With Final Fantasy joining Magic: The Gathering's Universes Beyond lineup, fans of both franchises are eager to see how iconic characters, summons, and worlds will translate into the card shuffling and land tapping gameplay. While Wizards of the Coast has yet to reveal the full details (there will be a first look on February 18th though!) we can speculate on what kinds of Final Fantasy-themed Commander decks might appear in this set.

Here are four theoretical Commander deck ideas that I believe capture the heart of Final Fantasy, blending legendary heroes, epic battles, and mechanics into Magic: The Gathering's most popular format - Commander.

1. Light & Darkness - The Crystal's Fate (White-Black-Blue)

Theme - The eternal battle between light and darkness, inspired by the recurring Final Fantasy Crystals.

Potential Commanders

• Warrior of Light, Champion of the Dawn (White-Blue) - Protects allies by giving them shield counters, has First Strike, Vigilance, and Indestructible. He may also temporarily resurrect a creature from the graveyard like his Echo ability.
• Garland, Chaos Incarnate (Black-Blue) - Grows stronger when creatures die and revives himself from the graveyard. Transforms (flips) into Chaos, his demon form that can grant you an extra turn (ala Emrakul) based on his "Soul of Conflict" ability.

Deck Strategy

• Control and recursion - Play a midrange control strategy with flicker effects, graveyard recursion, and counterspells.
• Crystal Mechanic - Possible new resource similar to Energy or Clue tokens, granting powerful abilities or spell discounts.
• Iconic creatures - Angels, knights, and fiends representing heroes and villains from the franchise.
• Final Fantasy lore tie-ins - Inspired by Final Fantasy I and Dissidia, with a focus on legendary battles and destiny.

This deck would appeal to control players who love high-value creatures and lore-driven mechanics.

2. Limit Breakers - Legendary Heroes (Red-White-Blue-Green-Black)

Source: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/FinalFantasy

Theme - Final Fantasy protagonists unleashing their ultimate moves in battle.

Commander

• Cloud, SOLDIER First Class (White-Blue-Black) - Has a Limit Break ability that triggers when he takes damage or a certain number of spells are cast in a turn. Double Strike and Vigilance are also a possibility. Admit it, Cloud is the poster boy of the franchise whether you like it or not so he would definitely be the face. In a previous article, I took a stab at what a Cloud Strife card may look like.

Deck Strategy

• Voltron-style play - Stack equipment and auras on legendary creatures like Squall, Zidane, and Lightning.
• Limit Break Mechanic - Abilities that activate when the Commander takes enough damage or meets a threshold (e.g., multiple spells cast in a turn).
• Extra combat phases - Cards that grant extra attacks, referencing moves like Omnislash and Zantetsuken.
• Equipment synergy - Signature weapons like the Buster Sword, Gunblade, and Brotherhood enhance your creatures.

This deck would suit aggressive players who enjoy fast-paced combat and legendary hero synergy.

3. Summoners' Pact - The Aeon War (Green-White-Black)

Source: https://www.neoseeker.com/news/15569-dissidia-012-final-fantasy-summons-yuna-to-battle/

Theme - Controlling powerful summoned creatures (Aeons, Eidolons, Espers) in battle.

Commander

• Yuna, High Summoner (Green-White-Black) - Taps to summon an Eidolon as a token or tutor legendary creatures from the deck.

Deck Strategy

• Token generation and reanimation - Play and sacrifice large creatures, bringing them back stronger.
• Summon Mechanic - New mechanic where legendary Summons act like temporary commanders, returning to exile after combat.
• Final Fantasy summons - Iconic creatures like Bahamut, Ifrit, Shiva, and Leviathan featured as massive creatures.

This deck would appeal to midrange players who enjoy summoning massive creatures and playing the long game. Also, who doesn't want to summon the Knights of the Round???

4. Shinra's Industrial Dominance - Megacorp Warfare (Blue-Black-White)

Source: https://www.thegamer.com/final-fantasy-7-shinra-electric-power-company-history-explained/

Theme - Final Fantasy VII's corporate dystopia, featuring Shinra's control over mako energy.

Commander

• Sephiroth, Angel of Destruction (Blue-Black-White) - Becomes stronger for every spell cast in a turn and can exile nonland permanents upon attacking.

Deck Strategy

• Artifact synergy - Use mako-infused artifacts and Shinra technology to accelerate mana and dominate the battlefield.
• Materia System Mechanic - Enchantments or artifacts that enhance abilities
• Big spells and control - Features counterspells, massive life-loss spells, and graveyard recursion.
• Iconic villains and tech - Characters like Rufus Shinra, Scarlet, and Hojo represented as powerful strategists.

This deck would cater to players who love spell-slinging, artifacts, and oppressive board control.

Final Thoughts - What Could Final Fantasy Bring to Commander?

With Final Fantasy's rich history spanning over 35 years, a Magic: The Gathering Universes Beyond set has the potential to bring new legendary creatures, spells, and mechanics that feel like they belong in both franchises.

Potential Mechanics for the Set

• Limit Breaks - Abilities that trigger after a certain condition (damage, spell count, etc.).
• Summoning - Temporarily bringing massive creatures into play.
• Crystals & Materia - Unique token or artifact systems that modify gameplay.
• Job System - Creatures with class-based synergies (Warrior, Mage, Summoner, etc.).

While we wait for official reveals, these theoretical decks offer a glimpse into the kind of Final Fantasy Commander experience players might get.

Which Final Fantasy characters or mechanics do you want to see?