<p style="text-align: right;"><em><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> | Illustrated by <a href="https://www.yoshitakaamano.com/">Yoshitaka Amano</a></em></p>
<p>When someone asks an expert in the <em>Final Fantasy</em> series about its most detestable villain, Kefka Palazzo will often come to mind. After all, Kefka has committed a vast multitude of crimes that, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YJgM16uaq0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to paraphrase another RPG clown</a>, would make the Geneva Convention look more like "Geneva Suggestions." The role of Court Mage of the Gestahlian Empire and, later, as the God of Magic are, understandably, extremely oppressive titles to hold. Kefka achieves his goals with aplomb and fanfare, often to the chagrin of the protagonists of <em>Final Fantasy VI</em>.</p>
<p>Therefore, it may come as no surprise that this deck tech is almost certain to bring pain and despair to many a table. <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> (and its rear face, Kefka, Ruler of Ruin) is extremely powerful as a commander. This commander wants to do multiple different things, but in a way that allows us to seamlessly pivot from one task to another as needed. By no means is this deck ever <em>not</em> going to be a "group slug" build; the deck wants to oppress the table at every turn. But, at the same time, you ought to have a little fun doing it, right? It's exactly what Lord Kefka would want.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kefka, Court Mage"></div></div>
<h2>What Does Kefka, Court Mage Do?</h2>
<p>Kefka, Court Mage is a legendary Human Wizard. His stats are relatively innocuous for his cost. He's a 4/5 for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, which isn't much to shout about. However, it's his abilities that allow Kefka to shine. On entry and whenever Kefka, Court Mage attacks, each player discards a card, then you get to draw a card for each card type among the discarded cards. For emphasis, this doesn't include subtypes or supertypes, but you'll often draw at least two cards with each resolution of this ability. Such is the way of forced discard!</p>
<p>To transform Kefka into his Ruler of Ruin iteration, you must pay a hefty eight generic mana. However, in addition to transforming Kefka, the ability also forces each opponent to sacrifice a permanent. This could be something as innocuous as a token or as impactful as a land, but that's at the whims of your opponents. Even so, ruination comes forth!</p>
<p>Kefka's rear face, the Ruler of Ruin, is a 5/7 with flying. He's now on rate, even considerably better, for his five-mana cost, but those stats don't make him worth eight. However, his triggered ability, which reads "Whenever an opponent loses life during your turn, you draw that many cards," fully makes up for this.</p>
<h3>A Contrapositive Nekusar?</h3>
<p>At the point where you read the front face of Kefka, you may be thinking to yourself, "This clown seems a <em>lot</em> like <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/nekusar-the-mindrazer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nekusar, the Mindrazer</a>!" And to that, I fully agree with you. After all, Kefka also draws you cards, and is built to cater to group slug strategies. But there's something slightly off about this line of thought. To that end, I say Kefka, Court Mage is a contrapositive to Nekusar. By that, I mean they affirmatively complement each other, but are still very different. You <em>could</em> always group them into the same deck, but to achieve similar results, it's actually not necessary.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nekusar, the Mindrazer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arjun, the Shifting Flame"></div></div>
<p>When you pivot over to Kefka, Ruler of Ruin, the commander that ensues does a good job at imitating <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/arjun-the-shifting-flame" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arjun, the Shifting Flame</a>. To an even slightly careless Arjun pilot, one slip-up might spell the difference between drawing your deck and winning, or drawing your deck and losing. The same is true of Kefka, Ruler of Ruin, except we have more fail-safe options to mitigate that possibility. Namely, we have the addition of sacrifice outlets to help us in case Kefka goes a little too mad with draw power. This deck tech doesn't utilize many black sacrifice outlets, but know that you <em>can</em>, and it might make a difference for you.</p>
<h3>Plans Befitting Ruination</h3>
<p>This deck tech will showcase a "group slug" strategy, as mentioned previously. This means affecting opponents in a relatively equal, very net-negative manner. This will be achieved through group discard and punishing card draw for opponents. Additionally, we'll utilize a plethora of triggered abilities that proc off of either draw or self-discard. Finally, when we transform Kefka into his Ruler of Ruin face, we'll aim to win by maximizing the extent of our triggers off card draw.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for Kefka, Court Mage</h2>
<p>A few cards make this deck tick exceptionally well. These cards can be divided into three groups:</p>
<h3>#1. Fail-Safes</h3>
