Trail of Crumbs MTG Card


Trail of Crumbs - Throne of Eldraine
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment
Abilities Food
Released2019-10-04
Set symbol
Set nameThrone of Eldraine
Set codeELD
Number179
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byDaarken

Key Takeaways

  1. Provides steady card selection through food token sacrifice, ensuring resource flow throughout the game.
  2. Excels in green decks with its ability to ramp and synergize with food token mechanics.
  3. Strategically valuable in long, grindy matches where card advantage is crucial.

Text of card

When Trail of Crumbs enters the battlefield, create a Food token. (It's an artifact with ", , Sacrifice this artifact: You gain 3 life.") Whenever you sacrifice a Food, you may pay . If you do, look at the top two cards of your library. You may reveal a permanent card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Trail of Crumbs provides a consistent method for players to sift through their library and gain card advantage. This ensures a steady flow of resources, crucial for maintaining momentum throughout the match.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly creating resources, Trail of Crumbs offers a filtering mechanism that increases the likelihood of drawing into more lands or ramp spells. This, in turn, can accelerate your access to mana, allowing for more significant plays earlier on.

Instant Speed: Although Trail of Crumbs operates at a sorcery speed, it synergizes with food tokens which can be sacrificed for its ability at instant speed. This flexibility lets players wait until the end of an opponent’s turn before deciding to activate Trail of Crumbs, optimizing the use of mana and maintaining the element of surprise.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Trail of Crumbs doesn’t ask for a discard directly, it demands a sacrifice of food tokens. This could translate into a form of discard, especially when you’re required to keep your food tokens for gaining life or other synergy within your deck.

Specific Mana Cost: To fully utilize Trail of Crumbs, your deck needs to produce green mana. This may not always align with your deck’s mana base, making it challenging to include in non-green strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Initially, Trail of Crumbs seems affordable at two mana. However, its continued activation cost for the ability to look at the top two cards requires both a food token and one mana each time. When adding this up, it can become a costly investment for the potential card advantage it offers.


Reasons to Include Trail of Crumbs in Your Collection

Versatility: Trail of Crumbs offers a repeatable source of card selection for decks that can make use of food tokens. It’s an asset in strategies ranging from midrange to control, comfortably fitting into decks that capitalize on incremental advantage.

Combo Potential: With the ability to synergize with food token generators, Trail of Crumbs boosts engines that thrive on sacrificing permanents. Pair it with cards that create food tokens to consistently sift through your deck and find key pieces.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where grindy, value-centric games prevail, Trail of Crumbs excels. Its persistent ability to provide card advantage can outpace opponents in resource wars, making it a smart inclusion against a variety of popular decks.


How to beat

Trail of Crumbs is a key card that sustains the endurance of food-based decks in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to create a card advantage engine by using the food tokens can be a consistent source of power for many players. To counteract this, it is crucial to target the source of the food tokens. Cards that limit the opponent’s ability to generate tokens or to use sacrifice effects efficiently can dampen the effectiveness of Trail of Crumbs. Cards like Grafdigger’s Cage can inhibit abilities that activate from the graveyard or library, sharply reducing the card’s impact.

Another effective tactic is to apply pressure early in the game. Aggressive strategies can outpace the slower set-up that Trail of Crumbs requires. Direct removal or exile effects that target Trail of Crumbs can be necessary. Handling the enchantment before it can generate value for your opponent will often tilt the balance in your favor. In essence, stay proactive, challenge your opponent’s resources, and keep the board under your control. By executing these strategies, you can dismantle Trail of Crumbs synergies and maintain dominance in the match.


BurnMana Recommendations

Delving deeper into MTG’s intricate metagame reveals the significance of optimizing each card’s potential. Trail of Crumbs presents itself as more than just a card; it’s an intricate piece of a larger puzzle within food token-based strategies. If your deck is craving consistency and a sustainable edge in resource acquisition, Trail of Crumbs warrants consideration for a slot in your arsenal. To maximize the power of your builds and refine your strategies, incorporating this card could be pivotal. Let us guide you further into the strategic plays and deck synergies that will sharpen your competitive edge. For a deeper understanding and expert insights, continue your journey with us and harness the true power of Trail of Crumbs in your MTG gameplay.


