Showdown of the Skalds + Crystalline Crawler + Dream Stalker + Branching Evolution

Showdown of the Skalds

Crystalline Crawler

Dream Stalker

Branching Evolution

How it works

1. Cast Dream Stalker, putting 2 +1/+1 counter on Crystalline Crawler with Showdown of the Skalds.
2. Remove 2 +1/+1 counter from Crystalline Crawler to add 1.
3. Dream Stalker triggers, returning itself to your hand.
4. Repeat.

This clever loop turns Crystalline Crawler into a mana-positive engine by harnessing Branching Evolution to double every counter you generate. When you cast Dream Stalker, Showdown of the Skalds triggers its second and third lore chapters to place a +1/+1 counter on the Crawler, which Branching Evolution immediately amplifies into two. You can then tap into Crystalline Crawler's ability to strip off those counters for mana to pay for Dream Stalker anew, while Dream Stalker's own entry trigger forces it to bounce itself right back to your hand.