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Does Smothering Tithe trigger when players draw cards on other players' turns in a multiplayer game?

Short answer
Yes. Smothering Tithe triggers whenever ANY player draws a card, regardless of whose turn it is, unless they pay {2}.

Smothering Tithe has a triggered ability that reads: "Whenever an opponent draws a card, that player may pay {2}. If they don't, you create a Gold token." This ability triggers on each card draw by any opponent, at any time during the game — including draws on other players' turns in a multiplayer game.

Under CR 603.1 and 603.2, triggered abilities trigger whenever their trigger condition is met, regardless of whose turn it is or what phase or step the game is in. The trigger condition here is simply "an opponent draws a card," with no restriction on when that draw happens.

In a multiplayer game under CR 800.4, each other player at the table is your opponent. So if Player B draws a card on Player C's turn (e.g., via Howling Mine or a cantrip), Smothering Tithe's controller still gets the trigger for that draw, because Player B is their opponent.

Example: It's Player C's turn and they cast Brainstorm, drawing 3 cards. If you control Smothering Tithe, it triggers three times — once per card drawn. Player C may pay {2} for each trigger or let you make three Gold tokens for each one they don't pay. The same applies if Player B casts a cantrip on their own turn.

The only way a draw avoids triggering Smothering Tithe is if the drawing player is not your opponent — i.e., yourself — or if a replacement effect replaces the draw entirely (CR 614.1a), preventing the draw event from occurring at all.

HIGH confidence CR 603.1 CR 603.2 CR 800.4 CR 614.1a
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Unofficial fan resource — not affiliated with or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast. Answers are AI-generated estimates grounded in the Comprehensive Rules and are not a substitute for an official judge. Verify anything match-critical.