Aggressive Urge
Instant
Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
Draw a card.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- G
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Tenth Edition
- Price
- $0.06
- EDHREC rank
- #13524
Aggressive Urge puts a +1/+1 counter on a creature and replaces itself for a single green mana — the floor is already acceptable, but the ceiling is absurd when Precursor Golem or The Howling Abomination is on the board and every copy triggers off the same spell. Outside of those specific shells, it's a fine cantrip that earns its slot without dominating it.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
The Howling Abomination
The Howling Abomination's triggered ability fires whenever you cast an instant or sorcery, and Aggressive Urge is exactly that — a cheap cantrip that replaces itself while ticking the Abomination's counter engine, making it one of the most natural includes in that deck at nearly 46% inclusion.
Legolas, Master Archer
Legolas, Master Archer pings a creature or planeswalker whenever a creature gets a counter, so Aggressive Urge doubles as both a combat trick and a removal trigger on the same mana, which is the core loop the deck is built around.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Aggressive Urge earns its slot almost exclusively in counter-synergy or spell-trigger builds — in a generic goodstuff deck it's just a modest cantrip, but the moment the commander cares about instants or +1/+1 counters the card becomes a two-for-one. Pauper is the format where it competes hardest for a slot, and it's playable there in stompy shells that want cheap pump with card parity. In Legacy, Modern, and Pioneer the card is legal but outclassed by more powerful options, so don't expect to see it outside of niche brews. Vintage and Oathbreaker follow the same logic: Aggressive Urge is format-legal but not format-relevant unless you're deliberately building around it.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Precursor GolemRite of ReplicationLaboratory ManiacAggressive Urge
Infinite card draw; Infinite draw triggers; Near-infinite magecraft triggers; Win the game
View on Commander Spellbook ↗
Precursor GolemRite of ReplicationJace, Wielder of MysteriesAggressive Urge
Infinite card draw; Infinite draw triggers; Near-infinite magecraft triggers; Win the game
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
$0.06 bulk tier
At $0.06, Aggressive Urge is deep bulk — you're essentially getting it for free whenever you order a list. Price stability is a non-issue at this tier; it won't spike unless a future commander pushes cantrip-counter synergies into the mainstream, and even then the reprint risk keeps a ceiling firmly in place.
Explore
Sources
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.