<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and SEGA</h6>
&nbsp;
Hold onto your chili dogs, because it's about time to queue up! The Sonic the Hedgehog drops for Secret Lair are almost live. But collectors beware; you gotta queue fast if you want to snag them in time!
To reiterate our <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/secret-lair-x-sonic-three-new-drops-officially-announced" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previous coverage of these drops</a>, each one (except Friends &amp; Foes, which is $10 more across the board) has a retail price point of $29.99 for non-foil and $39.99 for foil. The three drops are also going to be headed to your local game stores in August (presuming they're in good standing with the Wizards Play Network and have some allocated). For those daring enough to brave the queues of the Secret Lair webstore, you can find them at 9 AM Pacific Time. That's Noon for the East Coast of the US!
<a href="https://secretlair.wizards.com/us">You'll be able to visit the webstore here.</a> Bear in mind that it may be down if you visit too early.
Notably, the Secret Lair x Sonic: Friends &amp; Foes drop only has mechanically unique cards in it and will most likely run out of stock first. After that, the Turbo Gear drop will probably sell out, followed by the Chasing Adventure drop. Foil printings will more than likely outsell nonfoil for each respective drop.
Are you excited for this Secret Lair drop? If so, what in the world are you still doing here? Go queue up!
Regardless, while you're waiting to check out properly, you can find a few of our deck techs on the legendary creatures from the Sonic the Hedgehog drops below.
Are you excited about these new cards? Are there any you want to make a Commander deck around? And do you think any of these new cards will stand out in Commander, cEDH, or even other Eternal formats? Sound off in the comments below! (However, if you're looking to get any of these Secret Lair drops, maybe wait until you've secured them, first!)
<a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/sonic-the-hedgehog-commander-deck-hurry-up-and-wait">Sonic</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-a-vehicles-deck-with-miles-tails-prower">Tails</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/constructing-evil-with-a-dr-eggman-deck-tech">Dr. Eggman</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/how-is-amy-different-from-every-other-boros-voltron-deck">Amy Rose</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/knuckles-the-echidna-commander-deck-tech">Knuckles</a>

Sonic Secret Lairs Live 9 AM PST, Noon EST

Beyond the Multiverse - Galadriel, Light of Valinor Deck Tech

<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knuckles the Echidna" href="#" target="_blank">Knuckles the Echidna</a> | Art by <a href="https://www.tylerwalpole.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tyler Walpole</a>
Hello, everyone! Welcome back to another deck tech; I'm <a href="http://linktr.ee/commandzoe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Command Zoe</a>. This time we're going to be looking at one of the new commanders from the Sonic Secret Lair, Knuckles the Echidna! 
Knuckles is a fan favorite character from the original Sega Genesis games; he was a rival of Sonic before teaming up with him in a later installment. I'm excited to show you this list I brewed up, but first let's take a look at him
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Knuckles the Echidna"></div></div>
Get it? He's the keeper of the Master Emerald, so he cares about rocks! 
Anyway, that's why I'm running Mox Emerald in here — that's cool right?
<h3>What Does Knuckles the Echidna Do?</h3>
