The 2025 Commanders That Broke EDHREC Top 100

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artofmtg.com/artist/magali-villeneuve/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Magali Villeneuve</a></em></p>
<p>It's finally happened; Kenrith has been dethroned! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a legendary creature from the <em>Final Fantasy</em> precons, has overtaken <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>'s spot as the 10th most popular commander.</p>
<p>But how did this happen, and what's so special about this new card on the list? Read on, and we'll elaborate!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed"></div></div>
<h2>What's Going On?</h2>
<p>Before last night, <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> was the 10th most popular commander in the entire format, according to <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EDHREC</a>. However, this esteemed position has since been overtaken by none other than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Y'shtola is currently the only legendary creature from 2025 to reach our Top 10. With only two weeks remaining in December, it's highly unlikely that any other legend printed in 2025 will reach that height.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kenrith, the Returned King"></div></div>
<h2>Y'shtola, and Her Surge in Popularity</h2>
<p>But what does this all mean, and why Y'shtola of all legends?</p>
<p>The answer could be practically anything, honestly. For one, Y'shtola's iconic art, illustrated by the incomparable Magali Villeneuve, has captivated many <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> and <em>Final Fantasy</em> fans alike. Villeneuve's iconic illustration style, in recent years, has allowed her work to skyrocket her in terms of popularity among <em>Magic</em> art connoisseurs.</p>
<p>Pairing Villeneuve's style with the iconic <em>FFXIV</em> character <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola Rhul" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola Rhul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was clearly a recipe for aesthetic success.</p>
<h2>Looks Aren't Everything</h2>
<p>Y'shtola's art has now become extremely intertwined with the <em>Final Fantasy</em> set and franchise. However, it's not the only reason that this legendary Cat Warlock is so popular in the command zone.</p>
<p>Mechanically, Y'shtola, Night's Blessed is an absolute home run of a commander. <em>Final Fantasy</em>'s main set had a very devoted noncreature spell theme to it, and this card, the face of the <a href="https://edhrec.com/precon/scions-spellcraft" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Scions &amp; Spellcraft</em> precon</a>, suited that theme perfectly. This, in turn, lent itself well to running Y'shtola as not only a ubiquitous Spellslinger in Esper decks (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>), but also a great thematic commander for <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>-centric builds.</p>
<p>Not to mention, the Cat Warlock is also an <em>extremely</em> potent card overall.</p>
<p>Those are some of the major factors that pulled Y'shtola, Night's Blessed into the Top 10. But what about the factors that pushed Kenrith, the Returned King <em>out</em>?</p>
<h2>Age <em>After</em> Beauty, Apparently</h2>
<p>From the estimates that I've noticed as to why some trending commanders surge in popularity more than others, a lot of it has to do with zeitgeist. Zeitgeist, as defined by the latest version of the online <em>Merriam-Webster Dictionary</em>, is "the general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate of an era." In other terms, the zeitgeist is also referred to as the "spirit of the times."</p>
<p>Kenrith, a commander from 2019's <em>Throne of Eldraine</em>, captured the zeitgeist of, well, 2019. He was an extremely popular commander then, and don't get me wrong, he is still remarkably in vogue for certain niches of the community.</p>
<p>However, all this to say, it's 2025, and the end of it at that. Six years of <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> is only just a larger slice than one-quarter of the game's life so far. 2026 marks the 33rd year of the game, with 2019 being only 26 years in.</p>
<p>So, by such a token, let's look at the not-so-arbitrary tail-end of 2028, <em>Magic</em>'s 35th year. That year, Kenrith won't even be in the most recent fifth of the cards newly printed. By contrast, Y'shtola will only be about three years old, a relative baby even then.</p>
<h2>There's Always a Caveat</h2>
<p>However, all of this hubbub over how cool this <em>Final Fantasy</em> commander is doesn't change the fact that her ascent is <em>really quite fresh</em>. Any day now, Kenrith might regrow in popularity. This may allow him to potentially overtake that #10 rank among the Top Commanders on the site. That said, by then, Y'shtola might be out of range to be usurped in turn. We estimate that it's entirely plausible that she might even make it as a 5th-ranked commander on the list.</p>
<p>That will obviously take some time, but it's a distinct possibility.</p>
<h2>Other <em>Final Fantasy</em> Giants</h2>
<p>Amid all this talk of Y'shtola, Night's Blessed's popularity, we don't want to overshadow the other great cards from the release that are in the Top 100. At Rank #20 is <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>, a fantastic and potent commander from <em>Final Fantasy IX</em>. As of December 16th, Vivi had a formidable 22,709 decks at players' disposal.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER" href="#" target="_blank">Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are continuously vying for superiority in the 60s of the list. Right now, Sephiroth is winning that conflict, proving that multicolor identities aren't all there is to format popularity.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vivi Ornitier"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER"></div></div>
