Final Fantasy Commander Decks Revealed, Feature Cloud, Tidus, and More

Magic: The Gathering's highly anticipated Final Fantasy crossover is almost here! This June, get ready for a fully draftable, Standard-legal set, plus four exciting preconstructed Commander decks, each themed around a different mainline Final Fantasy game: 6, 7, 10, and 14.

A First Look at the Commander Decks

Check out the gallery below for a sneak peek at the key card and packaging for each deck:

13 Images

Each 100-card deck features a blend of reprints with new Final Fantasy art and brand-new cards designed specifically for Commander. The decks aren't just themed around characters; they delve deep into the lore of each individual Final Fantasy game.

Deck Selection and Design Choices

Senior Game Designer Daniel Holt explains that the team chose these four games based on gameplay potential and story recognition. While Final Fantasy VII and XIV were easy choices, 6 and 10 required more deliberation, ultimately selected due to their popularity within the development team. The design process involved significant team investment, reflecting the shared passion for Final Fantasy among the developers.

The Final Fantasy VII deck navigates the balance between the original game's narrative and the aesthetic updates of the Remake trilogy. Principal Narrative Game Designer Dillon Deveney clarifies that the story follows the 1997 classic, while the art incorporates modern aesthetics from the Remake.

Final Fantasy VI, with its pixel art origins, presented a unique challenge. The team collaborated with the Final Fantasy VI team to update the character designs for Magic, blending elements from original concept art, sprites, and the Pixel Remaster.

Commander Choices and Deck Strategies

The choice of Commanders also involved careful consideration. While Cloud was a natural fit for Final Fantasy VII, other choices, such as Celes for FFVI and Yuna for FFX, were explored before settling on the final selections. The Final Fantasy XIV deck features Y'shtola during her Shadowbringers arc.

Each deck's color identity and strategy were thoughtfully designed. All four decks incorporate White, enabling the inclusion of a wide range of heroes. The strategies are unique to each game: FFVI focuses on graveyard recursion, FFVII blends equipment and "power matters" strategies, FFX utilizes the Sphere Grid system, and FFXIV emphasizes non-creature spellcasting.

Beyond the Commanders, each deck boasts a roster of beloved Final Fantasy characters, both heroes and villains, appearing as legendary creatures and in spell art. While specific details remain under wraps, fans can expect to see many familiar faces.

Release and Collector's Editions

The Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy set launches June 13th. Both regular and Collector's Editions will be available for each of the four Commander decks, with the Collector's Editions featuring Surge foil treatment for all 100 cards. While these four games are highlighted in the Commander decks, Holt assures that all sixteen mainline Final Fantasy games will be represented across the entire set.