Borborygmos Meets Planeswalkers: Hidden Interactions and Tactics

Image courtesy of Scryfall.com

Hidden Interactions Between Borborygmos and Planeswalkers

If you love a big, stompy creature that plays nicely with the chaos of Gruul, you’re already smiling at the thought of Borborygmos tearing through a crowded board. This legendary Cyclops from Guildpact doesn’t just look the part; it turns aggressive minutes into late-game momentum with a simple, brutal tagline: attack the player, and your creatures grow stronger. With a mana cost of 3}{R}{R}{G}{G} (a hefty seven mana total), Borborygmos is a marquee piece for Red-Green Gruul strategies that want to punch through defenses and flood the battlefield with power. And yes, the trample on a 6/7 body is as satisfying as it sounds 🧙‍♂️🔥.

When Borborygmos deals combat damage to a player, the aftermath is a refreshing bit of synergy: put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control. That’s not a one-off buff; it cascades into a broader board state where every creature becomes more dangerous to planeswalkers and players alike. The key nuance here is the distinction between players and planeswalkers as targets. You don’t trigger the counter-boom by hitting a planeswalker directly—combat damage to a planeswalker doesn’t count as damage to a player. That means your best line of play often involves pressing for game alongside your planeswalker opponent’s loyalty counters, not denting their walkers with Borborygmos’ trigger. It’s a subtle but potent recognition of timing and damage allocation that rewards patient planning and board-presence 🧩🎯.

Practical tactics for planewalker-heavy boards

Set up a wide board before you go tall: Borborygmos wants to threaten lethal commander-style pressure, but you’ll want a chorus of creatures on the battlefield to maximize those +1/+1 counters after you land a hit on an opposing player. Tokens, dupes, and ramp pays off here, making your damage later in the game more efficient than a single punch.
Hold the line when your opponent guards a walker: if the boardstate features a stubborn planeswalker, you can still threaten a game-ending swing by leveraging trample to push excess damage through blockers and onto the player once they’ve got the loyalty dwindling. The moment you connect with the player, your board becomes a wildfire of possibilities 🔥.
Protect the behemoth, but don’t overcommit: Borborygmos is impressive, but you still need to manage removal spells aimed at your centerpiece. In a true Gruul shell, you’ll want a mix of accelerants and answers that keep Borborygmos capable of swinging every turn without getting shot down by a well-timed board wipe.
Bottom-line finishers: with a few turns of combat damage, your creatures start stacking up counters rapidly. The board turns into a volatile, ever-growing tide that can overwhelm planeswalkers and players alike—especially when your commander or other large threats join the party.

“It’s easy to see why those Gruul dirtbags follow him—the only orders he gives are ‘Crush them!’ and ‘We eat!’” —Teysa

The flavor text isn’t just swagger; it mirrors Borborygmos’ style: a raw, primal force that thrives on raw damage and an ever-expanding army of creatures. The Gruul watermark on the card is a visual reminder that this isn’t a finesse engine—it’s a gladiatorial run through a raucous battlefield where every swing may turn the tide in your favor. The artwork by Todd Lockwood captures that brutal, moss-dusted ferocity, and collectors will tell you the nonfoil and foil prints both have their own, tactile punch. Speaking of punches, Borborygmos’ mana cost is a reminder that a late-game Gruul plan doesn’t happen by accident—it’s the payoff of smart mana-base engineering and pressure that makes opponents blink at the wrong moment 🧠💥.

From the table to the scorecard: value and collectability

As a rare card from Guildpact (GPT), Borborygmos sits in a sweet spot for players and collectors who appreciate old-school nexus with modern competitiveness. Its set history isn’t the flashiest, but it provides a robust blueprint for ramp, big creatures, and late-game pressure. Scryfall’s data highlights a modest market price: about $0.30 for the regular print and roughly $1.85 for the foil, with euro equivalents nearby. That makes it accessible for many Modern and Commander decks that want a surprisingly persistent beater with a strong trample line and a clear victory condition when the chips are down. And for the five-color-curious crowd, the Gruul brand on Borborygmos offers a doorway into broader cross-color synergies with other Gruul staples 🎲.

For fans who want the tactile experience of a battle-drenched card in their hands, the detailed illustration and the dramatic flavor text are part of why we collect these pieces. It’s not just about the stats; it’s the memory of slamming those combat steps and watching your board swell with +1/+1 counters as your opponent scrambles to mount a defense. If you’re looking to polish your play space, we love a good tabletop setup—maybe even paired with a custom rectangular mouse pad to keep your desk as exciting as your draws. The product link below is a nod to that idea, merging style and function in one compact package 🧙‍♂️🎨.

Promotional note: a little cross-pollination

In the spirit of synergy and showmanship, this piece also nods to the practical side of gaming life: a high-quality, non-slip mouse pad can keep your focus sharp during long games or online matches. If you’re shopping for gear that fits your MTG hobby, check out the Custom Rectangular Mouse Pad 9 3x7 8 in Non-Slip for a clean, tactile workspace that stands up to epic sessions. It’s the kind of small upgrade that makes a big difference when you’re maneuvering through planeswalker wars and creature hordes alike 🧙‍♂️⚔️.

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Custom Rectangular Mouse Pad 9 3x7 8 in Non-Slip