Cream of the Crop is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Whenever a creature you control enters, you may look at the top X cards of your library, where X is that creature's power. If you do, put one of those cards on top of your library and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
Complete guide
Cream of the Crop is a powerful green enchantment that allows you to sculpt your future draws every time a new ally joins your side. By using the power of your incoming creatures, you can dig deep into your library to find exactly what you need. This card turns your high-power creatures into valuable strategic tools for deck manipulation.
Understanding the Trigger
Cream of the Crop features a triggered ability that triggers whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control. It uses the creature's power at the time the ability resolves to determine how many cards you look at. If the creature leaves the battlefield before the ability resolves, the game uses its last known information from when it was on the battlefield to determine the value of X.
Step-by-Step Resolution
First, a creature enters the battlefield, putting the ability on the stack. Second, players have a chance to respond. Third, as the ability resolves, you check the creature's current power. If the power is 1 or greater, you look at that many cards from the top of your library. Finally, you choose one card to put back on top and place the remaining cards on the bottom of your library in any order you choose.
Common Mistakes
A common error occurs with creatures that have 0 or 1 power. If a creature enters with 0 power, the ability resolves but has no effect; you cannot look at any cards. If the creature has exactly 1 power, you look at the top card of your library and must put that same card back on top, effectively doing nothing but gaining information about your next draw.
Strategic Timing
Because this is a 'may' ability, you can choose not to look if you already like the card on top of your library. Additionally, if multiple creatures enter at the same time, you can stack the triggers in any order. This allows you to resolve a smaller creature's trigger first to clear a card you don't want, followed by a larger creature's trigger to dig deeper for a specific win condition.
Interaction examples
Hardened ScalesIf you have both enchantments in play and a creature enters with a +1/+1 counter, Hardened Scales adds an extra counter. When Cream of the Crop resolves, it checks the power including that extra counter, allowing you to look at one additional card for your selection.
Garruk's UprisingWhen a creature with power 4 enters, both Cream of the Crop and Garruk's Uprising trigger. You can stack the triggers so Cream of the Crop resolves first. You look at the top 4 cards and put the best one on top; then, Garruk's Uprising resolves, and you draw that specific card you just selected.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Cream of the Crop
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If the creature has 0 power, this ability has no effect.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
The creature's power is checked as this ability resolves. If the creature has left the battlefield, use its last known information.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
If the creature has 1 power, this ability lets you look at the top card of your library, then you'll have to leave it there.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Legal formats
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Meta decks with Cream of the Crop
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