Artisan of Kozilek
Creature — Eldrazi
When you cast this spell, you may return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Annihilator 2 (Whenever this creature attacks, defending player sacrifices two permanents of their choice.)
- CMC
- 9
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- C
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Modern Horizons 3 Commander
- Price
- $0.57
- EDHREC rank
- #1099
Artisan of Kozilek enters, reanimates any creature from your graveyard for free, and threatens an annihilator 2 trigger the moment it attacks — all for nine mana with no additional cost. Herigast, Erupting Nullkite decks cast it ahead of schedule and turn that enter-the-battlefield reanimation into a repeatable engine, which is exactly the kind of board impact that earns a card its slot.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Herigast, Erupting Nullkite
Herigast, Erupting Nullkite reduces Artisan of Kozilek's cost and triggers off its cast, making it one of the most natural includes in the deck at a 76% inclusion rate. The free reanimation on entry then reloads another threat, turning a single spell into two bodies on the same turn.
Ulalek, Fused Atrocity
Ulalek, Fused Atrocity copies triggered abilities whenever you cast an Eldrazi, so Artisan of Kozilek's cast trigger copies across every Eldrazi on the board simultaneously. That means the reanimation effect multiplies, pulling multiple creatures out of the graveyard in one go.
Belbe, Corrupted Observer
Belbe, Corrupted Observer generates two colorless mana per opponent who took damage, and Artisan of Kozilek is exactly the kind of nine-drop that mana pays for ahead of curve. Landing it on turn four or five with Belbe active, reanimation trigger included, ends games quickly.
Rakdos, Lord of Riots
Rakdos, Lord of Riots reduces creature costs by the damage dealt to opponents, and Artisan of Kozilek frequently hits the board for two or three mana under that discount. Annihilator 2 then deals more damage, feeding future cost reductions and keeping the chain going.
Jhoira of the Ghitu
Jhoira of the Ghitu suspends Artisan of Kozilek for two mana and four turns, dodging its nine-mana sticker price entirely. When it enters off suspend, the reanimation trigger still fires, giving Jhoira decks a two-for-one threat on a reliable clock.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Artisan of Kozilek lives — nine mana is steep in faster formats, but the singleton graveyard reanimation and annihilator 2 are both built for multiplayer games where the board state rewards attrition. In Legacy and Vintage it's technically legal but sees no meaningful play; Show and Tell and Reanimate get you bigger Eldrazi for less investment, and Artisan of Kozilek doesn't push through the power ceiling those formats demand. Modern is similarly uninterested — nine mana with no protection is too slow against the format's threats. Stick to Commander, or Oathbreaker shells with enough ramp to support it.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.57 bulk tier
At $0.57, Artisan of Kozilek is bulk — a nine-mana rare that's been reprinted enough to stay firmly in that range. It's a safe pickup that's unlikely to spike, and you're not risking anything by throwing a copy in a deck before you're sure it belongs.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Herigast, Erupting Nullkite
- Ulalek, Fused Atrocity
- Belbe, Corrupted Observer
- Rakdos, Lord of Riots
- Jhoira of the Ghitu
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.