<p>Today is Thursday, June 12th, and the final day of our <em>Final Fantasy</em> 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 <em>FFXV</em>. Today, we wrap things up with <em>Final Fantasy XVI</em>!</p>
<p>To refresh you about the criteria I'm using to rank cards from each game subset:</p>
<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 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Town Greeter" href="#" target="_blank">Town Greeter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in our <em>FFI</em> list for its fun lore synergies with Towns, especially those with specific <em>Final Fantasy</em> town names.</li>
<li>Best In Show - The very best of these cards in a balance of the above categories.</li>
</ul>
<p>Furthermore, cards from the Commander precons, <em>Through the Ages</em>, and promotional/<em>Secret Lair</em> cards are ineligible for consideration. We want to keep this strictly from the main set.</p>
<p>With that, let's finish things off by taking a good look at the best cards from <em>FFXVI</em>!</p>
<h2>Honorable Mention</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ultima, Origin of Oblivion"></div></div>
<p>Our final Honorable Mention is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ultima, Origin of Oblivion" href="#" target="_blank">Ultima, Origin of Oblivion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This legendary creature is a major deal in the context of <em>Final Fantasy</em>. The concept of the "Ultima Weapon" spans games all the way back to <em>FFII</em>, and has made appearances throughout the series. However, Ultima as we know it in <em>FFXVI</em> is a different enemy altogether. It is the final boss and main antagonist of the game. Very few <em>Final Fantasy</em> concepts have the distinction of being referred to as Ultima, but this is the most distinctive Ultima in modern <em>FF</em>.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<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>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant" href="#" target="_blank">Joshua, Phoenix&#039;s Dominant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a <em>really</em> 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 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hofri Ghostforge" href="#" target="_blank">Hofri Ghostforge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and a better Phoenix kindred commander than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory" href="#" target="_blank">Otharri, Suns&#039; Glory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. He is my pick, potentially due to bias, for Best as a Commander.</p>
<h2>Best in the 99</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clive&#039;s Hideaway"></div></div>
<p>Of all the Town cards in the new set, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clive&#039;s Hideaway" href="#" target="_blank">Clive&#039;s Hideaway</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> 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.</p>
<h2>Most Flavorful</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Torgal, A Fine Hound"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Torgal, A Fine Hound" href="#" target="_blank">Torgal, A Fine Hound</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is best boy. 'Nuff said.</p>
<p>But in all seriousness, Torgal is a great creature for Human, Wolf, Dog, and even Werewolf kindred decks. Overall, Torgal <em>is</em> my pick for Most Flavorful, though, because he's a good boy. One might even suggest he's the "goodest" of boys in context.</p>
<p>This brings us to the Best In Show for <em>FFXVI</em>. Which card came out on top?</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy XVI</em> Best In Show</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clive, Ifrit&#039;s Dominant"></div></div>
<p>It's <span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clive, Ifrit&#039;s Dominant" href="#" target="_blank">Clive, Ifrit&#039;s Dominant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p>Clive is a strong commander for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-4" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. 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.</p>
<p>And so, the sun sets on our <em>Final Fantasy</em> 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!</p>
<p><strong><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: <em>FFI</em></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: <em>FFII</em></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: <em>FFIII</em></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: <em>FFIV</em></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: <em>FFV</em></a></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-six-ffvi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Day 6: <em>FFVI</em></strong></a><strong> | <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: <em>FFVII</em></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"><em>FFVIII</em></a></strong><strong> | <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: <em>FFIX</em></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: <em>FFX</em></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><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: <em>FFXI</em></a></strong><strong> | <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: <em>FFXII</em></a></strong><strong> | <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: <em>FFXIII</em></a></strong><strong> | <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: <em>FFXIV</em></a></strong><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-fifteen-ffxv">Day 15: <em>FFXV</em></a></strong></p>


