Final Fantasy has finally arrived on MTG Arena, and if you're ready to build new decks around your favorite characters, you're in the right place. In this article, I'll be going over the top ten best commanders for Historic Brawl from the Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy release, plus a closer look at how the new mechanics and themes shake up the Arena meta.
How We Picked These Commanders
To rank the best commanders, we looked at:
- Their Impact on MTG Arena
- The strength and flexibility of their abilities
- How fun and dynamic they are to pilot
- Color identity and deckbuilding options
Najeela, the Blade-Blossom
Najeela brings a ton of value to the battlefield even though she only costs three mana. Any time a Warrior attacks—any Warrior, not just yours—you can make an extra 1/1 tapped and attacking. That's already great for going wide, but her activated ability is where things get spicy. For five mana in all five colors, she gives all your attackers trample, lifelink, haste, and an extra combat phase. If you're in Historic Brawl and love aggressive, go-wide strategies that snowball hard, she's an absolute menace.
Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow
Yuriko is sneaky strong—literally. Thanks to commander ninjutsu, she bypasses commander tax and gets onto the battlefield, attacking as long as you have an unblocked attacker. Then, every time one of your Ninjas connects, you draw the top card of your library and hit each opponent for that card’s mana value. It’s a deck that rewards clever play, tricky creatures, and deck manipulation. If you like a stealthy playstyle with huge damage potential, Yuriko is a blast.
Urza, Lord High Artificer
Urza is a historic powerhouse and for good reason. When he enters, you get a Construct that scales with your artifact count, and from there, every artifact you tap turns into blue mana. That's already wild, but he also has a five-mana activated ability that lets you play the top card of your library for free—after shuffling first, just to keep things spicy. In Historic Brawl, this makes him a dominant pick for artifact-heavy builds that can go big fast.
Inalla, Archmage Ritualist
Inalla is all about Wizards, and she’s got one of the most flavorful abilities around. Thanks to Eminence, you don’t even need to cast her to start copying your Wizards as they enter the battlefield. For just one mana, you get a hasty token copy with the same ETB effect, which can spiral into absurd value. She also has a fun alt-win angle where tapping five Wizards drains an opponent for 7.
Godo, Bandit Warlord
Godo may look like a slow six-drop, but once he hits the board, he makes a serious impact. He tutors any Equipment right onto the battlefield, and when he swings for the first time each turn, he untaps himself and all your Samurai for a bonus combat step. He's especially nasty in decks with cards like Helm of the Host, but even in Historic Brawl, just tutoring something like Embercleave can be a huge swing. If you like red decks with gear and brute force, Godo's your guy.
Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER
Cloud is a fast, efficient threat that brings equipment synergy into the spotlight. He comes in with haste and can instantly suit up with a piece of Equipment, which is already solid tempo. But when he attacks, you draw cards based on your equipped creatures—and if he’s rocking seven or more power, you also make two Treasure tokens. It’s a value engine that scales super well with Voltron strategies or go-wide aggro that leans into Equipment.
Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER
Sephiroth starts out with a pretty solid sacrifice theme—drawing cards when he enters or attacks if you sac something, and draining opponents every time something dies. But once you hit that fourth drain trigger in a turn, he transforms into the terrifying One-Winged Angel. From there, he gets flying, an emblem that keeps the drain effect going forever, and a crazy attack trigger that lets you draw cards by sacrificing more creatures. He’s dark, dramatic, and fits perfectly into aristocrats-style decks.
Vivi Ornitier
Vivi starts off small, but don’t underestimate him. Every time you cast a non-creature spell, he grows stronger and pings each opponent. Plus, during your turn, you can turn his power into blue or red mana, fueling even more spells. It’s a sweet little engine for spell-slinger decks, and the fact that he costs just three mana means you can get the ball rolling early. If you like Izzet strategies that go big off non-creature synergy, Vivi’s a powerhouse.