Knuckles is a straightforward but incredibly powerful commander. He has three keywords that work well with each other, he grants all his controller's creatures the ability to create Treasure tokens upon dealing combat damage to a player, and then he has an upkeep trigger that wins the game with thirty artifacts. 
The idea of the design is to have him hit the board and immediately generate two Treasures using a combination of haste and double strike, with trample on there to guarantee he doesn't get chump-blocked. 
With only two power, he's not dealing a ton of damage, but that doesn't matter because the goal is to win Treasure tokens on the upkeep trigger.
There are three other mono-red commanders that care about Treasure tokens: <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer" href="#" target="_blank">Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magda, Brazen Outlaw" href="#" target="_blank">Magda, Brazen Outlaw</a>, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magda, the Hoardmaster" href="#" target="_blank">Magda, the Hoardmaster</a>. 
Both Magdas come with some sort of payoff for those Treasures, but none of them are quite as powerful as "win the game". 
Knuckles probably wont be able to reach the high-highs of Brazen Outlaw, which is a cEDH deck, but he is a fun card with a very powerful effect, which would be perfect for any of brackets 2, 3, or 4.
This Knuckles deck is going to be within Bracket 3. It technically has three extra turn spells in cards like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Final Fortune" href="#" target="_blank">Final Fortune</a>, but it can't chain them. They're only in the deck to be able to trigger Knuckles' upkeep-ability immediately.
<h2>Key Cards for Knuckles the Echidna</h2>
The main win condition in this deck is quite obviously Knuckles' second ability, so we want to rush up to twenty-nine total permanents on the board then cast both key card of the deck: <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mycosynth Lattice" href="#" target="_blank">Mycosynth Lattice</a>. 
Following that up with an extra turn spell will allow an instant win off of Knuckles when the turn rolls over to the next upkeep. 
In addition to these, two keys to the deck are the tutors to get them out. Everything else is there to push the board to thirty permanents.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Final Fortune"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warrior&#039;s Oath"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Last Chance"></div></div> 
This is still technically bracket two because I'm not- 
What are you all doing with those torches and pitchforks?
To help get there the deck has <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reckless Handling" href="#" target="_blank">Reckless Handling</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inventors&#039; Fair" href="#" target="_blank">Inventors&#039; Fair</a>, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Engineer" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Engineer</a>, which can be used in conjunction with cards like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trash for Treasure" href="#" target="_blank">Trash for Treasure</a> or either of Daretti's cards to get the Mycosynth Lattice out.
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Matron" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Matron</a> can play a game of telephone to get it out by searching for the Engineer first. It can also snag a Grenzo, Havoc Raiser in case more permanents are needed but none are in hand.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Daretti, Rocketeer Engineer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Daretti, Scrap Savant"></div></div> 
Both flavors work! Trade your Treasures for permanents that make more Treasures! 