<p>Before we get into the fun parts of running this deck, we need to discuss the fail-safes to keep you from losing by your own (literal) hand. Very often, you may find yourself in a situation where you're about to draw too many cards all at once. This is typically a bad situation, but it can be salvaged! For one, we run instant-speed enablers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Leyline of Anticipation" href="#" target="_blank">Leyline of Anticipation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="High Fae Trickster" href="#" target="_blank">High Fae Trickster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to ensure we can fix things quickly if they were to go awry.</p>
<p>The solutions themselves include sacrifice outlets, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashnod&#039;s Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Ashnod&#039;s Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dimir House Guard" href="#" target="_blank">Dimir House Guard</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, in case we need to remove Kefka from the field. They also include cards that halt draw in some fashion, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obstinate Familiar" href="#" target="_blank">Obstinate Familiar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Words of Waste" href="#" target="_blank">Words of Waste</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Finally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ormos, Archive Keeper" href="#" target="_blank">Ormos, Archive Keeper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does a really good job of accruing +1/+1 counters instead of drawing in the worst case scenario - an empty library.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Obstinate Familiar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dimir House Guard"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ormos, Archive Keeper"></div></div>
<h3>#2. Card Draw Payoffs</h3>
<p>There are plenty of cards in this deck that pay off from drawing cards. For example, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Locust God" href="#" target="_blank">The Locust God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes a ton of Insect tokens with haste with even one Kefka, Court Mage trigger. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sphinx&#039;s Tutelage" href="#" target="_blank">Sphinx&#039;s Tutelage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could mill a player out quite handily in here if you've transformed Kefka. And, quite notably, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Psychosis Crawler" href="#" target="_blank">Psychosis Crawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Starving Revenant" href="#" target="_blank">Starving Revenant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> imitate the old <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind" href="#" target="_blank">Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-plus-<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curiosity" href="#" target="_blank">Curiosity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> combo with Ruler of Ruin on the battlefield.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Starving Revenant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sphinx&#039;s Tutelage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Locust God"></div></div>
<h3>#3. Discard Payoffs</h3>
<p>This deck runs various ways to profit off of discard. This applies to opponents' discard, sure, but also self discard. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Waste Not" href="#" target="_blank">Waste Not</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bone Miser" href="#" target="_blank">Bone Miser</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> work to create versatile and worthwhile situations. Through these scenarios, your opponents will ultimately suffer more than you. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archfiend of Ifnir" href="#" target="_blank">Archfiend of Ifnir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a straight-up one-sided board wipe if you can freely discard enough cards. And don't even get me started on the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Megrim" href="#" target="_blank">Megrim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-style effects in this deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bone Miser"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tergrid, God of Fright"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Waste Not"></div></div>
<p>But special attention should be paid to the key reason this deck is Bracket 3 in letter as well as intent. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tergrid, God of Fright" href="#" target="_blank">Tergrid, God of Fright</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a seriously intimidating card. It will do you absolutely no favors with how oppressive the card is. If you wish to tone the deck down at all, this should feasibly be the first card to consider cutting.</p>
<h2>How Does Kefka, Court Mage Win?</h2>
<p>Kefka, Court Mage wins a typical Commander game in a variety of different ways. One more apparent way is through <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Laboratory Maniac" href="#" target="_blank">Laboratory Maniac</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Lab Man is a tried and true method of winning, and it isn't a bad one here. It also doesn't hurt that it can eat spot removal when you can use another method of winning.</p>
