As we await next week's ban announcement and the impending Standard rotation in a month with the release of Edge of Eternities, there's still lots to talk about in the world of the Standard format. From Pro Tour Final Fantasy, to new cards making an impact in the format, I'm here to bring you up to speed with everything you should know this week about Standard.

Ken Yukuhiro Wins Pro Tour Final Fantasy

Piloting Mono-Red to his first ever Pro Tour finish (and sporting a Final Fantasy shirt) Ken Yukuhiro was crowned champion of Pro Tour Final Fantasy. Ken Yukuhiro's career spans multiple large successes, including multiple Pro Tour top 8s and two Grand Prix wins, and this is his first Pro Tour win. Ken crossed the finish line against Ian Robb on Izzet Prowess in the finals using an actual card from Final Fantasy, Self-Destruct, to deal the final points of damage with a Heartfire Hero.

Regardless of the general opinion on the Standard format it's extremely cool to see someone so passionate about Magic win this Pro Tour. Congrats Ken!

Final Fantasy Cards Make Their Way Into Standard

In addition to Self-Destruct there are a handful of other Final Fantasy cards making their way into Standard, some seeing play at the Pro Tour. Aside from Vivi Ornitier, which has become a mainstay in Izzet Prowess, cards like Ultima and Town Greeter made their way into Azorius Control and Golgari Roots, respectively.

Golgari Roots | FIN Standard | Roman Fusco

• Creatures (27)
• 1 Coati Scavenger
• 2 Disruptive Stormbrood
• 2 Dragon Sniper
• 2 Llanowar Elves
• 2 Osteomancer Adept
• 2 Rubblebelt Maverick
• 2 Scavenging Ooze
• 2 Town Greeter
• 4 Haywire Mite
• 4 Molt Tender
• 4 Overlord of the Balemurk

• Planeswalkers (4)
• 4 Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler

• Instants (2)
• 2 Cache Grab

• Enchantments (6)
• 2 Dredger's Insight
• 4 Insidious Roots

• Artifacts (1)
• 1 Agatha's Soul Cauldron

• Lands (20)
• 1 Swamp
• 6 Forest
• 1 Great Arashin City
• 4 Blooming Marsh
• 4 Llanowar Wastes
• 4 Wastewood Verge

• Sideboard (15)
• 3 Dark Confidant
• 1 Skyfisher Spider
• 2 Go for the Throat
• 1 Coati Scavenger
• 1 Ghost Vacuum
• 1 Cankerbloom
• 2 Souls of the Lost
• 1 Voldaren Thrillseeker
• 2 Dragon Sniper
• 1 Gastal Raider

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It's also cool to see another card from Final Fantasy, but a reprint for most, Dark Confidant, show up in this sideboard. While good ol' Bob is probably not maindeckable in such an aggro-heavy metagame, it seems like a great card against Azorius Control. While some important cards from this deck rotate out soon, notably Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler, I think there's still a powerful Golgari graveyard shell in Standard, especially with a Satyr Wayfinder-esque reprint in Town Greeter.

While we didn't see a ton of new cards show up from Final Fantasy, I think it's at least cool that some are making an impact, given that this set is lower in power than the traditional Standard expansion.

Edge of Eternities Previews

We were able to get a glimpse at the next Standard release, which comes out in less than a month! Edge of Eternities makes its debut into Standard July 25th, and with it a new Standard format with the rotation of four sets. Additionally, Edge of Eternities marks the new RCQ season, which is Standard, beginning on August 2nd. While there's still much unknown about this set, we were shown a few major spoilers at Magic Con Las Vegas.

Shocklands back in Standard is huge, seeing as this is the fourth time they've been printed since the original Ravnica block. Shock Lands are the basis of any Standard format they're in, and, with a bunch of dual lands rotating out of Standard, they won't be missed as badly with these five lands coming back into the format.

Decks like Dimir Midrange, Esper Pixie, and builds of Mono-Red don't take as much damage from pain lands and fast lands leaving the format. Shock lands will help make mana in Standard easier, and I'm curious when we'll get the next five in the cycle (my guess is not until Lorwyn Eclipsed, the next in-universe expansion).

The Next Banned and Restricted Announcement

With Mono-Red and Izzet Prowess so dominant at the Pro Tour, I think it's now a matter of when, not if cards get banned. At a minimum I think we'll say goodbye to Cori-Steel Cutter, but perhaps Monstrous Rage has had its fun in the sun too.

Izzet Prowess is just too much of a meta share for WotC to ignore, so Cutter feels like an obvious choice for the chopping block. I wouldn't be sad to see Monstrous Rage leave too, as Mono-Red would probably be the strongest deck with a Cutter ban (seeing as it loses practically no cards with rotation). I think without Rage, the mice package alone with Might of the Meek is strong enough to still have a hold on the Standard meta.

Overall, Standard is at an interesting point. On Monday we'll find out what WotC plans to do with the format, and if any bans happen we'll have a better idea of what decks will be the strongest going into rotation and the release of Edge of Eternities. I'm looking forward to finally getting back to Standard RCQs and playing with shock lands again.

Until next time!

-Roman Fusco