Instant board state cards, like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brass&#039;s Bounty" href="#" target="_blank">Brass&#039;s Bounty</a>, can be extremely useful at making the final push to thirty cards.
Playing it along with <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magda, Brazen Outlaw" href="#" target="_blank">Magda, Brazen Outlaw</a> can go for infinite by snagging Lattice plus <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clock of Omens" href="#" target="_blank">Clock of Omens</a>. Tap the Magda plus a Treasure to untap the Magda. Make a new Treasure, and use it infinitely. Then just sacrifice 5 Treasures at a time to spit the entire deck's permanents onto the battlefield, then finally win by sacrificing <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anger" href="#" target="_blank">Anger</a> to a sac outlet and attacking with everything.
<h2>How Does This Knuckles the Echidna Commander Deck Win?</h2>
Getting to thirty permanents can be difficult, so there are some tricks to make a lot all at once.
With <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krark-Clan Ironworks" href="#" target="_blank">Krark-Clan Ironworks</a> plus <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Song of Totentanz" href="#" target="_blank">Song of Totentanz</a> or <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hell to Pay" href="#" target="_blank">Hell to Pay</a>, each artifact sacrificed will turn into two new permanents, effectively doubling the number on the board if there is a Lattice out.
There are a few other ways to do the same that take more set up, like adding <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xorn" href="#" target="_blank">Xorn</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Treasure Vault" href="#" target="_blank">Treasure Vault</a> to KCI, or using <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldspan Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Goldspan Dragon</a> as the Treasure-doubler.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ancient Copper Dragon"></div></div> 
I just need to roll a 16 or better, but I don't have advantage...
In terms of alternate win conditions, there's only one, since the commander comes with its own "win the game" ability. However, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hellkite Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Hellkite Tyrant</a> is strictly better in terms of how many permanents are needed, so it goes in the ninety-nine. Needing one third the number of permanents is too good to give up, and the theft ability is nothing to write off either.
<h2>Knuckles the Echidna Commander Decklist</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Echidna Echinacea" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Knuckles the Echidna
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Academy Manufactor
*1 Ancient Copper Dragon
*1 Anger
*1 Bonehoard Dracosaur
*1 Daretti, Rocketeer Engineer
*1 Glóin, Dwarf Emissary
*1 Goblin Engineer
*1 Goblin Matron
*1 Goblin Welder
*1 Goldlust Triad
*1 Goldspan Dragon
*1 Grenzo, Havoc Raiser
*1 Hellkite Tyrant
*1 Magda, Brazen Outlaw
*1 Professional Face-Breaker
*1 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
*1 Treasure Nabber
*1 Xorn
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Big Score
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Final Fortune
*1 Seething Song
*1 Unexpected Windfall
*1 Valakut Awakening // Valakut Stoneforge
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Brass&#039;s Bounty
*1 Hell to Pay
*1 Hit the Mother Lode
*1 Last Chance
*1 Reckless Handling
*1 Scrap Mastery
*1 Song of Totentanz
*1 Strike It Rich
*1 Trash for Treasure
*1 Warrior&#039;s Oath
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Clock of Omens
*1 Cursed Mirror
*1 Everflowing Chalice
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Fire Diamond
*1 Krark-Clan Ironworks
*1 Liquimetal Torque
*1 Lotus Petal
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Mycosynth Lattice
*1 Phial of Galadriel
*1 Planar Atlas
*1 Prismatic Lens
*1 Ruby Medallion
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Star Compass
*1 The Reaver Cleaver
*1 Thought Vessel
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Descent into Avernus
*1 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker // Reflection of Kiki-Jiki
*1 Guild Artisan
*1 Spiteful Banditry
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Chandra, Spark Hunter
*1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
*1 Daretti, Scrap Savant
*1 Karn, Scion of Urza
*1 Koth, Fire of Resistance
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Arena of Glory
*1 Buried Ruin
*1 Darksteel Citadel
*1 Fomori Vault
*1 Fountainport
*1 Great Furnace
*1 Inventors&#039; Fair
*1 Mines of Moria
*19 Mountain
*1 Power Depot
*1 Scene of the Crime
*1 Sunken Citadel
*1 The Mycosynth Gardens
*1 Treasure Vault
*1 Urza&#039;s Cave
*1 Urza&#039;s Saga
*1 War Room
[/Lands]"></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
Thanks for taking the time to read this deck tech on <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knuckles the Echidna" href="#" target="_blank">Knuckles the Echidna</a>. I think he's quite a strong commander and has a lot of potential for upgrade into the Bracket 4 arena.
I had a lot of fun playing it; Treasures are a blast, and getting the win off of the extra turn felt incredible. I hope you get to give it a try yourself because it is such a blast to pilot. If you like making Treasures and scraping out value you will love this deck.
If you missed it make sure you check out my last <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/mog-moogle-warrior-commander-deck-tech">deck tech</a> on <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mog, Moogle Warrior" href="#" target="_blank">Mog, Moogle Warrior</a>, and be sure to follow me on <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/commandzoe">twitch</a> where you can find me playing this deck sometimes.

