Final Fantasy x MTG Preview: The Right Cast For The Job

by

The highly anticipated crossover between Magic: The Gathering and Final Fantasy is nearly upon us, as the release of the set approaches during its prerelease phase. TopMob was given an exclusive opportunity to test out the new cards at a massive 24-hour preview event on MTG Arena, evaluating if the famous spiky-haired characters from both heroes and villains have been accurately represented in their cardboard forms.

In this crossover set, you’ll find characters, items, and abilities from the main sixteen installments of the Final Fantasy series, transformed into creatures for Magic: The Gathering. You won’t see any spin-offs or direct sequels in this collection; it only includes titles ranging from Final Fantasy to Final Fantasy XVI.

In contrast to the interactions between characters in the Final Fantasy Trading Card Game, there isn’t much cooperation or synergy among different franchises. You won’t see Cloud gaining a strength boost when fighting alongside Tifa, or even against Sephiroth. Instead, they are more like entities that align with the colors and types found in Magic: The Gathering.

It’s not necessarily a negative when franchise synergy isn’t present; quite the contrary. There are numerous opportunities to blend and combine characters, not just from Final Fantasy, but also from the entire Magic: The Gathering universe, including crossovers. This game now allows Aerith Gainsborough from Final Fantasy to form an excellent team with Samwise Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings.

After testing several decks during the trial phase, I discovered that the Final Fantasy set stands out uniquely. What sets it apart isn’t the grand hero characters that take center stage, but rather the equipment they wield.

Final Fantasy x MTG Is All About The Jobs

In the exciting blend of Final Fantasy games, there’s a distinctive feature known as “Job Selection.” Similar to changing character roles in Final Fantasy 14, Job Selection allows for unique items associated with each role, like the Red Mage’s Sword – the Rapier.

Whenever you activate a Job Select card, it creates a 1/1 Hero token and attaches the item to this token. This token often receives a boost in stats and unique abilities. You can later swap out this equipment for another one, provided you meet the associated cost.

As a devoted fan, I must admit that while Hero Tokens are an enjoyable addition, it’s the Job Select mechanic that truly captivates me. The magic lies in the cards being classified as Equipment, and the abundant support for this card type is simply astonishing. Characters such as Cloud, Ex-Soldier, Gilgamesh, Master-at-arms, and Firion, the Wild Rose Warrior, are masters at unleashing the full potential of Equipment cards. They can elevate creatures to heights that seem almost absurd!

The iconic weapons from the Final Fantasy series offer some truly exceptional Equipment, such as the Buster Sword and Excalibur II. It takes quite a bit of maneuvering to put these swords in the hands of our heroes, but the “arming heroes with swords” trope is undeniably powerful.

Among the Equipment cards I tested, Aettir and Priwen stood out as exceptional choices. The 6-cost Artifact, in particular, is noteworthy because it adjusts a creature’s stats to match the player’s life total. In a Lifelink deck, this artifact would be incredibly powerful, especially considering the numerous Final Fantasy cards that draw Equipment.

Players of Magic: The Gathering are eagerly anticipating cards akin to the Buster Sword, and it’s clear that Equipment cards will influence the broader game dynamics significantly within the formats they are playable, making them equally crucial as the characters who yield them.

Summons Are Taking Sagas To The Battlefield

In Magic: The Gathering, another significant innovation is the introduction of Saga monsters, reminiscent of Summon monsters from Final Fantasy. These have been incorporated as Enchantment Creature – Saga cards in the game. Basically, these Saga creatures can engage in combat like typical creatures, but they also activate abilities when lore counters are placed, and they depart the battlefield once their final ability has been triggered.

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, I find myself captivated by the summoned creatures. They’re potent for their cost and boast numerous skills that unfold across several rounds, much like the iconic summons in Final Fantasy. However, there’s a catch – they’re temporary and fade away after a few turns, mirroring the same ephemeral nature of summons in those games I adore.