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

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Today is Wednesday, June 11th, the second-to-last day before <em>Final Fantasy</em>'s <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> 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 <em>FFXIV</em>, and today we'll be covering <em>Final Fantasy XV</em>!</p>
<p>To refresh you about the criteria I'm using to rank cards from each game subset:</p>
<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 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Town Greeter" href="#" target="_blank">Town Greeter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in our <em>FFI</em> list for its fun lore synergies with Towns, especially those with specific <em>Final Fantasy</em> town names.</li>
<li>Best In Show - The very best of these cards in a balance of the above categories.</li>
</ul>
<p>Furthermore, cards from the Commander precons, <em>Through the Ages</em>, and promotional/<em>Secret Lair</em> cards are ineligible for consideration. We want to keep this strictly from the main set.</p>
<p>With that, let's hit the road and delve into the wide world of <em>FFXV</em>!</p>
<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>
<p>I chose Noctis's retainers/friends as <em>FFXV</em>'s Honorable Mentions. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prompto Argentum" href="#" target="_blank">Prompto Argentum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gladiolus Amicitia" href="#" target="_blank">Gladiolus Amicitia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ignis Scientia" href="#" target="_blank">Ignis Scientia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are all interesting cards individually. They each have their own niche usage in the context of <em>Magic</em>, just as in <em>Final Fantasy XV</em>. But they're also best evaluated as a team (and especially alongside Noctis). Where <em>is</em> Noctis, you may ask? You'll see later. But because of this grouping, they're best as our Honorable Mentions.</p>
<h2>Best as a Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ardyn, the Usurper"></div></div>
<p>My Best as a Commander pick is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ardyn, the Usurper" href="#" target="_blank">Ardyn, the Usurper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. 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 <em>awesome</em> 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.</p>
<h2>Best in the 99</h2>
<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Regalia" href="#" target="_blank">The Regalia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>
<p>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!</p>
<h2>Most Flavorful</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ancient Adamantoise"></div></div>
<p>Creatures like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Adamantoise" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Adamantoise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are decidedly very easy to encounter in the context of <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>. 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 <em>Final Fantasy XV</em> 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.</p>
<p>And so, that brings us to my Best In Show. What card could it be?</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy XV</em> Best In Show</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Noctis, Prince of Lucis"></div></div>
<p>It's no surprise that our Best In Show is Noctis! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Noctis, Prince of Lucis" href="#" target="_blank">Noctis, Prince of Lucis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> 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 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherflux Reservoir" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherflux Reservoir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>). Noctis has shown himself to be a competent card in the format and is our Best In Show primarily for that reason.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, he can't join his comrades/retainers in a given deck led by any of them. However, he has a <em>Through the Ages</em> reskin wherein he is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kenrith, the Returned King" href="#" target="_blank">Kenrith, the Returned King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> who <em>can</em> field them all, even this iteration of Noctis as well.</p>
<p>With that, we conclude our Count-Up entry on <em>Final Fantasy XV</em>! Have you ever played <em>FFXV</em>? 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 <em>FFXVI</em>, the final entry in this series! The rest of the articles can be found in the links below!</p>
<p><strong><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: <em>FFI</em></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: <em>FFII</em></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: <em>FFIII</em></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: <em>FFIV</em></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: <em>FFV</em></a></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-six-ffvi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Day 6: <em>FFVI</em></strong></a><strong> | <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: <em>FFVII</em></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"><em>FFVIII</em></a></strong><strong> | <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: <em>FFIX</em></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: <em>FFX</em></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><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: <em>FFXI</em></a></strong><strong> | <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: <em>FFXII</em></a></strong><strong> | <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: <em>FFXIII</em></a></strong><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-fourteen-ffxiv">Day 14: <em>FFXIV</em></a></strong></p>


