So I’ve been on a bit of an FFXIV kick lately, and we’ve got some new FFXIV: Stormblood cards coming in March in both the new FFXIV 2019 starter deck and in Opus VIII – March can’t come quickly enough for me, so I figured we don’t we pass the time by having a look at some Primal cards from the original FFTCG Chapters game.

So it feels like the Opus incarnation of the TCG has very much skipped over FFXIV1.0 and FFXIVARR with the exception of the Scions. As of time of writing, we’re missing stuff like Gaius and Nael, and most notably the Primals. I don’t know how to transition from intro to article without saying “let’s get into it,” so, let’s get into it.

These are in no particular order. If you see an effect that stipulates an impossible amount of backups, keep reading the article and it will be explained later, friendo!

Leviathan Prime

When Leviathan Prime enters the Field, choose 1 Forward opponent controls. Return it to its owner’s hand. If you control 4 Water element Backups or more, also draw 1 card. If you control 6 Water element Backups or more, opponent also puts 2 Forwards they control in the Break Zone.

First up we have the dampest of all the Primals, the Lord of the Whorl, Leviathan! There’s an interesting ruling around a lot of these Primals in that if you can’t fulfill the targeting requirements of their initial effects, you basically don’t get the effect. Leviathan Prime is STRONG. 7 CP isn’t a huge investment for a deck with as good CP economy as water, and his final effect doesn’t target at all – which gets around a lot of pesky things like Gullwings, Zidane, or even an Ashe/Rasler combo. 10000 attack isn’t anything to turn your nose up either, and if you resolve all of his effects, you’ve basically removed 3 forwards for 5 CP (if you include the CP reimbursement from drawing a card) and gotten a ridiculously huge body out of it as well, which is some pretty solid value. Understatements! Yay!

Ifrit Prime

When Ifrit Prime enters the Field, deal 4000 damage to all Forwards opponent controls. If you control 4 Fire element Backups or more, deal them 4000 additional damage. If you control 6 or more Fire elemental Backups, deal them 4000 additional damage.

Ifrit’s probably the most boring of all the Primals in the list, but he’s also just a huge field wipe on a massive 10000 attack body. Interesting to note is the damage is classed as seperate instances of 4k damage, so he can still be stopped by Minwu, but in most cases he can just come out, 12k everything and away you go. It wouldn’t be a fire card if it couldn’t be answered by Minwu – but if something like this was dropped into the meta right now, it could at least put fire on the map with being able to deal with the insane amount of stuff Wi/Wa throws at you until you lose.

Garuda Prime

When Garuda Prime enters the Field, make all Backups you control active. If you control 4 Wind element Forwards or more, also declare 1 Job. Return all Forwards with that Job other than Garuda Prime to their owner’s hand. If you control 6 Wind element Backups or more, all Forwards you control gain Haste.

Garuda’s… weird? It’s incredibly CP efficient, and a huge body to boot (I should stop writing that, they’re all 10k.). Returning all forwards with a Job to return isn’t great, unless you’re against something that is a mono-job archetype like Gullwings, Class Zero Cadets, or Scions – this may be one that becomes more useful depending on the metagame, but all forwards receiving haste can be really scary, and I imagine can sometimes just outright win you games if Sheol on Illua is anything to go off of.

Titan Prime

When Titan Prime enters the Field, search for 1 Monster of cost 2 or less and put it on the Field. I you control 4 Earth element Backups or more, also search for 1 character card of cost 3 or less and put it on the Field. If you control 6 Earth element Backups or more, Titan Prime gains the ability: [When Titan Prime attacks, choose 1 Forward. You may remove it from the game.].

I think I’ve mentioned Titan in another one of my chapters articles, and he’s just straight busted. Too much value on one card, and he keeps doing stuff even after he’s got his insane etb abilities off. Being able to just remove a forward when you attack, when you’re already a 10k forward is silly. If anything can beat you in combat, just blorp it off to the void. I’m fairly convinced this incarnation of Titan is secretly Exdeath in a chicken nugget costume with the ridiculous RFG potential this card has.

Odin Prime

When Odin Prime enters the Field, search for 1 [Weapon (Spear)] and remove it and all [Weapon (Spear)] in your Break Zone from the game. Put 1 [Weapon (Spear)] which has been removed from the game in your Break Zone: Choose 1 Forward. Deal it 5000 damage. (Sh)(Sh)(Sh)(Sh)(Sh)(Sh)(Sh)(Dull): If you have received 6 damage or more, Break all Forwards opponent controls.

