Card Spotlight
Bruce Banner
A 1-mana Temur legend from Marvel Super Heroes that draws cards for mana and life, then transforms into a reach-and-trample Hulk that untaps and swings again every time he's dealt damage.
Commander Spotlight
Bruce Banner ↗
A 1-mana Temur legend from Marvel Super Heroes that draws cards for mana and life, then transforms into a reach-and-trample Hulk that untaps and swings again every time he's dealt damage.
See Bruce Banner's full stats and printings →
Strategies it goes well with
- X-spell and big-mana decks. The front face's {X}{X} draw ability scales with available mana, giving a ramp deck a late-game card-draw sink.
- Combat-damage-to-Hulk shells. Any effect that deals Hulk a controlled amount of damage, such as a fight spell or a ping, triggers Enrage for a bigger body and an extra combat phase.
- Temur midrange. A one-mana card that scales into a real late-game threat fits naturally into a deck with both early plays and a strong top end.
How it does in Commander
As the commander
It's a workable commander for a Temur ramp-and-combat deck, though it works in stages: a cheap draw engine, then an expensive transform, then a combat-dependent payoff. That makes it as valuable in the 99 supporting a similar plan as leading one.
In the 99
A flexible one-mana include in any Temur deck, doing early card selection and holding the option to become a real combat threat later without demanding the rest of the deck be built around it.
Formats it's strong in
- Big-mana and ramp decks. Both the front face's draw ability and the transform cost reward a deck with plenty of mana to spend.
- Decks that can control combat damage. A way to deal a small, controlled amount of damage to Hulk turns Enrage into a repeatable, deck-controlled engine rather than a random one.
Formats it's weak in
- Low-mana or fast decks. The transform cost is steep, and a deck without much spare mana may never flip Bruce Banner into his combat-relevant side at all.
- Decks avoiding combat. The entire Hulk-side payoff is locked behind taking combat damage, which is a poor fit for a deck that isn't planning to fight.
Synergistic cards
Fireball ↗
Another X spell that rewards the same big-mana shell Bruce Banner's front face wants to be part of.
Repercussion ↗
Reflects combat damage back at attackers, which can be used to controllably trigger Enrage on Hulk's own turn.
Cultivate ↗
Straightforward ramp that helps reach both the front-face draw ability and the transform cost sooner.
Any fight or ping effect ↗
A controlled way to deal damage to Hulk turns his Enrage trigger into a repeatable tool rather than a matter of chance.
Is it worth the price?
As a recent-set chase card with real crossover appeal, Bruce Banner carries a moderate price for a set-fresh card. Worth it for a Temur ramp or combat-focused deck; a pass for a deck with little use for either half of what it does.
Frequently asked questions
How do you transform Bruce Banner into The Incredible Hulk?
Pay {2}{R}{R}{G}{G} and tap him, at sorcery speed only. That is a real mana investment, but it turns a one-mana card-draw engine into a reach-and-trample threat with a dangerous combat ability.
How does The Incredible Hulk's Enrage ability work?
Whenever he's dealt damage, put a +1/+1 counter on him, and if he's attacking, untap him and add an additional combat phase after the current one. A single blocker or a burn spell aimed at him mid-combat can lead to extra combat phases and a bigger Hulk.
Is Bruce Banner worth running just for the card draw?
Yes. The {X}{X} draw-X-cards ability on the front face is a real engine on its own for one mana up front, and the option to transform later is a bonus rather than a requirement to get value from the card.