The best upgrades for the Final Fantasy X Counter Blitz Commander deck are Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus, The Earth Crystal, Arwen, Mortal Queen, Kami of Whispered Hopes and Dreamtide Whale, the cards EDHREC players add most often. All 10 picks below cost about $44 on TCGplayer. The first cards to cut are Generous Patron, Tireless Tracker and Lord Jyscal Guado.
Updated October 25, 2026 · Picks and percentages from EDHREC’s Counter Blitz precon page (10,301 decks) · Prices are the cheapest TCGplayer printing unless noted, checked October 25, 2026
How does the Counter Blitz deck win?
Counter Blitz is the Final Fantasy X Commander deck, led by Tidus, Yuna’s Guardian (Bant: green, white and blue, 3 mana, a 3/3). At the beginning of combat on your turn, you may move a counter from one of your creatures onto another. His Cheer ability does the rest: once each turn, when your creatures with counters deal combat damage to a player, you may draw a card and proliferate (add one more of each kind of counter already on any permanents or players you choose).
So the plan is to spread +1/+1 counters around, get those creatures through to a player, and let every proliferate make the whole team bigger. The best upgrades double your counters, double your proliferates, or make your countered creatures hard to block.
What are the best Counter Blitz deck upgrades?
1. Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus
What it does: A 3/5 flier. If you would proliferate, you proliferate twice instead. You can also remove three counters from among your other permanents to give Tekuthal an indestructible counter.
Why it fits Tidus: Every Cheer trigger becomes two proliferates, and it’s a flier that can carry a counter Tidus moves onto it.
Price: about $2.04 (TCGplayer) · in 39% of EDHREC Counter Blitz decks
2. The Earth Crystal
What it does: Your green spells cost {1} less. If +1/+1 counters would be put on a creature you control, twice that many are put on it instead. For {4}{G}{G} and tapping it, you distribute two +1/+1 counters.
Why it fits Tidus: Proliferate puts counters, so each proliferate gives your creatures two +1/+1 counters instead of one.
Price: about $12.03 (TCGplayer) · in 33% of EDHREC Counter Blitz decks
3. Arwen, Mortal Queen
What it does: Arwen enters with an indestructible counter. For {1} and removing it, another creature gains indestructible until end of turn, and both it and Arwen get a +1/+1 counter and a lifelink counter.
Why it fits Tidus: She brings her own counters for Tidus to move and for proliferate to copy, including more indestructible counters to use again.
Price: about $4.48 (TCGplayer) · in 31% of EDHREC Counter Blitz decks
4. Kami of Whispered Hopes
What it does: If +1/+1 counters would be put on a permanent you control, one more is put on it. Tap: add mana equal to its power.
Why it fits Tidus: Each proliferate adds an extra +1/+1 counter to every creature you pick, and the Kami turns into a big mana source as it grows.
Price: about $4.37 (TCGplayer) · in 31% of EDHREC Counter Blitz decks
5. Dreamtide Whale
What it does: A 7/5 with vanishing 2 (it’s sacrificed when its two time counters run out). Whenever any player casts their second spell in a turn, you proliferate.
Why it fits Tidus: In a four-player game it proliferates often, and you can proliferate its own time counters to keep it around.
Price: about $4.16 (TCGplayer) · in 28% of EDHREC Counter Blitz decks
6. Thrummingbird
What it does: A 1/1 flier. Whenever it deals combat damage to a player, you proliferate.
Why it fits Tidus: Tidus can move a counter onto it at the start of combat, so an evasive Thrummingbird can trigger Cheer and proliferate on its own.
Price: about $0.24 (TCGplayer) · in 26% of EDHREC Counter Blitz decks
7. Herald of Secret Streams
What it does: Creatures you control with +1/+1 counters on them can’t be blocked.
Why it fits Tidus: Cheer needs combat damage to a player. With Herald out, every creature carrying a +1/+1 counter gets through.
Price: about $5.92 (TCGplayer) · in 26% of EDHREC Counter Blitz decks
8. Swords to Plowshares
What it does: Exile target creature. Its controller gains life equal to its power.
Why it fits Tidus: The cheapest way to remove a big blocker or threat so your counters plan keeps attacking. This printing has Final Fantasy art.
Price: about $1.28 (TCGplayer) · in 24% of EDHREC Counter Blitz decks
9. Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar
What it does: Your opponents can’t cast spells during your turn. Whenever one or more of your creatures with power greater than their base power deal combat damage to a player, you draw a card.
Why it fits Tidus: Creatures with +1/+1 counters have more than their base power, so Kutzil draws you an extra card on the same hits that trigger Cheer, and nobody can stop your attack with an instant.
Price: about $2.26 (TCGplayer) · in 24% of EDHREC Counter Blitz decks
10. Branching Evolution
What it does: If +1/+1 counters would be put on a creature you control, twice that many are put on it instead.
Why it fits Tidus: A cheaper second copy of The Earth Crystal’s doubling. With both out, each proliferate gives a creature four +1/+1 counters.
Price: about $7.34 (TCGplayer) · in 20% of EDHREC Counter Blitz decks
How much does it cost to upgrade the Counter Blitz deck?
All 10 cards cost about $44.12 at the TCGplayer printings above. The three priciest are The Earth Crystal ($12.03), Branching Evolution ($7.34) and Herald of Secret Streams ($5.92). The other seven cost about $18.83 combined, and Tekuthal, the most-added card, is only about $2.
Which cards should you cut from the Counter Blitz deck?
- Generous Patron (cut from 73% of decks): it only draws when you put counters on creatures you don’t control.
- Tireless Tracker (68%): its card draw comes from playing lands, not from counters.
- Lord Jyscal Guado (66%)
- Altered Ego (63%)
- Path of Discovery (62%)
- Pull from Tomorrow (60%)
- Summoner’s Sending (53%)
- Summon: Magus Sisters (50%): each chapter’s effect is chosen at random.
- Rampant Rejuvenator (49%)
- Sunscorch Regent (48%)
Is the Counter Blitz deck worth buying now?
Yes, if you like +1/+1 counters. The regular deck is about $45 at TCGplayer market price, with listings from about $31 (October 25, 2026). It’s the third most-built Final Fantasy precon on EDHREC, with 10,301 decks, and Tidus ranks among the top Bant commanders (see our top 5 Bant commanders). The Collector’s Edition is about $169, so only buy that one for the foils. For newer decks, see our best Commander precons of 2026.
Read next: Limit Break Upgrade Guide (Cloud) · Scions & Spellcraft Upgrade Guide (Y’shtola) · Top 5 Bant Commanders · Revival Trance Upgrade Guide (Terra)
Counter Blitz upgrades
Sources: EDHREC Counter Blitz precon page (Cards to Add and Cards to Cut, 10,301 decks), checked October 25, 2026; card text from Scryfall; prices from TCGplayer. Card images: Wizards of the Coast, via Scryfall.
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