<p>It's not clear whether any of these legendary creatures will ever reach Y'shtola's level of appeal. Truth be told, they missed the mark on being the spirit of the times, albeit just barely.</p>
<p>So now, let's hear from you, dear readers! How many of you reading this have an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Commander deck? Do you like playing with that commander? If so, why? Sound off in the comments below!</p>


Y'shtola, Night's Blessed Is Now 10th Most Popular Commander

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola Rhul" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola Rhul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://immanuelacrovius.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Immanuela Crovius</a></em></p>
<p>Mono-blue is a tricky color in Commander, as it usually screams control. I'm not much of a control player, but I do love value, which is something Y'shtola Rhul provides in spades.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Y&#039;shtola Rhul"></div></div>
<p>Not being well-versed in <em>Final Fantasy</em> didn’t prevent my previous brewing of the mono-red legend, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Firion, Wild Rose Warrior" href="#" target="_blank">Firion, Wild Rose Warrior</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and it certainly didn’t prevent me brewing this commander either. Y’shtola has a crazy Esper counterpart from one of the <em>Final Fantasy</em> precons in the form of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but I think this iteration feels more fun. If you like “enters” triggers and taking a lot of game actions, this is the deck for you.</p>
<p>The first thing I noticed about this card is the ability to effectively double our end step. I immediately looked for anything and everything in blue that deals with the end step, and the list was, unfortunately, very small. Sure, double triggering a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chimil, the Inner Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Chimil, the Inner Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wondrous Crucible" href="#" target="_blank">Wondrous Crucible</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> seems like a ton of fun, but the list pretty much ends there, so I leaned hard into the first ability.</p>
<p>The first ability reminded me of an old <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thassa, Deep-Dwelling" href="#" target="_blank">Thassa, Deep-Dwelling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> build I had, and that was a deck I loved dearly. Two <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conjurer&#039;s Closet" href="#" target="_blank">Conjurer&#039;s Closet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects on every one of our turns? Sign me up! With this kind of deck, especially when most blue "enters" triggers can be pretty mean, I will warn my readers that my build of this commander fits solidly into Bracket 4.</p>
<h2>Category #1: End Step Triggers</h2>
<p>As I previously mentioned, our options are pretty limited in mono-blue when it comes to end step triggers, but that doesn't mean the limited options are bad. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wondrous Crucible" href="#" target="_blank">Wondrous Crucible</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chimil, the Inner Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Chimil, the Inner Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> let us cast spells for free; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Palantír of Orthanc" href="#" target="_blank">Palantír of Orthanc</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a terrific source of card draw or incidental burn, depending on what our opponents choose; and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primordial Mist" href="#" target="_blank">Primordial Mist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives us manifest creatures that we can flip up later with our commanders first ability (flickering a face down creature makes it return face up; this concept will come up later).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chimil, the Inner Sun"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wondrous Crucible"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Palantír of Orthanc"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Primordial Mist"></div></div>
<h2>Category #2: "Enters" Triggers</h2>
<p dir="auto">As mentioned before, this deck is full of creatures with enters triggers, but I’m just going to highlight some of the heavy hitters here. We have creatures that cover anything you may need over the course of a game:</p>
<p dir="auto">Need to "borrow" a creature or spell? Try <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sower of Temptation" href="#" target="_blank">Sower of Temptation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Agent of Treachery" href="#" target="_blank">Agent of Treachery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diluvian Primordial" href="#" target="_blank">Diluvian Primordial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p dir="auto"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sower of Temptation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Agent of Treachery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Diluvian Primordial"></div></div></p>
<p dir="auto">Need to ramp? Try <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Solemn Simulacrum" href="#" target="_blank">Solemn Simulacrum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peregrine Drake" href="#" target="_blank">Peregrine Drake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p dir="auto"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Solemn Simulacrum"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Peregrine Drake"></div></div></p>
