Swarm Surge MTG Card


Swarm Surge - Battle for Zendikar
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery
Abilities Devoid
Released2015-10-02
Set symbol
Set nameBattle for Zendikar
Set codeBFZ
Number100
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred bySvetlin Velinov

Key Takeaways

  1. Swarm Surge thrives in token and colorless creature-centered decks, multiplying threat levels significantly.
  2. Its instant speed casting allows for unexpected combat maneuvers, keeping opponents on their toes.
  3. However, deck diversity limitations and mana specificity can affect its overall versatility and usage.

Text of card

Devoid (This card has no color.) Creatures you control get +2/+0 until end of turn. Colorless creatures you control also gain first strike until end of turn.

The Eldrazi rampaged across Zendikar in a tide of chittering, heaving flesh.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Swarm Surge can be a game changer by boosting the number of creatures you command, effectively turning each of them into a more formidable threat. This can be especially beneficial in decks that generate a multitude of tokens, ensuring your swarm becomes an army to be reckoned with.

Resource Acceleration: While Swarm Surge itself doesn’t generate additional resources, its low mana cost aligns perfectly with strategies aiming to deploy numerous creatures quickly. It complements decks focused on amassing a wide board presence, thereby accelerating your route to an overwhelming state.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Swarm Surge at instant speed gives you the tactical advantage of surprise, allowing you to turn the tides of combat in your favor unexpectedly. Its instant nature lets you wait until the most opportune moment during the battle to unleash its potential, keeping opponents guessing and often unprepared for the sudden surge in your swarm’s power.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike some spells that offer a benefit without extra costs, Swarm Surge mandates that you have a sizable contingent of colorless creatures. This requirement can limit its effectiveness, especially if you’re playing a deck with a diverse array of creature types or if your board presence is weak.

Specific Mana Cost: Swarm Surge’s mana cost is locked into one generic and one black mana. This combination might tether it solely to decks that can reliably produce black mana, potentially hampering its inclusion in more color-varied or colorless decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost set at two, including one black, there may be situations where the card is a bit too pricey for the boost it offers. Considering other cards in your arsenal, you could find more cost-effective ways to enhance your creatures’ power without the two-mana investment, especially in fast-paced games where every mana point matters.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Swarm Surge offers a powerful boon for decks centered on Colorless creatures or Devoid strategies, fitting seamlessly into various aggressive builds.

Combo Potential: Paired with an ample brood of tokens or creature generators, this card can dramatically increase your offensive impact, turning even the smallest creatures into considerable threats.

Meta-Relevance: In a landscape where creature-heavy decks shine, Swarm Surge can be the pivotal point in a match, swinging for extensive damage and taking opponents by surprise.


How to beat

Swarm Surge is a card that can turn the tide of battle in Magic: The Gathering, known to bolster an already established board presence with its formidable +2/+0 and gain menace until end of turn for creatures with the colorless icon. The surge in power can often catch an unprepared opponent off guard, enabling countless smaller creatures to pose a significant threat. The key to countering this onslaught lies in preemption and board control. Removal spells that can clear multiple creatures at once, such as Wrath of God or Doomskar, are crucial in mitigating the impact of Swarm Surge. Additionally, keeping the number of creatures your opponent controls to a minimum will devalue their Swarm Surge, as the card requires a critical mass of creatures to be truly effective.

Furthermore, instant speed spot removal or bounce effects can save you in a pinch by removing or returning key creatures to hand during the combat phase, thereby negating the temporary power boost. As a defense, cards that provide a steady stream of creature tokens can create blockers that are expendable, preserving your life total and more valuable creatures. Ultimately, maintaining control over the battlefield and being mindful of your opponent’s potential for a surprise Swarm Surge can ensure that you remain one step ahead.


Cards like Swarm Surge

Swarm Surge is an intriguing option for players looking to amplify their creatures’ impact on the battlefield in MTG. This card shares common ground with the likes of Fortify, which also provides a temporary boost to creature power. Yet, Swarm Surge grants the additional benefit of giving colorless creatures not only +2/+0 but also First Strike until the end of the turn—offering a tactical advantage during combat.

In a slightly different category, Inspired Charge stands out by buffing a more diversified array of creatures, granting +2/+1 to all creatures under your command. While it doesn’t offer First Strike, it proliferates strength and resilience across the board. Comparably, Make a Stand provides a similar increase in power with a built-in safeguard against sweepers by granting indestructible for a turn. Although more defensively focused, it doesn’t quite match Swarm Surge’s aggressive offensive push for colorless creature decks.

To summarize, Swarm Surge carves its niche by specifically catering to decks rich in colorless creatures, enhancing their combat capabilities significantly for a critical turn. It presents itself as a valuable combat trick in certain strategies, showing particular strength in decks designed to capitalize on colorless synergies.

Fortify - MTG Card versions
Inspired Charge - MTG Card versions
Make a Stand - MTG Card versions
Fortify - Time Spiral (TSP)
Inspired Charge - Magic 2011 (M11)
Make a Stand - Oath of the Gatewatch (OGW)

Cards similar to Swarm Surge by color, type and mana cost

Darkpact - MTG Card versions
Demonic Attorney - MTG Card versions
Jovial Evil - MTG Card versions
Infernal Contract - MTG Card versions
Touch of Death - MTG Card versions
Wicked Pact - MTG Card versions
Nature's Ruin - MTG Card versions
Buried Alive - MTG Card versions
Choking Sands - MTG Card versions
Brush with Death - MTG Card versions
Perish - MTG Card versions
Coercion - MTG Card versions
Hand of Death - MTG Card versions
Grim Tutor - MTG Card versions
Forced March - MTG Card versions
Stupor - MTG Card versions
Soul Burn - MTG Card versions
Noxious Vapors - MTG Card versions
Mind Rot - MTG Card versions
Crippling Fatigue - MTG Card versions
Darkpact - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Demonic Attorney - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Jovial Evil - Legends (LEG)
Infernal Contract - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Touch of Death - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Wicked Pact - Portal (POR)
Nature's Ruin - Portal (POR)
Buried Alive - World Championship Decks 2003 (WC03)
Choking Sands - World Championship Decks 1997 (WC97)
Brush with Death - Stronghold (STH)
Perish - The List (PLST)
Coercion - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Hand of Death - Starter 1999 (S99)
Grim Tutor - Starter 1999 (S99)
Forced March - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Stupor - Arena League 2000 (PAL00)
Soul Burn - Invasion (INV)
Noxious Vapors - Planeshift (PLS)
Mind Rot - Kaladesh Remastered (KLR)
Crippling Fatigue - Hachette UK (PHUK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Swarm Surge MTG card by a specific set like Battle for Zendikar, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Swarm Surge and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Swarm Surge has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Swarm Surge card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2015-08-25 A card with devoid is just colorless. It’s not colorless and the colors of mana in its mana cost.
2015-08-25 A colorless creature given first strike by Swarm Surge won’t lose first strike if it stops being colorless later in the turn.
2015-08-25 Cards with devoid use frames that are variations of the transparent frame traditionally used for Eldrazi. The top part of the card features some color over a background based on the texture of the hedrons that once imprisoned the Eldrazi. This coloration is intended to aid deckbuilding and game play.
2015-08-25 Devoid works in all zones, not just on the battlefield.
2015-08-25 If a card loses devoid, it will still be colorless. This is because effects that change an object’s color (like the one created by devoid) are considered before the object loses devoid.
2015-08-25 Other cards and abilities can give a card with devoid color. If that happens, it’s just the new color, not that color and colorless.

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