The new surge mechanic is very interesting. It works very well with storm and prowess and in any deck with multiple spells and low CMC curves. I really hope they print one or two low CMC surge cards that can affect modern. With this in mind let's see your surge speculation. Here is my speculation/hope:
Oath's Surge 1UU
Instant
Draw two cards.
Surge: UU
Chandra's Strike 1R
Surge: 1R
Deal 2 damage to target creature or player. If the Surge cost was paid, deal 4 damage to target creature or player.
Chandra's Firebolt RU
Instant
Surge: 1RU
Deal 3 damage to target creature. If the surge cost was paid, deal 3 damage to target creature and draw a card.
The first card is the card I really hope they make because it would be very hard to cast at the end of turn for the surge cost, but would be great for the surge costs. Just thinking about a few options shows that they can use the surge mechanic is numerous different ways. I'm not fully sure how it works yet or if the surge cost can be the same as the regular casting cost, if it can be more, or just less, etc. However, there are tons of ways they can go with surge. I think the surge mechanic will be a homerun. What Surge cards would you like to see or what surge cards to you think they will make?
This card is way above Standard's (and even Modern's) power level.
I'm just hoping for anything for modern Storm. It would be fun to update that deck.
I like to live in magical Christmas land before the cards are actual spoiled :). One can dream. Your right though. That's a bit to powerful. I amended the design.
I think surge is the mechanic that can help get a decent draw spell into modern after the treasure cruise debacle. What would be reasonable? It would have to live somewhere between treasure cruise and Perilous research, telling time, etc to see play in modern. The former was broken and the later see no play. Maybe this would be better:
Oaths Surge 1UU
Instant
Surge: UU
Draw two cards.
It may have to be a sorcery but I would much prefer if the printed it at instant. I'm an izzet player at heart.
I'm thinking surge will only appear in 4cost or higher spells. reason being, you could chain together some strong stuff if there's anything as cool as tentacles in cheap spells. cheap surge instants?
wizards can't be that cool with this new set to totally hook us up with actually good solid cards. lol
What about surge creatures for a weenies deck? such as
Surgebear 1w
Creature-Bear Ally
Surge w
2/2
That card seems fine in a vacuum, but my initial reaction to theoretical surge creatures is that they'd be very high-variance and potentially unhealthy. I don't want a deck to emerge where a good opening hand results in four efficient weenies being vomited onto the board by turn 2 in 50% of matches, winning easily, while in the other 50% of matches the deck is stuck playing Grizzly Bears. High-variance aggro, in general, seems terrible for the health of any formats where it's remotely competent.
That's not to say it's an unworkable idea, but it should be kept to a minimum at the lowest mana costs. A single Surgebear in OGW would be okay, but I'd seriously hate to see a Surge-Aggro deck become a thing.
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Formerly Angrypossum over at the now-defunct WotC forums.
I'm thinking surge will only appear in 4cost or higher spells. reason being, you could chain together some strong stuff if there's anything as cool as tentacles in cheap spells. cheap surge instants?
wizards can't be that cool with this new set to totally hook us up with actually good solid cards. lol
Unfortunately, I agree with you. I highly doubt there will be any low costed playable surge cards. I really hope they suprise me and do print a couple that would be playable in modern, but the mechanic lends itself to higher costed cards. Like, I said before, I am going to continue to hope that they actually do print something good and live in magical christmas land until they spoil all the cards and burn christmas land to the ground :).
I don't think they'll print 'draw 2' at less than 3CMC, even with Surge.
Much more likely:
U
Instant
Draw a card. If you paid its Surge Cost, Scry 2.
Surge 1U
This would do a Serum Visions impression with Surge (yes, only an impression), while the non-Surge version would enable all other Surge cards.
Very cool design. I would love to see this card printed. At instant speed it would probably be worth it in some decks, but the instant speed is really hurt by the surge cost because it could only be played at instant speed with another instant. Great thinking as a surge enabler.
Resist Consumption1WW Instant
Surge 1W
Exile all creatures you control until end of turn. If you paid Resist Consumption's surge cost, prevent all combat damage that you would take this turn.
Mental SynergyU Instant
Surge 1UU
Draw a card. If you paid ~'s surge cost, draw two more cards.
Dread Eye2BB Instant
Surge 1BB
Creatures you don't control get -1/-1 until end of turn. If you paid Dread Eye's surge cost, destroy target creature.