Choco, Seeker of Paradise
Choco is a charming Bird commander with a lot going on. When your Birds attack, you basically get a mini-Brainstorm: look at that many cards, grab one to hand, drop any lands onto the field, and toss the rest into your graveyard. That's value, ramp, and setup all in one move. Additionally, Choco receives a minor power boost with landfall, making its attacks slightly more threatening. It's a fun pick if you love synergy between creature combat and land-based strategies.
Partners
With the Partner mechanic finally making its way to MTG Arena, these legendary commanders are about to shake things up in a big way. Being able to pair any two of them lets you build all-new color combinations and strategies that just weren't possible before. Thrasios and Tymna are the classic go-to ramp and card draw, working together like clockwork—but now you can get creative. Want to pair Kraum's card draw with Vial Smasher's wild damage? Go for it. Or maybe you want to turn Bruse Tarl into a Voltron menace by giving him access to blue or black for protection and evasion. No matter how you mix them, Partner gives you a whole new toolbox of commander combos to explore in Historic Brawl.
Final Fantasy Commander Product
With every new set release, Magic: The Gathering delivers something special for Commander players—and Final Fantasy is no exception. Whether you're here for the strategy, the nostalgia, or just the stunning card art, these decks have something for everyone. And if you're a serious collector, the Final Fantasy Collector's Edition Commander decks are absolute showstoppers. These premium decks include every card in surge foil, making them a true centerpiece for fans of the series.
Each Final Fantasy Collector's Edition Commander deck includes:
- 1 ready-to-play 100-card deck themed around a specific Final Fantasy title
- 1 surge foil face commander and 1 surge foil featured commander
- 98 surge foil cards, all with the premium finish
- 10 double-sided tokens (or 6 surge foil tokens + 4 punch-out counters in Counter Blitz)
- 1 Collector Booster Sample Pack to add a taste of high-end cards
- 1 reference card and a sturdy deck box for storage
- Available worldwide starting June 13, 2025, with preorders open now through your local game store or online retailers
Now let's take a closer look at what each of these four Commander decks brings to the table:
Revival Trance
This deck taps into the world of Final Fantasy VI with a strong reanimator theme. Terra and Celes lead a strategy that throws creatures into your graveyard, then brings them back for round two (or three). With spells and creatures that care about death and recursion, and value engines that grind out the long game, this deck feels like a love letter to fans of graveyard synergies. It's got a splash of Treasure generation, strong finishers, and the kind of momentum that builds turn after turn.
Limit Break
Inspired by Final Fantasy VII, this deck brings the explosive feel of a true Limit Break right into your games. Led by Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER and Tifa, it's a Voltron-style deck that buffs up key creatures with Equipment, then slams in for massive damage. You'll find plenty of ramp to get your gear online quickly, support cards that reward attacking, and even ways to draw cards as your creatures swing in. If you love high-powered action and want a deck that plays like a cutscene showdown, this one's for you.
Scions & Spellcraft
Fans of Final Fantasy XIV will love the thoughtful, story-driven vibe of this Esper-colored control deck. With Y'shtola and G'raha Tia at the helm, you'll cast powerful instants and sorceries, manipulate the board with sagas, and play the long game with clean card advantage. Expect a mix of board wipes, value engines, and lore-packed plays that feel like you're reenacting a full-blown MMO storyline. It's a dream for anyone who loves methodical, smart gameplay with a fantasy twist.
Counter Blitz
Final Fantasy X gets the spotlight in this spell-based deck featuring Tidus and Yuna. Counter Blitz is a spellslinger and tempo mix that uses instant-speed interaction and countermagic to slow down opponents while ramping into powerful Summons like Valefor and Yojimbo. The deck plays like a tight, reactive battle, and when your big creatures finally hit the board, they hit hard. If you enjoy controlling the pace of the game while throwing in big, flavorful payoffs, Counter Blitz will be right up your alley.
Thanks for Reading!
