Cid is a recurring character in virtually every Final Fantasy game
Sure, you lose a few cards from the top of your deck, but if you can play some graveyard shenanigans (or youre trying to win with an empty deck), theres really no bad choice
The additional lifegain is sweet, sweetdo you put gravy on brains
The main thing is making sure to make good use of Commune with Dinosaurs, Savage Stomp, and Kinjallis Caller
While the sheer quantity of potential commanders available has made sure that the format is diverse, the quality of designs among legendary creatures (and eligible planeswalkers) has been important to keep things interesting for players seeking new deck ideas
With that, we've gotten to our Best In Show for Final Fantasy VIII