Final Fantasy 16-Day Count-Up, Day Fifteen: FFXV

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>It's Tuesday, June 10th, and we are still three days away from the release of the <em>Final Fantasy Magic</em> set! Meanwhile, I've been hard at work covering the best and most flavorful cards from every mainline game in the series for our 16-day Count-Up! Yesterday I covered <em>FFXIII</em>; today, I'm looking at <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>!</p>
<p>To reiterate, here is the criteria I'm looking at:</p>
<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 one card in this category.</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 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Town Greeter" href="#" target="_blank">Town Greeter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in our <em>FFI</em> list for its fun lore synergies with Towns, especially those with specific <em>Final Fantasy</em> town names.</li>
<li>Best In Show - The very best of these cards in a balance of the above categories.</li>
</ul>
<p>Furthermore, cards from the Commander precons, <em>Through the Ages</em>, and promotional/<em>Secret Lair</em> cards are ineligible for consideration. We want to keep this strictly from the main set.</p>
<p>With that, let's look at some amazing <em>FFXIV</em> cards!</p>
<h2>Honorable Mention</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Matoya, Archon Elder"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Matoya, Archon Elder" href="#" target="_blank">Matoya, Archon Elder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a deceptively strong creature. She puts in more work as a good imitation of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eligeth, Crossroads Augur" href="#" target="_blank">Eligeth, Crossroads Augur</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but somehow her ability is even better. While she doesn't draw quite as many cards as Eligeth does, she allows you to improve the quality of the draw she provides. What's more, she also triggers off of surveilling, which is a big part of <em>Magic</em> these days.</p>
<p>The primary reason Matoya is only an Honorable Mention for this subset of cards is that she's outclassed by a ton of cards that are even better than she is. Let's take a look at some of them!</p>
<h2>Best as a Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emet-Selch, Unsundered"></div></div>
<p>Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a copy of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yawgmoth&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Yawgmoth&#039;s Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in your command zone? If you've never owned a copy of Yawgmoth's Will but can appreciate the value it provides, chances are good that you have. Well, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emet-Selch, Unsundered" href="#" target="_blank">Emet-Selch, Unsundered</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is very much that card. While rather unassuming on its front face, Emet-Selch eventually transforms into a permanent version of Yawgmoth's Will on its rear face. While this version only works on your turns, it's still a fantastic iteration of an arguably broken effect. As such, Emet-Selch is my pick for Best as a Commander for <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>.</p>
<h2>Best in the 99</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark Confidant"></div></div>
<p>"Bob" is back! Designed by <em>Magic</em> Invitational winner <strong>Bob Maher</strong> back for the original <em>Ravnica: City of Guilds</em>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Confidant" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Confidant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has finally come home to Standard. However, that doesn't mean he's out of place in Commander! For a simple and low cost of <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and some life, you can have all the comforts of extra card advantage at each of your upkeep steps. Maher's elegant design shines through this card even today, providing "greatness, at any cost" (to quote the original <em>Ravnica</em> flavor text).</p>
<h2>Most Flavorful</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Primal Odin"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Primal Odin" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Primal Odin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a card that, understandably, evokes Primal Odin, a figure in <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em> that you must face at a given point in the game. He does, in fact, take a party member out of the game with his might during that portion of combat, I'm told, and as such, his <em>Zantetsuken</em> ability on the card aligns well with the things the game's iteration is capable of. With that in mind, Summon: Primal Odin is my pick for Most Flavorful.</p>
<p>With that, we come to <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>'s Best In Show. There are 43 eligible entries in the entire subset and 39 cards left after the above. So, what won out? Well...</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy XIV</em> Best In Show</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Wandering Minstrel"></div></div>
<p>It's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Wandering Minstrel" href="#" target="_blank">The Wandering Minstrel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p>The Wandering Minstrel is nothing short of amazing. His basic affinities for Town lands mean it's easier to build around those kinds of nonbasic lands with him. Plus, as a 2-cost, five-color commander he can be used with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lurrus of the Dream-Den" href="#" target="_blank">Lurrus of the Dream-Den</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zirda, the Dawnwaker" href="#" target="_blank">Zirda, the Dawnwaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gyruda, Doom of Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Gyruda, Doom of Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Umori, the Collector" href="#" target="_blank">Umori, the Collector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jegantha, the Wellspring" href="#" target="_blank">Jegantha, the Wellspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as companions. That's assuming you build The Wandering Minstrel around them, but all are technically eligible companions for him.</p>
<p>Lorewise, The Wandering Minstrel is, in the game, a self-insert by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naoki_Yoshida"><strong>Naoki Yoshida</strong></a>. Also known as "Yoshi-P", Yoshida is a major game producer, director, and designer for Square Enix. Most notably, he produced <em>Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn</em>! As such, he needed to be our Best In Show for the subset - I accept no substitutions here.</p>
<p>With that, we wrap up our coverage of <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>. This set has a <em>lot</em> of <em>FFXIV</em> representation compared to many other games in the series. How did you feel we fared with this list? Do you think we missed anything of note? Sound off in the comments! And, please feel free to look at our entries for previous games in the various links below!</p>
<p><strong><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: <em>FFI</em></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: <em>FFII</em></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: <em>FFIII</em></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: <em>FFIV</em></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: <em>FFV</em></a></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-six-ffvi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Day 6: <em>FFVI</em></strong></a><strong> | <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: <em>FFVII</em></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"><em>FFVIII</em></a></strong><strong> | <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: <em>FFIX</em></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: <em>FFX</em></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><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: <em>FFXI</em></a></strong><strong> | <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: <em>FFXII</em></a></strong><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-thirteen-ffxiii">Day 13: <em>FFXIII</em></a></strong></p>


