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Commander Nexus
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  3. Zalto, Fire Giant Duke

Command zone

Zalto, Fire Giant Duke

Zalto, Fire Giant Duke

Legendary Creature — Giant Barbarian

Zalto wants a deck that explores dungeons for a reward in every room. It also suits a deck that hurts its own creatures on purpose to set off their abilities.

  • Mana cost3 genericredred
  • Red ()
  • Power / toughness7 / 3
  • RarityRare

Trample

Whenever Zalto is dealt damage, venture into the dungeon. (Enter the first room or advance to the next room.)

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Cards That Fit Zalto, Fire Giant Duke

Picked for what they do in Zalto's deck. When two cards do the same job, the one with the lower comes first. All of them fit Zalto's color identity.Mana ValueThe total amount of mana a card costs, all added up. A card costing two generic and one green has a mana value of three. Wizards renamed this from "converted mana cost" in 2021, so older cards and articles may still use the old name.Sol RingOpen the full glossary

plan6

The 6 Cards

plan6

The 6 Cards

plan5

The 5 Cards

Rulings for Zalto, Fire Giant Duke

explain how Zalto works in tricky situations. They come from Wizards of the Coast, the company that makes Magic.RulingThe official answer to how a card works in a tricky situation. Most rulings are written by Wizards of the Coast, the company that makes Magic, and a few are notes from Scryfall, the card database Magic players use. A ruling explains a card. It does not change what the card says.Open the full glossary

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

A player may only have one dungeon in the command zone at a time.

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

Choosing the dungeon or room to venture into is part of resolving the venture into the dungeon keyword action. Once that choice is made, players may not respond until after the appropriate room ability has triggered.

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

Dungeon cards are not part of a player's deck or sideboard. In both constructed and limited formats, players can use any dungeon card when they venture into the dungeon.

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

Dungeons are removed from the game as a state-based action.

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

If you somehow venture into the dungeon while a room's ability is on the stack, you will continue on in the dungeon. If you're already in the last room, complete that dungeon and start a new one.

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

If Zalto is dealt damage by multiple sources at the same time (usually creatures blocking it), you will only venture into the dungeon once.

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

If Zalto is dealt lethal damage, you will still get to venture into the dungeon.

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

Moving into a dungeon room will cause its room ability to trigger.

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

Once you resolve the last room ability of a dungeon, that dungeon is now completed and is removed from the game.

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

The player venturing into the dungeon chooses which dungeon they will venture into. They may choose a dungeon that they have already completed this game.

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

To venture into the dungeon, a player moves their venture marker into the next room of the dungeon they are currently in. If they aren't currently in a dungeon, that player instead chooses a dungeon card from outside the game, puts it into the command zone, and moves their venture marker onto the first room.

Wizards of the Coast 23 Jul 2021

You can only move forward (well, downward) in a dungeon, never backwards or sideways.

12 rulings, all written by Wizards of the Coast. Read the originals on Gatherer ↗

Similar Commanders

Commanders that share the most with Zalto, and what they share.

Color identityEvery color of mana symbol on a card, in its cost and in its rules text. Your commander's color identity sets the limit for your whole deck: every other card has to fit inside it. A deck led by a green and white commander cannot play a card with any blue in its color identity.Open the full glossaryRPlayers write colors as letters: R for red.Dungeon/InitiativeDungeon decks explore dungeons, special cards kept outside your deck, and get a reward in each room they move into. The initiative sends you into one called the Undercity, and an opponent takes it from you by dealing combat damage to you.Open the Dungeon/Initiative pageDungeon / VentureVenturing moves you one room through a dungeon, a special card kept outside your deck, and each room gives you its reward. Finish the last room and you can start a new dungeon. Dungeons are not permanents and never enter the battlefield. Sefris of the Hidden WaysOpen the Dungeon / Venture pageEnrageEnrage decks use creatures that do something every time they are dealt damage, then damage them on purpose to set it off. A card that damages every creature can set off all of them at once.Open the Enrage pageEnrageTriggers when this creature is dealt damage, so hurting it hands you something instead. It turns blocking and burn spells into a decision your opponents would rather not have to make. Some of these were printed under the ability word Enrage; this tag covers the whole family, named or not. Boros Reckoner, Truefire Captain, Coalhauler SwineOpen the Enrage pageDungeons / InitiativeCards that send you into a dungeon, a special card kept outside your deck, one room at a time for a reward in each room. Taking the initiative does this too.Open the Dungeons / Initiative page