Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Trapjaw Kelpie + Bartolomé del Presidio

Mikaeus, the Unhallowed

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. Resolve the Bartolomé del Presidio ability.
4. Activate Bartolomé del Presidio by sacrificing Trapjaw Kelpie.
5. When Trapjaw Kelpie dies, its undying ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it.
6. Resolve the Bartolomé del Presidio ability.
7. Repeat.

This clever loop relies on the constant counter-canceling synergy between Trapjaw Kelpie's persist ability and the undying granted to it by Mikaeus, the Unhallowed. When you feed Trapjaw Kelpie to Bartolomé del Presidio, persist returns the creature with a -1/-1 counter, but Mikaeus's static buff ensures that the next time it dies, undying brings it back with a +1/+1 counter instead; these two counters annihilate each other via state-based actions, leaving the creature completely clean and ready to die all over again. By continuously repeating this sacrifice cycle, you generate an endless stream of death triggers while feeding Bartolomé del Presidio's appetite for infinite +1/+1 counters.