Table of Contents
[[Counterspell]], [[Mana Drain]], [[Force of Will]]. Wait?! You're telling me this is the wrong sort of counter?
Oh it's meant to be +1/+1 counters. Well Counter Blitz is Bant (White, Blue & Green) so we can play both types of counters.
As I said this blog is about Counter Blitz.
In this deck we are about moving around counters and duplicating them. I will talk more about this when I cover the commanders though.
But what is this blog? Well it's all about the upgrades. If you can’t [[Quasiduplicate]] money in real life, then I have you covered.
This has 10 upgrades for less than £10. At least when I'm writing this, they are.
The Commanders
So the face commander for Counter Blitz is [[Tidus, Yuna's Guardian]]. This is how we are duplicating and moving counters.
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/5/tidus-yunas-guardian
You can always move around the counters. Then if you manage to connect you get to draw cards and proliferate. So the idea would be to get as many counters on different creatures so you can proliferate each one.
The alternative commander is [[Yuna, Grand Summoner]].
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/8/yuna-grand-summoner
Yuna is cool Commander with plenty of combo potential. It's totally not like you can untap a creature for 1 mana. [[Pemmin's Aura]]. [[Freed From the Real]]. Nah totally not.
That, and there isn’t a payout already in the deck. [[Walking Ballista]]. So without any of that being possible, let's get into the upgrades.
Upgrade 1
IN: Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar
https://scryfall.com/card/lci/232/kutzil-malamet-exemplar
The first upgrade I am adding is [[Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar]]. This is not the most powerful card, but it is synergistic.
Your opponents can’t cast spells during your turn and it provides card drawer.
So this synergies with Tidus’s Cheer ability. As the counters are likely to be +1/+1 counters, you will get to draw a card from Kutzil as well as Tidus.
OUT: Chasm Skulker
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/262/chasm-skulker
Chasm Skulker is better in this deck than most, but I'm still not a massive fan of it.
Chasm Skulker does have some nice synergy with [[Tidus, Yuna's Guardian]], as you automatically get counters on it to proliferate.
It will even get another counter from you drawing a card with the Cheers ability. Although you won't be able to put the counter on it and proliferate it, if Chasm Skulker doesn’t already have a +1/+1 counter.
This is because all of the Cheers ability needs to resolve. Before you would get your Chasm Skulker, to put the counter on it from drawing a card.
The main reason why I don’t like Chasm Skulker is because it doesn’t have any evasion. It’s usually quite slow to get going, although quicker in Counter Blitz. It still gets walled by a token.
To rub it in, the tokens Chasm Skulker makes do get Islandwalk. Why couldn't Chasm Skulker get that?
Upgrade 2
IN: Sovereign Okinec Ahau
https://scryfall.com/card/lci/240/sovereign-okinec-ahau
Another synergistic card for the counters side is Sovereign Okinec Ahau, as it can effectively double the number of +1/+1 counters on your creatures.
Another neat part is this doesn’t have to be just from +1/+1 counters. You can start the ball rolling with Sovereign Okinec by just having a pump effect, as it only needs to increase the power for the difference in counters to be added. This turns any temporary pump effect into a permanent buff.
OUT: Sin, Unending Cataclysm
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/95/sin-unending-cataclysm
Sin, Unending Cataclysm is kind of the opposite of what we want to be doing. Yes, it can be used as a finisher. Having Flying and Trample do facilitate this.
The issue is the lack of haste, meaning your opponents have a turn to deal with it. The final ability does mitigate this a little bit.
It still runs into the problem of going too tall. We want to spread the counters out to get maximum Proliferate value.
It doesn’t matter how many counters you have on a creature, Proliferate only adds 1 more of each kind. So if you have one +1/+1 counter or ten, you are still only getting one more.
Upgrade 3/4
IN: Branching Evolution + Conclave Mentor
https://scryfall.com/card/mh3/285/branching-evolution
https://scryfall.com/card/m21/216/conclave-mentor
My next upgrades are also a double.
While I could add more, I wanted to keep it limited to only two counter doublers. These are Branching Evolution and Conclave Mentor.
There was a time when only [[Doubling Season]] did this effect, but recently we have had an influx of these types of cards with [[Kami of Whispered Hopes]].
