Kozilek, Butcher of Truth MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost10
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Eldrazi
Abilities Annihilator
Power 12
Toughness 12

Key Takeaways

  1. Kozilek grants immediate card advantage, drawing four cards and strengthening your hand upon casting.
  2. Its Annihilator 4 ability means opponents must sacrifice four permanents, decimating their board presence.
  3. Although powerful, its specific mana requirements and high cost present both deck-building and casting challenges.

Text of card

When you cast Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, draw four cards. Annihilator 4 (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player sacrifices four permanents.) When Kozilek is put into a graveyard from anywhere, its owner shuffles his or her graveyard into his or her library.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When you cast Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, you draw four cards. This substantial increase to your hand means you’re well-equipped to dominate the game, keeping your options flexible and your opponents on their toes.

Resource Acceleration: With Kozilek’s formidable Annihilator 4 ability, you impose a heavy toll on your opponents by forcing them to sacrifice four permanents whenever Kozilek attacks. This guarantees a form of indirect resource acceleration, tilting the resource balance heavily in your favor by stripping opponents of critical assets.

Instant Speed: Although Kozilek itself doesn’t function at instant speed, its presence inspires a strategy incorporating instant-speed interaction to protect this colossal investment. Ensuring your behemoth reaches the battlefield often involves holding mana up for counterspells or protection, which is a tactic embraced in decks featuring this powerhouse.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When summoning Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, you must have a substantial card presence in hand due to its Annihilator 4 ability compelling opponents to sacrifice four permanents. If your hand is empty or limited, this requirement can become a significant drawback.

Specific Mana Cost: Kozilek has a rigorous colorless mana requirement, necessitating ten mana of any type but also requiring at last ‘two’ colorless mana which can pose deck-building challenges and restricts its integration into multicolored or color-specific decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Coming with a steep price of ten mana, Kozilek can be tough to cast especially when compared with other cards in the same mana range that might not offer the same level of impact but are easier to summon or have alternative casting options.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Kozilek, Butcher of Truth is a dynamic addition to decks that require a high-impact creature. Its sheer power level provides a strong play in any ramp or Eldrazi-themed deck, especially those looking for formidable finishers.

Combo Potential: This Eldrazi giant has innate synergy with graveyard strategies, allowing it to reshuffle your graveyard back into your library. This function pairs well with effects that capitalize on drawing cards or discarding for value, essentially resetting your resources.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where games tend to stretch into longer battles, Kozilek can play a crucial role. Its Annihilator ability helps dismantle well-established board states, making it a relevant choice for disrupting many slow-building or controlling decks.


How to beat

Kozilek, Butcher of Truth is a formidable presence in any MTG battle. As an Eldrazi titan, this card can steamroll through defenses thanks to its massive power and toughness, along with an annihilator ability that forces opponents to sacrifice permanents. Player strategies often revolve around either rushing Kozilek out through mana ramping techniques or using it as a trump card to seal a late-game victory. To overcome this leviathan, smart deck building and strategic play are crucial.

Counter spells, such as Disallow or Negate, can prevent Kozilek from ever entering the battlefield. Direct removal spells, like Path to Exile or Terminate, are another alternative, effectively dealing with it after it’s cast. Graveyard hate cards, for instance, Rest in Peace or Relic of Progenitus, can disrupt the reshuffle ability of Kozilek, ensuring it doesn’t come back to terrorize the battlefield again. The key lies in anticipating this threat and preparing your deck accordingly to nullify Kozilek’s impact on the game.

Whether it’s instant speed interaction or enduring board presence, ensuring you have the tools to counteract Kozilek’s dominance will often determine the tide of battle. Successful players recognize the potential threat of such a powerhouse and plan their strategy to dismantle its influence, turning the tides in their favor for the win.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the impact of Kozilek, Butcher of Truth in MTG goes beyond its immediate board presence. With its ability to draw cards, accelerate resources, and serve as a key piece in Eldrazi-themed decks, Kozilek proves to be a game-changer in many scenarios. Balancing your deck to mitigate its drawbacks is essential for harnessing its full potential. Whether facing off against this titan or utilizing it yourself, it’s crucial to develop strategies that emphasize preparedness and adaptation. Join the MTG community at BurnMana to deepen your knowledge and strategies, ensuring that Kozilek contributes to your next victory.


Cards like Kozilek, Butcher of Truth

Kozilek, Butcher of Truth stands as a juggernaut among eldrazi creatures in Magic: The Gathering. Sharing the battlefield with behemoths like Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre, Kozilek offers a unique mix of annihilation and card advantage. Where Ulamog indiscriminately devours permanents on cast, Kozilek replenishes your hand, drawing four cards which can significantly alter the tide of the game. Additionally, while both creatures possess the formidable annihilator ability, Kozilek’s ensures a boundless library with its reshuffle clause.

Another comparable colossus is Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, renowned not just for its annihilator feature, but for granting an extra turn upon casting. However, Kozilek’s lower mana cost allows for a swifter play, despite the absence of Emrakul’s time-bending chaos. It’s also worth noting that while Emrakul is impervious to colored spells, Kozilek offers protection through its hand replenishment and reshuffling, safeguarding against mill strategies. This makes Kozilek a double threat, both offensively and as a defensive archival resource.

Overall, each of these monstrously scaled cards impacts the game’s momentum in their way. Kozilek, Butcher of Truth attracts players seeking both aggressive board presence and self-sustaining deck resilience, cultivating a reputation as a pivot in Magic: The Gathering for players wielding the might of eldrazi titans.

Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre - MTG Card versions
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn - MTG Card versions
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn - Rise of the Eldrazi Promos (PROE)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kozilek, Butcher of Truth MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Rise of the Eldrazi, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Kozilek, Butcher of Truth and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Kozilek, Butcher of Truth Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2010-04-23 and 2022-07-08. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 1023492015normalblackIan Miller
22010-04-23Rise of the EldraziROE 62003normalblackMichael Komarck
32015-05-22Modern Masters 2015MM2 52015normalblackMichael Komarck
42018-12-07Ultimate MastersUMA 62015normalblackMichael Komarck
52020-09-26The ListPLST UMA-62015normalblackMichael Komarck
62022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 4142015normalblackMichael Komarck
72022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 22015normalblackMichael Komarck
82022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 5762015normalborderlessIan Miller
92022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 3362015normalborderlessIan Miller

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Kozilek, Butcher of Truth has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Kozilek, Butcher of Truth card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2010-06-15 Annihilator abilities trigger and resolve during the declare attackers step. The defending player chooses and sacrifices the required number of permanents before they declare blockers. Any creatures sacrificed this way won’t be able to block.
2010-06-15 If a creature with annihilator is attacking a planeswalker, and the defending player chooses to sacrifice that planeswalker, the attacking creature continues to attack. It may be blocked. If it isn’t blocked, it simply won’t deal combat damage to anything.
2018-12-07 Kozilek’s first ability triggers as you cast it, and that ability resolves before the spell itself. It resolves even if the spell is countered.

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