<p>Another method to win the game includes using Kefka, Ruler of Ruin to combo with Psychosis Crawler or Starving Revenant. This is a less effective means to win as it requires far more math, especially via Psychosis Crawler. The trajectory goes like this: with Kefka, Ruler of Ruin and Psychosis Crawler in play, when you draw a single card, each opponent loses one life. In a three-opponent game, that means you draw three cards. Psychosis Crawler causes your opponents to each lose three life, for nine life lost in total. You draw nine cards. They each lose nine life. You draw 27. If the next instance of 27 life lost can't defeat them all, you'd best have Ormos or a Lab Man handy. Starving Revenant does similarly, but on a 1-to-1 level of lifeless to draw as opposed to exponential degrees.</p>
<p>But overall, there are plenty of other means with which to win the game. This includes punisher effects and the potential for a go-wide strategy as well. The possibilities are endless!</p>
<h2>Kefka, Court Mage Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Kefka, Court Mage" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Kefka, Court Mage // Kefka, Ruler of Ruin
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Talisman of Creativity
*1 Talisman of Dominance
*1 Talisman of Indulgence
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Bedevil
*1 Fell the Profane // Fell Mire
*1 Forbid
*1 Malakir Rebirth // Malakir Mire
*1 Pongify
*1 Rakdos Charm
*1 Rapid Hybridization
*1 Slip Out the Back
*1 Withering Torment
[/Instants]
[Creatures]
*1 Archfiend of Ifnir
*1 Baleful Strix
*1 Bone Miser
*1 Captain Howler, Sea Scourge
*1 Chainer, Nightmare Adept
*1 Davros, Dalek Creator
*1 Dimir House Guard
*1 Fate Unraveler
*1 Glint-Horn Buccaneer
*1 High Fae Trickster
*1 Kederekt Parasite
*1 Laboratory Maniac
*1 Magus of the Jar
*1 Molten Gatekeeper
*1 Nightscape Familiar
*1 Obstinate Familiar
*1 Ormos, Archive Keeper
*1 Psychosis Crawler
*1 Razorkin Needlehead
*1 Sangromancer
*1 Scrawling Crawler
*1 Screaming Nemesis
*1 Starving Revenant
*1 Tergrid, God of Fright // Tergrid&#039;s Lantern
*1 The Locust God
*1 Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls
*1 Warren Soultrader
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Leyline of Anticipation
*1 Liliana&#039;s Caress
*1 Megrim
*1 Sphinx&#039;s Tutelage
*1 Teferi&#039;s Ageless Insight
*1 Teferi&#039;s Tutelage
*1 Waste Not
*1 Words of Waste
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Dark Deal
*1 Demonic Counsel
*1 Disrupt Decorum
*1 Ringsight
*1 Vandalblast
*1 Whispering Madness
*1 Windfall
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Blightstep Pathway // Searstep Pathway
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Clearwater Pathway // Murkwater Pathway
*1 Command Tower
*1 Crosis&#039;s Catacombs
*1 Crumbling Necropolis
*1 Drossforge Bridge
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Great Furnace
*1 Haunted Ridge
*1 Homeward Path
*2 Island
*1 Mistvault Bridge
*1 Mountain
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Raucous Theater
*1 Riverglide Pathway // Lavaglide Pathway
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Seat of the Synod
*1 Shipwreck Marsh
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Silverbluff Bridge
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sulfurous Springs
*2 Swamp
*1 Thundering Falls
*1 Undercity Sewers
*1 Underground River
*1 Valgavoth&#039;s Lair
*1 Vault of Whispers
*1 Watery Grave
*1 Xander&#039;s Lounge
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>The End Comes, Beyond Chaos</h2>
<p>This deck is, in a couple of words, certifiably evil. This is befitting of the good (read: despicable) name of Kefka Palazzo. It provides all manner of strong synergies with draw and discard effects. It's also readily able to pivot strategies to full-send draw payoffs as needed. Much like Kefka himself, this deck is sure to drive your opponents entirely up the wall, each scrambling in many ways to handle their inevitable collective demise. Just don't go dancing mad with too much power, or you'll fall to ruination yourself.</p>
<p>Finally, I hope you liked this deck tech and its diabolical fool of a commander. If you did, consider playing <a href="https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Final_Fantasy_VI" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Final Fantasy VI</em></a> for yourself. It's an expansive title and does amazing things for the series at large.</p>


Group-Slugging With Kefka, Court Mage

A PAX East Interview with Gavin Verhey and the Final Fantasy MTG Design Team

Final Fantasy: PAX East's Preview Debut, Recapped

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</h6>
<p>On Friday, May 9th, social media outlets for <em>Final Fantasy</em> revealed a handful of cards in advance of the PAX East preview event. The cards previewed are a <em>FFXIV</em>-themed reprint of <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> and the set's iteration of Y'shtola Rhul. Notably, Y'shtola is also a character from <em>FFXIV</em>, who serves as the face commander for one of the precons. Furthermore, this marks a major return for Dark Confidant into the Standard format. But who are these cards representing, and what makes these cards important? Read on and find out!</p>
<h2>Y'shtola Rhul</h2>
<p>Known as "Night's Blessed" and a member of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, Y'shtola Rhul is a Miqo'te who is part of the party roster in <em>Final Fantasy</em> <em>XIV</em>. She claims to be 23, but the timelines don't add up in her story. Her life and personality is equally mysterious, with wisdom beyond her years. Y'shtola is a conjurer character with a collected demeanor abut very little patience for disrespect.</p>
