Savage Surge MTG Card
2012-10-05 - Number 133
2013-09-27 - Number 176
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Instant |
Text of card
Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Untap that creature.
Gruul warriors never need to be stirred to battle. They need only to be shown where the battle is.
Cards like Savage Surge
Savage Surge is a stimulating entry in the pantheon of combat tricks in Magic: The Gathering. It bears resemblance to cards like Giant Growth, which is also famous for its instant boost to a creature’s power and toughness. Savage Surge, however, differentiates itself by allowing the targeted creature to untap, offering not only a combat advantage but potential defensive utility as well.
In the same category, we have cards like Titanic Growth that offer a bigger power boost, however they lack the ability to untap the creature, which can be crucial for surprising double-duty plays during your turn or for unexpected blocks. There’s also Vines of Vastwood, which provides the boost and can act as a shield for your creature from spells or abilities your opponents control. Each of these cards has its unique application, but Savage Surge’s untap ability can be situationally superior, offering strategic versatility.
Assessing the options available for bolstering creatures in the middle of combat or during main phases, Savage Surge holds its own. Its dual-purpose nature blends aggression with a tactical edge, making it a noteworthy spell in decks that aim to capitalize on creature abilities and combat tricks.
Cards similar to Savage Surge by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: With Savage Surge, you can create unexpected twists during combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn. Though it doesn’t draw cards directly, it can help a creature survive combat and potentially eliminate an enemy creature, indirectly working towards card advantage by preserving your board state.
Resource Acceleration: Savage Surge doesn’t produce mana or Treasure tokens, but the additional combat phase it enables allows you to get more use out of your creatures. This could translate into accelerated resource development by taking out an opponent’s blocker and paving the way for future plays.
Instant Speed: The instant speed of Savage Surge provides flexibility, allowing you to cast it during combat or in response to an opponent’s actions. This unpredictability can shift the tide of a match, making it a strategic tool for responding to threats or creating opportunities on the fly.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Savage Surge powers up a creature with a swift boost, it does not exempt players from the sometimes strenuous prerequisite of keeping the right mana available. Being caught without the needed green mana can stall your strategy significantly.
Specific Mana Cost: Savage Surge’s reliance on green mana exclusively means it slots into mono-green or compatible multicolor decks that can utilize this hue effectively. It remains inaccessible and thus situational for a myriad of other deck types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For the temporary advantage the spell offers, there are alternative cards that could bring a permanent increase or a broader impact to the game with a similar or even lower mana investment. This positions Savage Surge as a costly choice when deckbuilding with efficiency in mind.
Reasons to Include Savage Surge in Your Collection
Versatility: Savage Surge is adaptable to green decks that appreciate an unexpected boost during combat. It can be used not only to untap a creature but also to give it a crucial +2/+2 until end of turn, potentially swinging the battle in your favor.
Combo Potential: This instant pairs well with creatures that have tap abilities. By untapping a creature with Savage Surge, you can reuse their abilities within a single turn, playing into powerful combo setups.
Meta-Relevance: With the ever-evolving metagame, cards that provide instant-speed interaction, like Savage Surge, maintain their relevance. Being able to respond to an opponent’s threats or altering combat math can be invaluable in many matchups.
How to beat
Savage Surge is a card known for the sudden boost it gives creatures in battle within the realms of Magic: The Gathering. This quick trick can easily turn the tide of combat, by not only increasing a creature’s power and toughness but also by unexpectedly readying it for either offense or defense. To effectively counter Savage Surge, you’ll want to focus on cards or strategies that neutralize combat tricks, like instant-speed removal or spells that deny your opponent’s creature any chance to capitalize on the temporary boost in stats.
Consider employing instant-speed spot removal spells that can interrupt the combat phase before Savage Surge can affect the outcome. Alternatively, using counter spells to prevent Savage Surge from resolving in the first place is a solid strategy. Lastly, damage-prevention effects or cards that grant indestructibility for a turn can help you navigate the surprise factor of a beefed-up attacker or blocker, allowing you to maintain control of the battlefield despite your opponent’s attempt at a Savage Surge-powered surge.
Staying one step ahead with a keen sense of when to hold back those pivotal instant cards can make all the difference when facing off against the element of surprise in Magic: The Gathering battles.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Savage Surge MTG card by a specific set like Return to Ravnica and Theros, 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 Savage Surge and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Savage Surge Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2012-10-05 and 2013-09-27. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012-10-05 | Return to Ravnica | RTR | 133 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov | |
| 2 | 2013-09-27 | Theros | THS | 176 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Jasper Sandner |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Savage Surge has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Savage Surge card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-09-15 | Savage Surge can target an untapped creature. |