<h6 style="text-align:right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindclaw Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Mindclaw Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.maniakart.com/">Slawomir Maniak</a>)</h6>
<h1>Tear Your Hand Into Pieces</h1>
<p>Welcome back to <em>The Toolbox!</em> Here we take a look at underplayed cards and evaluate where they ought to see more play. Today we’re taking a look at a really cool theft card: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindclaw Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Mindclaw Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mindclaw Shaman"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindclaw Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Mindclaw Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is not the strongest creature, just a 2/2 for five mana. Luckily, there's a bit more to him than that. The important part is that his enter-the-battlefield trigger forces an opponent to reveal their hand, and you can cast an instant or sorcery from it for free.</p>
<p>As a single-target trigger, where can an effect like this really be utilized in Commander? Let's start by looking at <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindclaw Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Mindclaw Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s most common commanders thus far:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ilharg, the Raze-Boar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Feldon of the Third Path"></div></div>
<p>This EDHREC page surprises me a bit, to be honest, as it only features mono-red commanders. The commanders that are there, however, do make a lot of sense. Kiki-Jiki lets you make copies of Mindclaw to shred your opponents' hands and get a ton of free spells. Ilharg's presence is also pretty easy to explain, as you can cheat Mindclaw into play each turn and get the same payoff as Kiki-Jiki. Feldon also appears here, letting you make token copies of Mindclaw for multiple copies of the same effect.</p>
<p>The thing is, effects like the one on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindclaw Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Mindclaw Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are limited due to only targeting a single opponent, so decks need to be able to capitalize on this effect multiple times to really profit.</p>
<p>In other words, where else should this card see play?</p>
<hr>
<h2>Copy Time</h2>
<p>Starting off the Gruul Year right, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wort, the Raidmother" href="#" target="_blank">Wort, the Raidmother</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! As a red-green <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/spellslinger">Spellslinging</a> commander, there's a lot of interesting room for interaction.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wort, the Raidmother"></div></div>
<p>In red and green, the options for interacting with opposing instants and sorceries are minimal. Luckily, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindclaw Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Mindclaw Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> offers some extra reach that Gruul decks don't usually see. Wort can routinely copy huge ritual spells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Geyser" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Geyser</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Early Harvest" href="#" target="_blank">Early Harvest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, making the hefty cost of Mindclaw pretty much irrelevant. The main payoff, though, is that Wort lets you copy the spell that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="MIndclaw Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">MIndclaw Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> steals from your opponent's hand! This means you get at least two spells for the price of one, <em>and</em> you get to make the opponent discard their spell.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindclaw Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Mindclaw Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has to be timed carefully; if you pick the wrong opponent, they might not have any spells to copy at all. Still, I think this risk is worth it on a commander that can double any spell you end up stealing. Not only that, but don't discount how powerful it can be to fore an opponent to reveal the secrets in their hand.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Happy Gruul Year" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Wort, the Raidmother
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Dualcaster Mage
*1 Guttersnipe
*1 Mindclaw Shaman
*1 Purphoros, God of the Forge
*1 Young Pyromancer
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Artifact Mutation
*1 Battle Hymn
*1 Beast Within
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Comet Storm
*1 Early Harvest
*1 Electrodominance
*1 Fall of the Titans
*1 Harrow
*1 Increasing Vengeance
*1 Reiterate
*1 Repeated Reverberation
*1 Reverberate
*1 Second Harvest
*1 Thrill of Possibility
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Apex of Power
*1 Banefire
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Bonus Round
*1 Boundless Realms
*1 Cathartic Reunion
*1 Clan Defiance
*1 Cultivate
*1 Decimate
*1 Dragon Fodder
*1 Empty the Warrens
*1 Escape to the Wilds
*1 Explosive Vegetation
*1 Farseek
*1 Harmonize
*1 Harvest Season
*1 Hordeling Outburst
