MTG x Final Fantasy Starter Kit: What's in the Box and Is It Worth It for New Players

The Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy Starter Kit is on shelves now, and the question we keep getting asked is simple: is it a decent way to get into Magic, or is it just a branded box for people who already play?

Short answer: it's actually one of the better entry points Magic has had in a while. But there are a few things worth knowing before you hand over your money.

What's in the Box

Each Starter Kit contains two ready-to-play 60-card decks. One is built around iconic Final Fantasy characters and spells from the set, the other from a different faction. Both decks are designed to be played against each other straight out of the box, no deck building required.

You also get two exclusive promo cards not found in booster packs, a rules reference guide, and a code for MTG Arena if you want to take things digital. The promos alone give the kit some collector appeal beyond the new player angle.

The decks are mono-coloured or two-colour builds kept deliberately simple. Mana curves are gentle, mechanics are introductory level. You're not going to find anything that requires a law degree to resolve.

Who It's For

The honest answer is: people who have never played Magic before, and fans of Final Fantasy who are curious about the crossover.

If you already play Magic, even casually, you'll find the decks underwhelming in terms of power. They're not built to compete at Friday Night Magic. They're built to teach someone what a stack is without causing a breakdown.

For that audience, they work well. The Final Fantasy theming helps enormously. Recognising Cloud or Terra on a card gives a new player something to hold onto while they're figuring out why their creature just died to a removal spell. The flavour does real work here.

The Decks Themselves

At time of writing, the exact decklists from the Final Fantasy Starter Kit haven't been fully previewed, but based on previous Starter Kit releases (Foundations, Murders at Karlov Manor), expect the following structure:

• Around 24 lands per deck
• A mix of commons and uncommons, with one or two rare cards as the headline pieces
• A tight, focused game plan that demonstrates a core Magic archetype: one deck likely plays aggro, the other plays a more controlling or midrange game

Previous kits have included cards that cross over into casual play, so there's usually a handful of cards worth keeping even if you upgrade your collection later.

The Promo Cards

The two exclusive promos are the main reason existing players might pick this up. Final Fantasy crossover cards have generated strong collector interest since the set was announced, and anything exclusive to a specific product tends to hold value better than standard booster pulls.

Whether those promos end up being competitively relevant is a separate question. But if you're building a Final Fantasy-themed Commander deck, having access to cards that aren't in regular booster packs is useful.

Price and Value

Starter Kits retail at around £15 to £17, depending on where you buy. At that price point, you're getting two playable decks, two promos, and enough cards to understand whether you want to go deeper. Compared to buying two separate precon decks or a bundle box, it's a reasonable outlay for what you get.

It's not a value proposition for singles hunters. Don't buy it expecting to crack it open and find £30 worth of tradeable cards. That's not what it is.

If you're a Final Fantasy fan who has always been vaguely curious about Magic, this is probably the lowest-friction way to find out if it's for you. Fifteen quid to try a game with a friend isn't a bad deal.

What Does This Mean for You?

If you're buying for a new player: this is a solid choice. Better than handing someone a precon and hoping for the best, because both players start on an even footing and the game is designed to be close and readable.

If you're a collector: worth picking up for the promos, particularly if you're invested in the Final Fantasy set.

If you're an experienced player looking for competitive cards: look elsewhere. The Starter Kit isn't aimed at you, and you'll be disappointed if you treat it like it is.

We have stock in at RunedForge. If you want to grab one before they go, come in or check the site. These tend to sell through faster than people expect once the set launches properly.