Las Vegas, a city steeped in Magic: The Gathering history, once again played host to the pinnacle of competitive play – Pro Tour Magic: The Gathering®—FINAL FANTASY™. With over 300 skilled competitors, including reigning World Champions and Pro Tour Hall of Famers, the stage was set for a thrilling showcase of the brand-new Magic: The Gathering–FINAL FANTASY set integrated into the Standard format and featured in Draft. Day One delivered intense action across eight rounds, crowning a single undefeated player and revealing a Standard metagame shaped dramatically by the new cards.
Standard Shocker: Izzet Prowess Rules Day One
Heading into the Pro Tour, analysis of recent Regional Championships suggested a Standard format with Izzet Prowess leading in popularity (around 25.6% of the field) but facing strong contenders like Mono-Red Aggro, which boasted the highest win rate among top archetypes. However, Day One in Las Vegas saw a staggering shift.
According to metagame breakdown, Izzet Prowess didn’t just show up; it dominated the field with an unprecedented 42.3% share – the highest recorded for any deck at a Pro Tour since the format’s return in 2023. This crushed previous highs and solidified Izzet as the deck to beat.
This surge was fueled by powerful, efficient cards already prominent before the event, such as Cori-Steel Cutter (found in 43% of decks across Izzet variants and Jund), Monstrous Rage (56%), and Stock Up (61%). But a key piece of the puzzle for Izzet’s overwhelming success proved to be the new addition from Magic: The Gathering–FINAL FANTASY: Vivi Ornitier.
The Vivi Ornitier Question
The inclusion of Vivi Ornitier sparked significant debate and varied testing results among pro teams. While some were unconvinced, others, like Day One standout Mark Stanton (piloting Izzet to a 5-1 record), found the little Wizard to be a game-changer. Stanton specifically highlighted Vivi’s immunity to Temporary Lockdown and its role in flipping historically challenging matchups like the one against Omniscience Combo. The breakthrough for utilizing Vivi is credited to online player Isaac Bullwinkle, whose innovative approach led players like Stanton to even cut traditional Izzet staples like Monastery Swiftspear to optimize the deck around Vivi’s unique strengths.
Roughly half the competitive field came armed with strategies designed to counter the anticipated Izzet wave. Omniscience Combo, popular before the Pro Tour due to its perceived strong matchup against Izzet, remained a significant presence among these counter-strategies. Beyond the top contenders, Day One also saw success from innovative “spicy” brews, including a Golgari Graveyard deck nicknamed “Black Beans” and Team Handshake’s Golgari Roots, proving that creative deckbuilding still has a place even in a meta dominated by a single archetype.
Christian Baker’s Undefeated Run
Amidst the Standard metagame shakeup, one competitor stood alone at the top after eight rounds: Christian Baker, piloting the format’s dominant Izzet Prowess deck. Baker’s perfect 8-0 record wasn’t handed to him easily; his path required winning all but one of his matches in the full three games, including a crucial win against 2022–23 Player of the Year Simon Nielsen during the Draft portion. Baker, who qualified for this prestigious event through a Regional Championship, demonstrated remarkable consistency and piloting skill to navigate the competitive field and emerge as Day One’s sole undefeated player.
Drafting the World of FINAL FANTASY
Day One kicked off with six rounds of Magic: The Gathering–FINAL FANTASY Draft, a brand-new format the professional community had been rigorously testing. The consensus among teams, including Nathan Basser’s Team Scryhard, settled on a strategy of staying “open” in the early picks, prioritizing taking the best card regardless of color, before identifying the most open color combination (“lane”) and committing hard.
Despite this shared approach, the format proved to be remarkably balanced, with similar win rates reported across various archetypes. This encouraged players to master multiple strategies rather than force specific ones. The diversity was evident in the Day One results, with a wide range of color pairs achieving perfect 3-0 records, led by Orzhov (Black-White), followed closely by Dimir (Blue-Black) and Izzet (Blue-Red). Black removal spells like Sephiroth’s Intervention were highly sought after, though powerful “bomb” rares like Ultima and Summon: Knights of Round could create explosive, swingy games.
Many seasoned veterans and rising stars posted unblemished 3-0 Draft records. This list included Hall of Fame members Bob Maher (who extended his impressive run to 5-0 overall before his first loss), Shota Yasooka, and Ben Stark (also known for his undefeated Day 1 at the previous Pro Tour Aetherdrift). Rising stars like Jody Keith also showcased their Limited prowess with perfect Draft performances.
Legends in the Hall
Competitive Magic’s rich history was on full display with a dozen Pro Tour Hall of Fame members competing. Legends like Patrick Chapin, Lee Shi Tian, and the “Great One” Bob Maher graced the venue. Maher, known for his iconic card “Dark Confidant,” not only posted a strong Day One performance but also took time between rounds to sign dozens of cards for enthusiastic fans.
Adding further gravitas was the return of 2020 World Champion Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa, widely considered one of the greatest players of all time. Competing as part of Team Cosmos, PVDDR reportedly exceeded his team’s expectations and, alongside Maher, successfully advanced to Day Two, proving that legendary skill remains a powerful force.
The event wasn’t just about high-stakes competition; it also celebrated the community. From the Arcades Arcade area to the glittering Pro Tour trophy, the atmosphere was electric. Personal stories, like a player competing alongside the father who introduced him to the game 15 years prior, reminded everyone of the deep connections Magic fosters.
Looking Ahead to Day Two
With Day One wrapped up and Christian Baker leading the pack at 8-0, the focus now shifts to Saturday. The field is chasing Baker, with ten players lurking just one match behind at 7-1, including notable names like Ken Yukuhiro and Jody Keith. Competitors will face three more rounds of intensive Magic: The Gathering–FINAL FANTASY Draft before battling through five rounds of Standard to determine who will make the Top 8 cut.
Tune in for Day Two of Pro Tour Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY as the remaining players fight for glory in Las Vegas!