*1 Howl of the Horde
*1 Hull Breach
*1 Jaya&#039;s Immolating Inferno
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Krenko&#039;s Command
*1 Mana Geyser
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Nissa&#039;s Renewal
*1 Past in Flames
*1 Pirate&#039;s Pillage
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Reap the Past
*1 Regrowth
*1 Rude Awakening
*1 Shamanic Revelation
*1 Skyshroud Claim
*1 Tempt with Vengeance
*1 Tormenting Voice
*1 Volcanic Vision
*1 Wildest Dreams
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Primal Amulet
*1 Pyromancer&#039;s Goggles
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Impact Tremors
*1 Sylvan Library
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Xenagos, the Reveler
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Blighted Woodland
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*1 Gruul Turf
*1 Kher Keep
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Rootbound Crag
*1 Sheltered Thicket
*1 Stomping Ground
*16 Mountain
*9 Forest
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Blink Wall</h2>
<p>When it's time to <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/blink">blink</a> creatures, you have a lot of options. With commanders like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brago, King Eternal" href="#" target="_blank">Brago, King Eternal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it's hard to imagine picking anything <em>other </em>than the classic blink-manders. However, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pramikon, Sky Rampart" href="#" target="_blank">Pramikon, Sky Rampart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a new option that has caused some waves in the world of blink decks, as it can be flickered to cause a crazy shift right before combat.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pramikon, Sky Rampart"></div></div>
<p>Pramikon offers a lot in disruption of combat, but it doesn't do much against other avenues of victory. It does nothing against a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Torment of Hailfire" href="#" target="_blank">Torment of Hailfire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for example. Luckily blue does have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Counterspell" href="#" target="_blank">Counterspell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindclaw Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Mindclaw Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> offers a proactive option for disrupting your opponents even further.</p>
<p>In this deck, you're already running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ephemerate" href="#" target="_blank">Ephemerate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soulherder" href="#" target="_blank">Soulherder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brago, King Eternal" href="#" target="_blank">Brago, King Eternal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to blink Pramikon and things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archaeomancer" href="#" target="_blank">Archaeomancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Having access to a value engine such as Mindclaw Shaman can rip apart the spells they've been storing up to try and attack you over your combat defenses. Though Mindclaw may cast a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Torment of Hailfire" href="#" target="_blank">Torment of Hailfire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> where X=0, simply taking the spell out of their hand can be the difference between victory and defeat. Additionally, Pramikon loves knowing where the tide of battle is headed; seeing an opponent's hand and discovering their <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Craterhoof Behemoth" href="#" target="_blank">Craterhoof Behemoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives you time to reverse the combat direction. Mindclaw not only offers key disruption that Jeskia doesn't usually have access to, but also information that can be key to your protection!</p>
<p>This may seem to be a somewhat atypical pick, but take a look at the decklist to see if you agree!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Walls on Walls" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Pramikon, Sky Rampart
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Agent of Treachery
*1 Archaeomancer
*1 Brago, King Eternal
*1 Cavalier of Dawn
*1 Charming Prince
*1 Clever Impersonator
*1 Cloudblazer
*1 Deadeye Navigator
*1 Dockside Extortionist
*1 Eldrazi Displacer
*1 Ephara, God of the Polis
*1 Felidar Guardian
*1 Flickerwisp
*1 Karmic Guide
*1 Meteor Golem
*1 Mindclaw Shaman
*1 Mistmeadow Witch
*1 Mnemonic Wall
*1 Mulldrifter
*1 Peregrine Drake
*1 Restoration Angel
*1 Reveillark
*1 Sea Gate Oracle
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Soulherder
*1 Spark Double
*1 Stonehorn Dignitary
*1 Sun Titan
*1 Wall of Omens
*1 Watcher for Tomorrow
*1 Zealous Conscripts
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Cloudshift
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Displace
*1 Eerie Interlude
*1 Ephemerate
*1 Essence Flux
*1 Ghostly Flicker
*1 Ghostway
*1 Illusionist&#039;s Stratagem
*1 Long Road Home
*1 Momentary Blink
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Time Wipe
*1 Vandalblast
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Azorius Signet
*1 Boros Signet
*1 Conjurer&#039;s Closet
*1 Izzet Signet
*1 Panharmonicon
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Conviction
*1 Talisman of Creativity
