Table of Contents
What do you get when you cross a legendary MMO with Magic’s most intricate format?
A deck full of potential, and with the right upgrades, Scions and Spellcraft can go from a humble novice to a master of the arcane on a budget that even a Gil-pinching adventurer would approve of.
This guide sticks to a tight budget: 10 shiny new cards for under £10. At least, that’s the aim. With dynamic pricing and occasional buyouts (looking at you, [[Helm of the Ghastlord]]), that can shift. Helm is great, but I've chosen a different theme for this upgrade path.
The Commanders
But first as always let's talk about the commanders. [[Y'shtola, Night's Blessed]] is the face commander for this deck.
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/7/yshtola-nights-blessed
She cares about non-creature spells with mana value 3 or more. Each one drains your opponents for 2 life. If a player has lost 4 or more life during a turn, you draw a card at that turn's end step.
Importantly, Y'shtola doesn't care how life was lost So even if your opponents swing at each other, you'll benefit.
The alternative commander is [[G'raha Tia, Scion Reborn]].
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/203/graha-tia-scion-reborn
An Esper flavour commander (White, Blue, Black), G'raha turns your life total into an army. White gives you tokens, Black helps you pay life, and Blue supports non-creature spells. While powerful, G'raha fits better in a custom build. Here, he belongs in the 99.
If you do build around him, [[Beacon of Immortality]] goes hard.
Upgrade 1
IN: Phyrexian Arena
https://scryfall.com/card/one/104/phyrexian-arena
We're starting strong. Usually, I avoid cards that are just "generically good," but this deck needs some solid staples.
Phyrexian Arena is quintessential Black: pay 1 life each turn to draw an extra card. It also happens to cost 3 mana, meaning it triggers Y'shtola as well. Great synergy.
OUT: Coveted Jewel
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/341/coveted-jewel
Powerful, but risky. It draws three cards and ramps you, but it also passes itself to any opponent who hits you unblocked. Without blink effects like [[Displacer Kitten]], it’s not worth the danger.
Upgrade 2
IN: Dismember
https://scryfall.com/card/mm2/79/dismember
A flexible removal spell with Phyrexian mana ({B/P}). You can pay for it in various ways, including just {1} mana and 4 life. That makes it a cheap way to trigger Y'shtola.
Plus, -5/-5 dodges indestructible. Bonus: if you need to hit the 4-life threshold for card draw at end step, you can just pay the 4 life.
OUT: Hypnotic Sprite // Mesmeric Glare
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/264/hypnotic-sprite-mesmeric-glare
Adventure cards are cool, but Mesmeric Glare only hits spells under 3 mana. That’s a bit too narrow. Counterspells should cost less than the spells they’re targeting.
Upgrade 3
IN: Lock and Load
https://scryfall.com/card/otc/15/lock-and-load
Plot lets you set this up and cast it later for free. It refuels your hand after casting a flurry of spells. Perfect for storm-like turns with Y'shtola.
OUT: Baleful Strix
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/318/baleful-strix
Once a Legacy staple, now just okay. It replaces itself and can trade with bigger creatures, but it doesn’t do enough here.
Upgrade 4
IN: Treasure Cruise
https://scryfall.com/card/ncc/237/treasure-cruise
Delve lets you cast this 8-mana draw-three spell for just {U} if your graveyard is full. Strong synergy with spell-heavy decks.
OUT: Cut a Deal
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/238/cut-a-deal
You draw 3, but so do your opponents. Pass. Don’t give your opponents cards.
Upgrade 5/6
IN: Banishing Stroke + Entreat the Angels
https://scryfall.com/card/avr/7/banishing-stroke
https://scryfall.com/card/avr/20/entreat-the-angels
Both cards use Miracle - cast them cheaply if they’re the first card you draw each turn.
Banishing Stroke is great removal for artifacts, creatures, or enchantments. Puts them on the bottom of the library, which avoids graveyard recursion.
Entreat the Angels is a classic finisher. With Miracle, you can make a ton of 4/4 flying angels for a steep discount.