<div id="attachment_152172" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Yshtola-Rhul.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-152172" class="wp-image-152172" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Yshtola-Rhul.png" alt="Y'shtola Rhul, a new card from the main set of Final Fantasy. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="400" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Yshtola-Rhul.png 600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Yshtola-Rhul-215x300.png 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-152172" class="wp-caption-text">Y'shtola Rhul, a new card from the main set of <em>Final Fantasy</em>. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<p>In <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>'s context, Y'shtola Rhul is great at flickering your cards into and out of exile, and getting additional effects off of them entering or leaving the battlefield. She can also double your abilities that trigger on your end step. The flicker effect lends itself well to many different creatures' assets, including <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peregrine Drake" href="#" target="_blank">Peregrine Drake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Frost Titan" href="#" target="_blank">Frost Titan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mulldrifter" href="#" target="_blank">Mulldrifter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, to name but a few. Naturally, when Y'shtola generates a second end step for you, you can flicker a creature once more! The potential for absurd plays is very present here.</p>
<h2>Dark Confidant, <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>-Style</h2>
<p>According to those in the know, the reprint of Dark Confidant in a style befitting <em>FFXIV</em> is in the form of an Ascian. According to the official <a href="https://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/a_realm_reborn/world/#!/threats/content?threats_08"><em>FFXIV</em></a> website, this is how they describe one of these figures:</p>
<blockquote><p>Known also as "Paragons," these malevolent, black-robed figures sow the seeds of conflict across the lands of Eorzea. Just as their faces are concealed by sinister masks, the true motives of the Ascians remain obscured behind veils of secrecy and terror.</p></blockquote>
<p>Spooky, to be sure!</p>
<div id="attachment_152173" style="width: 275px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Dark-Confidant-main.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-152173" class="wp-image-152173 size-full" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Dark-Confidant-main.png" alt="Dark Confidant, a reprinted card from Final Fantasy. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="265" height="370" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Dark-Confidant-main.png 265w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Dark-Confidant-main-215x300.png 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 265px) 100vw, 265px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-152173" class="wp-caption-text">Dark Confidant, a reprinted card from <em>Final Fantasy</em>. Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<p>What's even spookier is that this card was an absolute <em>terror</em> in Standard. This card, affectionately known as "Bob" after <em>Magic</em> Invitational winner <strong>Bob Maher</strong> (whose likeness was used for the original illustration), wreaked havoc on <em>Ravnica: City of Guilds</em>-era Standard. What horrors will it portent here when <em>Final Fantasy</em> releases on June 13th? Time will tell.</p>
<p>But now, we open the floor to you, dear readers. Are you excited about these newly revealed <em>Final Fantasy</em> cards? Would you play Standard with Bob running around again? Sound off below!</p>


Final Fantasy Social Media Reveals Y'shtola Rhul And More

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: PAX East</h6>
<p>On Saturday, May 10th, the <em>Final Fantasy</em> preview season officially kicks off! Notably, a preview panel at PAX East in Boston, Massachusetts, showcases the first round of previews for the new Universes Beyond set. As such, we will recap it as the cards begin to roll in. You can find this stream on <a href="http://twitch.tv/magic"><em>Magic</em>'s Twitch channel</a> between noon and 2 pm Eastern time. But what do we expect to see when the panel gets underway? Read on!</p>
<h2>What <em>Final Fantasy</em> Previews Will We See?</h2>
<p>At this time, PAX East is already well underway. In fact, one of our writers, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/cooper-gottfried"><strong>Cooper Gottfried</strong></a>, is already on the scene.</p>
<p>Images from the convention have already begun to circulate around social media. We have seen oversized teasers of cards featuring <em>Final Fantasy</em> characters, both beloved and notorious alike. We have even seen images of a Chocobo wearing costuming that resembles <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chandra Nalaar" href="#" target="_blank">Chandra Nalaar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s clothing. Truly, the collaboration is now in full swing.</p>
