Clever ConcealmentClever Concealment | Art by Andreia Ugrai

There's been an untold level of hype for all the new cards featured in Final Fantasy, and for good reason. Now that we've got the full breadth of the set as well as the associated Commander decks, there's plenty to be hyped about. Sure, the prices might help temper some of that excitement, but the new cards themselves feature some of the most inspired design we've seen in years.

We're not here to talk about new cards, however. Those familiar with previous reprint reviews know the drill, but if you're new to the concept, here's the gist. We'll pull out from the pile of reprints in both FIC and FIN anything that catches our eye and discuss each card under the guidance of two metrics: Did we need it? and Did we want it?

What's the difference? A needed reprint is one that hasn't seen many prior revisits since its debut printing, and that's usually also represented by a heftier than appropriate price tag. We'll be using USD to discuss each card. However, with Final Fantasy we do have to keep in mind the caveat that many of these cards are going to have inflated prices in their own right, reprint or not, so simply seeing a card reprinted in FIC/FIN might not lower the price of previous printings, as we often prefer to see.

A wanted reprint is one that, according to stats right here on EDHREC, is popular in Commander in the 99 of a wide variety of decks logged on the site. When we take the two data points together - in other words, an expensive card that hasn't been reprinted much but is still very popular in Commander - that's how we know we're getting a great reprint.

Now that we've got that taken care of, it's time to finally fantasy. In the "main" set, we've got - and I hope you're sitting down for this - two reprints outside of basic lands to discuss. Yes, we know that by the very nature of a Universes Beyond set like Final Fantasy, we're not going to be getting a ton of reprints. And the fact that it's a Standard-legal set means any reprints that designers want to get into Standard were instead probably already in Foundations. 

Good thing we've got the four Commander decks to talk about, too. Between those, we've got 208 reprints. Huzzah. And if you're wondering where Final Fantasy: Through the Ages is, don't fret; those will be covered in a future article.

Final Fantasy Reprints

Dark ConfidantDark Confidant

Did we need it?

Originally appearing in Ravnica: City of Guilds in 2007, "Bob" has grown into one of Magic's most iconic creatures, seeing time as a staple in several formats. And while it might not be as hot of a commodity now than it was in its heyday, Dark Confidant still holds a special place in many players' hearts. That's why when it was revealed to have received a Final Fantasy skin, those players were rejoicing not because they got a reprint, but because they got a reprint that bears the aesthetic of a beloved game series.

To put it into perspective, Dark Confidant debuted in 2007 but didn't get its first set reprint until 2013, six years later, in Modern Masters. Since then, however, we've seen Bob come in many forms:

And now, with Final Fantasy, we're adding two more to the pile:

Once upon a time not even that long ago, the Ravnica printing of Dark Confidant was a $100 card, but people paid up because they strove for greatness, at any cost. Today, greatness is thankfully much more affordable. For every printing, including FIN but excluding the 2011 Judge Gift Card version2011 Judge Gift Card version, you're able to buy a crispy Bob with a $10 bill and expect change. In other words, we probably didn't need a new Bob, but we're happy for the players who occupy that overlap in the Dark Confidant lovers/Final Fantasy fans Venn diagram.

Did we want it?

As much as people over the years have used Dark Confidant to great effect in other formats, Bob has never been much of a player in Commander. We can't chalk that up to cost, since as we already discussed, you could find a copy for a reasonable amount for several years now. The truth is, Commander is a format in which people love big, dumb spells, and in a lot of situations, Bob's just a worse Phyrexian ArenaPhyrexian Arena.

That's represented in the numbers. According to EDHREC, Dark Confidant is in 58,630 decks, which is a shade under 1.9% of all decks playing black. That's not even good enough to crack the Top 50 black creatures in terms of deck inclusions. Reassembling SkeletonReassembling Skeleton, for example, is played in around twice as many lists as Bob. Where Dark Confidant is played, though, is cEDH, where the wording of Bob's ability can circumvent restrictive effects like Narset, Parter of VeilsNarset, Parter of Veils.

At the end of the day, though, the numbers dictate that we didn't really need a reprint of Dark Confidant.

