Tap any card name to preview it, tap the name again to close. All card data from Scryfall set FIN (595 cards, released 2025-06-13).
Format basics
Standard Play Booster draft (8-player pods, 3 packs, 1 pick per pack), and an excellent Sealed set. The first Standard-legal Universes Beyond set — and the best-selling Magic set of all time.
Ten two-color archetypes, one per pair, all genuinely supported. 17lands called FIN one of the most balanced formats in years: the best pair () won 56.4% of games and the worst () 53.4%, a 3.0-point spread. Three-color decks were also strong (54.8% in aggregate).
Not a fast format. Commons are toughness-slanted (Shinra Reinforcements2/3, Qiqirn Merchant1/4, Scorpion Sentinel1/4), summons gum up the board, and games run long enough that eight-mana haymakers like Ardyn, the Usurper4/4 decide matches.
Mostly two colors with an optional splash; Towns is the designated 5-color pile engine. Ten common dual towns show up in the land slot of roughly half of packs, so fixing is easy.
99 legendary creatures — the legend rule actually comes up. The legends-matter payoffs are weak (see traps); only Venat, Heart of Hydaelyn3/3 is worth bending for.
One in three packs has a Through the Ages bonus card: a Commander-targeted reprint with new art. Most are unplayable in draft; a few are busted.
Mechanics
Job select (a living-weapon twist): the Equipment enters, creates a 1/1 colorless Hero token, and attaches to it. Treat these as creatures with upside — both the artifact and the token matter (artifact counts for , sac fodder for ). Samurai's Katana and Dragoon's Lance are among the best uncommons in the set; Red Mage's Rapier and Sage's Nouliths are the stinkers.
Tiered (kicker-style modal spells): Fire Magic, Thunder Magic and Ice Magic scale with the mana spent. The upgraded modes also feed the "spent 4+ mana" triggers.
Saga creatures (Summons): creatures that tick like Sagas, then sacrifice after the last chapter. Remember two blocks, one attack — three-chapter summons swing exactly once. The four-chapter commons (Summon: Fat Chocobo4/4, Summon: Choco/Mog3/3, Summon: .F. Ifrit3/2) are real curve creatures. Rydia, Summoner of Mist1/2, Garnet, Princess of Alexandria2/2 and Yuna, Hope of Spira3/5 pay you for playing them.
Stun counters (new to Magic in FIN): a permanent with a stun counter doesn't untap — remove the counter instead. The format's freeze effect: Ice Flan5/4, Tonberry2/1, Ultros, Obnoxious Octopus2/1, Summon: Shiva4/5, Omega, Heartless Evolution8/8.
Towns: a land type with no intrinsic ability. The dual towns are your fixing; turns them into value with Travel the Overworld.
Cycling: five common basic landcyclers — Malboro4/4 and Balamb T-Rexaur6/6 are the best, Ice Flan5/4 and Hill Gigas5/4 are fine, Cloudbound Moogle2/3 is the weak one. They enable 16 lands + 2 cyclers manabases.
Flashback (Dreams of Laguna, Laughing Mad, Retrieve the Esper) and transforming DFCs (final-boss forms; most rare saga-flippers are busted) round out the set.
The 10 archetypes
Rough tier list from the community data: and are the two best pairs; , , and are strong; , , and are decent. Nothing is unplayable — seat and synergy matter more than the pair.
: Artifacts & fliers (tempo)
Signposts
Cid, Timeless Artificer4/4 (great in multiples, mediocre alone) and Tidus, Blitzball Star2/1 — the weakest gold uncommon in the set. Cut Tidus; don't read him as a signal.
Key cards
Gaelicat1/3 (+2/+0 with two artifacts)
Rook Turret3/3 (flying card selection)
Dragoon's Wyvern2/1 (best blue common)
Weapons Vendor2/2
Cloudbound Moogle2/3
White Mage's Staff (job select at a 2/2 rate)
Paladin's Arms
Slash of Light
Syncopate (develop fliers, then protect them)
Top end
Edgar, King of Figaro4/5
Machinist's Arsenal
Absolute Virtue8/8
Ultima (the set's real wrath)
: Control (graveyard-flavored grind)
Signposts
Locke Cole2/3 (loot engine) and Ultimecia, Time Sorceress4/5 (transforms into a Time Walk on legs).
