The Cookout CreatorHow it works & interactions with other cards

A Feast for Friends

When The Cookout Creator enters the battlefield, its first ability triggers, immediately providing you with a Food token. This sets the stage for its upkeep ability, which checks how many Food tokens you control at the start of your turn. For every Food token you have, you will create a 1/1 colorless Human creature token, allowing you to quickly swarm the battlefield with guests.

Putting the Team to Work

The final ability allows you to tap four untapped Humans you control to draw a card and create a Treasure token. Note that this ability does not have the tap symbol in its cost, meaning you can tap Humans that are still affected by 'summoning sickness,' including The Cookout Creator itself if it hasn't been under your control since the start of your turn.

Maintaining the Menu

A common mistake is sacrificing all your Food tokens to gain life before your upkeep. If you do not control any Food tokens as your upkeep begins, The Cookout Creator's second ability will trigger but result in zero Human tokens. To maximize your board presence, you should prioritize keeping your Food tokens on the table until the upkeep trigger has resolved.

Strategic Timing

Because the activated ability involves tapping four Humans, it is often best to wait until your opponent's end step to activate it. This keeps your Humans available as potential blockers during your opponent's turn. Once you draw the card and create the Treasure, you'll have extra resources ready for your own upcoming turn.

Interaction examples

Initial Setup

You cast The Cookout Creator. When it enters, its first ability triggers, and you create one Food token. On your next upkeep, that single Food token will cause you to create one 1/1 Human token.

Resource Acceleration

Sakura-Tribe Elder

With The Cookout Creator and three other Humans on the field, you can tap them all to draw a card and get a Treasure. You can then use the Treasure's mana to help cast Sakura-Tribe Elder, which you can sacrifice later to ensure you have the land colors needed for your Abzan spells.

Value Sequencing

Solemn Simulacrum

After using The Cookout Creator to generate a Treasure token, you use that Treasure and other lands to cast Solemn Simulacrum. This allows you to ramp into a basic land. If the Simulacrum dies later, you draw a card, further replenishing your hand alongside The Cookout Creator's draw ability.