The Surgical Bay MTG Card
2023-02-03 - Number 260
2023-02-03 - Number 62
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Land — Sphere |
Text of card
The Surgical Bay enters the battlefield tapped. : Add . , , Sacrifice The Surgical Bay: Draw a card.
In Jin-Gitaxias's domain, strange and terrible experiments iterate toward perfection, unbound by ethics.
Cards like The Surgical Bay
The Surgical Bay brings a unique twist to the realm of life gain spells in MTG. Its ability to provide incremental health increases is akin to the abilities of cards like Radiant Fountain, which also offers life gain as soon as it enters the battlefield. However, The Surgical Bay presents a continuous option, potentially offering more life over time, which is not an attribute of the one-time effect from Radiant Fountain.
Comparatively, we have cards like Chaplain’s Blessing, another life gain staple. This card gives a sizable chunk of life with a single burst, but again lacks The Surgical Bay’s repeatability. The aspect of consistent life gain each turn can be particularly advantageous in longer matches where sustainability is key. Furthermore, The Pristine Talisman allows players to gain life while mana is being tapped, but The Surgical Bay offers the benefit without the need to tap additional resources.
In evaluating the various life gain methods available, The Surgical Bay stands out as a solid choice for players looking to bolster their defenses over the course of a match, making it a noteworthy consideration in decks that thrive on life gain strategies.
Cards similar to The Surgical Bay by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using The Surgical Bay. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Simic Artifact Aggro | Standard | Simic Artifact Aggro | Traditional Standard Ranked Decklists: March 18, 2024 |
 | Mono-Blue Tempo | Standard | Mono-Blue Tempo | Traditional Standard Ranked Decklists: March 18, 2024 |
 | Dimir Midrange | Standard | Dimir Midrange | Standard Preliminary 2024-02-20 |
 | Mono-Blue Midrange | Free form | Standard Pauper Tournament Feb 2024 | |
 | Dimir Control | Pioneer | Dimir Faeries | Peasant Pioneer Showdown - A Josh and Pat's MTG Bazaar Sponsored Event |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Surgical Bay offers a unique way to control your upcoming draws, ensuring you get the cards needed when it matters most. It’s a key tool in any strategy that thrives on predicting and manipulating future card flow.
Resource Acceleration: This card provides a distinct form of resource acceleration by potentially sorting the top cards of your library. This way, it streamlines access to important resources, thereby accelerating your gameplay and outpacing opponents.
Instant Speed: The ability to act at instant speed gives players the tactical advantage of flexibility. You can respond to your opponents’ moves, optimize your own strategies during their turn, and keep up the momentum without missing a beat.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Surgical Bay mandates discarding a card to activate its capabilities. This trade-off can be detrimental if your hand is already thin, forcing you to lose potentially vital resources needed for later stages of the game.
Specific Mana Cost: The cost to deploy The Surgical Bay is locked into a precise mana combination, which may not blend seamlessly into every deck archetype. This particular demand for mana can restrict the card’s versatility, especially in multicolored or mana-intensive decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Commanding a sizeable chunk of your mana pool, The Surgical Bay’s cost might be too steep compared to other options. For the mana investment, players might expect a more immediate or substantial impact on the board state, which could lead them to seek alternatives with a lower cost or more potent effects.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Surgical Bay offers adaptability across various deck archetypes. As a land card, it provides mana stability while also offering a burst of life gain, a valuable asset in decks that require staying power.
Combo Potential: For decks centering around life gain triggers or strategies, The Surgical Bay can serve as a key component. It can synergize well with cards that benefit from increments of life gain, enhancing their effects and impacting the board state.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where burn or aggro decks are prevalent, The Surgical Bay’s ability to grant incremental life can be a subtle yet powerful means to outlast opponents. It’s a strategic pick capable of tipping the scales in a player’s favor during prolonged matches.
How to beat
Confronting The Surgical Bay in Magic the Gathering requires a strategic approach given its potential to disrupt creature-based strategies. This card can be a linchpin in specific decks, often turning the tide of battle with its ability to repeatedly manage the board when creatures are put into graveyards. To successfully navigate against this threat, it’s essential to reduce its impact on the game.
Effective methods include incorporating enchantment destruction within your deck, giving you the tools to remove The Surgical Bay from the battlefield. Additionally, relying less on graveyard strategies and focusing on cast triggers or enter-the-battlefield effects minimizes the advantages The Surgical Bay can offer to your opponent. Another valuable tactic is to employ countermagic, keeping The Surgical Bay from being played in the first place and preserving the integrity of your creature-based game plan.
Taking these steps can help preserve your on-board advantages, allowing you to work around the constraints imposed by The Surgical Bay and gain the upper hand in your Magic the Gathering matchups. Understanding and adapting to the challenges posed by specific cards like The Surgical Bay is a testament to a player’s strategic depth and skill.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase The Surgical Bay // The Surgical Bay MTG card by a specific set like Phyrexia: All Will Be One Art Series and Phyrexia: All Will Be One, 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 The Surgical Bay // The Surgical Bay 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 The Surgical Bay // The Surgical Bay Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2023-02-03 and 2023-02-03. Illustrated by Sarah Finnigan.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phyrexia: All Will Be One Art Series | AONE | 62 | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | Sarah Finnigan | ||
| 2 | 2023-02-03 | Phyrexia: All Will Be One | ONE | 260 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sarah Finnigan |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where The Surgical Bay has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |