Sarulf, Realm Eater is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Whenever a permanent an opponent controls is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on Sarulf. At the beginning of your upkeep, if Sarulf has one or more +1/+1 counters on it, you may remove all of them. If you do, exile each other nonland permanent with mana value less than or equal to the number of counters removed this way.
Complete guide
Sarulf, Realm Eater is a terrifying Legendary Wolf from Kaldheim that grows stronger as your opponents lose their permanents. It acts as both a looming threat and a potential board wipe, waiting for the perfect moment to consume everything in its path. Understanding the timing of its counters and the optional nature of its exile ability is key to mastering this beast.
Feeding the Wolf
Sarulf's first ability is a triggered ability that watches the battlefield. Whenever a permanent an opponent controls is put into any graveyard from the battlefield, Sarulf receives a +1/+1 counter. This includes creatures dying, artifacts being destroyed, or even fetch lands being sacrificed by your opponents. As long as they controlled the permanent when it was last on the battlefield, Sarulf gets fed.
The Upkeep Resolution
At the start of your upkeep, Sarulf checks if it has any +1/+1 counters. If it does, the ability triggers. As the ability resolves, you make a choice: you may remove all +1/+1 counters from Sarulf. You cannot choose to remove only some; it is all or nothing. If you choose to remove them, every other nonland permanent with a mana value less than or equal to the number of counters removed is exiled. Note that Sarulf must be on the battlefield for you to remove these counters and trigger the exile effect.
Strategic Timing and Constraints
A common mistake is trying to respond to the removal of counters. The choice to remove counters happens during resolution, meaning once you decide to clear the board, your opponents cannot cast spells to save their permanents based on that choice. Additionally, if Sarulf has lethal damage marked on it but is surviving due to the toughness boost from the counters, removing those counters will cause Sarulf to die immediately after the ability finishes resolving.
When to Unleash the Realm Eater
Sarulf is best played in reactive decks that use removal spells to pump its stats early. Because the exile ability is optional, you can keep Sarulf as a massive attacker and only choose to 'reset' the board when your opponents' board states become too dangerous to handle.
Interaction examples
Sakura-Tribe ElderIf an opponent sacrifices Sakura-Tribe Elder to search for a land, the creature is put into their graveyard from the battlefield. This immediately triggers Sarulf, Realm Eater's first ability, and a +1/+1 counter is placed on the Wolf.
Solemn SimulacrumSuppose Sarulf has four +1/+1 counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, the ability triggers. You choose to remove all four counters. Because Solemn Simulacrum has a mana value of 4, it is exiled. Since it is exiled rather than put into a graveyard, its 'When this creature dies' ability will not trigger.
If an opponent controls both Sakura-Tribe Elder and Solemn Simulacrum and you cast a spell that destroys both, Sarulf will trigger twice. Two +1/+1 counters will be placed on Sarulf, which can then be used during your next upkeep to exile other nonland permanents with mana value 2 or less.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Sarulf, Realm Eater
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
It doesn't matter which graveyard the permanent is put into as long as an opponent controlled it when it last existed on the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If Sarulf doesn't have any +1/+1 counters on it as your upkeep begins, its last ability won't trigger at all. If the ability does trigger, it will check again as it tries to resolve. If Sarulf doesn't have any +1/+1 counters on it at that time, the ability won't do anything. No other permanents will be exiled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If Sarulf isn't on the battlefield as its last ability starts to resolve, you can't remove any +1/+1 counters from it, even if it had +1/+1 counters when it was last on the battlefield. No other permanents will be exiled.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
Choosing to remove all the +1/+1 counters on Sarulf won't affect any other counters it may have.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
If you do remove +1/+1 counters, you must remove all of them. You can't fine-tune the carnage by only removing some of them.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
You choose whether to remove +1/+1 counters as the last ability is resolving. If you do, the appropriate permanents are then exiled. No one can respond to your choice or take actions during this process.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
You may choose to remove Sarulf's +1/+1 counters even if that would cause lethal damage to be marked on Sarulf. If you do this, Sarulf will die after its last ability is finished resolving. But it won't have gone alone! Legendary.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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