Las Vegas, Nevada — A robust 331 Standard decklists have surfaced for the Pro Tour of Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY, showcasing a diverse array of strategies. Among these submissions, some decks have distinguished themselves through innovative card combinations or unique gameplay styles that caught the attention of the Magic community. This article explores seven standout builds that not only employ clever tactics but also possess solid winning potential at the tournament.
One intriguing completion comes from Bryan Hohns, the only player at the Pro Tour utilizing an innovative combo featuring Overlord of the Boilerbilges and The Elder Dragon War alongside Yuna, Hope of Spira, a pivotal card in his deck. Hohns’s strategy focuses on reanimating the Overlord, using cards like Fear of Missing Out to discard or mill it into the graveyard, allowing Yuna to bring it back to life by turn five. This explosive move not only creates an impressive board presence but also provides valuable lifelink opportunities.
“This deck could be dubbed Naya Burn Reanimator Control Enchantress,” Hohns remarked, humorously acknowledging the deck’s complexity. The multifaceted strategy allows players to burn opponents with both Screaming Nemesis and Lightning Helix while maintaining control with tools like High Noon and the board-clearing capacity of The Elder Dragon War. This blend of versatility and firepower makes Hohns’s deck a fan favorite.
Meanwhile, a trio of players—Peter Husisian, Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa, and Jake Beardsley—have swapped the usual Cori-Steel Cutter for Agatha’s Soul Cauldron in their Izzet strategy. This innovative deck focuses on discarding Vivi Ornitier to exile it with Agatha’s Soul Cauldron. The resulting synergy allows the activated mana ability of Vivi to be accessible to other creatures bearing +1/+1 counters, creating explosive plays. Damo da Rosa commented on the pairing, emphasizing its potential to generate mana quickly and complicate opponents’ defenses.
Across the field, a fresh Orzhov Sacrifice deck has emerged, spearheaded by newcomers Luis Monge and Juli Caballero Queralt. Featuring the influential Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER, both players have adapted their strategies to integrate this card into their sacrifice-resilient lists. Sephiroth’s ability to drain life whenever a creature dies enriches the gameplay, while his card draw mechanism ensures a steady flow of resources throughout a match.
In another corner of the arena, the Insidious Roots archetype has gained momentum, thanks to five team members from Handshake Moxfield. Their Golgari build, designed to disrupt opponents, leverages the board presence achieved through Insidious Roots, which produces Plant tokens and synergizes with cards like Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler. This strategy has caught players off guard, showcasing the combo potential of flooding the board with tokens that can ramp into explosive plays.
Additionally, a second Insidious Roots strategy from the Flexslot Diamond team mixes in red to maximize the impact of the newly released Terra, Magical Adept. The card acts as a catalyst for various combos, creating opportunities to build numerous threatening Overlord of the Balemurk tokens, emphasizing the deck’s capacity for overwhelming returns. The combination of card synergies and loop-based play allows players to maintain pressure and control over the battlefield.
Last but not least, Josh Morton’s deck showcases a unique blend of creatures and synergies, capitalizing on the strengths of Brightglass Gearhulk along with the utility provided by Phoenix Down. Morton’s strategy shifts away from traditional builds by harnessing the power of artifact tokens and ensuring a continuous stream of aggressive attacks.
Pär Jones, whose journey to this Pro Tour began with a striking performance in Prague, highlights the synergy between Dark Confidant and the life-loss strategies of his Jund deck. His approach to balancing life totals with powerful card draws promises an engaging experience in upcoming matches.
In conclusion, the Pro Tour of Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY is set to feature a range of innovative strategies, each capable of surprising the field. As players refine their tactics, the live matches this weekend are poised to be thrilling showcases of creativity and competitive spirit, spotlighting the art of deck building and gameplay strategy in this beloved card game.