Just when it seemed safe to start holiday shopping, Magic the Gathering and Final Fantasy teamed up on a crossover that’s going to be very hard to ignore.
Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy
Buy Now | Price: $5-$100
I’d been out of the Magic scene for a good while, eight years or so, and had switched over to playing Arena just because it was more convenient/affordable. Still, I’d been itching to get back into physically playing for a while now and just needed a good excuse to. Final Fantasy was that excuse.
Off the jump, what makes Final Fantasy work really well with Magic is how seamlessly its aesthetic gels with Magic’s. It’s still distinctly Final Fantasy, but you look at most of the cards, and they don’t look out of place in Magic’s world. It also helps that a chunk of the set features Yoshitaka Amano’s absolutely timeless art.
This set works so perfectly with telling a story through game design. Summons, for example, are here as Sagas, and like in the games, they stay on the field for only a few turns while giving you huge boons before they leave. Or the new Tiered mechanic for cards like Fire Magic, which have you paying a base mana cost to use the card’s ability Fire (which deals 1 damage to each creature). If you have the mana to spare, however, you can pay an additional mana cost to upgrade the spell to Fira or Firaga, increasing the amount of damage that the spell does to creatures. It’s mechanics like these, or the new Job Select mechanic that sees you creating Hero tokens and equipping them with jobs like Wizard or Dragoon to grant them increased benefits, that show what a Universes Beyond set should strive for.
Unfortunately, while I haven’t had a chance to get my hands on the commander decks to try out for myself, I *have* played against them quite a bit. I’m the type of Magic player who tends to prioritize decks that are not only fun to play, but to play against too, and the Final Fantasy XIV-themed deck “Scions & Spellcraft” is precisely that. I’ve played against that deck the most so far, and it’s just a blast to do so. Its commander, Y’shtola, really cements itself as a pillar of the deck, making sure that anytime an action happens on the board, something beneficial comes your way. The rest of the deck plays into this, really making it feel like you’re the one in control of the table, whether it’s getting to draw a card for something another player did, causing creatures opponents play to enter tapped, or gaining life passively. I always have a blast playing against the deck and having to deal with whatever board control strategies it’s currently employing. I think the mark of a good commander precon deck is “does playing against this make me want to pick it up for myself”, and I can safely say all the Final Fantasy decks do.
It says wonders about the set that, despite tepid reception to Magic’s Universes Beyond sets, Final Fantasy seems to be a universal slam dunk for everyone. (Diego)
Magic The Gathering – Final Fantasy Scene Box
Buy Now | Price: $42
Just when I thought I was done with the Final Fantasy Magic: The Gathering set, they pulled me back in with the Garland At The Chaos Shrine. In short, what this is another scenery set piece. It comes with six cards, all themed around the first Final Fantasy, and when they’re all put together in a specific order, they form a picture.
The card comes with Garland, Royal Kidnapper (Blue and Black), The Destined Warrior (White, Blue, and Black), The Destined White Mage (White), Chaos Shrine’s Black Crystal (Black), The Destined Thief (Blue), and The Destined Black Mage (Black). If you’re someone like me who loves collecting set pieces, this is the ideal gift for you. What makes this set especially nice is that all the cards are great in their own way and can serve as ideal Commanders or be used to beef up a preexisting deck. The fact that it comes with three Final Fantasy boosters inside is a nice cherry on top. (Luis)
Magic The Gathering – Final Fantasy Starter Kit
Buy Now | Price: $20
So often in our landscape of constant reboots, corporate-sponsored nostalgia trips, and straight-up sequels, a question is asked: Do I need to engage with the rest of the fiction to jump into this? With the Final Fantasy Starter Kit, much like the previous Jump-In! And Jumpstart products, the answer is “no”. This starter deck, which pits Cloud Strife’s Red and White deck against Sephiroth’s Blue and Black deck, is perfect for two friends or even strangers to open up, shuffle, and start learning Magic: The Gathering together. If you’re new to Magic: The Gathering but not Final Fantasy, you’ll find plenty of beautifully drawn, recognizable vistas, creatures, and figures from the not-so-final worlds they come from. Seymour makes a monstrous appearance, the