Magic meets Final Fantasy! In this episode, Wade (ProfNoctis), Evan, and Nick sit down with Magic: The Gathering principal designer Gavin Verhey to unpack how the Final Fantasy collaboration came to life—and why “every card is an invitation.”

What we cover:
-Gavin’s origin story (from 11-year-old aspiring designer to Principal Designer)
-How Universes Beyond brings new players into MTG (and keeps veterans engaged)
-Final Fantasy design gems: Saga Creatures (Bahamut!), Fang & Vanille meld, King Edgar’s coin-flip, and the Gold Saucer date debate
-Keeping Magic fresh: creative worldbuilding + elegant mechanics
-Why Commander builds community (and thoughts on future digital multiplayer)
-The power of Battlebond, Mystery Booster, and the “unknown events”
-SpellTable, on-ramps for beginners, and the heart of the MTG community

Key Lessons:
-“Every card is an invitation.”
-How the team balanced fan-service with avoiding spoilers
-Why losing and still having fun is the secret design
-Community as the real endgame: finding instant friends at college, LGS, and cons

Guest links:
Gavin’s YouTube — Good Morning Magic: ‪@GoodMorningMagic‬
Gavin on social: BlueSky / Instagram / X / TikTok: @ gavinverhey

Questions for you (no spoilers):
-What Final Fantasy moment do you most want to pull off in a Commander game?
-Which Gold Saucer date card is your canon? 👀
-New to MTG? What helped you get past the first 5 games?

If you enjoyed this convo, hit 👍, subscribe, and share with a friend who loves FF or MTG. For more deep-dive lectures, interviews, and playthroughs, stay tuned here on ProfNoctis. Walk tall, friends.

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New episodes of the ProfNoctis Weekly Show release every Monday! / @profnoctis
Check out my Livestream! / profnoctis
/ profnoctis
/ profnoctis
/ profnoctis
Join Prof's Classroom discussions: / discord

Also connect with us on BlueSky now!
Wade/Prof - https://bsky.app/profile/profnoctis.b...
Evan - https://bsky.app/profile/whiskerss.bs...

______________________________

CLASS SUPPLIES and EXTRA CREDIT
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Final Fantasy X / X-2: https://amzn.to/4kIBKiE
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Want to listen to the ProfNoctis Show on-the-go? Check out our audio-only version wherever you get your podcasts!
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1A9WZpJ...

______________________________

RIVERSIDE FM: The Preferred Podcast Program of ProfNoctis
Also, we're excited to use the BEST Video Podcasting program around: Riverside FM! Check out and see if this program is for you. https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaig... (As a Riverside Affiliate, we receive a commission on all new subscriptions through this link)

Step back into Ivalice with us! In this episode of The ProfNoctis Show, Evan and I dive into our spoiler-free review of Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles—Square Enix’s long-awaited remaster of the legendary tactical RPG.

We cover:
-Presentation & performance – how the visuals, voice acting, and sound reimagine a classic.
-Quality of life improvements – from auto-battle to smarter menus that make grinding fun.
-Why the Nintendo Switch is the perfect home for FFT.
-The story’s timeless themes – faith, betrayal, power, and how FFT mirrors real church history.
How this game still speaks to us nearly 30 years later.
-And yes, we’ll gush about bards, ninjas, chocobos, and how naming party members after early church fathers makes grinding way more fun (at least for Prof)

This conversation is also a preview of our Final Fantasy Tactics Lecture Series, beginning Tuesday, September 30th—Release Day—live at 7:30pm CT on YouTube and Twitch. Each week we’ll explore councils, canon, heresy, and history through the lens of FFT’s story.

For more details: www.ProfNoctis.com

Like and subscribe for more reviews, lectures, and deep-dive conversations.

Walk tall, friends—let’s uncover the truth of Ivalice together.

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Thank you to © SQUARE ENIX for providing an advance copy for review.
-------------------------------------------------
New episodes of the ProfNoctis Weekly Show release every Monday! / @profnoctis
Check out my Livestream! / profnoctis
/ profnoctis
/ profnoctis
/ profnoctis
Join Prof's Classroom discussions: / discord

Also connect with us on BlueSky now!
Wade/Prof - https://bsky.app/profile/profnoctis.b...
Evan - https://bsky.app/profile/whiskerss.bs...

______________________________

CLASS SUPPLIES and EXTRA CREDIT
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles -- https://amzn.to/4gEReUa
-------------------------------------------------

Want to listen to the ProfNoctis Show on-the-go? Check out our audio-only version wherever you get your podcasts!
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1A9WZpJ...

______________________________

RIVERSIDE FM: The Preferred Podcast Program of ProfNoctis
Also, we're excited to use the BEST Video Podcasting program around: Riverside FM! Check out and see if this program is for you. https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaig... (As a Riverside Affiliate, we receive a commission on all new subscriptions through this link)

In this episode, Prof Noctis and Evan discuss the new game Wuchong: Fallen Feathers, a Souls-like action RPG set in a richly detailed Chinese-inspired world. They explore the game's mechanics, themes, and the unique challenges it presents to players. The conversation delves into the significance of the game's setting during the late Ming dynasty, the combat system, and the innovative madness mechanic that adds depth to the gameplay experience. The hosts emphasize the importance of understanding the game's lore and the rewarding nature of its difficulty, making it a compelling choice for fans of the genre.

00:00- Welcome Back and Show Updates
03:02- Introducing Wuchang: Fallen Feathers
06:07- Understanding Souls-like Games
08:57- Exploring the Setting and Themes
11:53- Gameplay Mechanics and Combat
15:02- Character and Story Development
18:01- Level Design and Exploration
20:56- Combat System and Skill Trees
26:18- Weapon Customization and Combat Mechanics
29:57- Difficulty and Fairness in Gameplay
35:53- Madness Meter and Inner Demons
37:54- Target Audience and Souls-like Experience
44:41- Overall Impressions and Game Value

#wuchangfallenfeathers #Soulslike #gaming #videogames #combat #difficulty #gamedesign #Chinesemythology #gamereview
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New episodes of the ProfNoctis Weekly Show release every Monday! / @profnoctis
Check out my Livestream! / profnoctis
/ profnoctis
/ profnoctis
/ profnoctis
Join Prof's Classroom discussions: / discord

Also connect with us on BlueSky now!
Wade/Prof - https://bsky.app/profile/profnoctis.b...
Evan - https://bsky.app/profile/whiskerss.bs...

______________________________

CLASS SUPPLIES and EXTRA CREDIT
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Buy Wuchang: Fallen Feathers for PS5 : https://amzn.to/40InyyJ
-------------------------------------------------

Want to listen to the ProfNoctis Show on-the-go? Check out our audio-only version wherever you get your podcasts!
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1A9WZpJ...

______________________________

RIVERSIDE FM: The Preferred Podcast Program of ProfNoctis
Also, we're excited to use the BEST Video Podcasting program around: Riverside FM! Check out and see if this program is for you. https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaig... (As a Riverside Affiliate, we receive a commission on all new subscriptions through this link)