Seems like I have a tendency to get the Commander questions lately! So, what’s the main difference between Genesis Wave and Primal Surge (besides how easily Surge can whiff)? Mainly, the order of things coming into play. When you Genesis Wave for X=10, any and all permanents you hit will come in simultaneously, all at once, together. With Surge, not so; you go one by one.

So, for example, if you cast Wave with a board of nothing but lands, and you find an Enchant Creature aura in there, it won’t be able to come in attached to anything because you have nothing to attach it to [unless you WANT to put it on your opponent’s guy]. With Surge, though, everything you’ve hit ‘before’ the current permanent is already on the field. Meaning if you hit a land, two creatures, and then an Enchant Creature aura in that order, you can slap it onto one of your creatures.

Also, triggered abilities will care about each game state that happens while Primal Surge is resolving. So if you find a Runeclaw Bear, followed by Mentor of the Meek, the Mentor won’t trigger for the Bear that already entered before it.

Today’s Rules Tip written by
Trevor Nuñez, Level 1 judge from Roswell, NM