Gev, Scaled Scorch + Bartolomé del Presidio

Gev, Scaled Scorch

Bartolomé del Presidio

How it works

1. Activate Bartolomé del Presidio by sacrificing the creature with persist.
2. The persist ability triggers, returning that creature to the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter on it, as well as a +1/+1 counter due to Gev.
3. The +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters on that creature are removed as a state-based action.
4. Resolve the ability from step 1, putting a +1/+1 counter on Bartolomé del Presidio.
5. Repeat.

This clever loop relies on Gev, Scaled Scorch to bridge the gap for a persist creature, ensuring that every time your creature dies and comes back, Gev's static ability hands out a crucial +1/+1 counter. That incoming +1/+1 counter instantly cancels out the creature's -1/+1 (or rather, -1/-1) counter as a state-based action, resetting its ability to persist all over again. Meanwhile, Bartolomé del Presidio acts as the engine's hungry maw, happily sacrificing the creature over and over to grow larger while generating an endless stream of sacrifice and death triggers.