Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of Twilight + Phantom Train + Virtuous Variant

Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of Twilight

Phantom Train

Virtuous Variant

How it works

1. Activate Phantom Train by sacrificing Virtuous Variant.
2. When Virtuous Variant dies, its persist ability triggers, returning it from your graveyard to the battlefield with a -1/-1 counter on it.
3. When Virtuous Variant enters, it triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on it.
4. Resolve the Phantom Train ability.
5. Repeat.

This clever loop centers around the flip-card Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn // Isilu, Carrier of Twilight, whose twilight side grants persist to your other nontoken creatures, allowing Virtuous Variant to bounce right back from the graveyard with a -1/-1 counter whenever it perishes. Phantom Train provides the necessary sacrifice outlet to fuel the loop while continually growing itself into a massive threat by consuming artifacts or creatures. Every time Virtuous Variant returns to the battlefield, its entry trigger places a +1/+1 counter on itself, which immediately neutralizes the -1/+1 counter left behind by persist via the rules of state-based actions, leaving the creature completely pristine and ready to be sacrificed all over again.