Sephiroth, Planet's Heir leads a death-matters strategy that floods the board with -X/-X effects and mass removal to trigger cascading creature deaths, growing Sephiroth through +1/+1 counters while draining opponents via life loss triggers from cards like Syr Konrad, the Grim and the transformed Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER's emblem. The deck supports this gameplan with heavy graveyard recursion, reanimation, and self-sacrifice loops to repeatedly exploit death triggers, while surveil and card draw engines keep the engine running efficiently. The primary win conditions are accumulated life drain from repeated creature deaths, backed by Bolas's Citadel as a secondary explosive finisher and Strixhaven Stadium as an alternative combat-damage kill condition.

Cloud, Ex-SOLDIER decklist

• Aerith, Last Ancient
• Akroma's Will
• Arcane Signet
• Ashe, Princess of Dalmasca
• Azusa, Lost but Seeking
• Barret, Avalanche Leader
• Bastion Protector
• Battlefield Forge
• Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder
• Brushland
• Bugenhagen, Wise Elder
• Buster Sword
• Canopy Vista
• Champion's Helm
• Chaos Warp
• Cinder Glade
• Clifftop Retreat
• Cloud, Midgar Mercenary
• Cloud, Planet's Champion
• Cloud's Limit Break
• Colossus Hammer
• Command Tower
• Conqueror's Flail
• Darksteel Plate
• Evolving Wilds
• Exotic Orchard
• Farewell
• Farseek
• Fire-Lit Thicket
• Firion, Wild Rose Warrior
• 3× Forest
• Forge Anew
• Fortified Village
• Furycalm Snarl
• Game Trail
• Genji Glove
• Gilgamesh, Master-at-Arms
• Heroic Intervention
• Jungle Shrine
• Lightning Greaves
• Lightning, Army of One
• Mask of Memory
• 3× Mountain
• Nature's Lore
• Path to Exile
• 3× Plains
• Professional Face-Breaker
• Professor Hojo
• Puresteel Paladin
• Rampant Growth
• Raubahn, Bull of Ala Mhigo
• Red XIII, Proud Warrior
• Rootbound Crag
• Rugged Prairie
• Sephiroth, Fallen Hero
• Slayers' Stronghold
• Sol Ring
• Spire of Industry
• Sram, Senior Edificer
• Summoning Materia
• Sun Titan
• Sungrass Prairie
• Sunpetal Grove
• Sunscorched Divide
• Sword of the Animist
• Swords to Plowshares
• Tifa, Martial Artist
• Traveling Chocobo
• Ultimate Magic: Holy
• Umezawa's Jitte
• Unfinished Business
• Vandalblast
• Zack Fair
• Venat, Heart of Hydaelyn // Hydaelyn, the Mothercrystal
• Blitzball
• Summon: Fenrir
• Ultima Weapon
• Samurai's Katana
• Machinist's Arsenal
• Skullclamp
• Cid, Freeflier Pilot
• Godo, Bandit Warlord
• Swiftfoot Boots
• Starting Town
• Rogue's Passage
• Command Beacon
• Trailblazer's Boots
• Dispatch
• Stroke of Midnight
• Talisman of Conviction
• Austere Command
• Serah Farron // Crystallized Serah
• Rabanastre, Royal City