Y'shtola, Night's BlessedY'shtola, Night's Blessed | Art by Magali Villeneuve

Y'shtola, Night's BlessedY'shtola, Night's Blessed has officially overtaken Kaalia of the VastKaalia of the Vast, a longtime Commander mainstay, to enter the fabled Top 5 circle of popular commanders.

With over 34 thousand decks at Y'shtola's disposal, all crafted in the course of under one year, this is an amazing feat. This is especially true as each of the four commanders ahead of the Cat Warlock has had at least eight years to cultivate a following.

What awaits this beloved Final Fantasy XIV character in the trials to come? Read on, and we'll discuss!

On the Overthrow of Kaalia of the VastKaalia of the Vast

Before today, Kaalia of the Vast held the #5 spot. Due to the way the zeitgeist tends to work, Kaalia's velocity in growing ranks has inevitably decreased compared to Y'shtola. Because Y'shtola is a newer commander (released in 2025, compared to Kaalia's 2011 release in Heavenly Inferno, one of the first five official Commander precons), she will accrue numbers much faster.

So, now that we've touched upon this important event, let's look at what further trials await, and if they seem at all surmountable for this legendary FFXIV creature!

On Krenko, Mob BossKrenko, Mob Boss

Released in 2012 with the Magic 2013 Core set, Krenko, Mob Boss is the #4 most popular commander around. A Goblin with a serious Goblin-typing theme going for him, he commands over 36 thousand decks. This is in part due to extreme combo potential blended with wave after wave of Goblin token generation.

This is an oddly versatile means of getting stuff done, as it stands. The tokens can be used to attack other players, or be used as sacrificial fodder for value plays, or as mass damage on entry with Impact TremorsImpact Tremors or Purphoros, God of the ForgePurphoros, God of the Forge. Versatility in the Top 4, you'll see, plays a recurring role in our analyses. Those rooting for Y'shtola to rise in the ranks should hope for the same out of her.

With just over two thousand decks needed for Y'shtola to actually surpass Krenko, it might take a little while for her to achieve this. But it appears more possible as days pass!

On Atraxa, Praetors' VoiceAtraxa, Praetors' Voice

Speaking of extreme cases of versatility, Atraxa, Praetors' VoiceAtraxa, Praetors' Voice has that in spades. Let's face facts here: There are so many cards and mechanics that care about counters on permanents and players. Atraxa appeals to nearly all of them. Y'shtola is going to have a lot of trouble overtaking this powerhouse of all trades. Right now Atraxa has over 39,000 decks built, about five thousand more than the hero of this article currently has.

So, for purposes of figuring out whether Ms. Rhul can overtake Atraxa or the current Top 2 most popular commanders, Edgar MarkovEdgar Markov (#2) and The Ur-DragonThe Ur-Dragon (#1), we need to wait for her to get past the Goblin Warrior in the room. Even so, things look positive for the Cat Warlock in that regard, and doubtless, we'll cover this shift when it happens - if it happens.

Conclusion

In the end, this interesting vying for popularity is a fun thing to track. And, beyond this, these are all stellar commanders. It's just so neat, though, that a commander released this past year could rise in the ranks so quickly!

So now, let's open the floor to you, dear readers! Do you have a Y'shtola, Night's BlessedY'shtola, Night's Blessed Commander deck, or decks of any of the commanders in the Top 4? Are you hoping to see any more shifts in popularity down the line? Sound off in the comments below!