Stalwart Successor + Trapjaw Kelpie + Bartolomé del Presidio

Stalwart Successor

Trapjaw Kelpie

Bartolomé del Presidio

How it works

1. Activate Bartolomé del Presidio by sacrificing Trapjaw Kelpie
2. When Trapjaw Kelpie dies, its persist ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter on it.
3. When Trapjaw Kelpie enters, Stalwart Successor triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on Trapjaw Kelpie
4. Resolve the Bartolomé del Presidio ability.
5. Repeat.

This elegant loop relies on the interaction between Trapjaw Kelpie's persist ability and its reentry with a -1/+1 counter. When you sacrifice Trapjaw Kelpie to Bartolomé del Presidio, persist returns the Kelpie to the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter, which immediately triggers Stalwart Successor to place a +1/+1 counter on it; these two opposing counters annihilate each other through state-based actions. Because the Kelpie enters the battlefield with no -1/-1 counters left, its persist ability can trigger again the next time it dies, letting Bartolomé del Presidio sacrifice it indefinitely to pump itself and generate an endless storm of triggers.