AI DraftFeb 26, 2026
Ashnod's Altar + Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Plague Belcher
Overview
With Mikaeus, the Unhallowed granting undying and +1/+1 to your non-Human creatures, you can repeatedly sacrifice Plague Belcher to Ashnod's Altar to generate 
each time because undying returns the Belcher and its enter-the-battlefield ability re-applies -1/-1 counters so it dies without a +1/+1 counter on subsequent sacrifices; sacrifice is performed as a cost , a creature dying is a "dies" event , undying returns the creature when it died with no +1/+1 counters (see Mikaeus oracle text and Ruling [2018-12-07]), and +1/+1 vs -1/-1 counters interact under .
each time because undying returns the Belcher and its enter-the-battlefield ability re-applies -1/-1 counters so it dies without a +1/+1 counter on subsequent sacrifices; sacrifice is performed as a cost , a creature dying is a "dies" event , undying returns the creature when it died with no +1/+1 counters (see Mikaeus oracle text and Ruling [2018-12-07]), and +1/+1 vs -1/-1 counters interact under .Step 1
Have Mikaeus, the Unhallowed and Plague Belcher on the battlefield under your control, and Ashnod's Altar ready to be used; Mikaeus grants Plague Belcher +1/+1 and undying (Mikaeus oracle text).
Step 2
Activate Ashnod's Altar and pay its activation cost by sacrificing Plague Belcher as part of the cost; sacrificing a permanent moves it from the battlefield to its owner's graveyard and is therefore a "dies" event .
Step 3
Plague Belcher is put into your graveyard (it died); because it was a non-Human creature without a +1/+1 counter on it at the moment it died, the undying trigger granted by Mikaeus triggers (see Mikaeus oracle text and Ruling [2018-12-07]).
Step 4
Ashnod's Altar produces as part of its effect when its ability resolves (the mana is generated you can use it as appropriate).
as part of its effect when its ability resolves (the mana is generated you can use it as appropriate).Step 5
When the undying triggered ability resolves it returns Plague Belcher to the battlefield under its owner's control with a +1/+1 counter on it (undying returned the creature with a +1/+1 counter per Mikaeus's oracle text).
Step 6
Plague Belcher’s enter-the-battlefield triggered ability triggers when it re-enters; you may target Plague Belcher itself and put two -1/-1 counters on it.
Step 7
After the +1/+1 counter is applied by undying and the two -1/-1 counters are applied by the ETB trigger, the interaction of +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters removes a pair per , so one +1/+1 and one -1/-1 cancel, leaving Plague Belcher with one -1/-1 and no +1/+1 counter.
Step 8
Because Plague Belcher now has no +1/+1 counter, the next time you sacrifice it to Ashnod's Altar it will again die without a +1/+1 counter and undying will trigger again, letting you repeat the loop to generate each time.
each time.Resolution
If you control Ashnod's Altar, Mikaeus, the Unhallowed, and Plague Belcher, you can activate Ashnod's Altar, sacrifice Plague Belcher as the cost , gain , and have Plague Belcher's undying (granted by Mikaeus) trigger and return it to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter if it had no +1/+1 counters when it died (Ruling [2018-12-07]). When Plague Belcher re-enters, its ETB can target itself and put two -1/-1 counters on itself; then equal +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters are removed per , leaving it with no +1/+1 counter. Because it again has no +1/+1 counter when you next sacrifice it, undying will trigger again, allowing you to repeat the process and generate each loop. Plague Belcher’s own "another Zombie" death trigger won’t trigger for its own death (it only triggers for other Zombies) but will trigger for other Zombies dying (Ruling [2017-04-18]).
, and have Plague Belcher's undying (granted by Mikaeus) trigger and return it to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter if it had no +1/+1 counters when it died (Ruling [2018-12-07]). When Plague Belcher re-enters, its ETB can target itself and put two -1/-1 counters on itself; then equal +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters are removed per , leaving it with no +1/+1 counter. Because it again has no +1/+1 counter when you next sacrifice it, undying will trigger again, allowing you to repeat the process and generate each loop. Plague Belcher’s own "another Zombie" death trigger won’t trigger for its own death (it only triggers for other Zombies) but will trigger for other Zombies dying (Ruling [2017-04-18]).Feedback