe
*1 Gogo, Mysterious Mime
*1 Interceptor, Shadow&#039;s Hound
*1 Kefka, Dancing Mad
*1 Locke, Treasure Hunter
*1 Meteor Golem
*1 Millikin
*1 Mog, Moogle Warrior
*1 Morbid Opportunist
*1 Palace Jailer
*1 Pitiless Plunderer
*1 Priest of Fell Rites
*1 Ruin Grinder
*1 Sabin, Master Monk
*1 Sepulchral Primordial
*1 Setzer, Wandering Gambler
*1 Shadow, Mysterious Assassin
*1 Siegfried, Famed Swordsman
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Stitcher&#039;s Supplier
*1 Strago and Relm
*1 Summon: Esper Valigarmanda
*1 Sun Titan
*1 The Warring Triad
*1 Umaro, Raging Yeti
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Bedevil
*1 Big Score
*1 Crackling Doom
*1 Espers to Magicite
*1 Laughing Mad
*1 Mortify
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Coin of Fate
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Key to the City
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Phoenix Down
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Talisman of Conviction
*1 Talisman of Indulgence
*1 The Falcon, Airship Restored
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Legions to Ashes
*1 Night&#039;s Whisper
*1 Reanimate
*1 Rejoin the Fight
*1 Rise of the Dark Realms
*1 Ruinous Ultimatum
*1 Snort
*1 Stitch Together
*1 Tragic Arrogance
[/Sorceries]"></span></div>
<h3>Limit Break</h3>
<p><a href="https://archidekt.com/decks/13106990/limit_break_final_fantasy_commander"><em>Limit Break</em></a> is a white-red-green deck representing <em>FFVII</em>. It focuses on "go-tall" strategies to put Equipment on your creatures to get them to at least seven power. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, ex-SOLDIER" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, ex-SOLDIER</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is its face commander, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tifa, Martial Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Tifa, Martial Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is its featured commander.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Limit Break - Final Fantasy Commander" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Aerith, Last Ancient
*1 Armory Automaton
*1 Avalanche of Sector 7
*1 Barret Wallace
*1 Barret, Avalanche Leader
*1 Bastion Protector
*1 Bronze Guardian
*1 Bugenhagen, Wise Elder
*1 Cait Sith, Fortune Teller
*1 Cid, Freeflier Pilot
*1 Elena, Turk Recruit
*1 Heidegger, Shinra Executive
*1 Helitrooper
*1 Hellkite Tyrant
*1 Professional Face-Breaker
*1 Professor Hojo
*1 Puresteel Paladin
*1 Red XIII, Proud Warrior
*1 Sephiroth, Fallen Hero
*1 Summon: Kujata
*1 Tifa, Martial Artist
*1 Vincent, Vengeful Atoner
*1 Yuffie, Materia Hunter
*1 Zack Fair
[/Creatures]
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Battlefield Forge
*1 Bonders&#039; Enclave
*1 Brushland
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Fire-Lit Thicket
*3 Forest
*1 Fortified Village
*1 Furycalm Snarl
*1 Game Trail
*1 Jungle Shrine
*1 Mossfire Valley
*3 Mountain
*1 Path of Ancestry
*3 Plains
*1 Radiant Grove
*1 Rootbound Crag
*1 Rugged Prairie
*1 Sacred Peaks
*1 Scavenger Grounds
*1 Slayers&#039; Stronghold
*1 Spire of Industry
*1 Sungrass Prairie
*1 Sunpetal Grove
*1 Sunscorched Divide
*1 Wooded Ridgeline
[/Lands]
[Sorceries]
*1 Austere Command
*1 Cultivate
*1 Decimate
*1 Harmonize
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Secret Rendezvous
*1 Ultimate Magic: Meteor
*1 Unfinished Business
*1 Vandalblast
*1 Vanquish the Horde
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Behemoth Sledge
*1 Champion&#039;s Helm
*1 Colossus Hammer
*1 Conformer Shuriken
*1 Conqueror&#039;s Flail
*1 Darksteel Plate
*1 Explorer&#039;s Scope
*1 Hero&#039;s Blade
*1 Hero&#039;s Heirloom
*1 Inspiring Statuary
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mask of Memory
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Summoning Materia
*1 Sword of the Animist
*1 Trailblazer&#039;s Boots
*1 Wrecking Ball Arm
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Clever Concealment
*1 Cloud&#039;s Limit Break
*1 Dispatch
*1 Lifestream&#039;s Blessing
*1 Ultimate Magic: Holy
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Furious Rise
*1 SOLDIER Military Program
[/Enchantments]"></span></div>
<h3>Counter Blitz</h3>
<p><a href="https://archidekt.com/decks/13107079/counter_blitz_final_fantasy_commander"><em>Counter Blitz</em></a> is a white-blue-green deck that features the characters and story of <em>FFX</em>. This deck wants to put counters on permanents, then move those counters around for value. The face commander of is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tidus, Yuna&#039;s Guardian" href="#" target="_blank">Tidus, Yuna&#039;s Guardian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, while its featured commander is <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__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Counter Blitz - Final Fantasy Commander" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Tidus, Yuna&#039;s Guardian
