I’ll admit it—I’ve never played Magic: The Gathering. I’ve been curious about it, but it always felt like one of those intimidating hobbies that you needed to grow into to fully understand. However, I’m a huge Final Fantasy fan, and seeing Magic: The Gathering collaborate with Final Fantasy on a new deck of cards seems like a no-brainer. So, it wasn’t a complete shock when I sat down to demo the new Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy set at Summer Game Fest that I ended up having a great time. Not just because of the nostalgia but because, somehow, this crossover made Magic come alive for me.

Job classes bring a new twist to Magic

This crossover doesn’t just slap Final Fantasy art onto existing cards—it’s mechanically thoughtful, too. One of the most interesting additions comes in the form of Artifact – Equipment cards. These are weapons that can be played on the battlefield. But here’s where the FF twist comes in: when you drop one of these artifacts, you can also summon a 1/1 Hero creature token.

That Hero isn’t just a vanilla creature—they become the job class associated with the weapon they pick up. Give them a staff card? They’re a White Mage. Play a lance card? They’re a Dragoon. It’s a simple system, but it brings that Final Fantasy flavor to the forefront and gives you a strategic reason to think about what job class will lead you to battle victory.

And when your Hero gets taken out (which they most likely will), the weapon doesn’t disappear. It stays behind on the battlefield, available for another character to wield.

Cloud vs Sephiroth: Choose your playstyle

The Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy Starter Kit gives you a choice: Cloud or Sephiroth. These aren’t just cosmetic differences—the two decks are built around very different strategies. Cloud’s deck, I was told, is built to be fast and aggressive, just like Cloud himself. It’s designed to attack early, swing hard, and pressure your opponent before they can fully set up. Think limit breaks and reckless bravery.

Sephiroth’s deck, on the other hand, plays the long game. It’s described as “patient but powerful,” with mechanics that reward timing, control, and overwhelming force once everything’s in place.

In my demo match, I got to summon Cloud himself. What makes him interesting is that if there are multiple weapons already on the field, he can pick up any of them. It’s not just about flavor—it’s a real strategic decision. Equip Cloud with a heavy hitter, and he becomes an immediate threat. Stack his gear smartly, and he can turn into a beast with boosted Power and Toughness. Watching him wield a mix of legendary FF weapons felt like a turn-based fever dream—in the best way. Despite equipping Cloud with a Samurai katana, Sephiroth’s slow and methodical approach eventually killed my Cloud and then me.

If you’re a Final Fantasy fan curious about Magic, this set might be the perfect bridge. And if you’re a Magic veteran who’s always had a soft spot for Midgar, Eorzea, or Spira, there’s a lot to love here, too. Either way, consider me converted—I may have started the demo as a Magic newbie, but I ended up looking forward to my next match (and learning how to win my next game).