Image

As a gaming enthusiast, I must say, the Saga creatures have truly elevated my Magic: The Gathering experience! These guys are a blast to play with, offering a fantastic blend of immense power, albeit for a limited duration. Except for a select few cards that can extend their stay, they’re in and out rather quickly. However, I have a feeling we’ll be seeing them again, possibly in new forms, across future sets. It’s an exciting prospect!

As a gamer, let me tell you, there’s no denying that Odin, a Summon card I’ll delve into later, is downright chilling. Each card in this deck, though, has its own unique value and utility. The developers have truly outdone themselves by seamlessly integrating such a mechanic into the tabletop game, managing to preserve the essence of the source material while making it feel right at home in Magic.

Towns Are Full Of Adventure

In the latest crossover game, one of the less dramatic but still enjoyable additions is the feature called Land-Towns. While it doesn’t have the same game-changing effect as summoning, it’s certainly a nice addition to the overall experience.

In contrast to typical Terrains, certain of these Towns possess a unique role that operates similarly to an Adventure card. This allows the player to choose between playing them immediately or using their Adventure ability, then returning them to storage. The remaining Towns function as regular secondary Landcards, not being part of the basic Land types.

During late rounds in a Magic: The Gathering game, it can be incredibly irritating to repeatedly draw Land cards when you already have many on the battlefield. However, the secondary Adventure function of towns provides them with some use. For example, Midgar allows players to sacrifice lands to draw, while Ishgard summons artifacts from the graveyard to your hand.

Instead of significantly altering the game dynamics, these towns serve more as an appealing twist rather than a major shift in strategy. They offer a refreshing change from the usual Forests, Islands, Mountains, Plains, and Swamps, making them a welcomed addition to the game.

Final Fantasy Has Upped The Speed Of Games

One significant difference I noticed when Final Fantasy cards entered Magic: The Gathering is that they quickened certain, but not all, games. This is because these new cards possess the ability to instantly win a match if the opponent lacks the necessary response to neutralize them.

Invoking: Primal Odin serves as an ideal illustration. If it inflicts combat damage and triggers its second Lore counter, the player who was targeted immediately forfeits the game. Any opponent who can overrun Odin or strategically place it on the battlefield when they are low on defense units has a straightforward path to victory.

Additionally, you’ll encounter the formidable Jumbo Cactuar. When it strikes, this creature increases its power to a staggering 9999. If a player manages to inflict the Trample ability on this monster, victory is essentially secured.

In the Commander gameplay, Zenos yae Galvus morphs into Shinryu, the Overpowering Adversary. When Shinryu appears on the battlefield, the player chooses an opponent. If that opponent is defeated, you emerge victorious. This ability becomes unnecessary in one-on-one matches, but in multiplayer scenarios, it gives a player the edge to circumvent standard rules and secure a win swiftly. This situation instigates an intriguing gameplay dynamic, as other players must strategize to safeguard Shinryu’s chosen target.

In the game of Magic: The Gathering, there have been numerous instances where unique winning conditions have been introduced, but these often require significant investment of time and resources, excluding overly simplistic combinations.

In the Final Fantasy series, the gameplay seems to have quickened significantly, with characters such as Lightning boasting an impressive array of extraordinary combo attacks.

Magic: The Gathering generally involves a more deliberate and strategic play compared to most other games, but these instant-win buttons could significantly speed up the game’s tempo. This might compel players to adjust their strategies on the fly. Whether this is advantageous or not depends on how much you’ve experienced prolonged games dominated by camping and counterplay tactics.

Closing Comments

In a similar vein to how a Lord of the Rings crossover seamlessly embodies the essence of its source material, the Final Fantasy expansion for Magic: The Gathering appears to have successfully transported the heart of those video games into the card game. These new rules modifications will significantly impact the gameplay dynamics, and we can expect a transformed version of Magic that will be hard to compare with its previous iterations.

Read More

2025-06-05 22:10