At the time of writing, Magic: The Gathering's upcoming set, Edge of Eternities, is nearing its prerelease launch. Soon, we'll be exploring the stars, leaving the wildly popular Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set behind.
However, since this set will be legal in Standard for three years, there are still excellent reasons to add some of its cards to your decks. With the initial hype fading, several cards have become more affordable and are definitely worth considering.
Here are some powerful and surprisingly inexpensive cards to look for.
Magic: The Gathering Sazh's Chocobo
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Magic: The Gathering Summon: Primal Odin
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Magic: The Gathering Golbez, Crystal Collector
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Magic: The Gathering Black Mage's Rod
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Magic: The Gathering Blitzball
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Magic: The Gathering Swallowed by Leviathan
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Magic: The Gathering Battle Menu
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Magic: The Gathering Nibelheim Aflame
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Magic: The Gathering Sazh's Chocobo
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This list begins with an affordable and charming card: Sazh’s Chocobo. A common sight in Arena decks, this Uncommon creature grows stronger with each land you play.
For just one mana, you can cast it on turn two, play a land for an immediate boost, and watch it scale from there. You can find it for around a dollar.
Summon: Primal Odin
Magic: The Gathering Summon: Primal Odin
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Far less cute but incredibly potent, Summon: Primal Odin is a formidable card for several reasons. It provides instant creature removal and can later enable card draw and direct life loss against opponents.
Its Zantetsuken ability is the real threat: "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player loses the game." This effect is devastating, especially if you grant Odin Trample or Flying. Expect to pay a couple of dollars for this powerhouse.
Swallowed By Leviathan
Magic: The Gathering Swallowed by Leviathan
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This card offers a clever twist on counter magic. Not only does it counter a spell, but it also lets you Surveil. Your opponent must then pay additional mana to resolve the countered spell.
While Swallowed by Leviathan costs three mana, it becomes a major nuisance in the late game, when Commander tax accumulates and every mana point is crucial. It's a steal at about 13 cents.
Battle Menu
Magic: The Gathering Battle Menu
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Beyond its potential utility, this card features fantastic artwork that perfectly captures Final Fantasy's turn-based Battle Menu in card form.
This versatile two-mana spell costs just a few cents. Slot it into your White deck for flexible options; you can buy a full play set of four for less than a dollar.
Nibelheim Aflame
Magic: The Gathering Nibelheim Aflame
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Nibelheim Aflame is a bit more expensive at around $7, but it's a superb aggressive spell with flashback, allowing you to cast it from your graveyard and refill your hand.
Additionally, the card depicts Sephiroth at Nibelheim—one of the most iconic scenes in Final Fantasy history.
Golbez, Crystal Collector
Magic: The Gathering Golbez, Crystal Collector
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Golbez was an early favorite in the set, perfect for artifact strategies and reanimation decks. Its price has now dropped to well under a dollar.
Golbez, Crystal Collector is also mana-efficient, costing just one blue and one black. It fits seamlessly into most blue/black artifact builds.
Blitzball
Magic: The Gathering Blitzball
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Inspired by the beloved sport from Final Fantasy X, Blitzball is a mana rock that taps for any color. If you control enough Legendary Creatures, it can also draw you cards.
Priced under 50 cents, it's worth picking up for both a competitive deck and a Final Fantasy X-themed collection.
Black Mage’s Rod
Magic: The Gathering Black Mage's Rod
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Inexpensive and effective, Black Mage’s Rod is a common two-mana artifact. It lets you ping an opponent for 1 damage whenever you cast a spell.
Despite the artwork featuring Vivi, this card requires black mana. It works particularly well with Y'shtola, Night's Blessed from the Final Fantasy XIV Commander Deck.