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Altered Ego
*1 Auron, Venerated Guardian
*1 Bane of Progress
*1 Chasm Skulker
*1 Chocobo Knights
*1 Duskshell Crawler
*1 Fathom Mage
*1 Forgotten Ancient
*1 Gatta and Luzzu
*1 Generous Patron
*1 Grateful Apparition
*1 Gyre Sage
*1 Incubation Druid
*1 Kimahri, Valiant Guardian
*1 Lord Jyscal Guado
*1 Lulu, Stern Guardian
*1 Luminous Broodmoth
*1 Maester Seymour
*1 O&#039;aka, Traveling Merchant
*1 Rampant Rejuvenator
*1 Rikku, Resourceful Guardian
*1 Scholar of New Horizons
*1 Shelinda, Yevon Acolyte
*1 Sin, Unending Cataclysm
*1 Summon: Ixion
*1 Summon: Magus Sisters
*1 Summon: Valefor
*1 Summon: Yojimbo
*1 Sunscorch Regent
*1 Tireless Tracker
*1 Tromell, Seymour&#039;s Butler
*1 Wakka, Devoted Guardian
*1 Walking Ballista
*1 Yuna, Grand Summoner
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse
*1 Destroy Evil
*1 Endless Detour
*1 Inspiring Call
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Protection Magic
*1 Pull from Tomorrow
*1 Yuna&#039;s Whistle
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Blitzball Stadium
*1 Everflowing Chalice
*1 Sol Ring
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Brushland
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Flooded Grove
*3 Forest
*1 Forge of Heroes
*1 Fortified Village
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*1 Idyllic Beachfront
*3 Island
*1 Nesting Grounds
*1 Overflowing Basin
*1 Path of Ancestry
*3 Plains
*1 Port Town
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Radiant Grove
*1 Seaside Citadel
*1 Skycloud Expanse
*1 Sungrass Prairie
*1 Sunpetal Grove
*1 Tangled Islet
*1 Temple of Enlightenment
*1 Temple of Mystery
*1 Temple of Plenty
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Vineglimmer Snarl
[/Lands]
[Enchantments]
*1 Bred for the Hunt
*1 Fight Rigging
*1 Hardened Scales
*1 Inexorable Tide
*1 Path of Discovery
*1 Resourceful Defense
*1 Sphere Grid
*1 Summoner&#039;s Sending
*1 Together Forever
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Collective Effort
*1 Damning Verdict
*1 Farewell
*1 Farseek
*1 Promise of Loyalty
*1 Three Visits
*1 Yuna&#039;s Decision
[/Sorceries]"></span></div>
<h3>Scions &amp; Spellcraft</h3>
<p><a href="https://archidekt.com/decks/13107116/scions_spellcraft_final_fantasy_commander"><em>Scions &amp; Spellcraft</em></a> is the final deck in the release. It's a white-blue-black deck that revolves around <em>FFXIV</em>. This deck has a small legendary theme, but overall wants to act as a control-archetype deck that capitalizes on noncreature spells. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is its face commander, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="G&#039;raha Tia, Scion Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">G&#039;raha Tia, Scion Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the featured commander.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Scions &amp; Spellcraft - Final Fantasy Commander" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Archaeomancer&#039;s Map
*1 Astrologian&#039;s Planisphere
*1 Blue Mage&#039;s Cane
*1 Coveted Jewel
*1 Dancer&#039;s Chakrams
*1 Reaper&#039;s Scythe
*1 Relic of Legends
*1 Sage&#039;s Nouliths
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Dominance
*1 Talisman of Hierarchy
*1 Talisman of Progress
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Tome of Legends
*1 White Auracite
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Alisaie Leveilleur
*1 Alphinaud Leveilleur
*1 Archmage Emeritus
*1 Ardbert, Warrior of Darkness
*1 Baleful Strix
*1 Emet-Selch of the Third Seat
*1 Estinien Varlineau
*1 Fandaniel, Telophoroi Ascian
*1 G&#039;raha Tia, Scion Reborn
*1 Hermes, Overseer of Elpis
*1 Hildibrand Manderville // Gentleman&#039;s Rise
*1 Hraesvelgr of the First Brood
*1 Hypnotic Sprite // Mesmeric Glare
*1 Krile Baldesion
*1 Lyse Hext
*1 Murderous Rider // Swift End
*1 Papalymo Totolymo
*1 Summon: Good King Mog XII
*1 Tataru Taru
*1 Thancred Waters
*1 Torrential Gearhulk
*1 Urianger Augurelt
[/Creatures]
[Lands]
*1 Arcane Sanctum
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Choked Estuary
*1 Command Tower
*1 Contaminated Aquifer
*1 Darkwater Catacombs
*1 Demolition Field
*1 Desolate Mire
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Fetid Heath
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Idyllic Beachfront
*3 Island
*1 Isolated Chapel
*1 Path of Ancestry
*4 Plains
*1 Port Town
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Scavenger Grounds
*1 Shineshadow Snarl
*1 Skycloud Expanse
*1 Sunken Hollow
*1 Sunken Ruins
*1 Sunlit Marsh
*4 Swamp
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Underground River
[/Lands]
[Enchantments]