Inspired Rage2R Sorcery
Surge 1R
Creatures you control get +1/+0, haste, and trample until end of turn. If you paid Inspired Rage's surge cost, put a 3/1 red elemental creature token with haste onto the battlefield.
Survival1GG Instant
Surge G
Creatures you control gains hexproof and indestructible until end of turn. If you paid Survival's surge cost, target creature you control gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Resist Consumption1WW Instant
Surge 1W
Exile all creatures you control until end of turn. If you paid Resist Consumption's surge cost, prevent all combat damage that you would take this turn.
Mental SynergyU Instant
Surge 1UU
Draw a card. If you paid ~'s surge cost, draw two more cards.
Dread Eye2BB Instant
Surge 1BB
Creatures you don't control get -1/-1 until end of turn. If you paid Dread Eye's surge cost, destroy target creature.
Inspired Rage2R Sorcery
Surge 1R
Creatures you control get +1/+0, haste, and trample until end of turn. If you paid Inspired Rage's surge cost, put a 3/1 red elemental creature token with haste onto the battlefield.
Survival1GG Instant
Surge G
Creatures you control gains hexproof and indestructible until end of turn. If you paid Survival's surge cost, target creature you control gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
These are all great and showcase the large range the developers have with the surge mechanic. I REALLY hope they try to do something similar to your mental synergy design. Surge is a great opportunity to final get a decent draw spell into modern without making it immediately splashable in every deck like Treasure Cruise.
What I would like to see in surge cards... mine are quite high in power level, but I like that in non-creature/non-planeswalker spells.
Tide Calling - 1UU - Uncommon Instant
Surge UU
Return target permanent to it's owners hand. If Tide Calling's Surge cost was paid, untap up to two Islands you control.
Flames of Purphoros 1R - Uncommon Instant
Surge R
Deal 2 damage to target creature or player. If Flames of Purphoros's Surge cost was paid, deal 3 damage to target creature or player instead.
Death's Gaze - 2BB - Uncommon Instant
Surge 2B
Target creature gets -5/-5 until end of turn. If Death's Gaze's Surge cost was paid, that creatures controller discards a card.
Fury of the Gods - 3WWW - Rare Sorcery
Surge 1WWW
Destroy all creatures and planeswalkers. If Fury of the Gods' Surge cost was paid, exile all creatures and planeswalkers instead.
Bear Hug - 4GG - Rare Sorcery
Surge 3GG
Put 3 2/2 Green Bear tokens onto the battlefield. If Bear Hug's Surge cost was paid, put in 3 3/3 Green Bear tokens with trample into the battlefield instead.
Scowl of the Eldrazi - 10 - Mythic Sorcery
Surge CCCCCCCC
Destroy up to three target colored permanents. If Scowl of the Eldrazi's Surge cost was paid put a colorless 8/8 Eldrazi token with trample into play for each permanent destroyed this way.
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Currently playing: Legacy: RUB Grixis Delver | RUGB 4c Control Modern: UR Affinity | RWG Burn EDH: R Krenko Combo | UR Mizzix WomboCombo | U Arcum Daggson Combo | WUBG Atraxa Dumpster Fire French Duels EDH: BUG Leovold, Emissary of Trest Prison Standard: Standard Sucks
Awesome designs! I am really loving this mechanic. I love mind over matter, flames of purphoros, and bear hug. All of the designs are awesome. The one that really sounds like a great card that I could def see inclusion is flame walker goblin. They could def use surge to print "fixed" creatures.
Awesome designs! I am really loving this mechanic. I love mind over matter, flames of purphoros, and bear hug. All of the designs are awesome. The one that really sounds like a great card that I could def see inclusion is flame walker goblin. They could def use surge to print "fixed" creatures.
Thanks, I just thought, well what sounds really good to play, then scale it back to something like a 6th pick draft card. They don't make great top decks, but if I go turn 1 goblin guide, turn 2 bolt your creature, Play Flamewake Goblin, it sounds really good. Now, draw it on turn 6, and you are hellbent, well, not so good.
On another note, has anyone realized that that draw land that was spoiled is in this set to prevent this from happening? Pay 3, and potentially draw a spell and a surge card from being hellbent?
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
Resist Consumption1WW Instant
Surge 1W
Exile all creatures you control until end of turn. If you paid Resist Consumption's surge cost, prevent all combat damage that you would take this turn.
Mental SynergyU Instant
Surge 1UU
Draw a card. If you paid ~'s surge cost, draw two more cards.
