Surge of Zeal
Instant
Radiance — Target creature and each other creature that shares a color with it gain haste until end of turn.
- CMC
- 1
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Ravnica: City of Guilds
- Price
- $0.03
- EDHREC rank
- #24352
Surge of Zeal gives any creature haste until end of turn for a single red mana at instant speed — that's the whole card, and for token doublers, tap-ability commanders, and sacrifice payoffs, that's enough. It's a role-player, not a staple, but in the right shell it costs less than any alternative.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Surge of Zeal earns its slot exclusively in decks that live and die by a commander's tap ability or attack trigger — anywhere haste on the command zone creature on entry translates directly into mana, tokens, or damage that turn. In Pauper, one-mana haste spells see occasional play in aggressive red shells, though Surge of Zeal competes with Expedite, which replaces itself with a draw. Legacy and Vintage have zero interest — the formats move too fast for a spell that does nothing without a creature already in play. The honest Commander verdict: Surge of Zeal is a one-of in the right list, invisible in everything else.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.03 bulk tier
At $0.03, Surge of Zeal is deep bulk — you're paying more for the sleeve than the card. Price stability is irrelevant at this tier; buy a playset for pocket change and don't think about it again.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.