Here Are Three New Cards From The Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy Collaboration

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Wizards of the Coast is teaming up with Square Enix for an expansion to the long-running Magic: The Gathering trading card game, which will be themed entirely around the mainline Final Fantasy games that have been popular for decades. This collaboration includes a separate mini-set called “Final Fantasy: Through The Ages” that is included as part of the main set.

In Through The Ages, 64 cards from Magic: The Gathering’s past are redesigned using artworks from Square Enix’s extensive collection in Japan. Out of more than 5,000 potential pieces of art, only 64 cards were chosen, with four for each of the 16 mainline games represented. We have a sneak peek at three of these cards; two are from Final Fantasy VIII, and one is from the latest addition to the series, Final Fantasy XVI.

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Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy is set to hit local game stores and large retail chains starting June 13th. In approximately one-third of Play Booster packs and every Collector Booster pack, you’ll discover cards from the Through The Ages bonus sheet.

First up, let’s take a look at the Final Fantasy XVI card: Hugo Kupka!

  • Hugo Kupka (reprint of Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder)
    • Legendary Creature – Human Ally
    • Costs two generic, one red, and one white mana to cast
    • 3 power/3 toughness
    • Whenever Hugo Kupka enters or attacks, target creature you control gains double strike and lifelink until end of turn.
    • Partner (You can have two commanders if both have Partner.)

Bruse Tarl (also known as Hugo Kupka) is a potent entity that allows any creature on your battlefield to have an impactful turn, while also boosting your life total. In Commander games, the most effective Bruse Tarl decks often pair him with cards such as Thrasios, Triton Hero or Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper for multi-colored assault strategies. So, Hugo is getting ready to meet some new allies.

Coming next is one of our unique unveilings of a card from Final Fantasy VIII, and it features none other than the main character, Squall Leonhart!

  • Squall Leonhart (reprint of Danitha Capashen, Paragon)
    • Legendary Creature – Human Knight
    • Costs two generic and one white mana to cast
    • 2 power/2 toughness
    • First strike, vigilance, lifelink
    • Aura and Equipment spells you cast cost one generic mana less to cast.

Immediately upon being placed on the battlefield, Squall offers an enhancement to your Tron decks by reducing the cost of any Aura and Equipment enchantment spells you subsequently cast. Additionally, if you decide to cast those reduced-cost spells for Squall himself, he transforms into a formidable creature that also rewards you with life.

Finally, we have the cornerstone of the SeeD mercenary force in FFVIII, Balamb Garden!

  • Balamb Garden (reprint of Command Beacon)
    • Land
    • Ability 1: Tap this land to create one colorless mana.
    • Ability 2: Tap and sacrifice this land to put your commander into your hand from the command zone.

In a simplified manner, Balamb Garden becomes a versatile addition to Magic: The Gathering, functioning as a land with unique properties rather than the standard type. It offers an edge to your Commander deck without behaving like regular lands. During late-game scenarios, when your commander has been taken out multiple times and you’ve accumulated the “commander tax”*, Balamb Garden can be sacrificed to return your commander to your hand. Notably, the “commander tax” does not apply when commanders are cast from your hand.

*Commander Tax: The additional costs or penalties that players have to pay whenever they recast their commander after it has been removed from the battlefield.

For each instance beyond the initial casting, your commander cards require an additional two generic mana to be cast: the second cast requires two extra, the third costs four extra, and so on.

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2025-05-15 20:39