The top 5 cards from Final Fantasy for Modern | Magic: The Gathering

Intro

For a Standard-legal set, Final Fantasy is incredibly deep, offering a wide range of powerful tools across multiple archetypes. Many of these cards feel like true playmakers, not just solid inclusions in existing decks, but build-around engines or format-shaping threats.

In this article, I’ll be highlighting my Top 5 picks from Final Fantasy for constructed play. These aren't just the most obviously "broken" cards (some might not have a home yet)  but they all stand out as strong contenders for future competitive decks, either in Standard or beyond.
 

Honorable mentions:

The Wandering Minstrel:

Amulet Titan has remained a Tier 0 deck… we all know the story. This card adds another useful piece to the puzzle, functioning as yet another “Amulet” effect, or more accurately, a Spelunking variant,  that you can tutor for with Summoner’s Pact or Green Sun’s Zenith. Since it costs only two mana, I think it's a solid one-of inclusion in the Primeval Titan deck.

Fire Magic:

This is, in many ways, a better Pyroclasm for Modern. Instant speed is a huge deal, especially when you're trying to deal with a stack of Ocelot Pride tokens before they can attack. On top of that, the ability to scale its damage with additional mana makes it a flexible tool in the mid-to-late game.

As someone who has played Cinderclasm,  and even Kozilek’s Return without any Eldrazi, I can say this is a very solid arrow to have in your red sideboard arsenal.

Tifa Lockhart:
 

I think Tifa would probably see play in smaller formats like Pioneer or Standard, since there are lots of combos you can do with her (paired with ramp spells or Evolving Wilds). The strength of the card comes from the elusive ability trample, that already proved its power... with combat tricks like Monstrous Rage constantly being advocated for the ban.

In Modern I think the RG Prowess deck is slightly behind the URx version (mostly because there’s no such a card as Preordain). Although Tifa paired with Questing Druid and Mutagenic Growth makes already a decent competitive deck, that can be a cheaper option to start with for newcomers in the format.

Starting Town:

After playing a bit of Premodern, I know how strong City of Brass is. Starting Town is like that... but better. I can see this card being really good in decks like Affinity or Amulet, which often use colorless mana but also need specific colors to cast their core cards (like Emry or Arboreal Grazer). Now they can even splash sideboard hate cards (like Pyroclasm or Otawara) at the cost of just one life.

This card is a really great design; it comes with a price for its services, but it's simply excellent at doing what a land should do.

Now, it’s time to explore my top5:

5) Cloud, Midgar Mercenary:
 

Stoneforge Mystic used to be on the banned list... and now it's barely played. I'm wondering if having another copy of the same kind of card could bring it back into the spotlight. Cloud definitely seems like the best friend of Colossus Hammer right now, but it looks like Wizards has been printing some interesting equipment lately. The first one that comes to mind is, of course, Cori-Steel Cutter. There are also a few from Final Fantasy (and maybe Assassin’s Creed) that could work in the right build. Buster Sword feels like a strong option for grinding value. Astrologian’s Planisphere might actually fit well in a more tempo or artifact-heavy UW build, possibly with Cryptic Coat in the mix.

4) Astrologian’s Planisphere
 

This card I mentioned earlier is really interesting to me. It already took down a Legacy Challenge in Painter, and I think it could be clever in a similar Modern shell: something like UR Wizards/Artifacts. Being a Wizard is a pretty solid trait right now, especially with Flame of Anor being so strong and well-positioned, too, thanks to its flexibility in dealing with multiple threats or drawing cards. Planisphere also has great synergy with other Wizards like Tamiyo and Emry, Lurker of the Loch.

I’m curious to see whether Planisphere can actually take the place of Cori-Steel Cutter in that type of deck, or if it simply ends up competing for that key two-drop artifact slot.

3) Cecil, Dark Knight
 

I’m really hyped for this card, because I think it fits perfectly into my favorite Modern archetype: UB Frog. A 2/3 with deathtouch is great in UB, especially since the game plan against aggro is usually to stabilize early, trade up efficiently, and start generating card advantage. On the other hand, Cecil also helps apply early pressure for just one mana against the other end of the meta: combo decks. It’s pretty common to lead with a Thoughtseize and crack a fetch, which makes it easy to flip Cecil quickly in the early turns.

Cecil might even be the kind of card that brings back Death’s Shadow decks, or finds a home in midrange shells like Jund Saga, which always wants a threat on board to keep up the pressure.

2) Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER
 

Sephiroth, aside from being one of the coolest cards in the set, also looks genuinely strong. The “Blood Artist” effect is typically a payoff, but this card acts as an enabler on its own—you can repeatedly sacrifice creatures and even draw cards in the process. What the best Sephiroth deck is remains unclear. I’ve personally tested it in Boros Energy, splashing black for Sephiroth and some Thoughtseizes, mainly because of how combo-heavy the current meta is. But I can imagine there are shells where Sephiroth performs even better.

Yawgmoth comes to mind, especially the build running Birthing Ritual and token generators. Sephiroth fits beautifully there, helping to smooth out the curve in a deck that often lacked a solid three-drop outside of Grist.

Another card that pairs well with Sephiroth is Goblin Bombardment. Every creature you sacrifice becomes two damage straight to the opponent’s face. Bombardment already has a home in zombie shells, where you can recur threats like Bloodghast and Gravecrawler until you essentially burn your opponent out. Still, since those kinds of strategies have always been fringe at best, I’m wondering whether Sephiroth might finally push them into real viability… or if it’s just another intriguing piece of an unsolved puzzle.
 

1) Vivi Ornitier
 

When I first read this card, I couldn’t really understand the hype. But since it’s a blue Wizard, I decided to test it in a Flame of Anor shell with Moxen and Baubles. Here’s how my turn three went:

Vivi, Bauble, Mox Amber, tap both, add two mana for Vivi, then tap Mox again for Flame of Anor. I ended up with a 3/6 creature, my opponent lost three life, I destroyed a creature, and I basically cycled my hand. It felt insane.

The more I played with Vivi, the more I realized that untapping with it often means you're winning the game… even from behind. The amount of mana it generates, combined with being a win condition on its own, is just massive for a Modern card. While I don’t think Vivi is on the level of anything currently on the banlist, it does feel like a card that could be central to a future broken deck, especially if Mox Opal becomes part of the equation again. For now, the real challenge is figuring out how to build that deck.

Outro

Final Fantasy has definitely left its mark on Modern, giving us a bunch of new trinkets to build around or slot into existing decks. I think some of these cards, like Sephiroth and Vivi Ornitier, have real potential to become Modern staples down the line. For now, it’s the perfect time to brew, experiment, and enjoy this strange and wonderfully deep format.