Key cards
Sephiroth's Intervention (best common removal in the set)
Ice Magic
Dreams of Laguna
Retrieve the Esper
Combat Tutorial
Stuck in Summoner's Sanctum
Syncopate
Ahriman2/2
Sidequest: Hunt the Mark (big-spells payoff that fits this pair)
Top end
Emet-Selch, Unsundered2/4
The Lunar Whale
Noctis, Prince of Lucis4/3
: Black mages (bleeder)
Signposts
Black Waltz No. 32/2 (good ability, awful body) and Garland, Knight of Cornelia3/2 (the real reason to be here).
Key cards
Cornered by Black Mages (edict + drain; a big overperformer)
Circle of Power
Black Mage's Rod
Thunder Magic
Fire Magic
Suplex
Malboro4/4
Blazing Bomb1/1
Light of Judgment
Unexpected Request (splashable treason-and-sac)
Top end
Kuja, Genome Sorcerer3/4
Kefka, Court Mage4/5 (Grixis splash bomb)
Lindblum, Industrial Regency (adventure land fixing that wheels)
: Landfall / stompy
Signposts
Gladiolus Amicitia6/6 (snowballs on its own) and Rydia, Summoner of Mist1/2 — only good with 5+ summons; don't treat her as a signal.
Key cards
Sabotender2/1 (the one non-bird landfaller at common)
Call the Mountain Chocobo
Sazh's Chocobo0/1
Zell Dincht0/3
Tifa Lockhart1/2
Prishe's Wanderings
Chocobo Kick
Chocobo Racetrack
Ride the Shoopuf
Top end
Summon: Fat Chocobo4/4 (one of the best commons in the set)
Summon: Titan7/7
Balthier and Fran4/3
Jumbo Cactuar1/7
: Go wide / summons
Signposts
Rinoa Heartilly4/4 (a splash-level threat by herself) and Garnet, Princess of Alexandria2/2 (the summon half of the pair).
Key cards
Aerith Rescue Mission
Auron's Inspiration
You're Not Alone
Summon: Choco/Mog3/3 (four-chapter common summon)
Hecteyes1/1
Goobbue Gardener1/3 (blocks everything)
Scorpion Sentinel1/4
White Mage's Staff
Top end
Yuna, Hope of Spira3/5 (works with common summons)
The Earth Crystal (the best crystal: repeatable team pump)
Choco, Seeker of Paradise3/5
: Sacrifice (the villains pair)
Signposts
Judge Magister Gabranth2/2 (drain payoff) and Rufus Shinra2/4 (attacks make tokens = free fodder).
Key cards
Ahriman2/2 (sac outlet that draws)
Phantom Train
Namazu Trader3/4
Al Bhed Salvagers2/3
Hecteyes1/1 (fodder that replaces itself)
Undercity Dire Rat2/2
Vayne's Treachery
White Auracite
Job-select equipment: the Hero token and the Equipment are both sac fodder
Top end
Squall, SeeD Mercenary3/4
Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER3/3
Zodiark, Umbral God5/5 (near-mono-black only)
: Big spells (the best pair)
Signposts
Shantotto, Tactician Magician0/4 (copies spells cast for 4+) and The Emperor of Palamecia2/2 (flips into a monster).
Key cards
Ultros, Obnoxious Octopus2/1 (draws when you cast for 4+)
Prompto Argentum2/2
Thunder Magic (the 4-mana mode is the trigger)
Ice Magic
Dreams of Laguna (flashback = a second trigger)
Retrieve the Esper
Eject
Sorceress's Schemes
Choco-Comet (the best uncommon in the set)
Sahagin1/3
Laughing Mad
Top end
Vivi Ornitier0/3
Tellah, Great Sage3/3
Summon: Leviathan6/6 (one-sided with Sahagin1/3 or Ultros, Obnoxious Octopus2/1)
: Graveyard value (the other best pair)
Signposts
Cloud of Darkness3/3 (the best signpost uncommon in the set) and Exdeath, Void Warlock3/3 (flips at six permanents in the yard).
Key cards
Town Greeter1/1 (self-mill that finds towns)
Shinra Reinforcements2/3
Resentful Revelation
The Final Days
Diamond Weapon8/8 (huge, near-unkillable in combat)
Gran Pulse Ochu1/1
Evil Reawakened
Malboro4/4
Top end
Jenova, Ancient Calamity1/5
Vanille, Cheerful l'Cie3/2 + Fang, Fearless l'Cie2/3 meld into Ragnarok, Divine Deliverance7/6 (the set's only meld pair)
: Equipment aggro (best win rate: 56.4%)
Signposts
Giott, King of the Dwarves1/1 (equipment = +1/+1 counters) and Zidane, Tantalus Thief3/3 (treason with Treasure upside).