*1 Talisman of Progress
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Flickerform
*1 Ghostly Prison
*1 Grand Melee
*1 Impact Tremors
*1 Smothering Tithe
*1 Warstorm Surge
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Venser, the Sojourner
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Adarkar Wastes
*1 Azorius Guildgate
*1 Battlefield Forge
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Mystic Monastery
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Rugged Prairie
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*8 Plains
*7 Island
*2 Mountain
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr>
<h2>The Smile of Death</h2>
<p>Alesha is one beast of a commander. One who loves tiny creatures. One who laughs not only in the face of death, but also at things like mana costs.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Alesha, Who Smiles at Death"></div></div>
<p>My first thought when I saw <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindclaw Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Mindclaw Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in an Alesha deck was, "honestly, this is too perfect." All you have to do is discard Mindclaw to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faithless Looting" href="#" target="_blank">Faithless Looting</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrill of Possibility" href="#" target="_blank">Thrill of Possibility</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, then reanimate it with Alesha. Then you get to get some info on an opponent's hand and a free spell! From there you just sacrifice Mindclaw to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yahenni, Undying Partisan" href="#" target="_blank">Yahenni, Undying Partisan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Bombardment" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Bombardment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Altar of Dementia" href="#" target="_blank">Altar of Dementia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to do it all again. It's just shocking to me that a card as powerful as this doesn't make it into a deck that it fits so perfectly. Once you get this set up, you can really wear opponents down to take over the game.</p>
<p>Maybe I'm missing something, but take a look at the decklist and let me know if this is exactly the type of card Alesha's been missing!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Cats Did Everything Wrong" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Alesha, Who Smiles at Death
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
*1 Angel of Invention
*1 Anger
*1 Ankle Shanker
*1 Blood Artist
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Cruel Celebrant
*1 Dockside Extortionist
*1 Duergar Hedge-Mage
*1 Duplicant
*1 Fiend Hunter
*1 Gonti, Lord of Luxury
*1 Grenzo, Dungeon Warden
*1 Iroas, God of Victory
*1 Judith, the Scourge Diva
*1 Karmic Guide
*1 Master of Cruelties
*1 Mentor of the Meek
*1 Militia Bugler
*1 Mindclaw Shaman
*1 Murderous Redcap
*1 Ponyback Brigade
*1 Ravenous Chupacabra
*1 Recruiter of the Guard
*1 Remorseful Cleric
*1 Reveillark
*1 Selfless Spirit
*1 Siege-Gang Commander
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Sun Titan
*1 Viscera Seer
*1 Yahenni, Undying Partisan
*1 Zulaport Cutthroat
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Anguished Unmaking
*1 Crackling Doom
*1 Entomb
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Thrill of Possibility
*1 Utter End
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Buried Alive
*1 Cathartic Reunion
*1 Dusk // Dawn
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Final Parting
*1 Gamble
*1 Tormenting Voice
*1 Victimize
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Boros Signet
*1 Key to the City
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Orzhov Signet
*1 Rakdos Signet
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Talisman of Conviction
*1 Talisman of Hierarchy
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Cathars&#039; Crusade
*1 Goblin Bombardment
*1 Phyrexian Arena
*1 Reconnaissance
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Battlefield Forge
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Bloodfell Caves
*1 Boros Garrison
*1 Caves of Koilos
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Dragonskull Summit
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Godless Shrine
*1 Isolated Chapel
*1 Nomad Outpost
*1 Orzhov Basilica
*1 Rakdos Carnarium
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Scoured Barrens
*1 Temple of Silence
*1 Temple of Triumph
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Wind-Scarred Crag
*6 Plains
*5 Swamp
*4 Mountain
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr>
<h1>Time for 2020</h1>
<p>Thank you all for your continued support of the series! I hope that you all enjoyed reading this installment, and I hope that you’ve found a new home for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindclaw Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Mindclaw Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Do you think that these commanders pair well with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindclaw Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Mindclaw Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Do you think I’m over-evaluating this this card, or do you agree it’s highly underrated? What other decks do you think should have this card in their toolbox?</p>
<p>Please share your thoughts in the comments below, and as always, have a great day!</p>


