What to Watch For in Final Fantasy Prerelease & Draft Events
The Universes Beyond Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy set is finally here — and it’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting crossovers in MTG history. With prerelease events kicking off Friday, June 6th and the official set launch dropping on June 13th, it’s time to sharpen your skills and get ready for the Limited format.
Whether you’re cracking packs for Sealed play or navigating the draft tables, knowing the right cards to pick can give you a major edge. Let’s take a closer look at the key commons, uncommons, and bombs you should be keeping an eye out for during prerelease weekend and beyond.
Reliable Commons & Uncommons
Every Limited deck needs a backbone — and these cards deliver consistent value and great synergy across multiple archetypes.
White Auracite
Efficient removal meets mana ramp. This versatile spell handles just anything on the board and even helps smooth your mana curve.
Dwarven Castle Guard
A great early play for white decks, this creature provides solid aggression while offering flexibility for sacrifice or defense-focused strategies.
Dragoon’s Wyvern
Getting multiple bodies from one card is a huge advantage in Limited, especially when one has flying. This is a standout mid-tier pick.
Eject
Clean, instant-speed disruption that also draws you a card. Excellent in spellslinger shells, tempo decks, or anywhere flexibility is key.
Vayne's Treachery
Vayne's Treachery is a flexible removal spell that scales during the game if you have a sacrifice outlet. Good early game and a potent tool in the late game, especially in decks that have a spare body/artifact to sacrifice.
Suplex
Suplex is a red instant that deals 3 damage to target creature for just two mana. Its efficiency makes it a staple in aggressive decks, allowing you to remove blockers and then finish off your opponents.
Mysidian Elder
Mysidian Elder is a creature that provides value by creating a Black Mage token upon entering the battlefield. This token can be used to ping opponents or other creatures, also fitting well into token or sacrifice strategies.
Goobbue Gardener
Goobbue Gardener is a creature that taps for one green mana, aiding in ramp strategies. Its ability to accelerate your game plan makes it a valuable addition to green decks. It also blocks well against many 2/2 and 1/1 threats.
Chocobo Kick
Chocobo Kick is a green sorcery that allows a creature you control to deal damage equal to its power to another target creature. This fight mechanic helps green decks deal with problematic creatures on the opponent
Gysahl Greens
Gysahl Greens is an sorcery that enhances your board presence and synergizes with landfall and go wide strategies.
Rares and Mythics That Can Take Over Games
If you open one of these powerhouse cards, don’t hesitate, build around it and ride it to victory. These are the cards that define Limited formats.
Cloud, Midgar Mercenary
Fan-favourite and legendary beatstick. When Cloud hits the board, he not only brings pressure but searches out Equipment to boost himself. Total game-changer.
Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER
Just like in the Final Fantasy universe, Sephiroth is a force of nature here too. Dominates combat and applies relentless pressure.
Summon: Knights of the Round
This saga-style card delivers multiple creatures across turns and finishes with a massive board-wide buff. The best finisher in the set.
Jumbo Cactuar
Fun, explosive, and deceptively powerful. Jumbo Cactuar can go big, and even without trample, will cause a block every turn for this, as it’s hard to ignore on the board.
Draft Archetypes & Synergy Paths
This set is packed with strong color pairings and mechanics that reward building around themes. Keep an eye out for cards that support the following archetypes and my top 3 from the set!
White-Black – Graveyard Recursion & Sacrifice
Use creatures that benefit from dying and spells that return them for repeat value. Cards like Al Bhed Salvagers help to finish off your opponent while gaining life.
Blue-Red – Spellslinger Tempo
This archetype rewards chaining noncreature spells to control the board and generate tempo. Cards like Relm’s Sketching and Eject are strong players here.
Green-White – Tokens and Buffs
Get wide and go big. Token generators combined with anthem effects like Moogle’s Valor can quickly overwhelm slower decks.
Pre-Release Deck Tips
- Don’t skip removal – grab efficient answers early, even over flashy creatures.
- Curve is king – make sure you’ve got plays from turn two through five.
- Stick to two colors – unless your pool heavily supports splashing a third, stay tight and consistent.
- Build around synergy – don’t just jam good cards. Find the thread that ties your deck together.
Ready for Battle?
This set is more than just a crossover, it’s a celebration of Final Fantasy’s rich history and MTG’s strategic depth. Whether you're looking to compete or just enjoy iconic characters in a new format, there's something here for everyone.
Check out our latest singles from the Final Fantasy set at Mr. Card Singles. We’re updating inventory daily, so don’t miss your chance to snag the cards you need before they vanish like a Summon spell!
Good luck at prerelease, and happy drafting!