Honestly, if you’ve been chasing the "perfect" Magic: The Gathering collection, the Summer 2025 drop was a massive emotional rollercoaster. We all saw it coming. The hype for the Final Fantasy crossover was reaching a fever pitch, and then Wizards of the Coast dropped the Secret Lair series. But while the main cards like Cloud's Buster Sword or Aerith’s Curaga were the headliners, the real chaos was happening in that hidden slot at the back of the envelope.
The final fantasy secret lair bonus cards have become a weirdly polarizing topic in the community. Some people pulled absolute fire. Others? They got a $0.20 reprint they already had four copies of. It’s the classic Secret Lair gamble, but with a JRPG skin that makes the "sting" of a bad pull feel a little more personal.
The "Guaranteed" Hits vs. The Real Chases
When you cracked open your Game Over, Weapons, or Grimoire drops, you probably expected something cool. Most of the time, Wizards sticks a "standard" bonus card in these. For this specific collaboration, the Japanese Final Fantasy Twitter account actually tipped us off early on what the "common" bonus cards were going to be.
If you bought the Game Over drop, you usually found Feed the Swarm, reskinned as "Primogenesis" from Final Fantasy XVI. It’s a staple card, sure. But it’s also a card that’s been printed into the dirt. On the flip side, the Grimoire drop gave us Silence, and the Weapons drop featured Forge Anew (reimagined as "Masamune Unleashed").
But let's be real. Nobody is bragging to their playgroup about a Feed the Swarm. The real conversation starts when we talk about the "Summons."
🔗 Read more: Getting the Chopper GTA 4 Cheat Right: How to Actually Spawn a Buzzard or Annihilator
The Pitch Elemental "Summon" Variations
This is where the money is. Instead of the standard bonus card, a small percentage of lucky players opened one of the five "Pitch Elementals" from Modern Horizons 2, specifically themed after summons from Final Fantasy X.
- Solitude as Yojimbo
- Subtlety as Shiva
- Grief as Anima
- Fury as Ifrit
- Endurance as The Magus Sisters
Pulling a Yojimbo (Solitude) is basically winning the Secret Lair lottery. Even a year later, these are holding significant value because they aren't just "pretty art"—they are competitive staples in multiple formats.
What the Pull Rates Actually Look Like
Wizards doesn't like to give us hard numbers. They love the "mystery," which is basically corporate-speak for "we want you to buy more bundles." However, the community has done the legwork. Based on large-scale openings from collectors and stores, the "chase" summons appear roughly once in every 15 to 20 Secret Lair envelopes.
That is a 5-7% chance.
💡 You might also like: Why Helldivers 2 Flesh Mobs are the Creepiest Part of the Galactic War
Think about that. You could buy the big "Everything" bundle, spend hundreds of dollars, and still end up with zero summons. I've seen Reddit threads where people opened ten drops and got nothing but "Primogenesis" and "Silence." It’s brutal.
The Japanese Foil Factor
There is another layer to this madness. These drops were available in both English and Japanese. Because of the way the "Final Fantasy tax" works, the Japanese foil versions of the final fantasy secret lair bonus cards—especially the summons—are fetching a massive premium on the secondary market. If you happen to pull a Japanese Foil Anima (Grief), you’re looking at a card that could pay for your entire order and then some.
Why Some Collectors Feel Let Down
There’s a growing sentiment that the "bonus card" slot is getting a bit lazy. In the past, we had unique things like the stained-glass Planeswalkers or the persistent petitioners. With the Final Fantasy drop, if you didn't hit a summon, you basically got a card that felt like it should have just been in the main drop.
Also, the "Gilded Lotus" promo was tied to bundle purchases rather than being a random pull. It’s a beautiful card, don’t get me wrong. But it lacks that "hidden treasure" feeling that usually defines the bonus slot.
📖 Related: Marvel Rivals Sexiest Skins: Why NetEase is Winning the Aesthetic War
Is it worth buying for the bonus card?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Only if you are okay with the "standard" bonus card. If you are buying a $40 foil drop specifically because you want to "pull" a Shiva or an Ifrit, you are playing a losing game. The secondary market is always the safer bet, even if paying $50+ for a single card feels like a gut punch.
Final Thoughts on the Collection
The Final Fantasy Secret Lair was a landmark for Universes Beyond. The art is incredible, the card choices (mostly) made sense, and the flavor text is a nostalgic trip. But the bonus cards are a reminder that Magic is still a TCG, and TCGs are built on rarity.
If you’re looking to pick these up now on the secondary market, keep an eye on the "Pitch Elementals." Their value fluctuates wildly based on the meta. Solitude remains the king of the hill, but Endurance (The Magus Sisters) is a sleeper hit that often spikes when graveyard decks dominate.
Check your envelopes carefully. Sometimes that extra card tucked behind the cardboard is worth more than the rest of the set combined.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the serial numbers: If you own these, verify if you have the "standard" or "rare" variant by checking the collector number at the bottom left.
- Verify the Foil type: Rainbow foils and Traditional foils have different price points; ensure you aren't underpricing a rare pull.
- Hold or Sell: If you pulled a Summon (Pitch Elemental), historical data suggests these "Universes Beyond" staples hold value better than standard reprints. Hold them unless you need the immediate cash.