Dread Eye2BB Instant
Surge 1BB
Creatures you don't control get -1/-1 until end of turn. If you paid Dread Eye's surge cost, destroy target creature.
Inspired Rage2R Sorcery
Surge 1R
Creatures you control get +1/+0, haste, and trample until end of turn. If you paid Inspired Rage's surge cost, put a 3/1 red elemental creature token with haste onto the battlefield.
Survival1GG Instant
Surge G
Creatures you control gains hexproof and indestructible until end of turn. If you paid Survival's surge cost, target creature you control gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
The red sorcery is odd since the element don't get the bonuses with the current way it is written
The Surge part could be written "If you paid Surge Cost, instead put a 3/1 red elemental creature token onto the battlefield, then creatures you control get +1/+0 and haste until end of turn."
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All your base are belong to us!
RIP Batman guy. I hope somebody picks up the slack now that you are gone. Sick children need their Batman.
The red sorcery is odd since the element don't get the bonuses with the current way it is written
Did that on purpose, the black one has an issue though, given that surge is meant for 2 headed giant and it hurts your ally. I should have done 'opposing creatures', rather than ones you 'don't control'.
Empathogen you make a great point. They did make it very evident that the surge mechanic was for two headed giant. I didn't think they would expressly make any cards just for a teammate, but they very well could.
There are so many ways they could go with surge, but I think most people would like to see the following:
1. A draw spell that is actually playable (actual card advantage, not deck manipulation). We don't have any good blue card draw spells in modern and this would be a great way to include a good draw spell with a draw back that not every deck could fulfill easily.
2. A Burn spell. WOTC has made it evident that they will not be printing 3 damage to target creature or player at instant speed for 2 CMC or less anymore. However, the surge mechanic makes it possible to print the card as long as you play an additional spell.
3. A great surge creature. I realize that surge is for spell based decks, but I would love to see a creature that comes into play with a value well above it's casting cost if you pay the surge cost. The creature would preferably be red or blue, but this would be a really cool card. Again, not every deck could play the card so I don't think it would be too powerful.
3. A board wipe. WOTC has also stated they won't be printing any 4 CMC board wipes anymore. Surge again gives the possibility of creating a 4 CMC board wipe as a surge cost. Of course, this would mean it isn't really a 4 CMC (unless you play a phyrexian costed card in extended formats), but surge opens up a number of possible board wipes, -1/-1 counters, etc.
I am very excited to see if there are any playable surge cards in extended formats. Let me know what type of card I left of the list or if you agree or disagree.
Resist Consumption1WW Instant
Surge 1W
Exile all creatures you control until end of turn. If you paid Resist Consumption's surge cost, prevent all combat damage that you would take this turn.
Mental SynergyU Instant
Surge 1UU
Draw a card. If you paid ~'s surge cost, draw two more cards.
Dread Eye2BB Instant
Surge 1BB
Creatures you don't control get -1/-1 until end of turn. If you paid Dread Eye's surge cost, destroy target creature.
Inspired Rage2R Sorcery
Surge 1R
Creatures you control get +1/+0, haste, and trample until end of turn. If you paid Inspired Rage's surge cost, put a 3/1 red elemental creature token with haste onto the battlefield.
Survival1GG Instant
Surge G
Creatures you control gains hexproof and indestructible until end of turn. If you paid Survival's surge cost, target creature you control gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
I love how resist consumption would work in this block. Usually this would be a good card to protect your dudes, but the eldrazi processors can place them in your graveyard.
I also wonder if there is a world where any rebound cards or Narset might be somewhat more relevant or usable with these cards. Rebound casts a spell with no mana used leaving the surge cost more available. And if rebound ever became a thing, it makes me wonder if more Eldrazi processors might see play...
You don't call "dying to removal" if the removal is more expensive in resources than the creature. If you have to spend BG (Abrupt Decay), or W + basic land (PtE) to remove a 1G, that is not "dying to removal". Strictly speaking Goyf dies to removal, but actually your removal is dying to Goyf.
Oath's Surge 1UU
Instant
Draw two cards.
Surge: UU
Chandra's Strike 1R
Surge: 1R
Deal 2 damage to target creature or player. If the Surge cost was paid, deal 4 damage to target creature or player.
Chandra's Firebolt RU
Instant
Surge: 1RU
Deal 3 damage to target creature. If the surge cost was paid, deal 3 damage to target creature and draw a card.
