Ivy Lane Denizen + Phantom Train

Ivy Lane Denizen

Phantom Train

How it works

1. Activate Phantom Train by sacrificing the creature with persist.
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. Resolve the ability from step 1.
5. Repeat.

This clever loop relies on Ivy Lane Denizen to watch over your battlefield, automatically tossing a +1/+1 counter onto your persist creature whenever it returns. That incoming counter immediately neutralizes the creature's pesky -1/-1 counter through state-based actions, leaving it ready to be sacrificed all over again to Phantom Train. As you feed creatures to the Train, you rack up an endless chain of enters-the-battlefield and leaves-the-battlefield triggers while continuously growing your army.