I honestly have no idea if Odin is good or not. We don’t have weapons in the TCG, so I can’t really comment on if he is a good card or not, and his Dull ability seems a bit lackluster too. He is one of the two Primals that doesn’t come with a support card, and he certainly isn’t as good as the other option.

Good King Moggle Mog XII

When Good King Moggle Mog XII enters the Field, search for any number of [Job (Moogle)] with a combined cost of 7 or less and put them on the Field Dulled. For the rest of this game, you can’t put characters on the Field which are not Shine element, Dark element or [Job (Moogle)]. All players can’t summon Summons of cost 1 or less. The cost of [Job (Moogle)] in your hand and the cost of action abilities of [Job (Moogle)] can be paid using any type of CP.

TURN ONE MOOGLE YEETS. You’re probably going to want to be running a ‘mono moogle’ deck with this guy. All players not being able to use summons of cost 1 or less mostly hurts water’s Pupu/Moogle advantage spam at this point of the game, but the setup potential of this card is absolutely insane. You’re looking at getting maybe 3 backups off of him as soon as you play him, and dropping this guy early game could be pretty terrifying, or lategame you can just drop him and then swarm Moogles for a terrifying amount of tiny, fluffy dudes on the field. Probably the thing I would want to hit least off of a Chaos, Walker of the Wheel, as it means you’re likely taking 4-5 damage next turn. Which is fine!

Shiva Prime

When Shiva Prime enters the Field, opponent discards 1 card from their hand. If you control 4 Ice element Backups or more, also Dull and Freeze all Forwards opponent controls. If you control 6 Ice element Forwards or more, also Dull and Freeze all Backups opponent controls. Characters don’t become Active other than during the Active Phase.

This card is kind of Orphan after he’s hit the gym. Characters not being able to become active outside of the Active Phase is also ridiculous, as it really stops one of the more effective things that can work against Ice. Without having to worry about random reactivations off of Asura, Sylph, Fairy, Diabolos, EX Bartz etc, Ice can go really, really ham. If you are dropping Shiva Prime and getting her 6 backup effect off, you are basically getting an extra turn without the drawback that Paradise lumps you with.

Bahamut Prime

When Bahamut Prime enters the Field, choose 1 of the following 2: – Choose 1 Forward. Remove it from the game. – Deal 5000 damage to all Forwards opponent controls. Bahamut Prime doesn’t receive damage less than its Power. Teraflare (S)(Sh)(Sh)(Sh)(Sh): Deal 10000 damage to all Forwards other than Bahamut Prime.

Another one I’m sure I’ve mentioned in another article, Bahamut Prime has a fitting set of abilities for the Elder Primal that almost destroyed Eorzea (and took us from 1.0 to ARR, thanks Bahamut.) – He’s got a Built in Minwu, either wipes out a swarm when he comes in or RFGs something really pesky, and has an S ability on top of this. Add in that his first effect is an EX and you have a really terrifying card. If the card released like this into the Opus sets, I could see it being in a lot of decks, and I think it would probably replace Nidhogg instantly. This is the other Primal with no support card, and you can see from just glancing at it that it outclasses Odin Prime by a huge amount.

Ramuh Prime

When Ramuh Prime enters the Field, choose 1 Active Forward. Break it. You you control 4 Thunder element Backups or more, also choose 1 number. Break all active Forwards opponent controls with the same cost as that number. If you control 6 or more Thunder element Backups, also all Forwards opponent controls lose all abilities until end of turn. Break them.

Ramuh Prime is another one where it needs you to choose an active forward otherwise the rest of his abilities won’t go off. Ramuh is basically a one-sided boardwipe on a body, and naturally, he’s better than the fire option in almost every conceivable way (aside from needing an active target). If you drop this guy and somehow lose, good job! Making all forwards opponent controls lose all abilities is nice too, as it stops opponents getting draws off of things like Viking, recruits off of Golbez, actually makes Opus 2 Vincent Killable, etc.

Kobold

The cost of [Card Name (Titan Prime)] in your hand becomes 5. You can’t put Backups on the Field which are not Earth element. Kobold counts as 2 for [Card Name (Titan Prime)]’s effect. (E)(Sh)(Dull): All Earth element Forwards you control can’t be Dulled due to opponent’s effects.

