Sphere of Influence: August 1, 2025

Jenova, Ancient Calamity | Art by Karo ARAI

Welcome to Sphere of Influence, a pre-FNM look at some potential movers and shakers that are worth picking up before their prices increase.

Great news about the new Final Fantasy set: you don't have to buy those expensive packs anymore! The following singles punch above their weight, are available on the cheap, and would look great in your Commander decks. Let the plebes play the pack lottery…

Y'shtola Rhul - $5

For starters, Thassa, Deep-Dwelling is a $20 card, and Y'shtola performs quite a good Thassa impression, twice in a turn, for two additional mana. This sort of card, one with as distinct an effect as doubling end steps, is precisely what Commander was made for. I don't see this going down while players are still discovering its potential.

Joshua, Phoenix's Dominant - $1.50

Joshua requires a few turns to get going, but if you're in Boros and still in the early game, this card can fuel a significant engine with the potential to pop off every few turns. Worst case, you can cast him and loot once later in the game; by then, you may be desperate. The floor of this card isn't too low, and the ceiling is quite high.

Rosa, Resolute White Mage - $4

I'm becoming convinced this card is the real deal in most white weenie or lifegain decks. Rosa can come down turn three and begin accumulating value, whether it's building up a creature over time or gaining a bit of life as a cushion against an opponent's forthcoming explosive turn. She can also choose to target herself and make herself quite the blocker. I don't think this card would have been totally busted at three mana, but I'm willing to pay four to mess with combat math.

The Regalia -$1.50

Four-mana ramp spells aren't anything to write home about, though nongreen decks running Solemn Simulacrum may beg to differ. In the case of The Regalia, four mana and a single creature on the field gets you any land from the top of your library, trading the opportunity to choose which land you grab for the ability to get any land, not just a basic one. There's plenty of RNG at play with this card, but it can quickly swing a game in your favor off of a trigger hit.

Jenova, Ancient Calamity - $0.50

A four-mana creature that buffs teammates every turn is already decent, given all the ways to increase power in Golgari, but Jenova's raw card draw potential pushes this one much further than most. Notably, you draw cards based on the creature's power, not the number of counters on it, meaning it only takes a single +1/+1 counter to draw massive amounts off an already swole body.

Exploring the Universe

Are there any Final Fantasy cards you're just now discovering for your decks. How bout any Edge of Eternities cards you're dying to sleeve up in Commander? Let me know!