Surge
| Surge | |
|---|---|
| Keyword Ability | |
| Type | Static |
| Introduced | Oath of the Gatewatch |
| Last used | Oath of the Gatewatch |
| Reminder Text | Surge [cost] (You may cast a spell for its surge cost if you or a teammate have cast another spell in the same turn.) |
| Storm Scale | 4[1] |
| Statistics |
11 cards  54.5%  45.5% |
| Scryfall Search | |
| keyword:"Surge" | |
Surge is a keyword ability introduced in Oath of the Gatewatch that provides an alternative cost that if the spell is set up with another spell.
Description
You may cast a spell for its surge cost if you or a teammate have cast another spell in the same turn. The cards are both cheaper and more powerful if cast for their surge cost.[2]
Teammates are all allied players in Two-Headed Giant, Emperor, and certain other multiplayer Magic formats. The development team balanced the mechanic such that the cards could be powerful in two-player games as well.
Rosewater believed the mechanic was simple and liked enough that it garnered a 4 on the Storm Scale. However, it has not seen any new cards since its debut set, nor have there been any reprints in any preconstructed products aside from the digital-only Pioneer Masters.
Rules
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (April 4, 2025—Tarkir: Dragonstorm)
- Surge
- A keyword ability that provides an alternative cost to cast a card if you or one of your teammates has cast another spell in the same turn. See rule 702.117, “Surge.”
From the Comprehensive Rules (April 4, 2025—Tarkir: Dragonstorm)
- 702.117. Surge
- 702.117a Surge is a static ability that functions while the spell with surge is on the stack. “Surge [cost]” means “You may pay [cost] rather than pay this spell’s mana cost as you cast this spell if you or one of your teammates has cast another spell this turn.” Casting a spell for its surge cost follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 601.2b and 601.2f–h.
Rulings
- For some cards, surge represents only an alternative cost, a discount that applies if you or a teammate has cast another spell this turn. Other cards, like Reckless Bushwhacker, have additional abilities or effects if you paid the surge cost to cast the spell.
- The other spell that you or a teammate cast can be one that's resolved, one that was countered, or (for instants with surge) one that's still on the stack.
- If an instant or sorcery spell cast for its surge cost is copied, the copy is also considered to have had its surge cost paid.
- Casting a spell for its surge cost doesn't change its mana cost or its converted mana cost.
Examples
Example
Reckless Bushwhacker 
Creature — Goblin Warrior Ally
2/1
Surge 
(You may cast a spell for its surge cost if you or a teammate have cast another spell in the same turn.)
Haste
When Reckless Bushwhacker enters the battlefield, if its surge cost was paid, other creatures you control get +1/+0 and gain haste until end of turn.
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (November 21, 2016). "Storm Scale: Zendikar and Battle for Zendikar". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Ethan Fleischer (December 28, 2015). "A First Time for Everything". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2017-11-24.