Key cards
Adelbert Steiner2/1
Samurai's Katana
Dragoon's Lance
Slash of Light (bigger with equipment)
You're Not Alone
Haste Magic
Firion, Wild Rose Warrior3/3
Freya Crescent1/1
Zack Fair0/1
Top end
Cloud, Midgar Mercenary2/1 (wants 9+ Plains)
Lightning, Army of One3/2
Gilgamesh, Master-at-Arms6/6
Joshua, Phoenix's Dominant3/4
: Towns / ramp (Durdle Town, population: you)
Signposts
Ignis Scientia2/2 (ramp + mana sink) and Omega, Heartless Evolution8/8 (stun-lock bomb that wants towns).
Key cards
Travel the Overworld (affinity for Towns: draw 4)
Qiqirn Merchant1/4 (blocks everything, buys back value)
Goobbue Gardener1/3
Scorpion Sentinel1/4
Town Greeter1/1
Syncopate (side in against bomb-heavy decks)
Capital City (cycles; any deck plays it)
Prishe's Wanderings and Reach the Horizon (tutor towns)
Zanarkand, Ancient Metropolis (the good adventure land)
Top end
The Wandering Minstrel1/3
Balamb Garden, SeeD Academy
Summon: Bahamut9/9 (nine mana lives here)
Sin, Spira's Punishment7/7 (splashable Sultai value)
There are no gold commons in FIN — every pair's glue is the monocolor commons below. Draft the commons, not just the signposts.
Top commons: the workhorses
White:White Auracite (exiling removal + mana rock, a real 2-for-1), White Mage's Staff, Weapons Vendor2/2, Slash of Light (best in ), Fate of the Sun-Cryst.
Blue:Dragoon's Wyvern2/1 (evasive 3-power flyer), Dreams of Laguna, Rook Turret3/3, Ice Magic, Stuck in Summoner's Sanctum. Syncopate is the only common counterspell — respect it.
Red:Thunder Magic (the best common removal in the set), Suplex (exiling 3 damage), Sabotender2/1, Blazing Bomb1/1, Light of Judgment.
Green:Balamb T-Rexaur6/6 (7/7 trampler that landcycles), Chocobo Kick, Goobbue Gardener1/3, Town Greeter1/1, Airship Crash.
Colorless:Iron Giant6/6 and Relentless X-ATM0926/5 reward the long game.
Snap-pick bombs
Summon: Knights of Round3/3 and Summon: Bahamut9/9 — the "you win the game" saga creatures.
Buster Sword (colorless, snowballs on connect, fits any deck).
Cloud, Midgar Mercenary2/1 — an equipment 2-for-1.
Traveling Chocobo3/2 — bird synergy plus double landfall.
Absolute Virtue8/8 — answer it or lose.
Lightning, Army of One3/2
Vivi Ornitier0/3
Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER3/3
Kefka, Court Mage4/5
Nibelheim Aflame
Clive, Ifrit's Dominant5/5
Ancient Adamantoise8/20
Yuna, Hope of Spira3/5
Rares worth first-picking:
Dion, Bahamut's Dominant3/3
Seifer Almasy3/4
Summon: Titan7/7
The Earth Crystal
Kuja, Genome Sorcerer3/4
Squall, SeeD Mercenary3/4
Moogles' Valor
Ultima
Venat, Heart of Hydaelyn3/3
The Lunar Whale
Memories Returning
Ardyn, the Usurper4/4
Sazh Katzroy3/3
Jenova, Ancient Calamity1/5
Vincent Valentine2/2
Zenos yae Galvus4/4
Cecil, Dark Knight2/3
Joshua, Phoenix's Dominant3/4
Zell Dincht0/3
Choco, Seeker of Paradise3/5
Jill, Shiva's Dominant2/2
Uncommons that play like rares:
Choco-Comet
Travel the Overworld
Overkill
Fire Magic
Samurai's Katana
Summon: Fenrir3/2 (possibly the best uncommon in the set)
Summon: Anima4/4
Diamond Weapon8/8
Cornered by Black Mages
Through the Ages bonus sheet (one in three packs): first-pick Atraxa, Grand Unifier; Akroma's Will; Winota, Joiner of Forces; Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer; Ancient Copper Dragon; Urza, Lord High Artificer. Most of the rest is Commander-only value — skip it.
Trap cards
Clive's Hideaway and Serah Farron2/2 — the legends-matter rares aren't supported; don't build around legends.
Golbez, Crystal Collector1/4 — the artifact payoffs live in white, not .
Tidus, Blitzball Star2/1 — the worst gold uncommon in the set.
Red Mage's Rapier and Sage's Nouliths — job-select stinkers.