<p dir="auto">Need to remove troublesome creatures? Try <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Amphin Mutineer" href="#" target="_blank">Amphin Mutineer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meteor Golem" href="#" target="_blank">Meteor Golem</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exclusion Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Exclusion Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p dir="auto"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Amphin Mutineer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Meteor Golem"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Exclusion Mage"></div></div></p>
<p dir="auto">How about drawing some cards? Try <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Serum Visionary" href="#" target="_blank">Serum Visionary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mulldrifter" href="#" target="_blank">Mulldrifter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overlord of the Floodpits" href="#" target="_blank">Overlord of the Floodpits</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p dir="auto"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Serum Visionary"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mulldrifter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Overlord of the Floodpits"></div></div></p>
<h2>Category #3: Our Secret Gameplan = Face Down Creatures</h2>
<p>I told you I would come back to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primordial Mist" href="#" target="_blank">Primordial Mist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! Manifest creatures, or face down creatures in general, is our secret gameplan. Why? Because, like I said before, if we flicker a face down creature, that card returns to play <em>face up</em>. For this reason, we have some really heavy hitters in the deck in the hopes that we can execute this "cheating of mana cost".</p>
<p>The other ways we have to put things into face down are cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="They Came from the Pipes" href="#" target="_blank">They Came from the Pipes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cryptic Coat" href="#" target="_blank">Cryptic Coat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cursed Windbreaker" href="#" target="_blank">Cursed Windbreaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="They Came from the Pipes"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cryptic Coat"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cursed Windbreaker"></div></div>
<p>When we have face down creatures, we can turn up crazy game-ending threats, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blightsteel Colossus" href="#" target="_blank">Blightsteel Colossus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Void Winnower" href="#" target="_blank">Void Winnower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blightsteel Colossus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Void Winnower"></div></div>
<p>We also have standard all-star <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abhorrent Oculus" href="#" target="_blank">Abhorrent Oculus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in this deck, as it's another great way to give us face down creatures.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abhorrent Oculus"></div></div>
<h2>Category #4: Infinite Combos</h2>
<p>I would be remiss if I didn't mention the infinite combos that I included in my decklist. The main combo involves an old format boogeyman, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadeye Navigator" href="#" target="_blank">Deadeye Navigator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Pairing it with any of our enters creatures is very good, but pairing it with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peregrine Drake" href="#" target="_blank">Peregrine Drake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> grants us infinite mana. Infinite mana isn't an immediate guaranteed win, but it's certainly a good start.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deadeye Navigator"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Peregrine Drake"></div></div>
<p>The other combo in the deck is one that people may find frustrating, so be warned. This combo involves three cards: our commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archaeomancer" href="#" target="_blank">Archaeomancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Time Warp" href="#" target="_blank">Time Warp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>It works like this: we cast Time Warp, giving us an extra turn. During the extra turn, we play Archaeomancer to return Time Warp to our hand and cast it again. If our commander is on the board at this point, we can choose to blink the Archaeomancer, returning Time Warp to our hand again. This generates a loop of infinite turns, which, again, doesn't necessarily win the game, but it's a huge step towards doing so.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Y&#039;shtola Rhul"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archaeomancer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Time Warp"></div></div>
<h2>Closing Thoughts</h2>
<p>That will do it for our deck tech on Y'shtola Rhul! I hope this article has persuaded you to brew around this very strong and fun commander!</p>
<p>Check out my decklist below!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Y’shtola Rhul" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Y&#039;shtola Rhul
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Chimil, the Inner Sun
*1 Cryptic Coat
*1 Cursed Windbreaker
*1 Decanter of Endless Water
*1 Midnight Clock
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Palantír of Orthanc
*1 Panharmonicon
*1 Sapphire Medallion
*1 Scroll of Fate
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Sword of Hearth and Home
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Worn Powerstone
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Abhorrent Oculus
*1 Aether Adept
*1 Aether Channeler
*1 Agent of Treachery
*1 Amphin Mutineer
*1 Archaeomancer
*1 Blightsteel Colossus
*1 Circuit Mender
*1 Deadeye Navigator
*1 Diluvian Primordial
*1 Dour Port-Mage
*1 Exclusion Mage
*1 Fblthp, the Lost
*1 Glitch Interpreter
*1 Kozilek, the Broken Reality
*1 Man-o&#039;-War
*1 Master of Waves
*1 Meteor Golem