Knuckles the Echidna Commander Deck Tech

Top 10 Most Played Universes Beyond Cards Outside LTR

The Most Unique Commanders in Final Fantasy

Image by author | Logo courtesy of Wizards of the Coast
Edge of Eternities (EOE) is close to unveiling its first previews; they may arrive as soon as Friday, June 20th. The set and setting both show potential and have many implications for the known Magic Multiverse. However, since the advent of the Universes Beyond initiative, players have wondered what tie-ins might apply to a set like EOE.
This article aims to explore the potential of the space opera set and discern whether any particular intellectual properties mesh well with the potential that Magic: The Gathering could provide.
As such, I'll list a few options that seem feasible, as well as an Honorable Mention that isn't quite there for a few reasons. Before you inquire, Star Wars is a Disney property, as are Firefly, Serenity, and The Fifth Element, all by way of Fox. For that reason, we are not considering these for the potential of a tie-in. With that, let's (boldly) go!
<h2>Honorable Mention: Lost In Space (1965)</h2>
<div id="attachment_156641" style="width: 402px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/lost-in-space-poster.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-156641" class="wp-image-156641" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/lost-in-space-poster.png" alt="Lost In Space (1965). Image credit: CBS" width="392" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/lost-in-space-poster.png 359w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/lost-in-space-poster-210x300.png 210w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 392px) 100vw, 392px" /></a>Lost In Space (1965). Image credit: CBS</div>
Lost In Space, a television show from 1965, is my choice of an Honorable Mention for this article, as it's memorable for the few major iconic aspects it has.
However, while it's been remade into multiple films and even a Netflix show, the source material is a bit obscure for modern audiences. As Magic is a game with an intended demographic of 13+ years of age, many of this show's nuances would be lost on its younger players and collectors.
Furthermore, Lost In Space is a CBS property now, and as such is owned in part by Paramount, but it was originally a 20th Century Fox production. With Disney owning Fox and developing another rival card game, Lost In Space may not get the attention it might still need to shine.
<h2>The Dune Series</h2>
<div id="attachment_156642" style="width: 383px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/dune-poster.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-156642" class="wp-image-156642" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/dune-poster.png" alt="Dune (1984). Image credit: Universal Pictures" width="373" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/dune-poster.png 600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/dune-poster-200x300.png 200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 373px) 100vw, 373px" /></a>Dune (1984). Image credit: Universal Pictures</div>
Author Frank Herbert's magnum opus, the Dune novel series, was such a successful series that it received multiple films adapted from it. Legendary Pictures' Dune film series seems like the shoo-in for Magic: The Gathering to adapt into Universes Beyond (and rightly so, as Legendary is adapting Magic for the screen!).
However, it's also plausible that we could get the Dune of 1984, directed by the late, great David Lynch.
The Dune series as a whole already has a ton going for it. It's a space opera, and so it fits right into the timeline for Edge of Eternities to tie it into things. We recently got a card called <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sandworm" href="#" target="_blank">Sandworm</a> in Final Fantasy (a far cry from Shai-Hulud, yes, but a Sandworm nonetheless). Not to mention, Outlaws of Thunder Junction recently gave us a plethora of cards with the Desert subtype!
For these reasons and probably more, Dune could quite possibly be a tie-in we're on the verge of seeing.
<h2>The Outer Worlds (2019)</h2>
<div id="attachment_156643" style="width: 429px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-outer-worlds-key-art.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-156643" class="wp-image-156643" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-outer-worlds-key-art.png" alt="The Outer Worlds (2019). Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment" width="419" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-outer-worlds-key-art.png 600w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-outer-worlds-key-art-225x300.png 225w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 419px) 100vw, 419px" /></a>The Outer Worlds (2019). Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment</div>
In a world simultaneously plagued by a space race and the rat race, The Outer Worlds feels a bit on the money. However, as it has been pointed out to me, it too essentially has space operatic elements.
We already know that Wizards of the Coast really likes when a property they're adapting to Universes Beyond has something upcoming when the Universes Beyond adaptation releases. Lord of the Rings had The Rings of Power on Amazon Prime. Fallout's television show came out around the same time its Commander decks did. And Jurassic World: Dominion was relatively fresh in players' minds when Lost Caverns of Ixalan came out.
With a sequel coming out later this year, The Outer Worlds might be a great choice for a tie-in with Edge of Eternities.
<h2>The Star Trek Series</h2>
<div id="attachment_156644" style="width: 405px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/star-trek-poster.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-156644" class="wp-image-156644" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/star-trek-poster.png" alt="Star Trek (1966). Image credit: Paramount Global" width="395" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/star-trek-poster.png 500w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/star-trek-poster-212x300.png 212w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 395px) 100vw, 395px" /></a>Star Trek (1966). Image credit: Paramount Global</div>
Finally, and what I believe might be the most apt possibility for a tie-in with Edge of Eternities, we have the Star Trek series.
As Star Wars' biggest competitor for "greatest space opera," Star Trek is also an eligible space opera that players will resonate with most out of all the others. A more utopian look at the future of galactic peace than either Star Wars or Dune, Paramount Global also owns this property.
For those at home keeping score, Paramount Global is the entity that hosts shows like SpongeBob Squarepants and Avatar: The Last Airbender on its streaming service, Paramount+. If those two seem even a little bit familiar to you, it's no surprise. We previously got a Universes Beyond property for it (in SpongeBob's case) or will later this year (in ATLA's case).
So, in many ways, Star Trek is likely the most plausible option for a tie-in for Edge of Eternities out of all of these possibilities by far.
With that, I'd like to open the floor to you, dear readers. What space opera makes the most sense for Wizards of the Coast to add to their Universes Beyond portfolio? And are you excited for Edge of Eternities? Sound off below!

