<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CMagali+Villeneuve%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Magali Villeneuve</a></em></p>
<p>It's official! As of Tuesday, August 11, just shy of 15 months after her release with the <em>Final Fantasy</em> set and its associated Commander precons, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is now the #1 most popular commander on EDHREC. This is the fastest rise to glory of any commander in the format's history, by the numbers.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed"></div></div>
<p>In the process, Y'shtola has also bumped <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Ur-Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">The Ur-Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to the #2 spot. For some time now, The Ur-Dragon had battled it out with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Edgar Markov" href="#" target="_blank">Edgar Markov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for the esteem of Most Popular Commander. But now, 425 days post-release, Y'shtola has not just those two, but <em>all</em> commanders beat in terms of popularity.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Ur-Dragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Edgar Markov"></div></div>
<h2>What <em>Is</em> It About Y'shtola?</h2>
<p>There is something about Y'shtola that keeps players engaged with building decks for her. Sure, it could be the concept of Catgirl Solidarity, but frankly, that angle doesn't sit right with me as a definitive answer. There probably aren't nearly 50,000 decks for her that cater specifically to that demographic. She also exists in a greatly underserved color identity for Commander.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/esper-renaissance-a-major-glow-up-in-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In January</a>, I wrote about how Esper (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) has traditionally had the short end of interesting commanders. This changed in 2025 when <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hashaton, Scarab&#039;s Fist" href="#" target="_blank">Hashaton, Scarab&#039;s Fist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> came out. I recognize now that I was wrong, but in the sense that it was Y'shtola that <em>really</em> changed things around for the color identity. Sure, Hashaton currently has more than 25,000 decks and lands at #32 in overall popularity. That still doesn't make it a bona fide winner in the public eye.</p>
<p>So, what <em>is</em> it about Y'shtola, Night's Blessed that makes her as popular as she is?</p>
<p>The answer could lie within the source material. <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em> is not the most popular title in <em>Final Fantasy</em> (by way of critical and commercial acclaim). However, it is also the only major MMORPG in the mainline series and one that many people were exposed to. If you went to a video game convention dressed as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola Rhul" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola Rhul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and you asked a random con-goer who you were dressed as, many would probably recognize you as more than just a "catgirl."</p>
<p>Nevertheless, there's still the question of how our Esper catgirl became the #1 commander on the site. To that end, I couldn't tell you a succinct or definitive reason for why. But, it honestly might just have to do with all of the above.</p>
<h2>The Road to 50,000 Decks</h2>
<p>So, now that Y'shtola has beaten The Ur-Dragon in raw popularity, the question shifts. Can she make it to 50,000 while retaining her esteemed title? As of this Tuesday morning, before her ascent to #1, Y'shtola had 49,589 builds to her name, just a measly six decks behind the now-dethroned #1 commander. Therefore, as of this morning, she was 411 decks away from reaching the mark.</p>
<p>Later on Tuesday afternoon, numbers showed Y'shtola at 49,644 decks, eclipsing The Ur-Dragon's 49.627. Now, there are only 356 decks between her and 50K.</p>
<p>This road is a long one, and has been for every commander that we have databased on the site. So far, even with data trending and shifting every few years, no commander has so far made it to 50,000 decks. Whichever it is, be it Y'shtola or The Ur-Dragon (or even Edgar Markov, who is not <em>terribly</em> far behind at 49,360 decks, truth be told), it'll be the first deck to do so in our site's history.</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>As eager eyes watch the tally to see who gets to 50,000 decks first, we can take time to congratulate Y'shtola, Night's Blessed fans on their victory today. Have fun with your popular builds, friends!</p>
<p>And now, dear readers, let's hear what you have to say. Is this an interesting turn of events for you? Have you been reading about Y'shtola's exploits on EDHREC? And who do you hope or think will reach that fabled 50K first? Sound off in the comments below!</p>