I went with Conclave Mentor as I haven’t been able to use it before, as it's the Selsyna colour identity, limiting which decks it can go in.
Also, Branching Evolution having a reprint in Modern Horizons 3 has helped keep the price down. It is also an Enchantment, which helps it dodge removal. Hence, it's more likely to stick around and keep giving you value from the Proliferate on Tidus.
OUT: Generous Patron + Summon: Magus Sisters
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/305/generous-patron
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/71/summon:-magus-sisters
Generous Patron is my first cut. It looks good at first. Support 2, so you can put two +1/+1 counters on creatures. It even has card draw.
But then you look closer. It only draws you cards if you put counters on creatures you don't control. So we have to be nice to people. I don’t like that.
This isn’t a group hug deck. I want to beat people with an army of creatures that are steadily getting bigger. I don’t want to give other people bigger creatures to attack back. Even if I get a card. I would much rather use another card draw spell to get me cards.
My other cut is Summon: Magus Sisters. These are the new type of card. Well, sort of. They are a combination of Creature and Enchantment Saga.
You get a temporary creature, sort of like Fading, if you are old enough to remember that mechanic, except these tick up with lore counters and get additional effects.
Summon: Magus Sisters gets around my first problem with these creatures. It has Haste so can be used on the 1st turn. Unlike a normal creature, these Summons have an expiration date already built in. So you know you are only going to have them for a very limited time.
Summon: Magus Sisters, like most of Sagas, only have three chapters. So usually when you play one it gets one lore counter and you do chapter 1. Then on your next turn you put the 2nd lore counter on it and do chapter 2. This is also your only chance to attack. As when you get to your 3rd turn and put the final lore counter on it, you sacrifice it immediately. During your main phase so you don't get to attack with them.
Summon: Magus Sisters has haste so at least you get an extra attack. My problem with it is that the chapters are random. They all do the same thing, but as it's a random ability, it makes it harder to plan. They are all good though.
But with it being random you can’t guarantee the one you want.
Upgrade 5
IN: Botanical Brawler
https://scryfall.com/card/mom/220/botanical-brawler
I have put Botanical Brawler on its own as it isn’t quite a counter doubler. This one works slightly differently. It does give you extra +1/+1 counters. It's just far more limiting compared to the others, as it only triggers for the first time you put a +1/+1 counter on another permanent.
But you can grow this to a huge threat, if you have a board that you can proliferate all the counters. As this will get one counter for each of them. Combined with Trample, you have a scary creature.
The other reason why I have included this is it’s on curve. If you get Botanical Brawler down on turn two, then drop [[Tidus, Yuna’s Guardian]] on turn three, you can move one counter from Botanical Brawler to Tidus, Triggering Botanical Brawler. This allows it to gain back that counter.
Then you are likely to attack into a free opponent. Even if they have a blocker, it's usually 1 toughness so Botanical Brawler can trample on through. This triggers Tidus, letting you draw a card and Proliferate. Then you are up a card and have a 3/3 Botanical Brawler and a 5/5 Tidus, Yuna’s Guardian.
OUT: Summon: Ixion
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/27/summon:-ixion
Summon: Ixion is another Saga Creature. I like this one more than [[Summon: Magus Sisters]]. But it still suffers from the same problem. It's a temporary creature.
The first Chapter is a powerful effect. It's just that your opponent doesn’t even need to use removal; they just need to wait two turns and they get back the creature.
Although, [[Tidus, Yuna's Guardian]] can move the lore counters off these creatures to keep them around indefinitely. Although it ties up that ability, which isn't ideal. Especially as the Lore counters won’t do anything for a non Saga Creature.
If you remove the first lore counter from Summon: Ixion, then on the next turn you add one back on, you can keep exiling creatures with it.
However I don't think this is enough for me to keep these cards in. I want to move counters that are more impactful.
For removal I would prefer to hard remove something, rather than tuck it under something that is very fragile, as it is both a Creature and an Enchantment.
Upgrade 6
IN: Mutational Advantage
https://scryfall.com/card/pip/111/mutational-advantage
If you want protection, then Mutational Advantage has you covered. This does it all.
While this does only work for permanents with counters on them, that is the entire plan of Counter Blitz. The bonus with Mutational Advantage is it also proliferates.
