Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Altar of Dementia + Scuzzback Marauders

Mikaeus, the Unhallowed

Altar of Dementia

Scuzzback Marauders

How it works

1. Activate Altar of Dementia by sacrificing Scuzzback Marauders.
2. When Scuzzback Marauders dies, its persist ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter on it.
3. Resolve the Altar of Dementia ability.
4. Activate Altar of Dementia by sacrificing Scuzzback Marauders.
5. When Scuzzback Marauders dies, its undying ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it.
6. Resolve the Altar of Dementia ability.
7. Repeat.

This clever loop exploits the clever counterplay between persist and undying to continuously grind through your library. Because Mikaeus, the Unhallowed grants its passive undying buff to your non-Human creatures, Scuzzback Marauders enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter after dying with a -1/-1 counter, as the two opposing counters cancel each other out through state-based actions. This allows the creature to alternate seamlessly between its native persist trigger and Mikaeus's granted undying ability every time it hits the graveyard. Sacrificing Scuzzback Marauders to Altar of Dementia at each step converts this endless cycle of resurrection into an overwhelming wave of self-mill that can easily dismantle an opponent's entire deck.