*1 Mulldrifter
*1 Naga Fleshcrafter
*1 Overlord of the Floodpits
*1 Peregrine Drake
*1 Phyrexian Metamorph
*1 Serum Visionary
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Sower of Temptation
*1 Thassa, Deep-Dwelling
*1 Tomb of Horrors Adventurer
*1 Venser, Shaper Savant
*1 Void Winnower
*1 Whirler Rogue
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Aetherize
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Become Anonymous
*1 Cyber Conversion
*1 Ghostly Flicker
*1 Pongify
*1 Rapid Hybridization
*1 Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Candlekeep Sage
*1 Imprisoned in the Moon
*1 Mirror Room // Fractured Realm
*1 Primordial Mist
*1 Propaganda
*1 They Came from the Pipes
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Quantum Misalignment
*1 Rite of Replication
*1 Time Warp
*1 Unnerving Grasp
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Arid Archway
*1 Castle Vantress
*1 Command Beacon
*1 Conduit Pylons
*25 Island
*1 Lonely Sandbar
*1 Mystic Sanctuary
*1 Otawara, Soaring City
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Scavenger Grounds
*1 Talon Gates of Madara
[/Lands]"></span></div>


Brewing Around A Final Fantasy Commander - Y'shtola Rhul

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art By: <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CMagali+Villeneuve%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Magali Villeneuve</a></em></p>
<p>I have never played any <em>Final Fantasy</em> game. Yes, you read that right, I have <em>never</em> played any <em>Final Fantasy</em> game, unless you count the <em>Kingdom Hearts</em> franchise. Nevertheless, the upcoming <em>Final Fantasy</em> <em>Magic</em> set has some incredibly unique and fabulous cards. One card that I vibed with upon first seeing it was <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Welcome to the latest instalment of <em>Tech The Deck</em>, featuring a deck reminiscent of playing a video game on hard mode.</p>
<h2>New Game +</h2>
<p>For some reason, I like three-mana value (MV) cards way too much; my draft decks look like upside-down castles. So when I saw an Esper colored (white, blue, and black) commander that gets value off of casting a three MV spell, I was immediately interested. But when I started putting this deck together, something changed within me. Something deep inside, a primordial urge screamed out. It yelled at me, saying, "ONLY THREE TYPES!" I answered the call. This deck, outside of the lands and the commander, only runs three card types: sorceries, instants, and enchantments.</p>
<p>Why would I do this? Why would I not run <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Signet" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Signet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? What prevented me from putting a planeswalker or a battle on my list? The deck just started me in this direction. I moved from hard control, to playing around with cloning the commander as much as possible, to playing a deck based around enchantments and cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Donate" href="#" target="_blank">Donate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Illusions of Grandeur" href="#" target="_blank">Illusions of Grandeur</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. But in the end, I decided that three card types were the way to go. So, enough pontificating, let's get to the cards.</p>
<h2>End Credits</h2>
<p>We'll start at the end of the game's first run with our plans to beat the final boss. The first way we play to win the game is to live long enough to cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Approach of the Second Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Approach of the Second Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The life gain and card draw from our commander should help us both stave off death and dig to get the all-important second cast of Approach. This might not be the most exciting way to win the game, but when playing with this restriction, sometimes we use the busted items that the game gives us to balance the scales.</p>
<p>My preferred way to win is a bit more interesting.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nine Lives"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lich&#039;s Mastery"></div></div>
<p>Both of these enchantments serve double duty in the deck. First, they keep us alive, possibly the most significant challenge with a deck that does nothing until turn three. The second is that they have a built-in condition that can cause us to lose the game. This comes in very handy when you combine it with two other cards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fractured Identity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Patrician&#039;s Scorn"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fractured Identity" href="#" target="_blank">Fractured Identity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows us to give a copy of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nine Lives" href="#" target="_blank">Nine Lives</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lich&#039;s Mastery" href="#" target="_blank">Lich&#039;s Mastery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to the rest of the table. The Patrician's Scorn allows us to, at instant speed, blow them up, forcing the rest of the table to lose the game with our lose-the-game trigger on the stack. This is a combo I've been looking to cram into a deck, and I was glad that Y'shtola might be the commander to allow me to do it.</p>
<h2>Sorcerthrees</h2>
<p>Outside of our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fractured Identity" href="#" target="_blank">Fractured Identity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Approach of the Second Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Approach of the Second Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, three other sorceries highlight the deck quite nicely.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Risky Shortcut"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Battle of Bywater"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Toxic Deluge"></div></div>