<div id="attachment_152160" style="width: 429px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/chocobo-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-152160" class="wp-image-152160" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/chocobo-scaled.jpg" alt="The statue of &quot;Chocobo, Awakened Inferno&quot; from the play area of PAX East. Photo credit: Cooper Gottfried" width="419" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/chocobo-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/chocobo-225x300.jpg 225w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/chocobo-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/chocobo-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/chocobo-1536x2048.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 419px) 100vw, 419px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-152160" class="wp-caption-text">The statue of "Chocobo, Awakened Inferno" from the play area of PAX East. Photo credit: <strong>Cooper Gottfried</strong></p></div>
<p>As for the question posed above, you'll have to wait for tomorrow's panel to get a first look at the cards previewed therein. Alternatively, we will have a panel recap ready for you tomorrow after 2 pm as well. Stay tuned for this development!</p>
<div id="attachment_152127" style="width: 755px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Cloud-Midgar-Mercenary-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-152127" class="wp-image-152127" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Cloud-Midgar-Mercenary-scaled.jpg" alt="A teaser of Cloud, Midgar Mercenary, a card from the upcoming Final Fantasy set. Photo credit: Cooper Gottfried" width="745" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Cloud-Midgar-Mercenary-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Cloud-Midgar-Mercenary-300x225.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Cloud-Midgar-Mercenary-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Cloud-Midgar-Mercenary-768x577.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Cloud-Midgar-Mercenary-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Cloud-Midgar-Mercenary-2048x1538.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 745px) 100vw, 745px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-152127" class="wp-caption-text">A teaser of Cloud, Midgar Mercenary, a card from the upcoming <em>Final Fantasy</em> set. Photo credit: Cooper Gottfried</p></div>
<div id="attachment_152128" style="width: 755px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Tifa-Lockhart-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-152128" class="wp-image-152128" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Tifa-Lockhart-scaled.jpg" alt="A teaser of Tifa Lockhart, a card from the upcoming Final Fantasy set. Photo credit: Cooper Gottfried" width="745" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Tifa-Lockhart-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Tifa-Lockhart-300x225.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Tifa-Lockhart-1024x769.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Tifa-Lockhart-768x577.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Tifa-Lockhart-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Tifa-Lockhart-2048x1538.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 745px) 100vw, 745px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-152128" class="wp-caption-text">A teaser of Tifa Lockhart, a card from the upcoming <em>Final Fantasy</em> set. Photo credit: Cooper Gottfried</p></div>
<h2>More Previews Coming Soon</h2>
<p>As this is only the start of the <em>Final Fantasy</em> preview season, expect to see more and more reveals pop up in various places <em>after</em> PAX East as well. We are so excited that we can hardly contain ourselves, but contain ourselves we must. All things come to those who wait, dear readers. All in good time.</p>
<p>But in the coming hours leading up to the <em>Final Fantasy</em> panel, we'd love to hear from you. What are you most anticipating from the panel? What previews are you most excited about? And how about that darling red Chocobo? Feel free to let us know how you're feeling about all of tomorrow's upcoming excitement in the comments below!</p>


Final Fantasy Panel Livestreams May 10th At PAX East

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credits: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</h6>
<p>On the evening of Thursday, May 8th, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FinalFantasy/posts/pfbid02T3VmsH45Nimu25H198i2wFv1t9DzafUQKwTcPvobfVXNCsSrhHtiJXyqcLVZ4e12l">the official Facebook account for <em>Final Fantasy</em></a> revealed the remaining two alternative commanders for their Commander precons. Yuna, Grand Summoner is part of the Counter Blitz deck, which features characters from <em>Final Fantasy X</em>. Graha Tia, Scion Reborn is the alternate commander of the Scions &amp; Spellcraft deck, showcasing the characters of <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>.</p>
<h2>Yuna, Grand Summoner</h2>
<p>One of the main characters of <em>FFX</em> and the love interest of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tidus, Yuna&#039;s Guardian" href="#" target="_blank">Tidus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, Yuna is an extremely vital figure in the <em>FFX</em> canon. A summoner, Yuna can conjure beings known as "aeons" to aid in combat. She is also a proficient White Mage, using healing magic to act as a support role in the game and its sequel.</p>