SyncopateSyncopate

Did we need it?

We're going from a mythic rare to a common now, though in Syncopate's case the card did jump up to uncommon for a few printings. Again, this is a case of a card that has seen plenty of reprints over the years, so any intrinsic value the FIN reprint has is tied to the Final Fantasy-related art and flavor text.

Syncopate was originally printed in Odyssey, way back in 2001. It didn't see its first reprint for 11 years after that, when it was included in Return to Ravnica. We've seen it a few times since:

The card's still very easy to find and afford, though. No version is more than a buck, nor has any version ever been more than a buck. In fact, the only foil more than a dollar is the original Odyssey printing, which is currently around $4.

Did we want it?

Syncopate is one of those countermagic cards that people usually skip when they're looking to build their blue/x decks. As per EDHREC, it's only played in 14,377 lists, or less than a half-percent of all decks playing blue.

Is that fair? No, not really. In a world of constant graveyard recursion and other infinite shenanigans, Syncopate's ability to counter something so hard it ceases to exist is more useful than given credit for. Still, it's only better than DissipateDissipate when you're countering something with the x-value being 1, and Dissipate is only played in 18,398 decks itself.

Final Fantasy Commander

Damning VerdictDamning Verdict

Did we need it?

Getting into the Commander decks now, we're going to see some wonky things with pricing. It's been widely discussed that the Commander decks for Final Fantasy are outrageously expensive, and that's affecting the price of the individual cards contained within the decks. So for our little exercise, it's difficult to say exactly what impact a reprint might have on the price of the entire lineage of a particular card, since in a lot of cases these reprints are immediately the most expensive version.

That said, there are still quite a few reprints that are worth talking about, and Damning Verdict is one.

This is the first-ever reprint of Damning Verdict, which debuted not too long ago in New Capenna Commander:

Both versions of that printing are around $20, and the extended art version represents the most expensive card from that release. So yes, even though it's been only three years (and one month) since New Capenna Commander was printed, seeing a reprint of Damning Verdict here is a welcome sight.

Did we want it?

It's a $20 card and has only been around for a few years, but that hasn't stopped Commander players from slotting it into their white/x decks. Its presence in not one but two Commander precons might have inflated the numbers on EDHREC a bit, but still, we're seeing Damning Verdict played in 49,340 decks, good for almost 2% of all decks playing white. Unsurprisingly, it sees the most play in a deck led by another divisive card, Voja, Jaws of the ConclaveVoja, Jaws of the Conclave. Remember when that big Wolf was the scariest and most broken card of all time?

Between Damning Verdict's popularity and its price, this is the exact kind of reprint we love to see. There'll be some critics out there who deride that reprint coming in a Universes Beyond product, but a UB reprint is better than no reprint, and really, this is our world now. You don't have to like it, but you probably aren't going to change it.

Clever ConcealmentClever Concealment

Did we need it?

Truthfully, we can just go back up to the previous entry and apply everything we said to Clever Concealment, save for a few details. Like Damning Verdict, Clever Concealment has only appeared once before, this time in Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander, though it did also pop up on The List for a brief time:

Like Damning Verdict, it's also the most expensive card from its debut set, and it's also around $20 for both the regular and the extended art versions. Another great pick for a reprint.

Did we want it?

This is where the similarities between Damning Verdict and Clever Concealment end, however. While Damning Verdict appears in around 50,000 lists on EDHREC, Clever Concealment more than doubles that number, appearing in 104,333 decks. That's almost 4% of all white/x decks on the site. It's the 17th-most popular white instant in the format, which doesn't exactly sound amazing on paper. But to put it into perspective, that's more popular than DisenchantDisenchant, a card that has existed for longer than the majority of people who play Magic. 

Another reprint hit for FIC. 

Sword of the AnimistSword of the Animist

Did we need it?

Sword of the Animist has shown itself to be pretty reprint-proof in terms of maintaining its singles price over the years. It debuted in Magic Origins almost exactly 10 years ago, and since then has seen one draft set reprint, three (now four, with FIC) Commander precon reprints, and one Secret Lair appearance:

Oh, and it was also on The List. Twice.