The first card is the card I really hope they make because it would be very hard to cast at the end of turn for the surge cost, but would be great for the surge costs. Just thinking about a few options shows that they can use the surge mechanic is numerous different ways. I'm not fully sure how it works yet or if the surge cost can be the same as the regular casting cost, if it can be more, or just less, etc. However, there are tons of ways they can go with surge. I think the surge mechanic will be a homerun. What Surge cards would you like to see or what surge cards to you think they will make?
This card is way above Standard's (and even Modern's) power level.
I'm just hoping for anything for modern Storm. It would be fun to update that deck.
Standard
BWC Eldrazi
UBR Grixis Tutelage
Modern
UR Storm
Legacy
Landless Dredge
Pauper
U Delver
Commander
UR Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
I like to live in magical Christmas land before the cards are actual spoiled :). One can dream. Your right though. That's a bit to powerful. I amended the design.
I think surge is the mechanic that can help get a decent draw spell into modern after the treasure cruise debacle. What would be reasonable? It would have to live somewhere between treasure cruise and Perilous research, telling time, etc to see play in modern. The former was broken and the later see no play. Maybe this would be better:
Oaths Surge 1UU
Instant
Surge: UU
Draw two cards.
It may have to be a sorcery but I would much prefer if the printed it at instant. I'm an izzet player at heart.
Surgebear 1w
Creature-Bear Ally
Surge w
2/2
wizards can't be that cool with this new set to totally hook us up with actually good solid cards. lol
That card seems fine in a vacuum, but my initial reaction to theoretical surge creatures is that they'd be very high-variance and potentially unhealthy. I don't want a deck to emerge where a good opening hand results in four efficient weenies being vomited onto the board by turn 2 in 50% of matches, winning easily, while in the other 50% of matches the deck is stuck playing Grizzly Bears. High-variance aggro, in general, seems terrible for the health of any formats where it's remotely competent.
That's not to say it's an unworkable idea, but it should be kept to a minimum at the lowest mana costs. A single Surgebear in OGW would be okay, but I'd seriously hate to see a Surge-Aggro deck become a thing.
That's a very interesting idea. I hope they do try surge on creatures.
Unfortunately, I agree with you. I highly doubt there will be any low costed playable surge cards. I really hope they suprise me and do print a couple that would be playable in modern, but the mechanic lends itself to higher costed cards. Like, I said before, I am going to continue to hope that they actually do print something good and live in magical christmas land until they spoil all the cards and burn christmas land to the ground :).
Much more likely:
U
Instant
Draw a card. If you paid its Surge Cost, Scry 2.
Surge 1U
This would do a Serum Visions impression with Surge (yes, only an impression), while the non-Surge version would enable all other Surge cards.
Very cool design. I would love to see this card printed. At instant speed it would probably be worth it in some decks, but the instant speed is really hurt by the surge cost because it could only be played at instant speed with another instant. Great thinking as a surge enabler.
Instant
Surge 1W
Exile all creatures you control until end of turn. If you paid Resist Consumption's surge cost, prevent all combat damage that you would take this turn.
Mental Synergy U
Instant
Surge 1UU
Draw a card. If you paid ~'s surge cost, draw two more cards.
Dread Eye 2BB
Instant
Surge 1BB
Creatures you don't control get -1/-1 until end of turn. If you paid Dread Eye's surge cost, destroy target creature.
Inspired Rage 2R
Sorcery
Surge 1R
Creatures you control get +1/+0, haste, and trample until end of turn. If you paid Inspired Rage's surge cost, put a 3/1 red elemental creature token with haste onto the battlefield.
Survival 1GG
Instant
Surge G
Creatures you control gains hexproof and indestructible until end of turn. If you paid Survival's surge cost, target creature you control gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
These are all great and showcase the large range the developers have with the surge mechanic. I REALLY hope they try to do something similar to your mental synergy design. Surge is a great opportunity to final get a decent draw spell into modern without making it immediately splashable in every deck like Treasure Cruise.
Tide Calling - 1UU - Uncommon
Instant
Surge UU
Return target permanent to it's owners hand. If Tide Calling's Surge cost was paid, untap up to two Islands you control.
Flames of Purphoros 1R - Uncommon
Instant
Surge R
Deal 2 damage to target creature or player. If Flames of Purphoros's Surge cost was paid, deal 3 damage to target creature or player instead.
Death's Gaze - 2BB - Uncommon
Instant
Surge 2B
Target creature gets -5/-5 until end of turn. If Death's Gaze's Surge cost was paid, that creatures controller discards a card.
