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My fondest memory of Final Fantasy was playing Final Fantasy 3 (Final Fantasy 6 in Japan) on Super Nintendo with my cousin on his bedroom floor for literal hours. This became one of my core memories and Final Fantasy 3/6 became one of my absolute favorite games of all time. The characters, the storyline, the twists and turns. The game had everything. I was also a huge fan of Final Fantasy 2/4 at this time as well, and I would become absolutely engrossed by Final Fantasy 7 when I was in high school. These three games took up a huge amount of my time and gaming history.
Unfortunately, when FF8 rolled around, I just couldn't really get into it. Unlike nearly every game before it, the parts I played lacked an open world to explore, and that was something I significantly loved about Final Fantasy games. The parts I played just felt too linear, forcing me to go from one predetermined point to another, but I'm honestly not sure if that changes later in the game. It's possible that coming off of the end of FF7, where you could go anywhere, made me forget that in the beginning, you often don't get to go anywhere (like the beginning in Midgard), but I'm not sure. Maybe I have to give it another shot.
All that being said, Final Fantasy previews have been pouring out, and the set...it actually looks great. I was a bit critical at first, because I thought cramming all 16 games into one set would be a bit chaotic. I still think it is, but the set's designs have been great.
In the next few articles, I'd like to discuss some of my favorite cards that have appeared so far, and in each article I'll mention the latest date of previews I've seen. For this one we'll be looking at cards up to 5/20.
Let's begin!
Cloud, Midgar Mercenary
I think nine times out of ten I would rather have a Stoneforge Mystic than Cloud. Stoneforge not only gets an equipment, just like Cloud, but it can also put it into play, at instant speed, for a mere two mana. This is great for cards like Batterskull or Kaldra Compleat.
That being said, I think it would be naive to overlook Cloud's power level, especially with some of my favorite equipment, like Sword of Fire and Ice. There are so many strategies in Magic that require a specific equipment to function, like Colossus Hammer or Shuko (RIP), and a creature being able to put one into your hand for two mana is a great deal.
Fate of the Sun-Cryst
Since The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, there have been about four other versions of this card:
There have been about four different qualities among them: 1) they either cost four or five mana, 2) they are either an instant or a sorcery, 3) they either destroy or exile a creature, 4) and their cost is either reduced by two or three mana.
Fate of the Sun-Cyst leans toward the best of most of these metrics. While its cost is only reduced by two mana and it doesn't exile, it's an instant, its base cost is five, and for the full cost it can target any permanent.
While I don't think Fate is a groundbreaking card, I do think it's a versatile spell and an interesting evolution of what is becoming a common, White staple.
Phoenix Down
Honestly, I just think the fact that there's a Phoenix Down card is super cool and nostalgic. In addition, 1) it only costs one mana, so it can be searched for with a lot of different cards (looking at you, Urza's Saga), and 2) it's basically a three-mana reanimate spell for a creature that costs four mana or less. That's a pretty sweet deal. It can also exile some very strong creature types as well.
Summon: Knights of the Round
This is an absolutely bonkers Sage, although I am a little curious about the expectation for this card. It costs eight mana, so let's say in a White deck you'll be casting it on turn eight. On turn eight, nine, ten, and eleven you'll be making three 2/2 Knights. Finally, on turn twelve you'll be making them indestructible and attacking with all twelve of them. If you can pull this off, you'll almost certainly win the game, and the fact that the 3/3 Summon also has indestructible should help immensely, but still...all of this does seem like it will take place quite late in the game.
Unless of course you slot it into the Omniscience / Abuelo's Awakening deck as a win condition... Yeah, that's going to be fun to deal with. Discard this on turn three, then return it to play on turn four. Big yikes.
The flavor here is shockingly good and it single handedly makes me want to boot up Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth.
Stiltzkin, Moogle Merchant
One of my favorite things in Magic is giving deadly and dangerous permanents to opponents. I was a huge fan of Illusions Donate back in the early days of Magic, where you'd play an Illusions of Grandeur, gain 20 life, then "Donate" it to your opponent so that they would take over the cumulative upkeep costs before ultimately losing 20 life from it leaving the battlefield.
While you can't do that in Standard, what you can do is donate your Demonic Pact (one of my favorite Black enchantments) once you've chosen all of the good modes with it. Standard also has Harmless Offering now, in case you were better looking to flesh out this combo, but the fact that Stiltzkin is able to donate at instant speed is a huge upgrade, even if you do often want your opponent to start the turn with the Pact.
Anyway, thanks for reading and I'll catch ya next time!
Frank Lepore
