Surrak and Goreclaw

{4}{G}{G}
Legendary Creature — Human Bear

Trample

Other creatures you control have trample.

Whenever another nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on it. It gains haste until end of turn.

Set March of the Machine
Rarity Rare

Why Play Surrak and Goreclaw

Creature-based strategies benefit enormously from this powerhouse that turns every new creature into an immediate threat. The combination of granting trample to your entire board and providing both +1/+1 counters and haste to new arrivals creates explosive turns where opponents struggle to establish effective blocks. Green midrange and stompy decks particularly value this card since it accelerates your clock while making smaller utility creatures into legitimate threats that can push through damage.

Format Notes

Commander represents the primary home for Surrak and Goreclaw, where the multiplayer environment allows maximum value from the anthem effect and counter ability. In Pioneer and Modern, the card sees occasional play in creature-heavy green decks, though the six-mana cost competes with other powerful top-end threats. The lack of any ban history reflects its fair power level, requiring board presence to maximize impact rather than winning games single-handedly.

Combos & Synergies

Creature token generators like Scute Swarm create explosive value engines, as each new nontoken copy receives both a counter and haste for immediate pressure. Cards with enters-the-battlefield abilities such as Eternal Witness become significantly more threatening when they arrive as hasty 3/2 creatures instead of vanilla 2/1s. Flicker effects like Ephemerate double-dip on the counter and haste granting, while cards like Restoration Angel become formidable 4/5 flying threats that can attack immediately.

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Creature Trample Haste Token