This is similar to a card already in the deck, [[Inspiring Call]], but it trades additional card draw for Hexproof, preventing damage and Proliferating.
You might want to pick this up quickly as it is currently only available from the Fallout set, so supplies will be limited.
OUT: Summoner's Sending
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/29/summoners-sending
This is a little weird for me.
Summoner's Sending is a flavourful card. It says farewell to a creature and sends it onwards. It’s represented by a 1/1 spirit. It even gets a +1/+1 counter if the creature was four or more power. So it does have some synergy.
It just kind of sucks. It only removes one card, so is very soft graveyard hate. Especially as it only works on your end step.
A potential flying 1/1 creature, even if it gets a counter, doesn’t excite me.
When you are curating a deck and trying to improve them, you need every card to be impactful. Summoner's Sending just doesn’t do that for me.
Upgrade 7
IN: Arwen, Mortal Queen
https://scryfall.com/card/ltr/193/arwen-mortal-queen
I did say earlier that it doesn’t matter how many counters are on a permanent. Proliferate only adds 1 more of each kind. That last bit is the relevant part - “each kind”. If you have a different kind of counter then you can duplicate that as well.
All hail the queen, Arwen, Mortal Queen. She comes with quite the rare counter; an Indestructible counter. While there are other cards that give Indestructible, they are usually in the form of a different kind of counter and give Indestructible for stuff with those counters.
See [[That Which Was Taken]]. This uses divinity counters and give cards with Divinity counters indestructible.
Arwen, Mortal Queen is different. Her counters are straight up Indestructible counters. So it's the counters itself granting the ability.
If you remove [[That Which Was Taken]], then the Divinity counters don’t do anything. But the Indestructible counters don’t care if Arwen, Mortal Queen is still around.
She even comes with lifelink counters. If you have some spare Indestructible counters or need to save something else, then you can get a bonus +1/+1 as well as a Lifelink counter. Another type that is hard to get.
She's a one stop shop for usefulness.
OUT: Rampant Rejuvenator
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/314/rampant-rejuvenator
Rampant Rejuvenator is similar to [[Summoner's Sending]] for me in this deck. But it has an advantage over [[Summoner's Sending]]. Rampant Rejuvenator gets more lands when it dies.
My problem is that the deck only has nine basic lands in the deck.
By the time you play this you are likely to have 1 or 2 basics already played. Then you need to buff it up to get the counters. Then you need it to die.
All that work for some ramp. Possibly at a time when you don't need it any more. If you had more basics to pull out and actually thin your deck, it might be viable.
But it also has to die. We have seen a lot of uptick, particularly in white, of cheap exile effects. If it was exiled, then it didn’t die. Magic is very picky about this. ‘Dies’ specifically means from the battlefield to the graveyard.
Exile skips this step. So you don’t get to pass Go and you don't collect your lands.
Upgrade 8
IN: Brokers Ascendancy
https://scryfall.com/card/snc/170/brokers-ascendancy
Brokers Ascendancy is a simple but powerful card.
I did consider [[Virtue of Loyalty]] in this slot as well. As that has the upside of untapping all the creatures.
I just like that Brokers Ascendancy is cheaper and on curve, so you can play this and on the next turn play [[Tidus, Yuna’s Guardian]] to move and Proliferate all those counters you just put on creatures.
OUT: Promise of Loyalty
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/249/promise-of-loyalty
I really don't like removing interaction, but if we have to boardwipe, we are already in a bad situation.
That is what [[Promise of Loyalty]] is. While it has upsides in leaving everyone with a creature, that doesn’t always matter.
Creatures are just big dumb idiots to attack. They have powerful effects. [[Tidus, Yuna’s Guardian]] is the perfect example. He himself doesn’t have to attack to trigger his abilities. He can easily sit there and gain value.
Counter Blitz is very much a go wide strategy, so boardwipe hurts even harder. It's also not like there aren't already two more board wipes in the deck - [[Farewell]] (let's just get rid of everything) and the potentially one sided [[Damming Verdit]].
I think two board wipes is enough as a backup.
Upgrade 9
IN: Agent's Toolkit
https://scryfall.com/card/ncc/66/agents-toolkit
Agent’s Toolkit gets a bunch of rare counters. All very useful. You can even get free ways to move them.