<div id="attachment_152073" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/yuna.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-152073" class="wp-image-152073" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/yuna.png" alt="Yuna, Grand Summoner, a new card from within the &quot;Counter Blitz&quot; precon for Final Fantasy. Image credits: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="400" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/yuna.png 700w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/yuna-215x300.png 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-152073" class="wp-caption-text">Yuna, Grand Summoner, a new card from within the "Counter Blitz" precon for <em>Final Fantasy</em>. Image credits: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<p>In the context of Commander, Yuna acts as a pseudo version of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Ozolith" href="#" target="_blank">The Ozolith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but rather than the counters of the dead creature retaining their classification, Yuna effectively converts them into +1/+1 counters for another creature. What's more, Yuna is a mana-producing creature that puts +1/+1 counters on the creature that mana is spent on. In that way, she seems to do a bang-up job in somewhat imitating <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Great Henge" href="#" target="_blank">The Great Henge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, her showcase borderless version can be seen below!</p>
<div id="attachment_152074" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/borderless-yuna.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-152074" class="wp-image-152074" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/borderless-yuna.png" alt="The borderless showcase version of Yuna, Grand Summoner. Image credits: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="400" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/borderless-yuna.png 700w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/borderless-yuna-215x300.png 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-152074" class="wp-caption-text">The borderless showcase version of Yuna, Grand Summoner. Image credits: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<h2>G'raha Tia, Scion Reborn</h2>
<p>G'raha Tia, also known as the "Crystal Exarch," is a major character in <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>. He is a member of the protagonist's party and a member of the Miqo'te race in the game's setting. He is playful and eccentric, and, in the context of the MMO setting of <em>FFXIV</em>, can play the role of a Paladin, White Mage, or Black Mage. Versatile!</p>
<div id="attachment_152075" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/graha-tia.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-152075" class="wp-image-152075" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/graha-tia.png" alt="G'raha Tia, Scion Reborn, a new card from within the &quot;Scions &amp; Spellcraft&quot; precon for Final Fantasy. Image credits: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix" width="400" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/graha-tia.png 700w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/graha-tia-215x300.png 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-152075" class="wp-caption-text">G'raha Tia, Scion Reborn, a new card from within the "Scions &amp; Spellcraft" precon for <em>Final Fantasy</em>. Image credits: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</p></div>
<p>In the context of <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>, G'raha Tia is a token generator with lifelink. His second ability appears to synergize somewhat with the face commander of the "Scions &amp; Spellcraft" precon, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but only just. However, the existence of a 1/1 colorless Hero token seems interesting. Usually, nonartifact creature tokens have a color associated with them. Is this indicative of something greater?</p>
<h2>Final Days Before the <em>Final Fantasy</em> Panel</h2>
<p>These two precon commander alternatives are pretty interesting. We look forward to seeing what else comes of the set and decks! If you're also interested, the panel at PAX East will be livestreamed on Twitch on Saturday, May 10th, from noon to 2 pm Eastern!</p>
<p>Meanwhile, how do you feel about these reveals? Are you excited to test out any <em>Final Fantasy</em> commanders? Sound off below!</p>


Final Fantasy Precons' Yuna And G'raha Tia Officially Revealed

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Final Fantasy set cards | art copyright Wizards of the Coast</h6>
<p>With <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/products/final-fantasy"><em>Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy</em></a> less than ten weeks away, teams at Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix are gearing up for the launch of an ambitious collaboration.</p>
<p>An interview between one outlet and two major figures at Wizards gives us more insights into the process behind this collaboration and hints of what the future may bring.</p>
<p>According to the interview with <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/articles/magic-the-gatherings-final-fantasy-set-is-an-expansion-four-years-in-the-making/1100-6529866/">Gamespot</a>, Lead <em>Magic</em> Designer <strong>Gavin Verhey</strong> and Wizards Franchise Vice President <strong>Rebecca Shepard</strong> gave a few interesting anecdotes about this titanic team-up. Here are a few of the major points we gleaned:</p>
<h2>A <em>Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy</em> Collaboration Effort</h2>
<p><em>Final Fantasy</em> producer <strong>Shoichi Ichikawa</strong> is a big fan of <em>Magic</em>, as are many members of Square Enix Japan's team. According to Verhey, the team at Square Enix are die-hard <em>Magic</em> players. "[...] One of the team members over there owns a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Lotus" href="#" target="_blank">Black Lotus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. These are serious Magic players." Shepard corroborated this and added, "Almost every relationship we've had has been that way; Bethesda, for example, has weekly games." Naturally, Square Enix's team was thrilled to work with Wizards of the Coast.</p>