Cards like Trail of Crumbs

Trail of Crumbs has cemented its place as a staple in decks that revolve around food tokens in Magic: The Gathering. It offers a persistent source of card advantage that’s reminiscent of cards like Sylvan Library in terms of card selection. Despite Sylvan Library allowing the player to look at more cards every turn, Trail of Crumbs has the advantage of being able to be triggered multiple times in a single turn with enough food tokens.

When looking at cards that function similarly, The Great Henge immediately comes to mind. Both are green permanents that provide a form of card advantage. The Great Henge boasts of stronger stats, granting life and adding green mana, but also carries a heftier mana cost compared to the more accessible Trail of Crumbs. Another comparable card is Tireless Tracker, a creature that creates clue tokens which can be sacrificed for cards, much like the way food tokens can be sacrificed with Trail of Crumbs for card advantage. However, Trail of Crumbs remains unique with its singular focus on the food token mechanic and its synergies within that specific archetype.

While different options exist for card advantage engines in green decks, Trail of Crumbs offers a unique and powerful tool, especially in strategies that can reliably create and use food tokens. Its utility and synergy potential make it a valued card among players looking to maximize their card flow in food-centric builds.

Sylvan Library - MTG Card versions
The Great Henge - MTG Card versions
Tireless Tracker - MTG Card versions
Sylvan Library - Legends (LEG)
The Great Henge - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Tireless Tracker - Shadows over Innistrad (SOI)

Cards similar to Trail of Crumbs by color, type and mana cost

Aspect of Wolf - MTG Card versions
Regeneration - MTG Card versions
Lifeforce - MTG Card versions
Gaea's Touch - MTG Card versions
Night Soil - MTG Card versions
Sylvan Library - MTG Card versions
Primal Rage - MTG Card versions
Survival of the Fittest - MTG Card versions
Crosswinds - MTG Card versions
Fortitude - MTG Card versions
Tranquil Grove - MTG Card versions
Treetop Bracers - MTG Card versions
Root Cage - MTG Card versions
Elfhame Sanctuary - MTG Card versions
Compost - MTG Card versions
Thoughtleech - MTG Card versions
Weaver of Harmony - MTG Card versions
Shigeki, Jukai Visionary - MTG Card versions
Fertile Ground - MTG Card versions
Quiet Disrepair - MTG Card versions
Aspect of Wolf - Treasure Chest (PZ2)
Regeneration - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Lifeforce - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Gaea's Touch - The Dark (DRK)
Night Soil - Commander 2013 (C13)
Sylvan Library - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Primal Rage - Stronghold (STH)
Survival of the Fittest - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Crosswinds - Urza's Saga (USG)
Fortitude - Urza's Saga (USG)
Tranquil Grove - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Treetop Bracers - Tenth Edition (10E)
Root Cage - Prophecy (PCY)
Elfhame Sanctuary - Invasion (INV)
Compost - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Thoughtleech - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Weaver of Harmony - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Promos (PNEO)
Shigeki, Jukai Visionary - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Fertile Ground - Wilds of Eldraine Commander (WOC)
Quiet Disrepair - Future Sight (FUT)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Trail of Crumbs MTG card by a specific set like Throne of Eldraine, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Trail of Crumbs and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Trail of Crumbs has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Trail of Crumbs card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2019-10-04 A permanent card is an artifact, creature, enchantment, land, or planeswalker card.
2019-10-04 Food is an artifact type. Even though it appears on some creatures (such as Gingerbrute), it's never a creature type.
2019-10-04 If an effect refers to a Food, it means any Food artifact, not just a Food artifact token. For example, you can sacrifice Gingerbrute to activate the last ability of Tempting Witch.
2019-10-04 Whatever you do, don't eat the delicious cards.
2019-10-04 While resolving the second triggered ability, you can't pay multiple times to look at more cards.
2019-10-04 You can't sacrifice a Food token to pay multiple costs. For example, you can't sacrifice a Food token to activate its own ability and also to activate the ability of Tempting Witch.

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