Y'shtola, Night's Blessed Is Now EDHREC's #1 Commander

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CVictor+Adame+Minguez%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Victor Adame Minguez</a></em></p>
<p>Only a month and a few days since <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> took the mantle of <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/yshtola-becomes-4-most-popular-commander-bumping-krenko" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4th most popular commander</a> in the format, the <em>Final Fantasy</em> upstart struck again! After having deposed <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the <em>FFXIV</em> Cat Warlock overtook <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In doing so, Y'shtola became the 3rd most popular commander on <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EDHREC's ranked list</a>. Will she ever plateau in popularity? Read on, as we look at the reasons for this massive upset and the future of this legend's prodigious ascension.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice"></div></div>
<h2>Atraxa, Mainstay of the Top, No More?</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has been a top contender in the format for just about a decade now. It took the printing of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Ur-Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">The Ur-Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Edgar Markov" href="#" target="_blank">Edgar Markov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in <em>Commander 2017,</em> a year after Atraxa's first printing, for the Praetors' Voice to be hushed just a <em>little bit</em>. However, Atraxa is a commander known for her immensely versatile utility. If you've read my previous articles about the Top Commanders, you know by now that versatility largely makes up the cream of the crop, so to speak.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cream of the Crop"></div></div>
<p>However, it also needs stating that Atraxa <em>does</em> suffer from the same seniority that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaalia of the Vast" href="#" target="_blank">Kaalia of the Vast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, both suffered when Y'shtola took them both down their respective pegs. These are all pretty tried-and-true commanders in this format, but the novelty of something new was each of their undoing.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krenko, Mob Boss"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kaalia of the Vast"></div></div>
<h2>Y'shtola's Stellar Ascension</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> should need very little introduction by this point amongst my readership. Those who have read these articles know exactly why (at least to my surmising) the face commander of <em>Scions &amp; Spellcraft</em> is doing so well, but I'm happy to refresh those out of the loop.</p>
<p>For one thing, Y'shtola is not even a year old. Normally, this poses a challenge because of the sheer insurmountability of the numbers game. However, Night's Blessed also benefits from being part of the single most successful <em>Universes Beyond</em> set so far. As you may recall, <em>Final Fantasy</em> sold better than all of <em>Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-Earth</em> in presale numbers alone.</p>
<p>These two factors, plus the overall appeal of Commander precons (and the face commanders thereof), make a difference here. All of that, <em>plus</em> the fact that <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em> is one of the most respected massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) of all time, all contribute to Y'shtola's popularity, itself a force to be reckoned with. In this way, it's hardly a surprise that she's doing numbers... so far.</p>
<h2>The Dragon and the Drac</h2>
<p>Of course, Y'shtola's journey is hardly over just yet. Her popularity is not waning in the slightest, and she still has two more mountainous obstacles in her path.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Edgar Markov"></div></div>
<p>The first obstacle is the ever-esteemed <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Edgar Markov" href="#" target="_blank">Edgar Markov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, of <em>Commander 2017</em>. Edgar is a bit newer than Atraxa, but is still far older of a card than Night's Blessed. Both are tricolor commanders with similar versatility. Edgar can run a token build surprisingly well, even without resorting to the laborious role of typal commander. However, it so happens that Edgar Markov is even better when a player runs him with a typal bend. Wouldn't you know it: <em>Eminence</em> is a really strong ability! So our protagonist has her work cut out for her, frankly. I don't expect to see her plateauing too soon, however, and she may get through Edgar as shockingly as she did with Atraxa.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Ur-Dragon"></div></div>
<p>The second and final obstacle before Y'shtola take the reign of Top Commander on EDHREC is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Ur-Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">The Ur-Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Ranked at the very top <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">of our current list</a>, this is a five-color commander that <em>also</em> has an <em>Eminence</em> ability. The obstacle that The Ur-Dragon will ultimately present to Night's Blessed is threefold:</p>
<ol>
<li>The Ur-Dragon is in all colors, lending itself to the widest card pool possible,</li>
<li>it represents one of, if not the, most popular creature types in <em>Magic</em>, and</li>
<li>did I mention <em>Eminence</em>?</li>
</ol>
<p>Sure, reducing the costs of all Dragons by <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> isn't a <em>huge</em> thing to shout about, but with the efficacy of costs presented in the <em>Dungeons &amp; Dragons</em> sets as well as all manner of additional cost reducers, it kind of <em>is</em>.</p>
<p>But let's also keep an eye on Edgar for a bit, and worry about the Dragon in the room when the time comes. Will Y'shtola, Night's Blessed manage to overtake the progenitor of all Innistradi Vampiric bloodlines, or will her appeal's extents peter out at last?</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>A big congratulations to anyone making their wagers on how far Y'shtola will climb! You're doing very well here.</p>
<p>And with that, let's open the floor to you, dear readers! Have you played <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>? How do you like it? Are you <em>still</em> playing it? Apropos of none of that, where do you foresee this Cat Warlock will be <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on the rankings list</a> by year's end? Sound off in the comments below!</p>