powerful witch Ultimecia returns, Beatrix, Lightning, Shinra Reinforcements, Ultima Weapon, Treno, and Rabanastre are also represented in these 60-card decks. If that wasn’t enough, it comes with two Magic: The Gathering Arena code cards, two deck boxes, and a play guide. While Cloud wants to take advantage of the equipment in his deck and go in for an overwhelming knock-out, the ever-calculating Sephiroth looks to not only stop him, but demoralize him at every step with kill spells building to a dark crescendo. It’s important to remember the reason for the season, and with these beginner-friendly decks, maybe reconnect with a family member or spend some time with them. At the same time, Cloud and Sephiroth cross swords to determine the fate of the Universes Beyond, which is just what you needed this year. (Branford)
Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy Revival Trance Commander Deck
Buy Now | Price: $50
When Wizards of the Coast offered to send MonsterVine a 100-card commander deck with Terra, Herald of Hope as its commander, it was hard to refuse. Terra, the Final Fantasy VI protagonist, is a classic character in a story that many argue rivals its sequel, Final Fantasy VII. Still, there was a specific reason I was drawn to the character. Many times, older games, particularly ones that came from Japan, had names that were transliterations or mistranslations. This even happened to great characters like Jenova (Jehovah) and Sephiroth (sefirot) of Final Fantasy VII. I never got around to Final Fantasy VI (Final Fantasy III at the time) as a child, so I was surprised to find out that Terra Branford’s last name was actually my first name. I assumed this was a transliteration or that the original version would be different, but neither is true. Enough preamble – let’s talk about what this half-esper heroine can do.
An important note: While Terra, Herald of Hope, is your commander, you may also want to consider another included card in the Revival Trance deck, Celes, Rune Knight. Celes is not just impressive as a Commander, but also as a combo starter and, arguably, a card for Reanimator players. The deck itself is, of course, centered around the fact that Terra can revive cards with power 3 or less, so if you are ready to turn 1 Reanimate into Valgavoth, Terror Eater, you’ll have to decide between the two before you build your
Deck.
Terra, Herald of Hope, is no slouch either, automatically milling cards for you to bring back to life and granting herself flying so that very little can stop you from actually having Terra activate her second ability for 2 Mana. This is not flawless, as the creature comes into play tapped. Even with these restrictions, there’s a variety of “Enter the Battlefield” effects you can scrounge up for 3 or less power, like Fury, for instance.
As Commander is a singleton format, each card in it is important and should be powerful, as you don’t know which seven you’ll start with, pending a free mulligan. Coin of Fate will give your opponent a “Sophie’s Choice” and make you the Monarch, a very powerful position to be in. Cyan, Vengeful Samurai is fairly powerful as is, but can be “cheated” onto the field and loves the fact that you are taking cards out of your graveyard. General Leo Cristophe definitely could create a mic drop moment with you, bringing back not one, but two creatures, if not something even more devious like Phlage, Titan of Fire’s Fury.
Your graveyard isn’t the only one you can manipulate, as most Necromancer-Planeswalkers would know, and Espers to Magicite does so at instant speed in a very Kefka-esque fashion. Rejoin the Fight adds politics to your Commander game, which can be either a very good or a very bad thing. Snort harkens back to cards like Faithless Looting and Wheel of Fortune, and with damage and more fodder for resurrecting, you’ll have plenty of options even if your opponent is targeting one or two cards in your graveyard.
If you don’t just care about how your cards perform, but how many Gil they’re worth, there are also a couple of cards in the Revival Trance deck to please the inner Alchemist, Gambler, or Lady Luck in your Commander games. Reanimate comes with new art and a sizable $9 price tag for anyone who wants to show the world they’re a serious Stitcher. Rise of the Dark Realms is worth $5 with Final Fantasy VI-influenced art, and if you wanted to ensure you’ve put your opponents in check. This is a serious candidate. Sol Ring is always a nice addition to any deck, and Graven Cairns is going to be valuable in a format of one-ofs with supporting Rakdos colors. Pitiless Plunderer enables some nasty combos or ensures your creatures don’t die in vain, along with some other staples like Gogo, Mysterious Mime, Anger, and Dragonskull Summit.
