Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
Legendary Creature — Ogre Warrior
Whenever a creature an opponent controls attacks, if you're the defending player, create a 3/3 red Ogre creature token unless that creature's controller pays 
.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Starter Commander Decks
- Price
- $0.21
- EDHREC rank
- #1828
Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs turns every attack against you into a 3/3 Ogre army — opponents either pay three mana per attacker or hand you blockers for free. The cost is five mana for a 5/4 with no evasion or protection, so it dies to any removal spell before it generates value.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Thantis, the Warweaver
Thantis, the Warweaver forces all creatures to attack each combat, which means Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs triggers every single turn — often from multiple opponents at once — burying the table in Ogre tokens while you sit behind a growing wall of blockers.
Kratos, God of War
Kratos, God of War rewards aggressive board states and combat pressure, and Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs fits cleanly by taxing opponents who swing into you while generating bodies that fuel Kratos's own damage-based payoffs.
Nelly Borca, Impulsive Accuser
Nelly Borca, Impulsive Accuser compels specific opponents to attack, and Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs converts those forced attacks into a steady Ogre token stream that Nelly's combat-politics engine can exploit.
Gornog, the Red Reaper
Gornog, the Red Reaper scales on opponents taking damage, so the political pressure Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs applies — attack me and feed my board, or hold back and let Gornog grow — creates a no-win decision loop for the table.
Xantcha, Sleeper Agent
Xantcha, Sleeper Agent already pushes opponents to redirect aggression at each other, and Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs punishes anyone who turns that aggression toward you with a mana tax or a free 3/3.
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 the only format where Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs does real work — the multiplayer environment guarantees multiple attackers, so the Ogre token engine actually fires. In Legacy and Vintage it's technically legal but competes with threats that close games faster than a five-mana defensive creature ever could, making it a non-starter in those formats. Oathbreaker is the one fringe case where a forced-attack or group-slug build might find room for it, but even there the five-mana cost is a steep ask for a card that requires attacks to generate value.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.21 bulk tier
At $0.21, Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs sits firmly in bulk territory — pick it up without a second thought if a forced-attack or group-slug deck wants it. Bulk mythics rarely climb without a reprint-driven spike or a breakout combo discovery, neither of which looks imminent here.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.