My take: if youre building from scratch, pick a lane you enjoy, then grab the staples that support it
Aristocrats decks also typically play lots of cheap creatures, which can help you modulate things further
The real appeal of The Cabbage Merchant is how easily those Food tokens can turn into a viable resource engine that'll allow you to ramp, draw cards, and lead you to all your combo lines simultaneously: Academy Manufactor turns each Food into a Food, Clue, and Treasure
When you do, youll get four Energy counters on the spot (or more if youve buffed Sphinx in any way)
You can also just focus on a player, and many spells let you choose either yourself or an opponent like Blood Pact
If this is the second time this ability has resolved this turn, all creatures you control gain deathtouch until end of turn." In the card's wonderful illustration, artist Marta Nael brings this snake charmer to life