Zurzoth, Chaos Rider 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 an opponent draws their first card each turn, if it's not their turn, you create a 1/1 red Devil creature token with "When this token dies, it deals 1 damage to any target." Whenever one or more Devils you control attack one or more players, you and those players each draw a card, then discard a card at random.
Complete guide
Zurzoth, Chaos Rider is a legendary commander that turns symmetrical card draw into pure chaotic value. By rewarding you for forced draws and attacking with a horde of explosive tokens, he ensures the game stays fast and unpredictable. Whether you are building a Devil-themed deck or a group-slug strategy, Zurzoth is your primary engine for mayhem.
Harnessing Out-of-Turn Draws
Zurzoth's first ability triggers whenever an opponent draws their first card during a turn that is not their own. This effectively punishes opponents for using cantrips or extra draw spells on your turn or other players' turns. When this happens, you create a 1/1 red Devil token that deals 1 damage to any target when it dies. Note that this only triggers once per opponent per turn, specifically on their first draw during that turn.
The Chaos of Combat
When you attack one or more players with your Devils, Zurzoth triggers a shared 'looting' effect. You and every player being attacked by Devils draw a card and then discard a card at random. This is a single trigger regardless of how many Devils are attacking, provided they are attacking players. If your Devils only attack planeswalkers, this ability will not trigger at all. The discard is always random, meaning you cannot choose which card to keep.
Timing and State-Based Actions
The damage from dying Devil tokens is a triggered ability. If you lose the game due to your life reaching 0 at the exact same time your Devils die, those triggers never reach the stack because you have already left the game. Additionally, remember that drawing a card is a specific keyword; using effects that 'put a card into hand' will not trigger Zurzoth's token generation.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumIf your opponent controls a Solemn Simulacrum and it dies during your turn, they may draw a card. Since this is their first draw on a turn that is not theirs, Zurzoth, Chaos Rider triggers, granting you a 1/1 Devil creature token.
Roaming ThroneIf Roaming Throne enters the battlefield naming 'Devil', it becomes a Devil itself. When you attack with it and Zurzoth, Zurzoth's attack trigger will fire twice. You and the defending player will draw and discard at random twice. Furthermore, if an opponent draws a card on your turn, Zurzoth will trigger twice, giving you two 1/1 Devil tokens instead of one.
DevilWhen a Devil token you created dies, its triggered ability goes on the stack. You choose any target (a player, planeswalker, or creature). If the damage from this ability kills another Devil token, that token's ability will then trigger separately, allowing you to chain damage across the board.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Zurzoth, Chaos Rider
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If a spell or ability causes a player to put a card into their hand without specifically using the word "draw," it's not a card drawn.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
If your life total is brought to 0 or less at the same time that a Devil token is dealt lethal damage, you lose the game before its ability goes on the stack.
Card named in this ruling
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Devils you control that attack a planeswalker won't cause any player to draw or discard a card.
Card named in this ruling
Related cards and tokens
Legal formats
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