So much is going on, from cancelled Secret Lairs to Arena Direct and an overflow of turkey, but I think the time is right to take a step back and look at Final Fantasy cards, now that we’re a safe five months from its release. This set is a landmark, a turning point in terms of finance and attention, so let’s look at some cards and see where the value can be gained by buying in now.
Two caveats need to be given about this list: First, I think I’ve picked some of these in other writing, Discord posts, or on MTG Fast Finance. I’m not holding any copies of these cards, aside from some for Commander decks, so if I’m double-pumping, it’s out of forgetfulness and not out of nefarious planning.
Second, I’ve listed the EDHREC data for each of these cards, but the key thing to remember is that EDHREC is weighted towards the cards that are in precons, as well as the players who are super-invested in this game. There’s been no preconstructed decks using any of these cards (yet) so we don’t need to stress about that, but we should always remember it.
Final Fantasy Main Set cards
Starting Town (73k decks, $11 nonfoil/$13 foil) – Generally speaking, I’m no longer interested in speculating on Standard cards, but the Commander appeal of a five-color land like this plus the Standard use patterns helps me feel pretty darn good about this. Lots of decks want one, and almost no Standard decks run just one. Multi-colored manabases have never had it so good, between shocks, surveil lands, Verges, and the anything-goes nature of Town, Fabled Passage, and Multiversal Passage. Town is appealing on all of these angles, and while it’s a strong contender to get some sort of special printing eventually, for right now, it’s a card I want to stock up on.
Borderless Earth Crystal (68k, $11/$13) – All of the Crystals have decent-to-good inclusion rates, but the Earth Crystal does something that is a little too supported in Commander, and that is the +1/+1 counter theme. We’re almost overloaded with good things to do and play and this giving double counters plus the ability to add counters (all sorts of sick enabling going on here) means that the Earth Crystal will always be a good option for these decks going forward. Tidus and Yuna really want this card, but there’s no shortage of Commanders who want this ability. Plus, every time they go back to this well (Like in Avatar) it’ll just make this card better and better.
Borderless Fire Crystal (65k, $9/$12) – Tokens are another theme that Wizards keeps going back to, a popular and powerful thing to focus on. Ghired, Mirror of the Wilds is just one example but there’s others that do similar things, like The Jolly Balloon Man or Brudiclad, Telchor Engineer. Six additional mana is a steep price to pay, but on top of the cost reduction and giving everything haste, there’s a lot of people apparently willing to pay that price. Or maybe folks just want the haste and reduction for four mana, and the six-mana ability is just a rare bonus. Either way.
Buster Sword (65k, $38/$43) – Having seen this card hit people, I’m convinced it should be a bonus sword of the cycle, only this one is the Sword of Kicking and Butt. Two mana, three power, and a card draw plus the mana to do the thing is a whole lot of value. Additionally, this is an iconic sword, something that’s been given countless skins and is just iconic, in the regular frame or the extra-pricey borderless frame. The borderless version is already pretty pricely, so I think there’s more value to be gained in the regular copies, but if you have the ability, Cloud holding his sword is always going to be a big draw.
Borderless Wind Crystal (60k, $7/$10) – just like tokens and counters, lifegain is one of those themes that always gets better and better. There’s a lot of ways to double up on the lifegain, and this is the cheapest, in addition to the cost reduction for everything else you’re doing. The borderless versions are much prettier, and this is also the cheapest to buy of the five.
Borderless Midgar, City of Mako (59k, $3/$5) – I have to admit, all five spells/lands are in good use numbers, and no matter the format you’re playing, having lands also be spells is incredible flexibility. We all want to play less lands, so get your MDFCs and get your Adventure lands. Midgar is probably the best, because when you can’t muck about with the spell, it’s the land. But when it’s late in the game and a land is an awful draw, congrats! Now you get two cards! Also, the borderless version looks so much cooler here.
Restoration Magic (52k, $1/$2) – Finally, a card with no borderless version to get, but a high inclusion rate and a fantastic effect. Save one thing, or save everything, and gain some life while you’re at it!
Final Fantasy Through the Ages (FCA) Cards
Akroma’s Will (339k, $30/$120) – It’s important to remember that the FCA cards do indeed have different rarities, unlike the special sheets in Spider-Man and Avatar. The Mythics from the FCA sheet are difficult to pull, showing up only every 500 Collector Booster packs, and that’s for both the foil and nonfoil. Considering the amount of product you have to open to get one of these, $30 for the nonfoil seems woefully underpriced. The only thing holding me back is that another printing will come along and that’ll slow future growth, but it could be a long time indeed before we get that next printing.
Azusa, Lost but Seeking (271k, $8/$30) – If you like the Miku art better, or the other Secret Lair version from Tsubonari, I respect your choice, but there’s blessed little full-art printings like this that are so ethereal and lovely. Amano is iconic for a reason, and I think this version could double within the next year.
Carpet of Flowers (106k, $3/$17) – The rares of this sheet are about every 250 packs, and yet some of them are surprisingly cheap.
Carpet is one of the prime cards that make a blue player super sad, and this is the only special frame. Get your foils while they are affordable, and before the cEDH players snatch them all up.
Isshin, Two Heavens as One (25k as commander, #17 over last two years, $9/$60) – Again, this is some iconic art, courtesy of Tetsuya Nomura, and one of the top commanders over the last couple years. Mardu wants to attack, and the triggers that can be copied range from extra power and toughness, to bonus tokens, to additional combats. Everything is on the table, and Lightning will chop through the damn thing as needed. The foil is at its lowest price to date, and so I think with under a hundred copies left on TCG, it’s time to grab a couple of them for long-term growth.
Cliff (@WordOfCommander at Twitter and BlueSky) has been writing for MTGPrice since 2013, and is an eager Commander player, Draft enthusiast, and Cube fanatic. A high school science teacher by day, he’s also the co-host of the MTG Fast Finance podcast. If you’re ever at an event and you see a giant flashing ‘CUBE DRAFT’ sign, go over, say hi, and be ready to draft.