The first of the Primal support cards, and if you ended up running these primals, you’re going to want to be running these support cards, if not just for the fact they make your Primal cost 2 less. The downside is they lock you to using one colour, but that’s hardly a downside compared to what they do for you. They also have the multicard icon, which means that 3 of these Kobolds will have Titans effect on line instantly, which is pretty scary.

Amalj’aa

The cost of [Card Name (Ifrit Prime)] in your hand becomes 5. You can’t put Backups on the Field which are not Fire element. Amalj’aa counts as 2 when counted for [Card Name (Ifrit Prime)]. (F)(Dull): Choose 1 Forward. It can’t Block Fire element Forwards this turn.

As above, really, although with a slightly different action ability which really helps fire get through easier. Think of it as Opus 2 Legendary Tifa on a backup.

Ixal

The cost of [Card Name (Garuda Prime)] in your hand becomes 5. You can’t put Backups on the Field which are not Wind element. Ixal counts as 2 for [Card Name (Garuda Prime)]’s effect. (W)(W)(Dull): Choose 1 Wind element Forward you control. It can’t be chosen as the target of opponent’s abilities until end of turn.

The initial three abilities are very similar to what we have already looked at, but the action ability gives you on demand ability protection to help protect the investment you made by putting Garuda into play. With Ixal active, your opponent will be hesitant to play abilities that might be able to remove your forwards, and you’re able to go in hard with your own stuff while they hope to draw a summon to answer your cards.

Sylph Tribe

The cost of [Card Name (Ramuh Prime)] in your hand becomes 5. You cant’ put Backups on the Field which are not Thunder element. Sylph Tribe is counted as 2 for [Card Name (Ramuh)]’s effect. (Dull): Choose 1 active character. It can’t use action abilities until end of turn.

I think this is probably the weakest of the support backups? It gets Ramuh online quicker, and Ramuh is really silly, but the tap effect of not being able to use action abilities until the end of the turn is pretty rubbish, as if your opponent needs to use an action ability they are likely either already using it, and it’s on the stack, or they’re going to use it on the stack. If this was more like Porom and let you cancel an action ability (for a cost, of course) it would be a lot more relevant. I suppose you use use it to try and force strange panic Fusoyas at weird times?

Vestal of Ice

When Vestal of Ice enters the fIeld, you may search for 1 Ice element [Job (Common Soldier)] and add it to your hand. The cost of [Card Name (Shiva Prime)] in your hand becomes 5. You can’t put Backups which are not ice element on the Field. [Job (Common Soldier)] Ice element Backups you control count as 2 when counted for [Card Name (Shiva)]. Vestal of Ice can’t be chosen as the target of opponent’s effects.

The art! The effect! It’s untargetable! Fully disgusting. A backup that can search for a backup or a forward is already horrifying, but the fact it gets Shiva Prime online much easier (ice is already using things like Time Mage, Scholar etc.) is really scary. And the art! THE ART!

Sahagin Tribe

The cost of [Card Name (Leviathan)] in your hand becomes 5. You can’t put Backups which are not Water element on the Field. Sahagin Tribe counts as 2 for [Card Name (Leviathan)]’s effect. (A)(Dull): Choose 1 Water element Forward. The next this damage is dealt to it this turn, reduce that damage by 1000.

Damp boi makes things harder to kill and makes Leviathan Prime effectively cost 3 CP. Not much to say about these except after writing this article I now have a reasonably clear idea why we don’t have these Primals in the game (yet.)

Moogle Tribe

You can put any number of Moogle Tribe cards you want in your deck. Moogle Tribe gains 1000 Power for every 1 [Job (Moogle)] you control other than Moogle Tribe. Dull as many [Job (Moogle)] as you want, including Moogle Tribe: Dull all Forwards with the same cost as the number of cards Dulled this way other than [Job (Moogle)].

Less of a Support card for Good King Moggle Mog, more of a “you came to the wrong Neighbourhood” win condition for Good King Moggle Mog. You can drop 3 of these guys as soon as you play Moggle Mog, and if your opponent can’t answer them really quickly, they’re probably going to die just as quick.

So hey, do you think we’ll see more Primals in Opus VIII? Stormblood gave us some really memorable Primals in the form of Shinryu, Susano, Lakshmi & Tsukoyomi! I’d love to see them, but I guess we will find out in March!

Thanks for reading!

Esufer