Ivy Lane Denizen + Phyrexian Altar

Ivy Lane Denizen

Phyrexian Altar

How it works

1. Activate Phyrexian Altar by sacrificing the creature with persist, adding 1.
2. The persist ability triggers, returning that creature to the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter.
3. Ivy Lane Denizen triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on the persist creature.
4. Repeat.

This clever loop relies on the brilliant synergy between Ivy Lane Denizen and any green creature blessed with persist. When you sacrifice that creature to Phyrexian Altar, you generate a mana of any color while sending it to the graveyard, which immediately triggers its persist ability to bring it back with a -1/-1 counter. That is where Ivy Lane Denizen steps in: its triggered ability places a +1/+1 counter on the returning creature whenever another green creature enters the battlefield. Thanks to state-based actions, the +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters annihilate each other and vanish into the ether, leaving the creature completely clean and ready to be sacrificed to Phyrexian Altar all over again for infinite mana and triggers.