Final Fantasy 16-Day Count-Up, Day Fourteen: FFXIV

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>It's Monday, June 9th! As we enter the final week before the <em>Final Fantasy</em> <em>Magic</em> set officially releases, we have even more Count-Up articles for you! To refresh you, I've been listing the best and most flavorful cards for each game in the series, in order from <em>FFI</em> to <em>FFXVI</em>. Yesterday we covered <em>FFXII</em>; today, I'll be examining <em>Final Fantasy XIII</em>!</p>
<p>To reiterate, here is the criteria I'm looking at:</p>
<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 two cards for this category.)</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 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Town Greeter" href="#" target="_blank">Town Greeter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in our <em>FFI</em> list for its fun lore synergies with Towns, especially those with specific <em>Final Fantasy</em> town names.</li>
<li>Best In Show - The very best of these cards in a balance of the above categories.</li>
</ul>
<p>Furthermore, cards from the Commander precons, <em>Through the Ages</em>, and promotional/<em>Secret Lair</em> cards are ineligible for consideration. We want to keep this strictly from the main set.</p>
<p>Let's waste no time and dive right in!</p>
<h2>Honorable Mentions</h2>
<p>For the past few days, pickings were sparse for the games covered. As a result, we couldn't look at any Honorable Mentions. Today, we have enough cards handy for not only one, but <em>two</em> Honorable Mentions! What are those cards? Well...</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vanille, Cheerful l&#039;Cie"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie" href="#" target="_blank">Fang, Fearless l&#039;Cie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vanille, Cheerful l&#039;Cie" href="#" target="_blank">Vanille, Cheerful l&#039;Cie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are a pair of melding legendary creatures. They're a remarkable duo of cards that work exceptionally well with graveyard-filling decks and create a creature together that is more than the sum of its parts. What is that melded creature?</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fin-526b-ragnarok-divine-deliverance.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-155670" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fin-526b-ragnarok-divine-deliverance.jpg" alt="" width="401" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fin-526b-ragnarok-divine-deliverance.jpg 672w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/fin-526b-ragnarok-divine-deliverance-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></a></p>
<p>Ragnarok, Divine Deliverance is a fearsome creature that has a ton going for it, if you can manage to meld Fang and Vanille together (and it's definitely not easy). So, while these two have to be Honorable Mentions in this article due to the nature of the cards, Fang and Vanille merited inclusion with absolutely no doubt.</p>
<h2>Best as a Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Serah Farron"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Serah Farron" href="#" target="_blank">Serah Farron</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a strong white-green creature in a deck archetype that you don't often see for that color pair: legends matter. Yes, we've historically seen it before with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Captain Sisay" href="#" target="_blank">Captain Sisay</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Sisay players are probably <em>delighted</em> to see a card like Serah Farron in her 99, and vice-versa. As such, the card is a great commander if one can't necessarily afford to get Captain Sisay as a commander, financially speaking. It is a fantastic card, and while our Best In Show is even better in many categories, Serah deserves high marks as well.</p>
<h2>Best in the 99</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Magic Damper"></div></div>
<p>The card I'm choosing for my Best in the 99 category is extremely utilitarian by many metrics and can be quite useful. At instant speed, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magic Damper" href="#" target="_blank">Magic Damper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> untaps a creature, provides it with a turn of protection and a buff, <em>and</em> only costs one blue mana. That's a lot for one mana, and it feels extremely pushed for a common. It is probably the best utility piece for the <em>Final</em> <em>Fantasy XIII</em> subset of cards.</p>
<h2>Most Flavorful</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thunder Magic"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thunder Magic" href="#" target="_blank">Thunder Magic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fabulous example of a tiered spell from the game series. Thunder, Thundara, and Thundaga are all extremely powerful electric attacks in the games, and this card encapsulates the concept swimmingly. While Thundara is a little below rate compared to both Thunder and Thundaga here, the spells all do exactly what you'd expect a bolt of electricity to do to a creature: fry it!</p>
<p>With that, it's time to move on to our Best In Show for <em>Final Fantasy XIII</em>. Which card got there above the others?</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy XIII</em> Best In Show</h2>
<p>When there's Thunder Magic, often there's also...</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lightning, Army of One"></div></div>
<p><a href="https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Lightning_(Final_Fantasy_XIII)">Lightning</a>! Namely, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning, Army of One" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning, Army of One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card is an amazing Aggro powerhouse, capable of defeating opponents quite easily. For just <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, you have a 3/2 that is capable of putting the hurt on opponents quickly and efficiently. She also facilitates even more damage with her ability to double the output of creatures that don't deal damage at the same time as, or before, Lightning. That's generally a lot faster than most creatures, so she's super reliable for this purpose.</p>
<p>It's also really neat that Lightning, Army of One synergizes nicely with Thunder Magic, a card she's depicted on. After hitting with Lightning, you can then cast Thunder Magic for any of its tiers. This can deal a heap of damage to something. It's amazingly strong!</p>
<p>With that, we conclude our entry on <em>Final Fantasy XIII</em>. Have you played this game before? How did you enjoy it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! And while awaiting our coverage of <em>FFXIV</em>, feel free to peruse our other entries in the Count-Up series below!</p>
<p><strong><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: <em>FFI</em></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: <em>FFII</em></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: <em>FFIII</em></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: <em>FFIV</em></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: <em>FFV</em></a></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-six-ffvi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Day 6: <em>FFVI</em></strong></a><strong> | <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: <em>FFVII</em></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"><em>FFVIII</em></a></strong><strong> | <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: <em>FFIX</em></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: <em>FFX</em></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><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: <em>FFXI</em></a></strong><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-twelve-ffxii">Day 12: <em>FFXII</em></a></strong></p>