Could Edge of Eternities Have a Universes Beyond Tie-In?

Zack Fair, the Self-Sacrificing Hero - Commander Deck Tech

Brewing Terra, Magical Adept With Universes Beyond Cards

Today is Thursday, June 12th, and the final day of our Final Fantasy Count-Up series! Every day for the past fifteen days, I have compiled my picks for the best and most flavorful cards from each mainline game in the series. Yesterday, we covered FFXV. Today, we wrap things up with Final Fantasy XVI!
To refresh you about the criteria I'm using to rank cards from each game subset:
<ul>
<li>Honorable Mention - These usually will be a cycle or group of cards that are great but don't quite measure up to the "best" in the categories we have chosen to cover. Today's list will have just one card.</li>
<li>Best as a Commander - This category covers, as advertised, the best commander to lead a deck in Commander, but may also look briefly at other Command Zone-driven formats.</li>
<li>Best in the 99 - This section discusses my choice for the best card in a given 99 of a deck. It may be a ubiquitous card, but it might also just be a card with a fair amount of utility.</li>
<li>Most Flavorful - The most fun to play card in a storytelling context will be deemed Most Flavorful. For example, we covered <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Town Greeter" href="#" target="_blank">Town Greeter</a> in our FFI list for its fun lore synergies with Towns, especially those with specific Final Fantasy town names.</li>
<li>Best In Show - The very best of these cards in a balance of the above categories.</li>
</ul>
Furthermore, cards from the Commander precons, Through the Ages, and promotional/Secret Lair cards are ineligible for consideration. We want to keep this strictly from the main set.
With that, let's finish things off by taking a good look at the best cards from FFXVI!
<h2>Honorable Mention</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ultima, Origin of Oblivion"></div></div>
Our final Honorable Mention is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ultima, Origin of Oblivion" href="#" target="_blank">Ultima, Origin of Oblivion</a>. This legendary creature is a major deal in the context of Final Fantasy. The concept of the "Ultima Weapon" spans games all the way back to FFII, and has made appearances throughout the series. However, Ultima as we know it in FFXVI is a different enemy altogether. It is the final boss and main antagonist of the game. Very few Final Fantasy concepts have the distinction of being referred to as Ultima, but this is the most distinctive Ultima in modern FF.
Why is Ultima just an Honorable Mention, then? Well, the card is too niche to be Best as a Commander, nor is it Best in the 99 of a lot of the decks around. It could be a runner for Most Flavorful, but we have a better choice for that category as well. But Ultima is too important in the franchise's overall lore to ignore outright. That's why Ultima was my pick for Honorable Mention.
<h2>Best as a Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant"></div></div>
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant" href="#" target="_blank">Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant</a> is a really neat card to lead a Commander deck with. I've written a Bracket 2 deck tech about Joshua, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/forging-rebirth-with-joshua-phoenixs-dominant">which you can check out here</a>. I've written pretty extensively as to why he would be a good commander in that article, my own name aside, but as a refresher, Joshua is relatively novel. He does something no other commander can do quite as well in the white-red color identity. He is arguably a better recursion commander than <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hofri Ghostforge" href="#" target="_blank">Hofri Ghostforge</a> and a better Phoenix kindred commander than <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory" href="#" target="_blank">Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory</a>. He is my pick, potentially due to bias, for Best as a Commander.
<h2>Best in the 99</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clive&#039;s Hideaway"></div></div>