Even after all of that, the cheapest version you can get is the original Origins printing, at around $8.

Did we want it?

It turns out that if you slap a very green effect onto a piece of Equipment that doesn't require a deck to play green, non-green decks are very excited to play it. Across EDHREC, Sword of the Animist is present in 260,701 decks. Since any deck of any color can play it, that's only good for 4.3%, but that's 4.3% of more than six million decks.

It's the fifth-most popular Equipment card in the format, behind only a trio of format anchors in Swiftfoot BootsSwiftfoot Boots, Lightning GreavesLightning Greaves, and SkullclampSkullclamp, and also slightly behind Mithril CoatMithril Coat, a card that always surprises people with its insane popularity.

It's unlikely a reprint here in FIC will see it move up any higher, but it doesn't need to. It's a great card, well-loved, and this reprint will only serve to get it into the hands of more players.

Snuff OutSnuff Out

Did we need it?

Why's a common on this list? Well, Snuff Out is no ordinary common. Originally from Mercadian Masques, Snuff Out didn't see an easily accessible reprint for about 24 years, in Doctor Who. The only appearance in between was in a Duel Decks release. As a result, Snuff Out, though a common, is difficult to find for under $7. Still, with FIC, we've got a number of options for the aesthetic, at least:

If you really want to spend some cash on a black common kill spell, you can snag the foil MMQ version for around $160. The Doctor Who version is still the cheapest, at $7, but like Final Fantasy, the appeal of Universes Beyond versions of cards is in the eye of the beholderbeholder.

Did we want it?

It's expensive for what it is, but it's also really, really good for what it is. The words "rather than pay mana cost" tend to have that effect.

According to EDHREC, we see Snuff Out in 79,701 decks, around 2.5% of all decks playing black. That puts it in line with the Game Changer Ad NauseamAd Nauseam in terms of popular black instants. Would a reprint have been better in Tarkir: Dragonstorm or Foundations or the upcoming Edge Of Eternities? Who's to say?

Walking BallistaWalking Ballista

Did we need it?

There are a lot of versions of Walking Ballista out there in the wild. The problem is, outside of its original printing in Aether Revolt, it's never been in a "normal" (aka, non-premium/UB) set. That trend continues, but with FIC, we might finally see the card dip below $9 for those who need to get a copy for totally fair, non-combo reasons.

The FIC version also provides a slightly different take on the legged siege engine:

Emphasis on the "slightly."

Did we want it?

Walky B is a very popular card, usually for those combo reasons alluded to above. As a result, seasoned Commander players know to deal with a Walking Ballista immediately, lest they be gunned down unceremoniously when Heliod, Sun-CrownedHeliod, Sun-Crowned or Mikaeus, the UnhallowedMikaeus, the Unhallowed come around.

EDHREC has the card in 148,812 lists, which is 2.45% of all decks logged with the site. That makes it the eighth-most popular colorless creature in Commander, hanging out between two Crawlers, PsychosisPsychosis and ScrawlingScrawling. That combo with Heliod is the most popular, by the way, with the pair appearing in 36,916 lists and clocking in as the 21st-most played combo in the format, out of more than 30,000 known combos.

People sick of being perforated by Walking Ballista might not agree, but this is a very good reprint.

Fire-Lit ThicketFire-Lit Thicket and Sunken RuinsSunken Ruins

Did we need them?

Not all the Shadowmoor filter lands are created equal. A few, like Eventide's Flooded GroveFlooded Grove and Rugged PrairieRugged Prairie, have been reprinted to dust and are only a couple bucks each for most versions. Others, like Fetid HeathFetid Heath and Graven CairnsGraven Cairns (originally from Future Sight, actually) hover in the $6-8 range despite a modest number of reprints.

Then there's Fire-Lit Thicket and Sunken Ruins. Each are more than $20 and each were only reprinted twice, in Double Masters and as a Zendikar Expedition:

Why is there such a disparity among this particular land cycle? There's probably an answer to that question, but it's not readily available. All we know for sure is that it's about time for these two lands to see a new version, and FIC is as good a time as any.

Did we want them?