OUT: Lingering Souls + Rite of Replication
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/245/lingering-souls
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/270/rite-of-replication
In Lingering Souls, Flashback is a clever mechanic, and in this case it technically allows you to double-trigger Y'shtola. Since Lingering Souls has a mana value of 3, both the original cast and its Flashback from the graveyard will drain opponents and help enable Y'shtola's end-step draw.
However, the payoff is underwhelming. You're spending a total of 5 mana across two turns for just four 1/1 flying tokens. In a deck with little to no synergy around tokens, that simply isn't a strong rate. While it's a neat way to push extra triggers, the effect isn't impactful enough to justify the slot. I'd much rather include cards that push the deck's main themes forward more effectively.
Rite of Replication is amazing when kicked, but 9 mana is steep. It also doesn’t get around the legend rule, unlike some of the more modern clones like [[Irenicus's Vile Duplication]]. We’re not built to take advantage of this.
Upgrade 7/8
IN: Inspiring Refrain + Suspended Sentence
https://scryfall.com/card/c21/27/inspiring-refrain
https://scryfall.com/card/dsc/25/suspended-sentence
Both use Suspend, giving you delayed but repeated value.
But what sets these two apart is a unique feature not always found on Suspend cards: they exile themselves and re-suspend after being cast. This means you can keep casting them over and over throughout the game, gaining incremental value each time.
Inspiring Refrain draws two cards and then returns every few turns, which helps fuel long-term card advantage and sets you up for big turns.
Suspended Sentence provides recurring removal and life drain, perfectly suited to Y'shtola's end-step trigger. Just be mindful to have a valid target when it comes off Suspend, or it may get stuck in exile.
OUT: Archaeomancer's Map + Bastion of Remembrance
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/230/archaeomancers-map
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/274/bastion-of-remembrance
Archaeomancer's Map is fantastic ramp, but there are too few basic Plains in the deck.There are only 4 total, so you may not even be able to fetch 2 lands.
Decent in token decks, but that’s not what this build is doing. Cut it unless you switch to G'raha Tia.
Upgrade 9
IN: Ravenform
https://scryfall.com/card/khm/72/ravenform
Flexible exile removal via Foretell. It lets you split the cost and time your removal, and still gets the second trigger from the face commander too. Exiles creatures and artifacts.
OUT: Hermes, Overseer of Elpis
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/36/hermes-overseer-of-elpis
Just a token maker. We're pivoting away from that and leaning into spells that trigger Y'shtola instead.
Upgrade 10
IN: Commandeer
https://scryfall.com/card/csp/29/commandeer
It’s no [[Force of Will]], but it's still a powerful free counterspell. While you do need to exile two cards to cast [[Commandeer]] for free, you gain control of the spell on the stack and can reselect its targets. This won’t always be useful, for example, it won’t stop a board wipe outright like a standard counterspell would, but in the right moment, it can lead to game-changing blowouts. Great in a pinch.
OUT: Sage's Nouliths
https://scryfall.com/card/fin/70/sages-nouliths
Cool design, but doesn’t trigger Y'shtola. Feels like it was added for flavour, not function.
Final Thoughts
Scions and Spellcraft is the deck I will personally pick up. Though, to be honest, I plan to take it apart and rebuild it entirely.
I love the card pool, but many of the best pieces will likely find homes in other decks. My plan is to turn [[Y'shtola, Night's Blessed]] into an Esper control-combo shell, leaning into artifacts that trigger her and enable combo lines.
Out of the box, this might be the weakest of the Final Fantasy precons. It has potential, but needs time, support, and some shielding to get going. It's a long-game deck through and through.
Until next time. Good luck, and have fun!
PS: All cards were under budget at the time of writing, but prices might have shifted since.
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/fic/90/papalymo-totolymo
https://scryfall.com/card/jmp/147/curiosity
https://scryfall.com/card/tdc/153/frantic-search
https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/147/deadly-rollick
https://scryfall.com/card/dsk/95/enduring-tenacity
https://scryfall.com/card/mkm/12/delney-streetwise-lookout
https://scryfall.com/card/m21/63/rewind
https://scryfall.com/card/tsp/70/ophidian-eye
https://scryfall.com/card/snc/230/void-rend
https://scryfall.com/card/otc/108/propaganda
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