The Toolbox - Mindclaw Shaman

The Toolbox – The Red and Green Special

The Toolbox - Temporal Extortion

The Toolbox - Nature's Will

The Toolbox - Heat Shimmer

The Toolbox - Gaea's Touch

The Toolbox - Earnest Fellowship

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cream of the Crop" href="#" target="_blank">Cream of the Crop</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.howardlyon.com/">Howard Lyon</a>)</h6>
<h1>I am the Cream of the Crop</h1>
<p>Welcome back to <em>The Toolbox</em>! Here we take a look at underplayed cards and evaluate where they ought to see more play. Today we are taking a look at another odd enchantment, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cream of the Crop" href="#" target="_blank">Cream of the Crop</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This enchantment has a criminally low inclusion rate for the powerful card selection that it offers. Where does this power really shine? Let's take a look!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cream of the Crop"></div></div>
<p>Cream of the Crop is a two-mana enchantment that allows you to look at the top X cards of your deck every time a creature enters the battlefield under your control, where X is that creature's power. You can put one of those cards on top of the deck, and ship the rest to the bottom of your deck in any order. It's like a really big scry, basically. What makes this card special? Why not just play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirri’s Guile" href="#" target="_blank">Mirri’s Guile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? I’ll tell you why!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghalta, Primal Hunger"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire" href="#" target="_blank">Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cream of the Crop" href="#" target="_blank">Cream of the Crop</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s most-played commander, but even there, it only shows up in 27% of his 448 decks, so I consider it underplayed even with its top commander. With Vaevictis, you can stack the top card of your deck simply by playing creatures! How is this not played more with Vaevictis?! Alternatively, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghalta, Primal Hunger" href="#" target="_blank">Ghalta, Primal Hunger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows you to see 12 cards, and if you have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elemental Bond" href="#" target="_blank">Elemental Bond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> out, you get to draw the card you put on top. All you have to do is just keep putting creatures into play for these two decks to run away with the game.</p>
<p>Those are two obvious inclusions for this enchantment, but where else is it worth spending a slot on it?</p>
<hr />
<h3>Wolf Friend</h3>
<p>I would want a Wolf friend if I was the heart of the wilds! Selvala draws you cards when you play powerful creatures, and gives you even more mana for them, too. Obviously there's no denying her power level; her price tag reflects that pretty well! What could make her even more powerful though?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Selvala, Heart of the Wilds"></div></div>
<p>Just picture this: you play a big ol' <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldspine Wurm" href="#" target="_blank">Worldspine Wurm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. You draw a card with Selvala, but maybe it's a land, and now you're out of things to play. Now imagine you had <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cream of the Crop" href="#" target="_blank">Cream of the Crop</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in play and got to look at the top 15 cards of your deck and select the best one to draw from Selvala's trigger. If you have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cream of the Crop" href="#" target="_blank">Cream of the Crop</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in this deck then every draw off Selvala is pretty much a guaranteed hit.</p>
<p>Of course, Selvala's draw ability is less consistent than effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soul of the Harvest" href="#" target="_blank">Soul of the Harvest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beast Whisperer" href="#" target="_blank">Beast Whisperer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is why her deck loves them so much, too. At first, Cream of the Crop might sound redundant; why use an enchantment to select cards when you could just draw them instead? However, I think this enchantment enhances those abilities extremely well, guaranteeing that you always get what you need and that you never run out of gas by flooding out with a handful of lands. Additionally, when paired with an effect like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vizier of the Menagerie" href="#" target="_blank">Vizier of the Menagerie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you can churn through your deck by always putting creatures on top!</p>
<p>Take a look at the decklist to see what other fun synergies you can use with Cream of the Crop!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Rawr" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Selvala, Heart of the Wilds
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Arbor Elf
*1 Beast Whisperer
*1 Birds of Paradise
*1 Boreal Druid
*1 Duskwatch Recruiter
*1 Elvish Mystic
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Fierce Empath
*1 Fyndhorn Elves
*1 Genesis Hydra
