Magic’s latest set, Final Fantasy, has now been out for three weeks. As with every other Standard set, let’s take a look and see what new cards I may be able to add to my typal Standard B01 Orzhov Cleric deck in a bid to finally transform it into a first tier deck. The first Universes Beyond set to be Standard legal brings six new Clerics to the table.

As always, a number of them can be immediately skipped over as they don’t fit into the Orzhov colours. That does not mean that they don’t have potential. Yuna, Hope of Spira, in particular, could fit nicely into a Selesnya enchantments deck.

Back to our deck, we have three Clerics that could fit into the deck. Let’s take a closer look at these.

Aerith Gainsborough certainly could be a good fit. Lifelink helps power some of the other Clerics in the deck. Any tokens it gains can be saved when she dies if I have a legendary creature on the board. Without any protection, I have a feeling that Aerith is simply too vulnerable. And the limited number of legendary creatures means that I may not be able to save those counters to make it worthwhile. I may swap out two Annex Sentries to see how she would fare in its place.

Rosa, Resolute White Mage, is another card that seems decent at first glance Giving creatures a +1/+1 counter and lifelink until end of turn fits well into the deck. At a cost of , I’m not sure I want to cut Roaming Throne for this card. Then again, it might be time for some experimentation. Let’s try it!

Finally, here is a card that I have been excited about since I first saw it. Minwu, White Mage, is definitely going into the deck so that I can see if she is as good as she seems to be. Right out of the gate, she comes with vigilance and lifelink. So far, so good but whenever I gain life, she allows me to put a +1/+1 counter on each Cleric I control. That could end some games. The only downside is her cost. At , this is not a cheap card to cast.

Final Fantasy comes with another goodie for Clerics. There are two equipment spells that can turn any creature into a Cleric. While only one fits an Orzhov deck, this is definitely an interesting development. Both White Mage’s Staff and Sage’s Nouliths turn creatures into Clerics while they are equipped. The job select mechanic means that both enter already attached to a Hero Cleric and both have nice upside when they attack.

My first instinct is to not include White Mage’s Staff simply because so many of the other Clerics already have lifelink. But again, this may need to be validated in the lab of gameplay first.

One other change I made to the deck was to remove Fell in favour of Exorcise. Both work at Sorcery speed but the latter gives me more options to target.

One last change: I cut the Krumar Initiates in favour of Authority of the Consuls. It should slow my opponent down a bit and give my Clerics deck a bit more time for the pieces to fall into place and hopefully take control of the game.

Here is the latest version of my Standard B01 Orzhov Cleric deck:

Deck

• 2 Go for the Throat (BRO) 102
• 3 Evolved Sleeper (DMU) 93
• 3 Shadow-Rite Priest (DMU) 106
• 2 Loran’s Escape (BRO) 14
• 3 Essence Channeler (BLB) 12
• 3 Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim (DMU) 198
• 3 Phyrexian Missionary (DMU) 27
• 2 Authority of the Consuls (FDN) 137
• 3 Preacher of the Schism (LCI) 113
• 2 Rosa, Resolute White Mage (FIN) 555
• 2 Cut Down (DMU) 89
• 2 Minwu, White Mage (FIN) 26
• 2 Anointed Peacekeeper (DMU) 2
• 2 Exorcise (DSK) 8
• 2 Aerith Gainsborough (FIN) 4
• 2 Cavern of Souls (LCI) 269
• 1 The Dross Pits (ONE) 251
• 1 Fabled Passage (ELD) 244
• 1 The Fair Basilica (ONE) 252
• 8 Plains (THB) 250
• 3 Scoured Barrens (IKO) 254
• 6 Swamp (THB) 252
• 2 Valgavoth’s Lair (DSK) 271

Sideboard (or cards I may want to bring back into the deck later)

• 1 Grand Abolisher (BIG) 2
• 1 Skrelv, Defector Mite (ONE) 33
• 1 Pest Control (BIG) 22
• 1 Lay Down Arms (BRO) 11
• 1 The Witch’s Vanity (WOE) 119
• 1 Starscape Cleric (BLB) 116
• 1 Krumar Initiate (TDM) 84
• 1 Sanguine Evangelist (LCI) 34
• 1 Zoraline, Cosmos Caller (BLB) 242
• 1 Leyline Binding (DMU) 24
• 1 Liliana of the Veil (DMU) 97
• 1 Virtue of Persistence (WOE) 115
• 1 Moonrise Cleric (BLB) 226
• 2 Roaming Throne (LCI) 258