Ideally you would proliferate all of these first, while they are on the Agent’s Toolkit. This allows you to keep giving them out to your creatures.
Having them on Agent’s Toolkit means they are harder to remove, as it's just an artifact. It even has a final ability if you really need an answer. Sacrifice it to draw a card.
Normally this would be used when you have used all the counters off it, giving you some final value. But if things go right, you won’t have to use it. You can keep Proliferating the counters to keep handing them out. But it's a nice backup.
OUT: Sunscorch Regent
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/255/sunscorch-regent
This one was a harder cut for me. Sunscorch Regent just works.
Your opponents are always going to have to cast spells. So you get a little incidental life gain as well as +1/+1 counters. It's even on a flying body. So going big can let you get some serious damage.
But that's the problem. That's all it does. Unlike Agent’s Toolkit. You don't get the versatility of all the different types of counters. You only get the easiest to acquire +1/+1 counters.
I can see an argument for keeping this card in the deck. But if I'm adding 10 cards, I need to remove 10 cards. So Sunscorch Regent just didn't quite make it for me.
Upgrade 10
IN: Denry Klin, Editor in Chief
https://scryfall.com/card/ncc/171/denry-klin-editor-in-chief
My final addition is a big one. Denry Klin, Editor in Chief. So you like counters? How about some more counters to go with your counters.
Just load up Denry Klin, Editor in Chief with all of them, then all your non-token creatures can get them too. It even works with the amount of them too. So if you have a stack of +1/+1 counters Denry Klin duplicates all of them. Such a powerful effect.
OUT: Yuna's Decision
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/74/yunas-decision
While it's a big story moment in Final Fantasy, it's not that great in Magic: The Gathering.
You do get to play [[Switcheroo]] with a creature, or bring back cards. For 4 mana there are better ways.
While this does combine them into one card and gives flexibility, it's not at the level of [[Denry Klin, Editor in Chief]].
If it was an instant then I would be all over it. Being able to do these effects in response is great. Counter a removal spell and put something else in. Yes please. But it doesn't do that. So I'm cutting in favour of the more powerful card.
Final Thoughts
Counter Blitz is possibly the strongest of the four Universes Beyond: Final Fantasy decks out of the box.
It even has a 3 card infinite combo. [[Hardened Scales]], [[Walking Ballista]] & [[Gatta and Luzzu]]. A dream hand and you can do this turn three for infinite damage. So it goes like this:
Turn 1 - You cast [[Hardened Scales]].
Turn 2 - You cast [[Walking Ballista]], for {x} = 1, i.e {2} mana total. As you have [[Hardened Scales]] out [[Walking Ballista]] gets two counters instead.
Turn 3 - You cast [[Gatta and Luzzu]]. When they enter you target [[Walking Ballista]] with their ability. You then use [[Walking Ballista’s]] last ability to remove a +1/+1 counter and deal 1 damage. You target [[Walking Ballista]]. As it has [[Gatta and Luzzu]] ability, you will then get infinite +1/+1 counters, which you then can remove to deal damage to your opponents instead.
Powerful stuff.
I also avoided putting in easy wins, as I could have suggested [[Simic Ascendancy]]. In this deck it's a really easy way to win. Twenty +1/+1 counters isn’t hard.
There is also [[Twenty-Toed Toad]] which is similar. I just didn't want to do that. I would rather give you a more varied way to take the deck.
As always good luck and have fun.
PS. All the card prices were under budget at the time of writing.
Non-budget Upgrades
Looking for even more upgrades? Try these 10 cards that didn't meet our budget requirement, but synergise with this deck:
https://scryfall.com/card/gtc/209/zameck-guildmage
https://scryfall.com/card/one/71/tekuthal-inquiry-dominus
https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/858/thrummingbird
https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/240/evolution-sage
https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/158/herald-of-secret-streams
https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/339/karns-bastion
https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/79/wave-goodbye
https://scryfall.com/card/snc/186/falco-spara-pactweaver
https://scryfall.com/card/iko/237/the-ozolith
https://scryfall.com/card/mh3/59/dreamtide-whale
Looking to pick up some Magic: The Gathering? Shop MTG: Final Fantasy, booster boxes, commander decks and all things MTG right here at Gathering Games.
