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
Statistics	11 cards 54.5% 45.5%
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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. However, the triggered ability only gives a bonus to your own creatures, not to your teammate's. The cards are both cheaper and more powerful if cast for their surge cost.

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.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (April 12, 2024—Outlaws of Thunder Junction)

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 12, 2024—Outlaws of Thunder Junction)

• 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.