Black Waltz No. 32/2 — a terrible body for four mana.
Summon: Esper Ramuh3/3 — rarely deals more than 2-3.
Aettir and Priwen — slow and clunky; a pure money pick.
The Water Crystal (no mill support) and The Fire Crystal (takes a turn off).
Triple Triad and A Realm Reborn — do-nothing engines.
Genji Glove — a Commander card.
Excalibur II — needs a dedicated lifegain deck.
The Masamune — only with Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER3/3 or deathtouchers like Gran Pulse Ochu1/1.
From Father to Son, Hope Estheim2/2, Zodiark, Umbral God5/5.
Going all-in on lifegain with Minwu, White Mage3/3 is a trap in 99% of drafts.
World Map and Blitzball are mediocre fixers, not engine pieces.
Drafting strategy
The pairs are balanced — read the seat, not a tier list. Any of the ten pairs can trophy; forcing "the best deck" into a contested seat loses. Take bombs and removal early, commit to a pair when its commons wheel.
Stay close to two colors. Splash unconditional removal (Sephiroth's Intervention, Fate of the Sun-Cryst) and splashable bombs — Dion, Bahamut's Dominant3/3, Sazh Katzroy3/3, Kuja, Genome Sorcerer3/4, Jenova, Ancient Calamity1/5, Seifer Almasy3/4, The Lunar Whale, Squall, SeeD Mercenary3/4, Yuna, Hope of Spira3/5, Kefka, Court Mage4/5, Absolute Virtue8/8.
Red is the shallowest color: its top commons are elite, but it has more filler than anyone. Draft red when it's open; don't marry it early.
Job-select equipment is wanted by three decks (, , ). The good ones (Samurai's Katana, Dragoon's Lance, White Mage's Staff) don't wheel.
Towns signal : late Capital City or dual towns means the lane is open. Prishe's Wanderings and Reach the Horizon double as town tutors.
16 lands + 2 landcyclers is real thanks to Malboro4/4 and Balamb T-Rexaur6/6 — don't burn early picks on lands.
Don't chase legend density. Duplicate legends rot in hand, and the payoffs don't exist.
Deckbuilding numbers
40 cards, 17 lands (16 + 2 landcyclers; 18 for ramp or a heavy splash).
15 to 17 creatures, with 6+ at 2 mana value. Quality 2-drops (Il Mheg Pixie2/1, Torgal, A Fine Hound2/2) are worth more than usual in this toughness-heavy format.
4 to 6 removal spells. The format is deep: Thunder Magic, Suplex, Sephiroth's Intervention, Vayne's Treachery, Chocobo Kick, White Auracite.
9+ Plains for Cloud, Midgar Mercenary2/1; 9+ Islands if you run the bonus sheet's Counterspell.
For a splash: 2 to 3 sources; dual towns and Crossroads Village make it painless.
In-game tips
Summon math: three-chapter summons attack once and block twice. Trade your worst creature into one when it stops their value; don't feed a 4-drop to a summon that's about to sacrifice itself.
Play around Summon: Primal Garuda3/3: if your deck has inevitability, don't attack your best creature into its removal chapter. The set's classic ambush.
Stun counters: your creature stays tapped through a full untap step. Don't count on it for blocks — do count the tempo it steals.
Fire Magic (Firaga): build your board with 4-toughness creatures when you can and don't overcommit into open red mana. Ultima also kills Equipment and artifacts, and its end-the-turn mode beats death triggers.
Syncopate is the only common counterspell — don't slam your bomb into open blue mana mid-game.
Cornered by Black Mages needs an edict target — keep a token or expendable creature on board against heavy black.
Moogles' Valor = five open white mana. Respect the blowout bluff.
Chocobo Kick dies to combat tricks. Don't bite into open mana unless you can afford the 2-for-1.
Nibelheim Aflame turns any creature into a board wipe and flashes back to refill — remove the creature it targets or it 1-for-4s you.
Vincent Valentine2/2 keeps its counters when it transforms — kill it before it flips.
Expensive cards to keep an eye out for
Top 20 by TCGplayer Market price (US$) among cards you can open in Play Boosters (FIN 1–294). The list below is regenerated on every site build; tap Refresh prices for a live recompute. Prices are for regular-frame versions; borderless, showcase, and gilded-foil treatments run higher and are mostly Collector Booster-only. Through the Ages bonus cards (one in three packs) aren't in this list — their money cards are Commander reprints such as Ancient Copper Dragon and Rhystic Study. Several entries are draft traps (see above) — value picks only.
Top 20 by TCGplayer Market price · generated 2026-08-26 ·