You need at least one spare token (or another creature) to be there already for this to loop like you want, but if you have one then yes, this works.
The sequence here is: (Assume that you just resolved Scar or something to put a -1/-1 counter on a random 1/1 creature. It can't be the "one token" above.)
1. Nest of Scarabs triggers and will go onto the stack the next time you get priority.
2. The creature dies when SBAs are checked, and Blowfly Infestation triggers.
3. You put the triggers from Nest and Infestation onto the stack in whichever order you choose. Infestation's ability requires you to choose a target at this point. (Notably: The token you will get from Nest's ability doesn't exist yet and can't be chosen as a target.) If you have another token already, let's say you target that.
4. Let's say you arranged the triggers so that Nest's ability will resolve first. It does and you get a new token.
5. Infestation's ability resolves, putting a -1/-1 counter on the targeted token. Repeat from step 1.
Note that both Blowfly Infestation and Nest of Scarabs have mandatory actions, so to break the loop you will need to do some different sort of sequencing. There are two ways to get out of the loop without some sort of outside effect.
1. If there is a creature with 2 or more toughness (such that it won't die from the -1/-1 counter), target that with Blowfly Infestation's ability.
2. Order the triggers in step 3 above so that Blowfly Infestation's ability resolves before Nest's. If there is exactly one X/1 creature on the battlefield and this one is the target of Blowfly Infestation's ability, then it will die, trigger Infestation again, and this ability will be removed from the stack because there is nothing to target. If there are multiple X/1 creatures on the battlefield, repeat this process keeping Infestation's trigger at the top of the stack at all times until there are no more creatures left to target - after which you'll get a bunch of tokens from however many times Nest triggered while you were doing this.
Because it's possible to end the loop by doing one of the above things, you eventually have to do so if you don't break the loop some other way.
You need at least one spare token (or another creature) to be there already for this to loop like you want, but if you have one then yes, this works.
The sequence here is: (Assume that you just resolved Scar or something to put a -1/-1 counter on a random 1/1 creature. It can't be the "one token" above.)
1. Nest of Scarabs triggers and will go onto the stack the next time you get priority.
2. The creature dies when SBAs are checked, and Blowfly Infestation triggers.
3. You put the triggers from Nest and Infestation onto the stack in whichever order you choose. Infestation's ability requires you to choose a target at this point. (Notably: The token you will get from Nest's ability doesn't exist yet and can't be chosen as a target.) If you have another token already, let's say you target that.
4. Let's say you arranged the triggers so that Nest's ability will resolve first. It does and you get a new token.
5. Infestation's ability resolves, putting a -1/-1 counter on the targeted token. Repeat from step 1.
Note that both Blowfly Infestation and Nest of Scarabs have mandatory actions, so to break the loop you will need to do some different sort of sequencing. There are two ways to get out of the loop without some sort of outside effect.
1. If there is a creature with 2 or more toughness (such that it won't die from the -1/-1 counter), target that with Blowfly Infestation's ability.
2. Order the triggers in step 3 above so that Blowfly Infestation's ability resolves before Nest's. If there is exactly one X/1 creature on the battlefield and this one is the target of Blowfly Infestation's ability, then it will die, trigger Infestation again, and this ability will be removed from the stack because there is nothing to target. If there are multiple X/1 creatures on the battlefield, repeat this process keeping Infestation's trigger at the top of the stack at all times until there are no more creatures left to target - after which you'll get a bunch of tokens from however many times Nest triggered while you were doing this.
Because it's possible to end the loop by doing one of the above things, you eventually have to do so if you don't break the loop some other way.
Thank you very much for taking the time to help me understand this interaction!
Sadly, due to looking into it closely, it will not loop. Due to state based effects, as soon as the creature with a -1/-1 counter dies, blowfly will trigger again. So, say we have a 1/1 and a token. Put the counter on the 1/1 and trigger nest. Once state based effects happen, the creature dies putting blowfly on the stack. Now, due to how the stack works, blowfly will go on the top of the stack. Once again, it will put the counter on your token you had, triggering nest. SBE happen and the token dies. Blowfly will trigger. Once blowfly has no more targets or doesnt kill anything, the number of nest triggers will happen. If something is already on the stack, unfortunately, you cant put a new effect below it unless something specifically allows it. I was hoping it worked, too. But, upon further inspection, it doesnt do what we had hoped.