Final Fantasy 16-Day Count-Up, Day Thirteen: FFXIII

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Today is Sunday, June 8th! Prerelease weekend may be winding down to a close, but we are still going strong with our Count-Up series for <em>Final Fantasy</em>! Each day until the set fully officially releases, I'm picking the best and most flavorful cards in the main set. Yesterday, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eleven-ffxi">we covered <em>FFXI</em></a>; today, we will look at <em>Final Fantasy XII</em>!</p>
<h2>Criteria And Notable Omissions</h2>
<p>Notably, the <em>FFXI</em> subset had only thirteen cards in it, just eleven of which are at all applicable to this series. This was fine, but <em>FFXII</em> has even less. The subset has <em>just twelve cards</em>, ten of which can be used in this article's superlatives. Therefore, we will be eschewing an Honorable Mention for this section. Other subsets from here have a few more cards than that. However, the overall criteria we're working with for this superlative list is as follows:</p>
<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, like yesterday's, not have a card for this category.)</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 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Town Greeter" href="#" target="_blank">Town Greeter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in our <em>FFI</em> list for its fun lore synergies with Towns, especially those with specific <em>Final Fantasy</em> town names.</li>
<li>Best In Show - The very best of these cards in a balance of the above categories.</li>
</ul>
<p>Furthermore, cards from the Commander precons, <em>Through the Ages</em>, and promotional/<em>Secret Lair</em> cards are ineligible for consideration. We want to keep this strictly from the main set.</p>
<p>With that, let's dive right in!</p>
<h2>Best as a Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Balthier and Fran"></div></div>
<p>This duo of characters from <em>Final Fantasy XII</em> are collectively a fantastic Vehicle commander. There aren't a ton of pre-<em>Aetherdrift</em> red-green Vehicle-centered cards, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Balthier and Fran" href="#" target="_blank">Balthier and Fran</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will make many players rethink overlooking the set for its "racing-helmet" aesthetic. Plus, giving Vehicles vigilance, reach, and a ton of combat steps to run over opponents seems incredibly powerful.</p>
<h2>Best in the 99</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sidequest: Hunt the Mark"></div></div>
<p>Enchantments that destroy permanents are some of my favorite kinds of enchantments. They're typically super-versatile and will often open up a power vacuum that the caster often has the first opportunity to fill in. <span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sidequest: Hunt the Mark" href="#" target="_blank">Sidequest: Hunt the Mark</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is not only an enchantment that destroys a creature, but it can also fill the void left behind in its wake with its rear face. This card is fantastic for that reason, even if its <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-3" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> mana cost is a tad steep.</p>
<h2>Most Flavorful</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Choco-Comet"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Choco-Comet" href="#" target="_blank">Choco-Comet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> evokes an amazing, and frankly hilarious, piece of mental imagery. A flightless red bird summoning a ton of comets to rain death and destruction upon its hapless victims? Sign me up! This card does exactly what it advertises in its flavor, and that's always great to see in a card like this.</p>
<p>And that brings us to the Best In Show for <em>Final Fantasy</em><em> XII</em>. Which card of the seven remaining eligible cards got this prestige? Well...</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy XII</em> Best In Show</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vaan, Street Thief"></div></div>
<p>If you guessed it'd be <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vaan, Street Thief" href="#" target="_blank">Vaan, Street Thief</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a) I didn't think I was <em>that</em> predictable, and b) you're absolutely right!</p>
<p>Vaan is a strong Commander card for outlaws-matter styled decks as well as decks that like Rogues or Pirates. While Scout is a fairly uncommon creature type at this time, Vaan himself is a Scout and seems remarkably strong for that kindred archetype as well.</p>
<p><a href="https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Vaan">As for the flavor of this character</a>, Vaan has that in spades as well. As a Pirate (judging by the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Captain Lannery Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Captain Lannery Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> reskin from <em>Through the Ages</em>), and as a thief, Vaan is adept at stealing opponents' cards pretty handily. This first ability he has is a good one to link to that flavor. All of this combined makes Vaan, Street Thief my Best In Show for <em>FFXII</em>.</p>
<p>With that, we conclude today's Count-Up article! Are you reading them and do you have any thoughts on how it's turning out? Sound off in the comments! Meanwhile, you can read the series thus far in the links below!</p>
<p><strong><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: <em>FFI</em></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: <em>FFII</em></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: <em>FFIII</em></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: <em>FFIV</em></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: <em>FFV</em></a></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-six-ffvi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Day 6: <em>FFVI</em></strong></a><strong> | <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: <em>FFVII</em></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"><em>FFVIII</em></a></strong><strong> | <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: <em>FFIX</em></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: <em>FFX</em></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eleven-ffxi">Day 11: <em>FFXI</em></a></strong></p>