*1 Ghalta, Primal Hunger
*1 Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma
*1 Great Oak Guardian
*1 Karametra&#039;s Acolyte
*1 Llanowar Elves
*1 Lupine Prototype
*1 Nylea, God of the Hunt
*1 Phyrexian Soulgorger
*1 Priest of Titania
*1 Prowling Serpopard
*1 Quirion Ranger
*1 Reclamation Sage
*1 Regal Force
*1 Rhonas the Indomitable
*1 Scryb Ranger
*1 Soul of the Harvest
*1 Temur Sabertooth
*1 Terastodon
*1 Voracious Hydra
*1 Wayward Swordtooth
*1 Wirewood Symbiote
*1 Woodland Bellower
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Beast Within
*1 Chord of Calling
*1 Force of Vigor
*1 Krosan Grip
*1 Momentous Fall
*1 Nature&#039;s Claim
*1 Veil of Summer
*1 Worldly Tutor
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Eldritch Evolution
*1 Finale of Devastation
*1 Genesis Wave
*1 Green Sun&#039;s Zenith
*1 Life&#039;s Legacy
*1 Natural Order
*1 Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
*1 Soul&#039;s Majesty
*1 Tooth and Nail
*1 Uncage the Menagerie
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Lifecrafter&#039;s Bestiary
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Staff of Domination
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Sword of the Paruns
*1 Umbral Mantle
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Concordant Crossroads
*1 Cream of the Crop
*1 Greater Good
*1 Song of the Dryads
*1 Sylvan Library
*1 Wild Growth
*1 Zendikar Resurgent
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Garruk, Primal Hunter
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Dryad Arbor
*1 Mosswort Bridge
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Wirewood Lodge
*28 Forest
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h3>Oh, Dream Weaver</h3>
<p>I believe you can get me through the night! Or at least this article! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Intet, the Dreamer" href="#" target="_blank">Intet, the Dreamer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is our next contender.</p>
<p>Intet is a flying 6/6 Dragon for six and when he deals combat damage you can pay three mana; if you do, you exile the top card of your deck. Then you can look at it and play it for as long as it is exiled without paying its mana cost. I feel like this one is pretty obvious but let’s get into it!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Intet, the Dreamer"></div></div>
<p>This is pretty much the same story as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire" href="#" target="_blank">Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>; you are trying to play a bunch of free spells from the top of your deck. The play is clear: run out a big creature before you attack, stack the top of your deck with Cream of the Crop, and get the card you want from Intet's ability!</p>
<p>Intet has a lot of great options for topdeck manipulation, from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystical Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Mystical Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldly Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Worldly Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sensei&#039;s Divining Top" href="#" target="_blank">Sensei&#039;s Divining Top</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but frankly, the more the merrier, especially since Intet decks often like to use a lot of big creatures to beat down their enemies! If you don’t believe me, just take a look at the decklist to see all the amazing draws you can stack on top of your deck with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cream of the Crop" href="#" target="_blank">Cream of the Crop</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="The Dreamer" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Intet, the Dreamer
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Acidic Slime
*1 Atarka, World Render
*1 Balefire Dragon
*1 Dragonlord Atarka
*1 Dragonlord&#039;s Servant
*1 Dragonspeaker Shaman
*1 Etali, Primal Storm
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma
*1 Hellkite Charger
*1 Hypersonic Dragon
*1 Lathliss, Dragon Queen
*1 Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius
*1 Niv-Mizzet, Parun
*1 Progenitor Mimic
*1 Rashmi, Eternities Crafter
*1 Rattleclaw Mystic
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Savage Ventmaw
*1 Scourge of Valkas
*1 Steel Hellkite
*1 Surrak Dragonclaw
*1 Thunderbreak Regent
*1 Utvara Hellkite
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Beast Within
*1 Brainstorm
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Counterspell
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Growth Spiral
*1 Krosan Grip
*1 Mystical Tutor
*1 Sarkhan&#039;s Triumph
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Circuitous Route
*1 Cultivate
*1 Decimate
*1 Explosive Vegetation
*1 Farseek
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Ponder
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
*1 Rite of Replication
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Chromatic Lantern
*1 Gruul Signet
*1 Izzet Signet
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Sensei&#039;s Divining Top
*1 Simic Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Cream of the Crop
*1 Crucible of Fire
*1 Dragon Tempest
*1 Frontier Siege
*1 Rhythm of the Wild
*1 Sunbird&#039;s Invocation
*1 Temur Ascendancy
*1 Zendikar Resurgent
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Nissa, Steward of Elements
*1 Sarkhan Unbroken
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Breeding Pool
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Frontier Bivouac
*1 Gruul Turf
*1 Haven of the Spirit Dragon