Revival Trance (FINAL FANTASY VI) is what a preconstructed deck should be – a functional deck that has some great cards and immediately presents you with opportunities to improve or change its focus. Whether you’re a Final Fantasy fan who’s just dipping their toes into Magic: The Gathering in its most popular format, or you might know a Warrior of Light who is searching for Friends this holiday, Revival Trance (FINAL FANTASY VI) is a good choice in case you have to take on any Avatar Wizards backed by a three-part 17-minute theme song. (Branford)
Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy Boosters
Buy Now | Price: $5
As Magic: The Gathering fully embraces Universes Beyond, options have become dizzying and even more frequent. A big question is, “What do I get the Magic: The Gathering fan in my life?” Well, if they happen to like Fantasy that never quite seems actually to be Final, do I have the gift idea for you!
Universes Beyond: Final Fantasy, like Sephiroth casting the Meteor Materia, has hit the world and left an impact of unthinkable scale on the card gaming world. There are a myriad of ways to purchase these cards, and the art treatments they feature may vary as well. While this overview won’t be comprehensive, if you don’t know your Onion Knights from your Pictomancers, we’ll try to point you in the right direction.
At the most basic level, there are Collector Booster Sample Packs, Sleeved Play Booster Packs, and Play Booster Packs. There’s virtually no difference between Sleeved and non-Sleeved, though if you know the person in question you’re shopping for is a collector, Collector Booster Sample Packs may be the way to go. If price isn’t an issue, Chocobo Bundles (which also come in cases of six) would be a great gift with the many Chocobo-infused lands and themed additional items. Since lands can go in any deck, it will be hard to go wrong with this feathery find. Similarly, Gift Bundles (which also come in cases of six) are sure to help both Magic: The Gathering players and Warriors of Light use their Limit Break, with plenty of cards through Play Boosters, special art treatment lands, and a Collector Booster. Slightly less pricey are the Bundles (which also come in cases of six), which still contain plenty of Play Boosters to crack, a storage box, a Spindown life counter, and other goodies if someone is dipping their toes into Magic or getting started.
While playing is an important and fun part of Magic: The Gathering, the gorgeous art is also a highlight. If the player you have in mind, or the person you’re thinking of, would rather wistfully admire than shuffle up, Scene Boxes (which also come in cases of six) may be just the thing. With Art cards, Scene cards, and a paper easel to display them, don’t be surprised if your loved one spontaneously turns one of their rooms into an art exhibit. There are four Scenes in total: The Siege of Alexandria (Final Fantasy IX), Children of Fate (Final Fantasy VIII), Garland at the Chaos Shrine (Final Fantasy), and Camp Comrades (Final Fantasy XV). If your “giftee” is looking forward to art like this, Art Series: FINAL FANTASY cards may also be a good purchase, though they come in many different packs without having to purchase them.
Rarity and price also come into play when thinking about a gift – with Collector Booster Packs and Collector Booster Pack (Minimal Packaging), your gift could contain a limited number of cards, which would otherwise cost thousands of dollars. The most infamous of these are likely the Traveling Chocobo cards, which come in a variety of colors and treatments, including Golden and serialized borderless. Considering the asking price for the rarest golden Traveling Chocobo cards is similar to that of a substantial mortgage payment, it may be the only way to still get one without taking out a loan.
Buying single cards (though most Magic: The Gathering formats allow four of a card in a deck) is also a great option to avoid the randomness of packs. Some of the high-ticket items going right now are: Buster Sword (Borderless), Vivi Ornitier (Borderless, though this card is currently banned in Standard if the person you are buying this card for plays that format), Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER (Borderless, both types), Cloud, Midgar Mercenary (Borderless), and Summon: Bahamut (Borderless).
Lastly, while these Secret Lairs have come and gone, you may still be able to purchase them at shops or the individual cards. However, I hope whoever you have in mind will truly appreciate these: Secret Lair X Final Fantasy: Game Over, Secret Lair X Final Fantasy: Grimoire, and Secret Lair X Final Fantasy: Weapons. Each comes in foil and non-foil varieties, placing several iconic scenes, characters, and abilities from Final Fantasy on already established (and often quite useful!) cards. (Branford)