Final Fantasy 16-Day Count-Up, Day Twelve: FFXII

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image Credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>It's Friday, June 6th, at long last! That means it's the day that a lot of people have been waiting for: <em>Final Fantasy</em> Prerelease day! But also, today is Day 10 of our count-up towards the official release of the set. I've been writing about the best and most flavorful cards from each game in the main <em>FF</em> series. <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-nine-ffix/">Yesterday I covered <em>FFIX</em></a>, and today I'll be looking at <em>Final Fantasy X</em>!</p>
<p>The criteria we're working with for this superlative list is as follows:</p>
<ul>
<li>Honorable Mention - These can 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 only have 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 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Town Greeter" href="#" target="_blank">Town Greeter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in our <em>FFI</em> list for its fun lore synergies with Towns, especially those with specific <em>Final Fantasy</em> town names.</li>
<li>Best In Show - The very best of these cards in a balance of the above categories.</li>
</ul>
<p>Furthermore, cards from the Commander precons, <em>Through the Ages</em>, and promotional/<em>Secret Lair</em> cards are ineligible for consideration. We want to keep this strictly from the main set.</p>
<p>With that, let's begin!</p>
<h2>Honorable Mention</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Al Bhed Salvagers"></div></div>
<p>This Honorable Mention was actually quite difficult, as there are a fair few cards that were in the running. However, I decided to give it to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Al Bhed Salvagers" href="#" target="_blank">Al Bhed Salvagers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card eked out the superlative win over <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Combat Tutorial" href="#" target="_blank">Combat Tutorial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on the merits of mechanical utility over flavor. Al Bhed Salvagers is a helpful, if literally uncommon, Aristocrat-style card in this set, with the only other card overtly like it in the set being <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER" href="#" target="_blank">Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. As such, Al Bhed Salvagers is a helpful addition to many different builds. It will see a lot of play in Limited under the white-black sacrifice archetype, but the card is more genuinely useful in any deck that utilizes black in the format. And this isn't even touching upon Commander's applications of the card, which seem quite vast as well!</p>
<h2>Best as a Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yuna, Hope of Spira"></div></div>
<p>In the Best as a Commander spot, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yuna, Hope of Spira" href="#" target="_blank">Yuna, Hope of Spira</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Between <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sin, Spira&#039;s Punishment" href="#" target="_blank">Sin, Spira&#039;s Punishment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> costing too much mana and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seymour Flux" href="#" target="_blank">Seymour Flux</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> having too few colors about it, Yuna felt like the right choice for this superlative spot. As a dedicated "Summon"-centric legend, Yuna seems like fertile ground for open potential in deckbuilding. You could always go with the Saga creatures from the <em>Final Fantasy</em> set, but you could also err towards general enchantment creatures as well. There is a real case for Yuna's high degree of open utility here, so make of that what you will.</p>
<h2>Best in the 99</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Overkill"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overkill" href="#" target="_blank">Overkill</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of those cards that you have to experience to really understand the magnitude of. Whether it's killing a bomb of a creature definitively and turning the tide of the game, or comboing out with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jaws of Defeat" href="#" target="_blank">Jaws of Defeat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to take a player out, Overkill will seldom be unimpactful in a game of Commander.</p>
<h2>Most Flavorful</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blitzball"></div></div>
<p>How could we talk about <em>Final Fantasy X</em> and not put <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blitzball" href="#" target="_blank">Blitzball</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at Most Flavorful on this list? The card is a solid mana rock (mana ball? The verdict is still out among my editors) and provides ample card advantage upon scoring a goal. The analogy of <a href="https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Blitzball_(minigame)">scoring a goal</a> being a legendary creature dealing combat damage is pretty rad, if I'm being frank. In Limited, people will probably only be sacrificing Blitzball in the late game, as mana is so vital earlier in Sealed or Draft. However, this card will be used a lot in Commander decks that care about the card advantage capabilities of this card. Time will tell how many decks want it, but it's still a really cool and flavorful card.</p>
<p>And that brings us to the Best In Show for <em>FFX</em>. Which card takes this category? It couldn't be any other card than...</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy X</em> Best In Show</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Bahamut"></div></div>
<p>...<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Bahamut" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Bahamut</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p>This absolute monster of a Summon is one of the most impactful cards in the set, if you can cast it. If you're able to cheat it into play, such as by reanimating it with Yuna, Hope of Spira, it's even better. At one or two lore counters, Bahamut is <em>going</em> to ruin an opponent's day. But that's nothing compared to what's to come. When it reaches its apex at four lore counters, it's apt to do a metric ton of damage to every one of your opponents; this may often end games outright. It's one helluva powerful card, and that's reason enough for it to be my Best In Show for <em>FFX</em>.</p>
<p>So, that marks the end of my count-up for <em>Final Fantasy X</em>! Do you agree with my assessments here? Are there better considerations that I've perhaps missed? Make your case in the comments! And while waiting for tomorrow's <em>FFXI</em> count-up, feel free to read some of the previous entries in the articles linked below.</p>
<p><strong><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: <em>FFI</em></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: <em>FFII</em></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: <em>FFIII</em></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: <em>FFIV</em></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: <em>FFV</em></a> |</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-six-ffvi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Day 6: <em>FFVI</em></strong></a><strong> | <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: <em>FFVII</em></a></strong><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eight-ffviii">Day 8: <em>FFVIII</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-nine-ffix/">Day 9: <em>FFIX</em></a></strong></p>