*1 Authority of the Consuls
*1 Bastion of Remembrance
*1 Champions from Beyond
*1 Eye of Nidhogg
*1 Observed Stasis
*1 Propaganda
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Circle of Power
*1 Cleansing Nova
*1 Crux of Fate
*1 Cut a Deal
*1 Exsanguinate
*1 Final Judgment
*1 Lingering Souls
*1 Rite of Replication
*1 Syphon Mind
*1 Vindicate
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Dig Through Time
*1 Into the Story
*1 Lethal Scheme
*1 Snuff Out
*1 Sublime Epiphany
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Transpose
*1 Void Rend
[/Instants]"></span></div>
<h2>The Best Cards In the Decks</h2>
<p>So, beyond what we've already mentioned, we're going to give players a bit of breathing room regarding newly printed cards from <em>Final Fantasy</em>. The new cards in this release will likely find their place in Commander. However, they're still super fresh, and players will very possibly want to figure out a means to give these cards a home in their decks.</p>
<p>On the flipside, very notably, there are a slew of high-end reprints in these decks, and that's what might be worth talking about at this time.</p>
<p>Some of the stronger reprints in these Commander decks include:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rise of the Dark Realms" href="#" target="_blank">Rise of the Dark Realms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (Revival Trance)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ruinous Ultimatum" href="#" target="_blank">Ruinous Ultimatum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (Revival Trance)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bastion Protector" href="#" target="_blank">Bastion Protector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (Limit Break)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Champion&#039;s Helm" href="#" target="_blank">Champion&#039;s Helm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (Limit Break)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conqueror&#039;s Flail" href="#" target="_blank">Conqueror&#039;s Flail</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (Limit Break)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clever Concealment" href="#" target="_blank">Clever Concealment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (Limit Break)</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_152432" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/clever-concealment.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-152432" class="wp-image-152432" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/clever-concealment.jpeg" alt="Clever Concealment, from the &quot;Limit Break&quot; Final Fantasy Commander deck. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="400" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/clever-concealment.jpeg 744w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/clever-concealment-215x300.jpeg 215w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/clever-concealment-733x1024.jpeg 733w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-152432" class="wp-caption-text">Clever Concealment, from the <em>Limit Break</em> <em>Final Fantasy</em> Commander deck. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Generous Patron" href="#" target="_blank">Generous Patron</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (Counter Blitz)</li>
<li><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> (Counter Blitz)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sublime Epiphany" href="#" target="_blank">Sublime Epiphany</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (Scions &amp; Spellcraft)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snuff Out" href="#" target="_blank">Snuff Out</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (Scions &amp; Spellcraft)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Final Judgment" href="#" target="_blank">Final Judgment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (Scions &amp; Spellcraft)</li>
</ul>
<p>Overall, reprint playability appears to be pretty widespread among the different precons, but in terms of value, Limit Break has this in spades.</p>
<p>All in all, the decks each have something of value to them. Whether you're a reanimator fan, a Voltron aficionado, or a control player, these decks are pretty awesome and have something for pretty much anyone. <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/final-fantasy-commander-decklists" target="_blank" rel="noopener">You can find those decklists here.</a></p>
<p>But let's hear what you think. Do you like these precons? Do you think the decks are interesting? And perhaps more importantly, do they capture the spirit of their respective games, and <em>Final Fantasy</em> on the whole? Sound off below! And stay tuned for our full Precon Guides for these decks, coming soon.</p>


mtgfic