Hello everyone! This is Tarou Kageyama, producer of FFTCG. It’s time for Card of the Week, where we introduce cards from the latest booster set – this time from “Hidden Trials,” set to be released on August 2nd. This week, I’d actually like to show you two cards: from FINAL FANTASY XI, Young Excenmille [23-100L] and Young Rahal [23-112H]!
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You may have noticed that these two cards, with brand new artwork from Fumio Minagawa, are two halves of one illustration. Mr. Minagawa’s previous pairings, including Locke [20-042L] and Celes [20-031R], as well as Teodor [18-026L] and August [18-071R], have been well-received, but these two cards are also quite lovely, and so I hope you get to see them next to each other. In addition, Young Excenmille [23-100L] and Young Rahal [23-112H] work hand-in-hand with each other in FFTCG as well. Let’s look at each of them in order.
First up: Young Excenmille [23-100L]. This card has two action abilities. The first one will cost one crystal, and it will make Young Excenmille’s power become 9000, and he won’t be able to be chosen by the opponent’s abilities. On top of that, these effects will not expire after the turn is over, but instead last perpetually throughout the game. As long as you’ve secured the crystal for it, you can use this card as a powerful Forward that is 2CP with a Power of 9000, who cannot be chosen by the opponent’s ability.
Furthermore, the other action ability is exceptionally handy as well. Spend 1 Water CP, one crystal, and dull Young Excenmille, and you can activate this ability: “Search for 1 Water Forward of cost 3 and play it onto the field. You can only use this ability once per turn.” It’s not “add to your hand,” but instead “play it onto the field,” and you can use it once per turn, to boot! You will get a real bang for your buck here. When I think about Water Forwards with a cost of 3, cards like Tidus [16-116L], Glaciela Wezette [17-113L], Lenna [18-100L], and Refia [19-102L] come to mind. That’s a really star-studded cast. Oh, and we can’t forget this one - yes, our other Card of the Week, Young Rahal [23-112H] is also a Water Forward with a cost of 3.
Young Rahal [23-112H] has two auto abilities. One of which allows you to gain two crystals when the card enters the field, so if you can place this card onto the field using Young Excenmille [23-100L]’s ability, you still end up with one crystal extra in your hand. For example, if you have one crystal in hand and Young Excenmille [23-100L] in the field, you may use the second action ability to play Young Rahal [23-112H] onto the field, collect the two crystals he generates, use one of those crystals to power-up Young Excenmille [23-100L] (based on his first action ability), so you’d retain the same number of crystals you had in the beginning while being able to play Young Rahal [23-112H] AND power yourself up.
Additionally, Young Rahal [23-112H] has another auto ability. It reads: “When Young Rahal enters the field or attacks, all the Water Forwards you control gain +2000 power until the end of the turn. With Young Excenmille [23-100L]’s ability, you can counter whenever your opponent uses a Summon, etc.; if your Forward gets blocked, you can (leveraging this strategy of using Young Excenmille [23-100L]’s ability to play Young Rahal [23-112H]) power your team up to charge in and beat your opponent.
Well, what did you think about how these two cards work together? Do you think it might help guide you in a new direction for your deck construction? I would love for you to try it out. Next time, I will be talking about a new Limit Break Legend Card. I hope you look forward to it!