Of all the Town cards in the new set, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clive&#039;s Hideaway" href="#" target="_blank">Clive&#039;s Hideaway</a> is not only the most ubiquitous but also the most useful. As a colorless land, it can be used in any Commander deck. Furthermore, its Hideaway ability isn't tied to it entering tapped. As the land doesn't enter tapped anyway, it can cast the exiled card that same turn if its conditions are met. This means that if you have at least four legendary creatures on the battlefield when you play Clive's Hideaway, you'll be able to cast that card on the same turn for 2 mana. That's absolutely nothing to sniff at and is one of the big reasons why this card is my pick for Best in the 99.
<h2>Most Flavorful</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Torgal, A Fine Hound"></div></div>
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Torgal, A Fine Hound" href="#" target="_blank">Torgal, A Fine Hound</a> is best boy. 'Nuff said.
But in all seriousness, Torgal is a great creature for Human, Wolf, Dog, and even Werewolf kindred decks. Overall, Torgal is my pick for Most Flavorful, though, because he's a good boy. One might even suggest he's the "goodest" of boys in context.
This brings us to the Best In Show for FFXVI. Which card came out on top?
<h2>Final Fantasy XVI Best In Show</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clive, Ifrit&#039;s Dominant"></div></div>
It's <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clive, Ifrit&#039;s Dominant" href="#" target="_blank">Clive, Ifrit&#039;s Dominant</a>!
Clive is a strong commander for . He is a discard outlet, a draw engine, a removal spell, and a mana outlet all in one card. That's something special. Plus, you then have a 9/9 beater for a turn of destruction (more if he is given haste). And then, you get to do it all over again! That's massive for even a 6-mana creature, and is why Clive is my pick for Best In Show.
And so, the sun sets on our Final Fantasy Count-Up series! Did you like this series? What was your favorite article out of all sixteen, and what did you agree/disagree with most? Sound off in the comments! And, if you haven't yet, please feel free to read the previous entries as well. Those are below!
<a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-one-ffi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 1: FFI</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-two-ffii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 2: FFII</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-three-ffiii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 3: FFIII</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-four-ffiv?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 4: FFIV</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-five-ffv?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 5: FFV</a>
<a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-six-ffvi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 6: FFVI</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-seven-ffvii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 7: FFVII</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eight-ffviii/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 8: </a><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eight-ffviii/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">FFVIII</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-nine-ffix?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 9: FFIX</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-ten-ffx/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 10: FFX</a>
<a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eleven-ffxi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 11: FFXI</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-twelve-ffxii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 12: FFXII</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-thirteen-ffxiii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 13: FFXIII</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-fourteen-ffxiv?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 14: FFXIV</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-fifteen-ffxv">Day 15: FFXV</a>

