FINAL FANTASY TRADING CARD GAME, abbreviated FFTCG, is played all around the world.
We’re excited to bring you an FF Portal-exclusive sneak peek of three cards from the newest FFTCG set, Rebellion’s Call, which will be released on August 12th!
Once again, we bring you new card introductions from FFTCG producer Taro Kageyama and comments on their art from the illustrators who drew them!
A Sneak Peek at Rebellion’s Call
Hello everyone! This is FFTCG producer Taro Kageyama. I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce a few cards from Rebellion’s Call, a brand-new booster pack coming on August 12. They are Scholar (17-023H) and Dancer (17-043H) from FINAL FANTASY XI by Fumio Minagawa, and Exdeath (17-091L) by Yukihiro Kajimoto. This will be Ms. Minagawa’s first entry in FFTCG, although FFXI players may be familiar with her work.
So, without further ado, let me show you Ms. Minagawa’s incredible illustrations.
Scholar [17-023H]
Dancer [17-043H]
Both the Scholar and Dancer cards are beautiful works of art that are very reminiscent of FFXI. I recommend adding the full art versions to your collection, as you can see details that are otherwise hidden by the text box on normal cards. Please take a moment to look closely at both if you get your hands on them.
Now then, let’s delve into their abilities. First up, we have the ice-type Scholar (17-023H). This card has a cost of 2 and power of 5000, but its auto-ability upon entering the field will cost 1 ice-type CP, effectively raising its cost to 3. That 1 CP, however, will force your opponent to discard one card at random from their hand. The random aspect can be quite a nuisance for them since it’s unlikely they will discard their weakest card, so it can affect the tide of battle, even if only a little. This card also has the advantage of being a standard unit, meaning there are no limitations as to when it can be put on the field. Furthermore, the Scholar has a Damage 3 ability to dull Forwards, making it an excellent card that aids in battle even while on the field.
Next up, let’s look at the wind-type Dancer (17-043H). The Dancer is a cost 3 card with a power of 7000. Like the Scholar, it has an auto-ability with a cost of 1 CP and a Damage 3 action ability. Its auto-ability can activate up to three characters, which can be used to generate CP with a Backup, reuse an action ability that requires dulling, and more. Its Damage 3 action ability can increase the power of one Forward by dulling a Job Dancer or Card Name Dancer. Of course, this card itself can be dulled. With the number of dancer cards on the rise, it might soon be possible to make an all-dancer deck.
【Comments from the Illustrator: Fumio Minagawa】
The theme this time around was “Job Name! Behind you!” I've been deeply involved with FFXI and am very honored to be able to draw what I like here as well.
Finally, we have Mr. Kajimoto’s Exdeath (17-091L). Let me show you the illustration.
Exdeath [17-091L]
In this card, we look up at Exdeath from below, getting a visual sense of just how mighty he is. The layout of this card is very impressive, so we hope you’ll have a look at the full art version of this one as well.
Now, let’s talk about this card’s abilities. Exdeath has a cost of 4 and power of 8000, which is quite standard, though its abilities are anything but. Exdeath’s power will increase to 10,000 if 10 or more cards have been removed from the game. Furthermore, when Exdeath enters the field, all character cards in both players’ Break Zones will be removed. In other words, if Exdeath can remove 10 cards from the game when entering the field, his power will jump 2000 points. In this game, players discard cards from their hand to pay card costs, so by the middle of the game, both you and your opponent will likely have placed about five character cards each into the Break Zone.
However, Exdeath has more at his disposal than just plain power. If 20 or more cards have been removed from the game, you can remove one of your opponent’s characters from the game at the end of your turn. Once a card has been removed from the game, it generally does not return, so if you can fulfill the requirements for this ability, you can remove one of your opponent’s characters from the game each turn!
【Comments from the Illustrator: Yukihiro Kajimoto】
Of all the FINAL FANTASY games, FFV is the one I've played the most, and I was very excited to take on the challenge of illustrating a villain for the first time in FFTCG.
But I think Exdeath is the toughest character I've had to draw thus far.
I tried different approaches, like depicting him as accurately as possible and even reinterpreting him, but I just couldn't seem to breathe life into the character and lost my way. Looking at it now, I can still see vestiges of the twists and turns I took to get here, but in a way, I think this indeterminate form is becoming of Exdeath. I also wanted to make the card both dark and dazzling, and chose colors to that effect, which made it very fun to draw.
Today I had the opportunity to introduce cards from Ms. Minagawa and Mr. Kajimoto, but there are plenty of other cards and delightful artworks in the Rebellion’s Call booster pack for you to enjoy. I hope you look forward to it!
What is FFTCG?
FFTCG is a one-on-one tactical card game featuring FINAL FANTASY characters and summons. Not only is there fun in collecting cards featuring familiar faces, the main draw of the game is the simplicity of the rules combined with the complexity of the gameplay. The art drawn for the game by famed illustrators is also a popular aspect of FFTCG!
Play the FFTCG tutorial:
https://sqex.to/FinalFantasyTCG
