Tayam, Luminous Enigma + Channeler Initiate + Ashnod's Altar + Lightning Greaves

4-card combo · WBG

Verdict

Yes — Tayam, Luminous Enigma loops Channeler Initiate infinitely through the graveyard, generating infinite ETB, death, and self-mill in Abzan.

Cards required

Cheapest stack total

$21.54

Color identity

WBG

Popularity

10 decks

Format

Commander

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Channeler Initiate enters with three -1/-1 counters, which Tayam reads as three counters to spend on its activated ability; Lightning Greaves equips for free to grant haste and shroud so Channeler Initiate can tap immediately. Ashnod's Altar sacrifices the Initiate in response to Tayam's trigger, producing two colorless that help pay the 3-mana activation cost, then Tayam mills three and returns Channeler Initiate to restart the loop. Tayam commander builds — often helmed by Tayam itself — are the natural home, leaning on aristocrats payoffs like Zulaport Cutthroat or Blood Artist to convert the infinite death triggers into kills.

How it works

Prerequisites

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Steps

Cast Channeler Initiate by paying .
Channeler Initiate enters the battlefield with a vigilance counter, putting three -1/-1 counters on itself.
Equip Lightning Grieves to Channeler Initiate by paying .
Activate Channeler Initiate by tapping and removing a -1/-1 counter from it, adding one mana of any color.
Activate Tayam by paying and removing all counters from Channeler Initiate.
Holding priority, activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing Channeler Initiate, adding .
Resolve the Tayam ability, milling three cards and returning Channeler Initiate from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Repeat from step 2.

Result

Infinite death triggers; Infinite ETB; Infinite LTB; Infinite sacrifice triggers; Infinite self-mill

Cheaper, tighter, alternate lines

Paladin of Phalanx replaces Channeler Initiate as a one-mana permanent with a counter if a tighter curve is needed, though any permanent that enters with a counter and costs two or less for Tayam to recur works. The loop self-mills the library infinitely, so Thassa's Oracle or Jace, Wielder of Mysteries closes the game immediately — don't skip the closer, because infinite sacrifice triggers alone don't kill a table.

Tayam, Luminous Enigma + Channeler Initiate + Ashnod's Altar + Lightning Greaves

How it works

Cheaper, tighter, alternate lines

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