Crystals Are as Central To Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy as the Video Games [Exclusive]

The upcoming Magic: The Gathering – FINAL FANTASY collaboration has become one of the most eagerly anticipated Universes Beyond sets to date. As one of the most emotionally resonant and iconic franchises in video game history, Final Fantasy brings decades of iconic characters, epic storytelling, and unforgettable imagery to the Magic: The Gathering setting. Poised to be a landmark entry into the Universes Beyond line and a celebration of both brands’ legacies, Wizards of the Coast and Square Enixworked together across a period of multiple years in order to bring the video game franchise’s iconic characters, lore, and mechanics into the Magic format.

Ahead of the mid-June release of Magic: The Gathering – FINAL FANTASY, Collider can exclusively reveal four of the cards players will be able to add to their collections, with both the standard art and full art versions available to see below. The cards bring an aspect of the Final Fantasy games that has been present for each of the mainline entries in a multitude of different ways as Legendary Artifacts in the Magic: The Gathering format – crystals.

The Crystals in ‘Magic: The Gathering – FINAL FANTASY’

Crystals are legendary objects that were first introduced in the original Final Fantasy, embodying the four classic elements of earth, fire, water, and wind. Even in entries into the franchise where crystals were not central to the primary plot, crystals are at least referenced, underscoring their importance to the Final Fantasy universe’s overall lore. Serving as a potent source of magical energy, so much so that antagonists are frequently shown to seek them out in order to harness their power, crystals have evolved with the franchise over time but ultimately remain one of the most iconic and enduring elements in Final Fantasy, making them a natural inclusion for the Magic: The Gathering – FINAL FANTASY set.

The Legendary Artifacts draw upon the franchise’s origins by providing cards for The Earth Crystal, The Fire Crystal, The Water Crystal, and The Wind Crystal with both standard and full art versions. Legendary Artifacts in Magic: The Gathering are powerful items that offer unique and often game-changing abilities such as card draw or mana generation, often providing combination potential. These cards frequently serve as key engines or finishers in decks, with the effects of each card designed to earn their “legendary” name. Suffice to say, Final Fantasy‘s crystals were perfectly adapted into the Magic: The Gathering mechanics to appropriately reflect their central role within the franchise’s lore and mechanics. Each crystal is assigned a specific Magic mana color:

• The Earth Crystal – green
• The Fire Crystal – red
• The Water Crystal – blue
• The Wind Crystal – white

While each crystal results in a -1 decrease to spell-casting cost, one has its own unique effects and costs associated with playing them, as can be seen in the cards above.

Magic: The Gathering – FINAL FANTASY releases June 13, so there are still plenty of card reveals to come.