MagicTheGathering.fyi

Surly Badgersaur

Creature — Badger Dinosaur

Whenever you discard a creature card, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
Whenever you discard a land card, create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.")
Whenever you discard a noncreature, nonland card, this creature fights up to one target creature you don't control.

CMC
4
Mana cost
{3}{R}
Color identity
R
Rarity
rare
Set
Commander 2020
Price
$11.44
EDHREC rank
#3216
Buy on TCGplayer
Surly Badgersaur card art
Surly Badgersaur turns every discarded card into a board threat — a +1/+1 counter, a 1/1 Dinosaur token, or a Lightning Bolt to any target, depending on the card type you pitch. Decks built around cycling or high-volume discard, from Borborygmos Enraged to Gavi, Nest Warden, get a three-mode payoff on a single four-mana body that snowballs faster than opponents expect.

Best Commanders

Commanders with the highest synergy

01
Gavi, Nest Warden

Gavi, Nest Warden

51.5% of decks · synergy 0.50

Gavi, Nest Warden makes the first cycle each turn free, which means Surly Badgersaur triggers every single turn at zero additional cost — the Dinosaur token engine runs on autopilot.

02

Clive, Ifrit's Dominant

51.6% of decks · synergy 0.49

Clive, Ifrit's Dominant rewards stacking the graveyard and pitching cards aggressively, so Surly Badgersaur converts that discard volume directly into counters and tokens without requiring a second engine piece.

03
Captain Howler, Sea Scourge

Captain Howler, Sea Scourge

47.6% of decks · synergy 0.46

Captain Howler, Sea Scourge builds around discarding cards for value, and Surly Badgersaur slots in as a persistent payoff that punishes opponents for letting it sit on the board for even two or three turns.

05
Brallin, Skyshark RiderShabraz, the Skyshark

Brallin, Skyshark Rider // Shabraz, the Skyshark

38.6% of decks · synergy 0.37

Brallin, Skyshark Rider // Shabraz, the Skyshark already incentivizes mass cycling, and Surly Badgersaur stacks on top as a secondary payoff — every cycle that triggers Brallin also grows the Badgersaur or produces a token.

Format Analysis

Where it lives, where it can’t

FormatVerdict
commander legal
legacy legal
modern not legal
pioneer not legal
standard not legal
vintage legal
pauper not legal
oathbreaker legal

Commander is where Surly Badgersaur belongs — the multiplayer game gives it enough time to accumulate counters and tokens before opponents can answer it, and the deep pool of cycling and discard synergies means the right shell is easy to find. Legacy and Vintage are legal homes in theory, but a four-mana creature that requires setup has no realistic path to those tables when faster threats dominate. Oathbreaker works in principle for the same reason Commander does, though the 20-life starting total compresses the window it has to take over.

Key Combos

Combo lines featuring this card

Budget Alternatives

Cheaper options that do most of the same work

If Surly Badgersaur is out of budget, Fluctuator pairs with cycling payoffs at a fraction of the cost and accelerates the same engine, though it contributes nothing to the board itself. Archfiend of Ifnir occupies a similar discard-matters slot and answers opposing creatures, but it doesn't generate tokens or deal direct damage, so the two cards fill adjacent roles rather than identical ones.

Price Context

Current price

$11.44 mid tier

At $11.44, Surly Badgersaur sits in the mid tier — notable enough to feel in a budget build but not a barrier for anyone already invested in a cycling or discard commander. The price reflects genuine demand across multiple popular commanders rather than speculation, so it's stable spending rather than a gamble.

Explore

Sources

Mentioned

← All cards

Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.