Like any dual land, usage is tied to the color pair's popularity in the format. When it comes to two-color pairs, that disparity can't get much starker: red/green is the least popular, with roughly 96,000 decks, while blue/black is the second-most popular, with 156,000. That trend carries into three-color decks, with decks featuring red/green/x at approximately 227,000, and decks featuring blue/black/x sitting at around 349,000.

Fire-Lit Thicket's in 58,456 decks, while we see Sunken Ruins in 66,564 decks. That's in line with the popularity of blue/black/x decks compared to red/green/x decks. That said, the sheer number of decks playing Sunken Ruins is more than Fire-Lit Thicket, but in terms of percentage of decks that could play each land, they're actually tied at 4.44%. Neat.

What do we do with all this data? Not much, outside of spouting it at Commander night to the chagrin of the table.

Lightning Round

Now that we've got some heavy-hitters out of the way, let's take a look at some other cards, this time with a bit more expediency.

Final JudgmentFinal Judgment

This one's weird. Only appearing in its debut set of Betrayers of Kamigawa as well as a brief stint on The List, Final Judgment is not an expensive card. Both those prints are around a buck. The FIC version, though, is still hovering at around $11. That probably won't stay that way.

SkullclampSkullclamp

The version of Skullclamp in FIC is the card's 24th printing, and we just saw it in Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander. Still, it's hard to find a copy under $7, and another reprint probably won't affect that much.

Collective EffortCollective Effort

Like Final Judgment, the FIC version of Collective Effort is much more expensive than any other printing (of which there have been five, counting promos). None of the previous versions are more than a dollar, while the FIC printing is still $10. It's not a $10 card, do not pay that much, unless you really, really like Final Fantasy X.

Three VisitsThree Visits

It was really fun to see a Portal Three Kingdoms card reprinted for the first time ever in Commander Legends, which represented a 21-year gap. Since then, though, it's seen nine more printings, and the novelty's worn off. It's still at least $7 for the cheapest printing, however - a premium price for people who really need two copies of Nature's LoreNature's Lore (also reprinted here) in their deck.

Relic of LegendsRelic of Legends

Relic of Legends is one of those cards you're surprised to see priced out of the bulk box. Not by much, mind you, with the only printings (Dominaria United and The List) being around $2. At the moment, the printing from FIC is more than twice that, but it won't stay there.

Luminous BroodmothLuminous Broodmoth

It's no MothraMothra, but another printing of Luminous Broodmoth means the card from Ikoria that once preordered for $50 is now even cheaper.

Scholar of New HorizonsScholar of New Horizons

Formerly only from Brothers' War Commander, this new take on the scholar will hopefully help reveal to people just how useful this guy is in Commander.

ReanimateReanimate

Everyone needs at least one copy of Reanimate in their collection, and thankfully precon deck designers seem to understand that. Counting FIC, we've seen it appear in four precons in the past three years. The Rob Bliss originalRob Bliss original will always be the best, though.

Rise of the Dark RealmsRise of the Dark Realms

The card to cast when you really want to complicate things with enter-the-battlefield triggers, Rise of the Dark Realms used to be a hard-to-find finisher for black decks in line with InsurrectionInsurrection or Clone LegionClone Legion. It's still that, but at least now it's not hard to find at all, most recently appearing in Foundations and three times before that.

Sun TitanSun Titan

With a total of 26 printings (21 of which feature the same art), the only way to make waves with a new Sun Titan is to commission for it a new look. Thankfully, that's what we got, and the version from FIC is pretty dang cool.

Hahahahaha!Hahahahaha!

We've covered a good chunk of reprints here, and we're all better for it. If we've learned anything, it's to be careful when scooping up singles; some of the FIC prices are inexplicably high, so don't accidently pay more for something you could get much cheaper. Unless you only care about the fact that it's Final Fantasy. In that case, go ham (ed. note: this is not sound financial advice).

Be sure to keep an eye out for part two of our Final Fantasy Reprint Review, in which we cover the 64 reprints of Final Fantasy: Through the Ages.

Any reprints that surprised you? If you've got knowledge of Final Fantasy, were there any game story beats that would have made for a great reprint that they didn't do? Let's hear it.