Y'shtola, Night's Blessed Rises to 3rd Most Popular Commander

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artofmtg.com/artist/magali-villeneuve/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Magali Villeneuve</a></em></p>
<p>It's finally happened; Kenrith has been dethroned! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a legendary creature from the <em>Final Fantasy</em> precons, has overtaken <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kenrith, the Returned King" href="#" target="_blank">Kenrith, the Returned King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s spot as the 10th most popular commander.</p>
<p>But how did this happen, and what's so special about this new card on the list? Read on, and we'll elaborate!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed"></div></div>
<h2>What's Going On?</h2>
<p>Before last night, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kenrith, the Returned King" href="#" target="_blank">Kenrith, the Returned King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was the 10th most popular commander in the entire format, according to <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EDHREC</a>. However, this esteemed position has since been overtaken by none other than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Y'shtola is currently the only legendary creature from 2025 to reach our Top 10. With only two weeks remaining in December, it's highly unlikely that any other legend printed in 2025 will reach that height.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kenrith, the Returned King"></div></div>
<h2>Y'shtola, and Her Surge in Popularity</h2>
<p>But what does this all mean, and why Y'shtola of all legends?</p>
<p>The answer could be practically anything, honestly. For one, Y'shtola's iconic art, illustrated by the incomparable Magali Villeneuve, has captivated many <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> and <em>Final Fantasy</em> fans alike. Villeneuve's iconic illustration style, in recent years, has allowed her work to skyrocket her in terms of popularity among <em>Magic</em> art connoisseurs.</p>
<p>Pairing Villeneuve's style with the iconic <em>FFXIV</em> character <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola Rhul" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola Rhul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was clearly a recipe for aesthetic success.</p>
<h2>Looks Aren't Everything</h2>
<p>Y'shtola's art has now become extremely intertwined with the <em>Final Fantasy</em> set and franchise. However, it's not the only reason that this legendary Cat Warlock is so popular in the command zone.</p>
<p>Mechanically, Y'shtola, Night's Blessed is an absolute home run of a commander. <em>Final Fantasy</em>'s main set had a very devoted noncreature spell theme to it, and this card, the face of the <a href="https://edhrec.com/precon/scions-spellcraft" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Scions &amp; Spellcraft</em> precon</a>, suited that theme perfectly. This, in turn, lent itself well to running Y'shtola as not only a ubiquitous Spellslinger in Esper decks (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>), but also a great thematic commander for <em>Final Fantasy XIV</em>-centric builds.</p>
<p>Not to mention, the Cat Warlock is also an <em>extremely</em> potent card overall.</p>
<p>Those are some of the major factors that pulled Y'shtola, Night's Blessed into the Top 10. But what about the factors that pushed Kenrith, the Returned King <em>out</em>?</p>
<h2>Age <em>After</em> Beauty, Apparently</h2>
<p>From the estimates that I've noticed as to why some trending commanders surge in popularity more than others, a lot of it has to do with zeitgeist. Zeitgeist, as defined by the latest version of the online <em>Merriam-Webster Dictionary</em>, is "the general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate of an era." In other terms, the zeitgeist is also referred to as the "spirit of the times."</p>
<p>Kenrith, a commander from 2019's <em>Throne of Eldraine</em>, captured the zeitgeist of, well, 2019. He was an extremely popular commander then, and don't get me wrong, he is still remarkably in vogue for certain niches of the community.</p>
<p>However, all this to say, it's 2025, and the end of it at that. Six years of <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> is only just a larger slice than one-quarter of the game's life so far. 2026 marks the 33rd year of the game, with 2019 being only 26 years in.</p>
<p>So, by such a token, let's look at the not-so-arbitrary tail-end of 2028, <em>Magic</em>'s 35th year. That year, Kenrith won't even be in the most recent fifth of the cards newly printed. By contrast, Y'shtola will only be about three years old, a relative baby even then.</p>
<h2>There's Always a Caveat</h2>
<p>However, all of this hubbub over how cool this <em>Final Fantasy</em> commander is doesn't change the fact that her ascent is <em>really quite fresh</em>. Any day now, Kenrith might regrow in popularity. This may allow him to potentially overtake that #10 rank among the Top Commanders on the site. That said, by then, Y'shtola might be out of range to be usurped in turn. We estimate that it's entirely plausible that she might even make it as a 5th-ranked commander on the list.</p>
<p>That will obviously take some time, but it's a distinct possibility.</p>
<h2>Other <em>Final Fantasy</em> Giants</h2>
<p>Amid all this talk of Y'shtola, Night's Blessed's popularity, we don't want to overshadow the other great cards from the release that are in the Top 100. At Rank #20 is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vivi Ornitier" href="#" target="_blank">Vivi Ornitier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a fantastic and potent commander from <em>Final Fantasy IX</em>. As of December 16th, Vivi had a formidable 22,709 decks at players' disposal.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER" href="#" target="_blank">Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are continuously vying for superiority in the 60s of the list. Right now, Sephiroth is winning that conflict, proving that multicolor identities aren't all there is to format popularity.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vivi Ornitier"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER"></div></div>
<p>It's not clear whether any of these legendary creatures will ever reach Y'shtola's level of appeal. Truth be told, they missed the mark on being the spirit of the times, albeit just barely.</p>
<p>So now, let's hear from you, dear readers! How many of you reading this have an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Commander deck? Do you like playing with that commander? If so, why? Sound off in the comments below!</p>


nights blessed

Y'shtola, Night's Blessed Is Now EDHREC's #1 Commander

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