<p><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Risky Shortcut" href="#" target="_blank">Risky Shortcut</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of my favorite cards from <em>Aetherdrift,</em> and it allows us to trigger both of Y'shtola's abilities with one single card. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Battle of Bywater" href="#" target="_blank">The Battle of Bywater</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a cheap Wrath effect that might not clear everything off the board. It will eliminate the most threatening things from our opponents, while allowing our two-power commander to stick around. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toxic Deluge" href="#" target="_blank">Toxic Deluge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the best black mass removal spells ever made and fits perfectly with this deck - especially if we pay four or more life, we can draw a card from our commander's effect.</span></p>
<h2>Three Scoops of Instant Speed</h2>
<h3>Counter Magic</h3>
<p>This deck might feature some of the least played seen instants in the format. But believe me when I say they're some of my favorite cards ever. They're full of pips and full of potential.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Perplex"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Render Silent"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Undermine"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Perplex" href="#" target="_blank">Perplex</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be the secret best card in the entire deck. While I'm not just playing cards that cost three MV, I am playing 31, so there's 30 other cards that I can tutor with the transmute ability.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Render Silent" href="#" target="_blank">Render Silent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't the most efficient counterspell out there, but it shuts down an entire player's turn, no matter what spell they decide to start with. This will often make at least one player at the table your enemy, so don't use this spell unless you're sure it's worth it.</p>
<p>Finally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Undermine" href="#" target="_blank">Undermine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the darker side of another card in the deck, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Absorb" href="#" target="_blank">Absorb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Countering a spell and giving us another card that can fulfill both aspects of our commander's triggered abilities is music to my ears.</p>
<h3>You Are Not Hitting Me</h3>
<p>Sometimes permanents can't be countered. Most often, it's because they are already on the board. Our opponents may swing their permanents in our direction when they find their way onto the board. When this happens, we need to make them pay. Most players are well aware of the card <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi&#039;s Protection" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi&#039;s Protection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and while it is in the deck, it's the least exciting of the anti-combat instants we have.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hellish Rebuke"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inkshield"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Settle the Wreckage"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hellish Rebuke" href="#" target="_blank">Hellish Rebuke</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is not only one of the most fun spells from <em>Dungeons and Dragons</em>, it can be a total blowout to the player that attacks you. We'll take some damage, but forcing the player who did that damage to lose all those creatures and two life for each creature will often be worth it.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inkshield" href="#" target="_blank">Inkshield</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is possibly the best <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fog" href="#" target="_blank">Fog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ever made, as it solves the biggest issue with that card: winning the game after you cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fog" href="#" target="_blank">Fog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The best part about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inkshield" href="#" target="_blank">Inkshield</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is when an opponent gets too confident and goes for overkill, allowing you to get even more inklings to win the game.</p>
<p>Finally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Settle the Wreckage" href="#" target="_blank">Settle the Wreckage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> looks like it's all downside because it ramps your opponent, but that's hardly ever the case. Players are greedy and will never run enough basics, and if it means you get to live another turn, the trade-off of giving them basics will always be worth it.</p>
<h2>They Don't Make 'Em Like This Anymore</h2>
<p>I don't have 31 enchantments in this deck, but the ones I do have are possibly more relevant than anything else. Outside of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nine Lives" href="#" target="_blank">Nine Lives</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lich&#039;s Mastery" href="#" target="_blank">Lich&#039;s Mastery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> being win conditions, we have some interesting "not lose" conditions at our disposal.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Breathstealer&#039;s Crypt"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dream Tides"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mist of Stagnation"></div></div>