Final Fantasy 16-Day Count-Up, Day Sixteen: FFXVI

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</h6>
&nbsp;
Today is Wednesday, June 11th, the second-to-last day before Final Fantasy's Magic: The Gathering set officially releases! As such, it's time to continue our Count-Up series. Each day leading up to Friday, June 13th, I've been compiling the best and most flavorful cards from each mainline game in the series. Yesterday, we looked at FFXIV, and today we'll be covering Final Fantasy XV!
To refresh you about the criteria I'm using to rank cards from each game subset:
<ul>
<li>Honorable Mention - These usually will be a cycle or group of cards that are great but don't quite measure up to the "best" in the categories we have chosen to cover. Today's list will have three cards.</li>
<li>Best as a Commander - This category covers, as advertised, the best commander to lead a deck in Commander, but may also look briefly at other Command Zone-driven formats.</li>
<li>Best in the 99 - This section discusses my choice for the best card in a given 99 of a deck. It may be a ubiquitous card, but it might also just be a card with a fair amount of utility.</li>
<li>Most Flavorful - The most fun to play card in a storytelling context will be deemed Most Flavorful. For example, we covered <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Town Greeter" href="#" target="_blank">Town Greeter</a> in our FFI list for its fun lore synergies with Towns, especially those with specific Final Fantasy town names.</li>
<li>Best In Show - The very best of these cards in a balance of the above categories.</li>
</ul>
Furthermore, cards from the Commander precons, Through the Ages, and promotional/Secret Lair cards are ineligible for consideration. We want to keep this strictly from the main set.
With that, let's hit the road and delve into the wide world of FFXV!
<h2>Honorable Mentions</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prompto Argentum"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gladiolus Amicitia"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ignis Scientia"></div></div>
I chose Noctis's retainers/friends as FFXV's Honorable Mentions. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prompto Argentum" href="#" target="_blank">Prompto Argentum</a>, <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gladiolus Amicitia" href="#" target="_blank">Gladiolus Amicitia</a>, and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ignis Scientia" href="#" target="_blank">Ignis Scientia</a> are all interesting cards individually. They each have their own niche usage in the context of Magic, just as in Final Fantasy XV. But they're also best evaluated as a team (and especially alongside Noctis). Where is Noctis, you may ask? You'll see later. But because of this grouping, they're best as our Honorable Mentions.
<h2>Best as a Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ardyn, the Usurper"></div></div>
My Best as a Commander pick is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ardyn, the Usurper" href="#" target="_blank">Ardyn, the Usurper</a>. Ardyn is a fabulous Demon-kindred commander option in mono-black, despite not being a Demon himself. He instead brings out the very worst in everyone, turning the dead into Demon creatures with a bunch of extra keywords. You can read <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-a-demon-typal-deck-with-ardyn-the-usurper">our deck tech on Ardyn here</a> to find out more about how absolutely awesome Ardyn is. You don't have to take my word for that. And granted, he costs 8 mana, but that's an easy enough cost to pay in black.
<h2>Best in the 99</h2>
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Regalia" href="#" target="_blank">The Regalia</a>
We are really focusing on a lot of legendary cards in this Count-Up entry, huh? The Regalia is a powerful Vehicle card that can quickly get you ramping on lands. While it costs a somewhat-frustrating 4 mana to cast, having haste and the low, low crewing cost of 1 means it'll be useful soon thereafter. Vroom, vroom!
<h2>Most Flavorful</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ancient Adamantoise"></div></div>
Creatures like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Adamantoise" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Adamantoise</a> are decidedly very easy to encounter in the context of Magic: The Gathering. Note that I don't mean based on what it does; rather, I mean its level of impact on the game. However, Ancient Adamantoise is a 20-hour fight in Final Fantasy XV and rightly so. Its defenses are nigh-impenetrable. So, too, will this creature protect you in a huge way in a given Commander game. That in itself is enough to give this titanic Turtle the Most Flavorful distinction for this subset.
And so, that brings us to my Best In Show. What card could it be?
<h2>Final Fantasy XV Best In Show</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Noctis, Prince of Lucis"></div></div>
It's no surprise that our Best In Show is Noctis! <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Noctis, Prince of Lucis" href="#" target="_blank">Noctis, Prince of Lucis</a> is a powerful white-blue-black commander that's firing on all cylinders immediately out of the gate. He's a fantastic card that even has some cEDH potential (due to his ability's interactions with cheap, instantaneously-countered artifacts and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherflux Reservoir" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherflux Reservoir</a>). Noctis has shown himself to be a competent card in the format and is our Best In Show primarily for that reason.
Unfortunately, he can't join his comrades/retainers in a given deck led by any of them. However, he has a Through the Ages reskin wherein he is <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kenrith, the Returned King" href="#" target="_blank">Kenrith, the Returned King</a> who can field them all, even this iteration of Noctis as well.
With that, we conclude our Count-Up entry on Final Fantasy XV! Have you ever played FFXV? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments below. And, if you like this series so far, please stay tuned as tomorrow we go over FFXVI, the final entry in this series! The rest of the articles can be found in the links below!
<a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-one-ffi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 1: FFI</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-two-ffii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 2: FFII</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-three-ffiii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 3: FFIII</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-four-ffiv?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 4: FFIV</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-five-ffv?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 5: FFV</a>
<a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-six-ffvi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 6: FFVI</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-seven-ffvii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 7: FFVII</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eight-ffviii/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 8: </a><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eight-ffviii/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">FFVIII</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-nine-ffix?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 9: FFIX</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-ten-ffx/?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 10: FFX</a>
<a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eleven-ffxi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 11: FFXI</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-twelve-ffxii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 12: FFXII</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-thirteen-ffxiii?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Day 13: FFXIII</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-fourteen-ffxiv">Day 14: FFXIV</a>

universes beyond