Final Fantasy 16-Day Count-Up, Day Ten: FFX

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix</h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Today is Thursday, June 5th, and we are already halfway through with our count-up towards the <em>Final Fantasy</em> set release date! This set has so much going for it. For this series, we are looking at the best cards from each individual game in the main series. Yesterday we covered <em>FFVIII</em>, and for today's list, we're looking at <em>Final Fantasy IX</em>!</p>
<p>The criteria we're working with for this superlative list is as follows:</p>
<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 only have 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 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Town Greeter" href="#" target="_blank">Town Greeter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in our <em>FFI</em> list for its fun lore synergies with Towns, especially those with specific <em>Final Fantasy</em> town names.</li>
<li>Best In Show - The very best of these cards in a balance of the above categories.</li>
</ul>
<p>Furthermore, cards from the Commander precons, <em>Through the Ages</em>, and promotional/<em>Secret Lair</em> cards are ineligible for consideration. We want to keep this strictly from the main set.</p>
<p>With that, let's begin!</p>
<h2>Honorable Mention</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Black Waltz No. 3"></div></div>
<p>We start today's list off with a formidable Black Mage from the set. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Waltz No. 3" href="#" target="_blank">Black Waltz No. 3</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a remarkably powerful legendary creature in this game's subset of cards. It saps opponents of their life totals, it flies, and it kills whatever creature it damages. For an easy four mana, this creature truly is pushed for an uncommon.</p>
<p>However, it could theoretically do more. The simple nature of how this card functions so effortlessly is the reason that Black Waltz No. 3 is only an Honorable Mention here. By no means is it a bad commander, or part of 99, but it's such an easy card to fit both categories that choosing was difficult. Honestly, it could've been Best In Show if not for the stronger alternative that made it there.</p>
<h2>Best as a Commander</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Choco, Seeker of Paradise"></div></div>
<p>Players have been clamoring for a dedicated Bird kindred commander for a while now. But, specifically, one that can utilize blue, white, <em>and</em> green. After all, how can you run the ever-iconic <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Birds of Paradise" href="#" target="_blank">Birds of Paradise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> without green? Enter <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Choco, Seeker of Paradise" href="#" target="_blank">Choco, Seeker of Paradise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This legendary Chocobo was what Bird player aspirants wanted sorely. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tawnos, the Toymaker" href="#" target="_blank">Tawnos, the Toymaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> clearly did not satisfy due to a lack of white. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kastral, the Windcrested" href="#" target="_blank">Kastral, the Windcrested</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, once again, lacked green. Choco is a perfect fit for the needs of these players.</p>
<p>Furthermore, there's an argument here for Choco to be a strong landfall commander as well, although that archetype is quite cramped to begin with. But suffice it to say, Choco wants Birds swinging for the fences to use its triggered ability properly. It'll be one heck of a potent commander upon release.</p>
<h2>Best in the 99</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lindblum, Industrial Regency"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lindblum, Industrial Regency" href="#" target="_blank">Lindblum, Industrial Regency</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a member of a cycle of five lands with Adventures stapled onto them. However, being that Lindblum is the only one from <em>Final Fantasy IX</em>, it seemed fair to put it here, as Best in the 99. The card is very strong; it makes a "Black Mage" body, it triggers any other Black Mages you had on the battlefield already, and it allows you a land drop later on. What's not to love about that?</p>
<h2>Most Flavorful</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kuja, Genome Sorcerer"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kuja, Genome Sorcerer" href="#" target="_blank">Kuja, Genome Sorcerer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the antagonist of <em>FFIX</em>. He is a pivotal character when it comes to purportedly knowing the secret to creating Black Mages in the context of the video game. As such, when it comes to his <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> card, his story and flavor tie into this exceptionally well.</p>
<p>As <a href="https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Trance_Kuja_(cinematic_enemy)">Trance Kuja</a>, the party of <em>FFIX</em> cannot defeat him for cinematic reasons, so it's harder to translate this into card game terms, but it seems to have been adapted pretty well in a fashion.</p>
<p>And that brings us to the <em>Final Fantasy IX</em> Best In Show. You probably can guess which card this is already, but here we go anyhow...</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy IX</em> Best In Show</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vivi Ornitier"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vivi Ornitier" href="#" target="_blank">Vivi Ornitier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> should come as absolutely no surprise to anyone as our Best In Show. A highly beloved character from this game, Vivi has been cleverly adapted for <em>Magic</em>. He's rather pushed, mechanically, even beginning to break into the echelons of cEDH territory before anyone even has the card. Vivi combos rather well with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quicksilver Elemental" href="#" target="_blank">Quicksilver Elemental</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curiosity" href="#" target="_blank">Curiosity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sigil of Sleep" href="#" target="_blank">Sigil of Sleep</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and a variety of other strong cards. My overall assessment of this amazing card is why Vivi is ultimately the Best In Show for the subset of <em>FFIX</em>.</p>
<p>And now, we've reached the end of today's count-up. How are you liking this series so far? Are we missing anything vital? Sound off in the comments! And if you want to read my previous count-up articles for <em>Final Fantasy</em>, the links thus far are all below.</p>
<p><strong><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: <em>FFI</em></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: <em>FFII</em></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: <em>FFIII</em></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: <em>FFIV</em></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: <em>FFV</em></a> |</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-six-ffvi?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Day 6: <em>FFVI</em></strong></a><strong> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-seven-ffvii">Day 7: <em>FFVII</em></a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eight-ffviii/">Day 8: </a><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-16-day-count-up-day-eight-ffviii/"><em>FFVIII</em></a></strong></p>