<p>During the team-up, weekly, occasionally more frequent, mid-lockdown Zoom calls allowed Wizards and Square Enix to foster their rapport. As it stands, Square Enix Japan's love of <em>Magic</em> seems to echo Wizards of the Coast's love of <em>Final Fantasy</em>.</p>
<h2>On In-Set Representation</h2>
<p>All sixteen <em>Final Fantasy</em> games have "plenty of" in-set representation, albeit with a ton of work needed to calibrate this, according to Verhey. Shepard added, "In [Square Enix's] eyes, no one installment is more important than the other."</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jumbo Cactuar"></div></div>
<p>This proved a challenge regarding the newest Square Enix installment, <a href="https://na.finalfantasyxvi.com/"><em>Final Fantasy XVI</em></a>. <em>FFXVI</em> was going through active development simultaneously with <em>Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy</em>, and designers had to make promises not to give each other plot spoilers.</p>
<p>Said Verhey, "When [<em>FFXVI</em>] finally launched, there was a week when the four main designers agreed we wouldn't spoil anything for each other, but we'd post what was happening in our chat as we're going saying, 'This should be a card!'"</p>
<p>For the game attributions on the credit lines of cards, Verhey explains</p>
<blockquote><p>"We then realized that this is another fun storytelling moment--where a player can say, 'I know this, let me tell you where it's from'--and a little indicator on the card that tells you what game it's from can inspire someone to go and look up what was happening there. We thought it was a great little touch; here's the game the card is from, go find out more or ask a friend about it."</p></blockquote>
<h2>Are All The Concepts Present?</h2>
<p>The answer to the question " Will everyone be present in the set?" comes with some disclosure-based baggage at this time. "I'm not going to say who is or isn't there, but it's pretty safe to guess that if you're a major hero or antagonist from a game, there's a good chance you have a spot in the set," said Verhey when asked about what characters would show up. However, the set doesn't necessarily have all the series' party members.</p>
<p>That said, many super-obvious nods will likely be in <em>MTGFIN</em>. Triple Triad (the in-universe collectible card game) is unconfirmed, but Verhey has mentioned his team's awareness of its popularity.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Shiva"></div></div>
<p>Summons, a major <em>Final Fantasy</em> series conceptual staple, proved less of a challenge to the design team. Summon spells were originally designed with vanishing, but were later turned into Sagas with the team's unanimous agreement.</p>
<p>Five double-faced "Sidequest" cards exist within the set, according to the interview.</p>
<h2>On Further Design Innovations</h2>
<p>Wizards of the Coast also spoke on their "Through The Ages" subset of cards. This is comprised of all reprints from Magic's history. Beyond this, the subset will depict concept art and scenes from Final Fantasy's history. Square Enix personally provided these concept images to Wizards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ancient Copper Dragon|FCA|12"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow|FCA|60"></div></div>
<p>Another major win for the set came in the form of <strong>Yoshitaka Amano</strong> and <strong>Tetsuya Nomura</strong>'s involvement. The two were even involved with this set's creation, according to Gamespot.</p>
<p>However, those involvements will largely remain a surprise for now. Amano did the art for Dragon of Mount Gulg (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Copper Dragon|FCA|12" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Copper Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) while Nomura did the art for Yuffie Kisaragi (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow|FCA|60" href="#" target="_blank">Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>).</p>
<h2>What Does The Future Hold?</h2>
<p>As for the future, Square Enix collaborations may indeed happen. This may be the first time the two sides have collaborated, but it may not be the last.</p>
<p><em>Universes Beyond</em> partnerships can be upwards of seven years long. "Universes Beyond partnerships can be five-, six-, sometimes seven-year relationships depending on the pipeline," according to Shepard. With the two teams just four years in, we may get even more Square Enix <em>Universes Beyond</em> cards in <em>Magic</em>.</p>
<p>Furthermore, does this mean we are getting something like a <a href="https://www.square-enix-games.com/en_US/games/chrono-trigger"><em>Chrono Trigger</em></a> or <a href="https://dragonquest.square-enix-games.com/"><em>Dragon Quest</em></a> set? We couldn't possibly say. However, with the way Shepard spoke on the collaborative effort, it doesn't appear to be out of the question.</p>
<p>So, these are the main points we've learned from Gavin Verhey and Rebecca Shepard's interview with Gamespot. As it stands currently, <em>Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy</em> is shaping up to be one heck of a cool set. Hopefully, players will be able to be just as hyped for it when it launches on June 13th!</p>


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