<p>A card I just learned existed is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Breathstealer&#039;s Crypt" href="#" target="_blank">Breathstealer&#039;s Crypt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. One of the most lopsided effects we could ask for is a card at our fingertips. Sure, our opponents will know all the cards we draw, but the trade-off is that we'll learn all the cards they draw and never take damage or discard. It might not hit every time, but against some opponents, this card will be backbreaking.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dream Tides" href="#" target="_blank">Dream Tides</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an old favorite of mine from when I moonlighted as a Stax player. Both punishing to creature decks of all colors, but especially to those big green baddies that love to find themselves across the table.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mist of Stagnation" href="#" target="_blank">Mist of Stagnation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can hurt us just as much or possibly worse than anyone else at the table, but this deck operates with a slight vibe of "high risk, high reward."</p>
<h2>One, Two, Free Spells</h2>
<p>When your deck doesn't start playing the game until turn three, you need some cards that can break serve against the rest of the table. That's where free spells come in. Our deck runs the classic free counter magic suite of cards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Force of Will"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Force of Negation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fierce Guardianship"></div></div>
<p>Black also gives us access to a triple threat of free removal spells.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deadly Rollick"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Snuff Out"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Force of Despair"></div></div>
<p>Finally, some cards allow us to refund their mana cost when they resolve, making them essentially free.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rewind"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Frantic Search"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Unwind"></div></div>
<p>People say cheaters never win, but those people have never cast a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Frantic Search" href="#" target="_blank">Frantic Search</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with lands like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dimir Aqueduct" href="#" target="_blank">Dimir Aqueduct</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in play.</p>
<h2>Y'shtola, Night's Blessed Deck List</h2>
<p>Here's the final deck list:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Three of a Kind - Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed
[/Commander]
[Instants]
*1 Absorb
*1 Aetherize
*1 Baleful Mastery
*1 Bane&#039;s Contingency
*1 Commit // Memory
*1 Deadly Rollick
*1 Dig Through Time
*1 Fact or Fiction
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Force of Despair
*1 Force of Negation
*1 Force of Will
*1 Frantic Search
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Hellish Rebuke
*1 Inkshield
*1 Memory Plunder
*1 Patrician&#039;s Scorn
*1 Perch Protection
*1 Perplex
*1 Quick Study
*1 Render Silent
*1 Rewind
*1 Settle the Wreckage
*1 Silundi Vision // Silundi Isle
*1 Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs
*1 Snuff Out
*1 Sphinx&#039;s Revelation
*1 Teferi&#039;s Protection
*1 Undermine
*1 Unwind
*1 Void Rend
*1 Waterlogged Teachings // Inundated Archive
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Approach of the Second Sun
*1 Austere Command
*1 Blasphemous Edict
*1 Fractured Identity
*1 Idyllic Tutor
*1 Lórien Revealed
*1 Risky Shortcut
*1 Supreme Verdict
*1 The Battle of Bywater
*1 Toxic Deluge
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 As Foretold
*1 Black Market Connections
*1 Breathstealer&#039;s Crypt
*1 Dream Tides
*1 Estrid&#039;s Invocation
*1 Ghostly Prison
*1 Grasp of Fate
*1 Imprisoned in the Moon
*1 Lich&#039;s Mastery
*1 Mist of Stagnation
*1 Nine Lives
*1 Painful Quandary
*1 Pendrell Mists
*1 Propaganda
*1 Smothering Tithe
*1 Soul Barrier
*1 Sphere of Safety
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Arcane Sanctum
*1 Bleachbone Verge
*1 City of Brass
*1 Command Tower
*1 Deserted Beach
*1 Dimir Aqueduct
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Floodfarm Verge
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Gloomlake Verge
*1 Godless Shrine
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*4 Island
*1 Isolated Chapel
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Meticulous Archive
*1 Mistrise Village
*1 Morphic Pool
*1 Mystic Sanctuary
*1 Orzhov Basilica
*1 Otawara, Soaring City
*2 Plains
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Raffine&#039;s Tower
*1 Sea of Clouds
*1 Shadowy Backstreet
*1 Shattered Sanctum
*1 Shipwreck Marsh
*2 Swamp
*1 Undercity Sewers
*1 Vault of Champions
*1 Watery Grave
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Wrap Up on Y'shtola</h2>
<p>The more that I think about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the more I like it. While it's not as flashy as some of the cards released recently, there are a lot of ways you could build the deck. Many of them involve being much less thematic than I am, but all of them are interesting. Hopefully everyone is pumped about the collaboration with <em>Final Fantasy</em>, and if Y'shtola is your favorite character, I hope this card did them justice.</p>
<p>If you liked this deck or want to see more content related to <em>Final Fantasy</em>, keep a lookout here on EDHREC for all the great content from the fantastic team of writers, or bookmark our <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/final-fantasy-commander-deck-techs"><em>Final Fantasy </em>deck tech collection</a>. As always, I'm Nick, and you can find me at all the internet places where I've laid claim to nicnax96 as a username. I hope to see your version of this very cool Cat Warlock at a table one day.</p>


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