Final Fantasy 16-Day Count-Up, Day Nine: FFIX

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Cloud Strife and Sephiroth Final Fantasy x MTG key art | art by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/magali_villeneuve/?hl=en">Magali Villeneuve</a></h6>
<p>According to <a href="https://www.wargamer.com/magic-the-gathering/best-selling-final-fantasy-sales">Wargamer</a>, during the Q1 earnings call from Hasbro on April 24th, 2025, CEO <strong>Chris Cocks</strong> reiterated the financial success of Final Fantasy's upcoming <em>Magic</em> release:</p>
<p>“Final Fantasy will be the best-selling set of all time on day one. It already is,” he said. Preorders for Final Fantasy products on Amazon sold out almost immediately after the initial preview stream, and most retailers are marking up Collector Boosters and Collector's Edition Commander decks to $600+ apiece.</p>
<p>Final Fantasy's new best-selling status will no doubt further entrench the decision to make Universes Beyond mainline set releases and products more frequent.</p>
<p>“It’s very clear to us that Universes Beyond as a strategy has increased the total active install base of <em>Magic</em> players, both in terms of reigniting lapsed fans as well as bringing in new fans,” Cocks said.</p>
<h2>What's behind the growth in Hasbro's MTG earnings?</h2>
<p>“It’s difficult to identify just one thing. Really what we’re seeing is an expansion of the playerbase,” Cocks explained. Many players could speculate the rise in Chaos Vault and Secret Lair drops have changed the model for MTG products in between mainline set releases.</p>
<p>As well as this, we can count on recent "nostalgia" sets like Tarkir: Dragonstorm having brought longtime players back into the fold to see fresh takes on old characters, game mechanics and settings.</p>
<p>One thing remains sure, Final Fantasy is bound to have some of the most popular Secret Lair drops of all time, leading to an even greater sales expectation for Wizards' current license of the franchise.</p>
<h3>What Makes the Final Fantasy MTG set so popular?</h3>
<p>Final Fantasy (FF) premiered in Japan in 1987, and with over 30 years' worth of game release across the world and console generations, there are legions of fans who are eager to get their hands on anything FF related. Final Fantasy's many characters and world settings also makes it a perfect fit for <em>Magic's</em> game system.</p>
<h2>When Does the Final Fantasy MTG set Release?</h2>
<p>With a scheduled prerelease date of June 6th and release date of June 13th, Final Fantasy and <em>Magic</em> fans don't have long to wait to meld their favorite franchises together with one of the world's best game systems.</p>
<p>Have you managed to preorder any Final Fantasy product yet? What games or characters are you hoping get the best representation? Let us know below!</p>


square enix