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*1 Izzet Boilerworks
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Rootbound Crag
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Simic Growth Chamber
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Stomping Ground
*1 Temple of Abandon
*1 Temple of Epiphany
*1 Temple of Mystery
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Yavimaya Coast
*3 Island
*7 Mountain
*6 Forest
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h3>Cultivate Your Deck</h3>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kestia, the Cultivator" href="#" target="_blank">Kestia, the Cultivator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is next, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cream of the Crop" href="#" target="_blank">Cream of the Crop</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is both a good card for her deck <em>and </em>a flavor home-run. She likes enchantments, creatures, and enchantment creatures, so let's see what she can cultivate with our two-mana ditty, shall we?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kestia, the Cultivator"></div></div>
<p>Play enchantment creatures, use Cream of the Crop to filter the top of the deck, then draw cards with Kestia? Sounds good to me. Additionally, 92% of Kestia decks are playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eidolon of Blossoms" href="#" target="_blank">Eidolon of Blossoms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, 79% are playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enchantress&#039;s Presence" href="#" target="_blank">Enchantress&#039;s Presence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and 70% play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tuvasa the Sunlit" href="#" target="_blank">Tuvasa the Sunlit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, all excellent card advantage engines. There is absolutely no shortage of ways to draw the cards that you specifically choose with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cream of the Crop" href="#" target="_blank">Cream of the Crop</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, ensuring that you don't just draw a bunch of lands, but rather are able to chain a bunch of creatures and enchantments together to continue your value engine!</p>
<p>What more could you want in a deck? Just take a look at the decklist to see all the value just waiting to be abused!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Cultivate the Cream of the Crop" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Kestia, the Cultivator
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Archetype of Imagination
*1 Argothian Enchantress
*1 Boon Satyr
*1 Bruna, Light of Alabaster
*1 Celestial Archon
*1 Courser of Kruphix
*1 Danitha Capashen, Paragon
*1 Eidolon of Blossoms
*1 Eidolon of Countless Battles
*1 Flitterstep Eidolon
*1 Ghostblade Eidolon
*1 Heliod&#039;s Pilgrim
*1 Heliod, God of the Sun
*1 Herald of the Pantheon
*1 Hypnotic Siren
*1 Karametra, God of Harvests
*1 Kor Spiritdancer
*1 Mesa Enchantress
*1 Nylea&#039;s Colossus
*1 Satyr Enchanter
*1 Starfield Mystic
*1 Thassa, God of the Sea
*1 Tuvasa the Sunlit
*1 Umbra Mystic
*1 Verduran Enchantress
*1 Whitewater Naiads
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Ancestral Mask
*1 Bear Umbra
*1 Cream of the Crop
*1 Darksteel Mutation
*1 Dawn&#039;s Reflection
*1 Daybreak Coronet
*1 Eldrazi Conscription
*1 Enchantress&#039;s Presence
*1 Estrid&#039;s Invocation
*1 Ethereal Armor
*1 Fertile Ground
*1 Imprisoned in the Moon
*1 Mirari&#039;s Wake
*1 Octopus Umbra
*1 Overgrowth
*1 Rancor
*1 Sage&#039;s Reverie
*1 Sigil of the Empty Throne
*1 Snake Umbra
*1 Song of the Dryads
*1 Sphere of Safety
*1 Unflinching Courage
*1 Unquestioned Authority
*1 Wild Growth
[/Enchantments]
[Instants]
*1 Bant Charm
*1 Counterspell
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Creeping Renaissance
*1 Cultivate
*1 Open the Armory
*1 Open the Vaults
*1 Retether
*1 Winds of Rath
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Bident of Thassa
*1 Sol Ring
[/Artifacts]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Estrid, the Masked
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Azorius Chancery
*1 Blossoming Sands
*1 Breeding Pool
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hall of Heliod&#039;s Generosity
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*1 Krosan Verge
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Seaside Citadel
*1 Selesnya Sanctuary
*1 Simic Growth Chamber
*1 Sunpetal Grove
*1 Temple Garden
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Tranquil Cove
*6 Plains
*4 Island
*6 Forest
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h2>Let's Get Harvesting</h2>
<p>Thank you all for your continued support of the series! I hope that you all enjoy reading this and that you’ve found a new home for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cream of the Crop" href="#" target="_blank">Cream of the Crop</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Do you think that these commanders pair well with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cream of the Crop" href="#" target="_blank">Cream of the Crop</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Do you think I’m over-evaluating this enchantment, or do you agree it’s highly underrated? What other underrated cards do you think others should have in their toolbox? Please share your thoughts in the comments below, and as always, have a great day!</p>


The Toolbox - Cream of the Crop

The Toolbox - Cryptbreaker

The Toolbox - Trading Post

Elijah Klein