Hidden Gems for Vivi Ornitier
I have a confession to make. I’ve never played a Final Fantasy game. The upcoming set seems fun, but all the discussion of it being the best-selling Magic set of all time before it goes on sale is shocking to me. I mean, great. I can play the part of the dad who doesn’t get sports, cheering from the sidelines, rooting my sweet baby on to victory. Go sports!
When I look over the
Seems I’m not the only one. The Final Fantasy set isn’t out yet and Vivi Ornitier is already quite the popular bachelor. Wait. Is he taken? No. Don’t tell me! I’d rather live in delusion. And my love of this Wizard must take the shape of a Commander deck. And as usual, we’ll be digging into the depths of Magic’s vaults to find a handful of overlooked and underappreciated cards to include in the 99. Too bad we can’t play Wedding Ring and Happily Ever After.
Regardless, here are my top five picks for cards you might want to consider for your Vivi deck.
#1. Bothersome Quasit
Since we’re in the business of casting noncreature spells, we might run into the trouble of not having enough creatures to mount a defense. This little Demon gives us a workaround – goading all the troublesome creatures that might want to come your way and sending them off in another direction.
Is Vivi the type to hang out with demons? Hopefully.
| Bothersome Quasit | ||
| Bothersome Quasit (Extended Art) |
#2. Ichormoon Gauntlet
Ignore the first ability and reread the second. With this in play, all noncreature spells give Vivi a +1/+1 counter and Ichormoon Gauntlet can add another counter. It’s like a blue
| Ichormoon Gauntlet | ||
| Ichormoon Gauntlet (Oil Slick Raised Foil) |
#3. Livaan, Cultist of Tiamat
Y'all remember the days when sitcoms would have crossover episodes? Characters from different shows would pop up on other shows for one exciting night? That’s Magic now. For better or worse. And this TGIF, a Dragon cultist is living his final fantasy.
Livaan can boost Vivi with each noncreature spell, helping make Vivi’s activated ability as explosive as possible. It’s can’t-miss TV!
| Livaan, Cultist of Tiamat | ||
| Livaan, Cultist of Tiamat (Showcase) | ||
| Livaan, Cultist of Tiamat (Etched Foil) |
#4. Shark Typhoon
At six mana, it might be a little slow. But Vivi can help ramp you there on one turn and then pump out the spells and create flying Shark tokens later. At worst, you can cycle it away for what will probably be a baby Shark (sorry to all the parents out there who I’ve just triggered).
Whether you go an artifact route, instant and sorceries, enchantments, planeswalkers, or battles – Sharks want to tag along for the fun. Let them!
| Shark Typhoon | ||
| Shark Typhoon | ||
| Shark Typhoon (Extended Art) |
#5. Paradoxical Outcome
This choice is specifically for artifact-focused builds. Step one: ramp out with lots of mana rocks, especially all those second generation Moxen (Opal, Amber, Chrome, etc.) that you can play for free. Step two: tap them for mana. Step three: play Paradoxical Outcome to bounce them all back and draw loads of cards. Step four: replay them for more mana. Step five: Kiss Vivi on the lips… if he has lips. Does he have lips? Step six: play the win-con of your choosing.
It’s fun! And the outcome will hopefully not be too paradoxical.
| Paradoxical Outcome | ||
| Paradoxical Outcome (White Border) | ||
| Paradoxical Outcome |
That’s all for this week on Hidden Gems. Don’t forget to check out our Premium membership for more entertainment and Magic market insights!
Until next time, happy brewing!
Further Reading
Underplayed Auras In Commander
Adam Berg
Adam started playing Magic on his 14th birthday, when Judgment just released and the game's first Gorgon was born (It's a girl!). Since then, he's delved deep into Commander, written for television and film, and learned how to drive. He's published two YA Fantasy novels, Rainbringer and The Broken Pantheon. His favorite card is Repay In Kind, which is really all you need to know.