Discover the Hottest Pro Tour Magic: The Gathering® Decklists Inspired by FINAL FANTASY™

A total of 331 Standard decklists were submitted for the Pro Tour Magic: The Gathering®—FINAL FANTASY™, showcasing a wide variety of strategies. Some decks stood out for their unique combinations and innovative ideas. Let’s explore seven of the most interesting decks that caught attention and show great potential for winning.

Naya Yuna by Bryan Hohns

Bryan Hohns took a bold step by including Overlord of the Boilerbilges and The Elder Dragon War. These cards work seamlessly with Yuna, Hope of Spira, the key card of his strategy. Hohns aims to reanimate Overlord from the graveyard, creating a powerful board presence. He can use cards like Fear of Missing Out or Esper Origins to discard it, then let Yuna bring it back on turn five.

"This deck could be called Naya Burn Reanimator Control Enchantress," Hohns joked. This mix of strategies makes it flexible. Besides reanimation, he can deal damage with cards like Screaming Nemesis and control the game effectively with removal spells and sweeping effects from The Elder Dragon War.

Izzet Cauldron by Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa

Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa and his team explored a fresh take on Izzet decks, choosing Agatha’s Soul Cauldron over the usual Cori-Steel Cutter. This deck focuses on discarding Vivi Ornitier and using Agatha’s Soul Cauldron to grant its mana ability to any creature with a +1/+1 counter.

Damo da Rosa shared, "This combination can add a lot of mana and sometimes finish the game unexpectedly." This new Izzet build doesn’t just play for tempo; it has serious synergy with discard and graveyard mechanics. Notably, this strategy included main deck graveyard hate in anticipation of facing popular decks like Azorius Omniscience.

Orzhov Sacrifice by Juli Caballero Queralt

Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER revitalized the Orzhov Sacrifice archetype. Juli Caballero Queralt’s list emphasizes sacrifice strategies while leveraging Sephiroth’s ability to drain life whenever a creature dies. With a plethora of card draw options, the deck can cycle quickly through its library.

"Transforming Sephiroth into a 5/5 flyer while drawing new cards is very feasible," Caballero Queralt explained. This deck is both efficient and fun, locking opponents in a rhythm of life loss and card advantage.

Golgari Roots by Simon Nielsen

One surprising highlight was the resurgence of decks built around Insidious Roots. Simon Nielsen and his team aimed to catch their competitors off guard with their Golgari build. This deck focuses on generating Plant tokens when using card abilities to manipulate the graveyard.

"The deck does powerful things with Insidious Roots and has great staying power thanks to Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler and Overlord of the Balemurk," Nielsen told us. These elements combine to create a board state that’s hard to dismantle. Recent cards have provided great upgrades, helping this lesser-known archetype shine at the Pro Tour.

Jund Roots by Corey Burkhart

Corey Burkhart’s Jund Roots deck, which incorporates Terra, Magical Adept, builds on previous archetypes but adds a unique twist. The goal is to fuel the graveyard while enabling explosive turns. Once transformed, Esper Terra can start generating creature tokens that quickly overwhelm the opponent.

Burkhart highlighted the deck’s combo potential, where you can create infinite mana to unleash an unstoppable army of tokens. It’s complicated but deeply satisfying when executed correctly.

Selesnya Gearhulk by Josh Morton

Josh Morton’s deck stands out by utilizing Brightglass Gearhulk alongside artifact synergy. This approach leans more into token generation, making it a consistent contender. Morton saw a version of this deck played by a pro and decided to replicate its fun factor.

His strategy not only captures the aggressive tempo of the game but also uses unique cards like Phoenix Down to bring back powerful threats, setting him apart from other builds.

Jund Midrange by Pär Jones

Pär Jones brought a fresh angle to the Jund Midrange archetype, featuring cards like Dark Confidant for card advantage while leveraging life loss strategically. This deck features synergy between low-cost spells and the life-manipulation elements, making it a formidable contender. Jones’s unique approach, particularly with The Last Ride, embraces the risky but rewarding lifestyle.

These decks showcase different flavors of creativity in the current Standard format. With such diverse strategies on display, the Pro Tour promises to be exciting for fans and players alike.

For more on decklists and tournament results, check the official coverage on Wizards of the Coast.

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