Fury of the Gods - 3WWW - Rare
Sorcery
Surge 1WWW
Destroy all creatures and planeswalkers. If Fury of the Gods' Surge cost was paid, exile all creatures and planeswalkers instead.
Bear Hug - 4GG - Rare
Sorcery
Surge 3GG
Put 3 2/2 Green Bear tokens onto the battlefield. If Bear Hug's Surge cost was paid, put in 3 3/3 Green Bear tokens with trample into the battlefield instead.
Scowl of the Eldrazi - 10 - Mythic
Sorcery
Surge CCCCCCCC
Destroy up to three target colored permanents. If Scowl of the Eldrazi's Surge cost was paid put a colorless 8/8 Eldrazi token with trample into play for each permanent destroyed this way.
Legacy:
RUB Grixis Delver | RUGB 4c Control
Modern:
UR Affinity | RWG Burn
EDH:
R Krenko Combo | UR Mizzix WomboCombo | U Arcum Daggson Combo | WUBG Atraxa Dumpster Fire
French Duels EDH:
BUG Leovold, Emissary of Trest Prison
Standard:
Standard Sucks
RIP Batman guy. I hope somebody picks up the slack now that you are gone. Sick children need their Batman.
Mind over Matter - 1UU
Instant
Draw two cards, then discard a card.
Surge - UU If ~ Surge cost was paid, draw three cards, then discard a card.
I think that could be a real card.
Also,
Flamewaker Goblin - 1R
Surge - R If surge was paid, ~ Gains haste until end of turn
2/2
A new variant on Goblin Guide, and I think it would be a great addition at a reasonable power level.
Thanks, I just thought, well what sounds really good to play, then scale it back to something like a 6th pick draft card. They don't make great top decks, but if I go turn 1 goblin guide, turn 2 bolt your creature, Play Flamewake Goblin, it sounds really good. Now, draw it on turn 6, and you are hellbent, well, not so good.
On another note, has anyone realized that that draw land that was spoiled is in this set to prevent this from happening? Pay 3, and potentially draw a spell and a surge card from being hellbent?
Card Surge 3UU
Sorcery
Surge 2UU
Draw 3 cards.
If Surge was paid, each player on your team draws two cards instead.
Reprint Stasis!
Control needs more love.
EDH:
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm
WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW
WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
The red sorcery is odd since the element don't get the bonuses with the current way it is written
RIP Batman guy. I hope somebody picks up the slack now that you are gone. Sick children need their Batman.
Did that on purpose, the black one has an issue though, given that surge is meant for 2 headed giant and it hurts your ally. I should have done 'opposing creatures', rather than ones you 'don't control'.
There are so many ways they could go with surge, but I think most people would like to see the following:
1. A draw spell that is actually playable (actual card advantage, not deck manipulation). We don't have any good blue card draw spells in modern and this would be a great way to include a good draw spell with a draw back that not every deck could fulfill easily.
2. A Burn spell. WOTC has made it evident that they will not be printing 3 damage to target creature or player at instant speed for 2 CMC or less anymore. However, the surge mechanic makes it possible to print the card as long as you play an additional spell.
3. A great surge creature. I realize that surge is for spell based decks, but I would love to see a creature that comes into play with a value well above it's casting cost if you pay the surge cost. The creature would preferably be red or blue, but this would be a really cool card. Again, not every deck could play the card so I don't think it would be too powerful.
3. A board wipe. WOTC has also stated they won't be printing any 4 CMC board wipes anymore. Surge again gives the possibility of creating a 4 CMC board wipe as a surge cost. Of course, this would mean it isn't really a 4 CMC (unless you play a phyrexian costed card in extended formats), but surge opens up a number of possible board wipes, -1/-1 counters, etc.
I am very excited to see if there are any playable surge cards in extended formats. Let me know what type of card I left of the list or if you agree or disagree.
I love how resist consumption would work in this block. Usually this would be a good card to protect your dudes, but the eldrazi processors can place them in your graveyard.
thats my cube
It only takes a single Serum Visions or Lightning Bolt to start a surge.
This gives me rebound vibes, like the spells are going to be purposely underpowered or niche in application for getting the best value out of them.
"OH GOD MY BRAIN IS EXPLOADING AT HOW BAD THE ART IS ON MY OWN CARD"
-A friend's first impression of Ancestral Recall
10/10, I tapped.