Just put a hapatra on field problem solved.
"I put a neg counter on a scarab now I make 1 million snakes by killing 1 million scarabs" then put a counter on hapatra or an enemy to end the cycle. Bonus points for parralel lives(not even needed) and something like kaladesh's green instant give my stuff hexproof and indestructible (bonus if thats on an iso sceptor :D)
Sadly, due to looking into it closely, it will not loop. Due to state based effects, as soon as the creature with a -1/-1 counter dies, blowfly will trigger again. So, say we have a 1/1 and a token. Put the counter on the 1/1 and trigger nest. Once state based effects happen, the creature dies putting blowfly on the stack. Now, due to how the stack works, blowfly will go on the top of the stack. Once again, it will put the counter on your token you had, triggering nest. SBE happen and the token dies. Blowfly will trigger. Once blowfly has no more targets or doesnt kill anything, the number of nest triggers will happen. If something is already on the stack, unfortunately, you cant put a new effect below it unless something specifically allows it. I was hoping it worked, too. But, upon further inspection, it doesnt do what we had hoped.
Not quite.
After you put a -1/-1 counter on a 1/1, state based actions are checked before triggers are put on the stack. There's a creature with 0 toughness in play, so it goes to the graveyard. Now, triggers are put on the stack. There are two triggers waiting, one from Blowfly Infestation and one from Nest of Scarabs. Since you control both triggers, you may stack them any way you want. Having the trigger from Nest of Scarabsresolve first is what this loop requires.
Of course, it also requires another creature around as those triggers are put on the stack, since that's when we choose targets for Blowfly Infestation.
Loop:
When you resolve an effect that puts a -1/-1 counter on any of your creatures, it begins.
1. State based actions are checked, the creature goes to the graveyard. We now have one creature left.
2. Triggers are put on the stack. Blowfly Infestation goes first, targeting our remaining creature. Then Nest of Scarabs, which has no targets.
3. Nest of Scarabs resolves. We now have two creatures.
4. Blowfly Infestation resolves. Start again at 1.
If you want to break the loop, simply reverse the trigger resolution. Blowfly Infestation resolves first, killing the last token, retriggering immediately both itself and Nest of Scarabs. However, since it has no targets anymore, the Infestation trigger cannot actually be put on the stack and the loop ends.
You now have:
2 1/1 tokens.
I had a question regarding this combo that wasn't addressed above and thought I would see what you guys think. I was testing out this combo in a deck earlier and ran into bump. I'll give the play by play of what happened and then ask my question and see what you think.
I was running combo deck against a goblin deck to see how it would do. On the goblin deck's turn I declared my attackers, two X/1 goblins. With attackers declared the combo deck countered with Choking Fumes. I had both Nest of Scarabs and Blowfly Infestation up at this point. So this meant I had two separate triggers for Nest, I.E. two attackers each getting a counter, and when SBA is checked two triggers of Blowfly as the goblins go to the graveyard.
The only remaining creature on the board was a 1/1 Black Insect token from a previous Nest trigger.
This is where my question comes in. If I order the the two blowfly triggers to resolve first when is SBA checked? Is it after each blowfly trigger resolves, or is it after everything on the stack resolves?
I tried fumbling through the rule book on SBAs but couldn't locate a clear answer. I get the feeling that SBA will check after each trigger resolves but I want to be 100% sure.
However, If SBA isn't checked again until everything resolves then does that mean both counters would go on the same token since that is all that is there? Because if that is the case could this process be used to create an infinite number of tokens by always dumping both counters onto the same token and letting the other live? Provided SBA isn't checked until the entire stack resolves. If it is checked before then this is a moot point.
Any help answering this question would be greatly appreciated.
I had a question regarding this combo that wasn't addressed above and thought I would see what you guys think. I was testing out this combo in a deck earlier and ran into bump. I'll give the play by play of what happened and then ask my question and see what you think.
I was running combo deck against a goblin deck to see how it would do. On the goblin deck's turn I declared my attackers, two X/1 goblins. With attackers declared the combo deck countered with Choking Fumes. I had both Nest of Scarabs and Blowfly Infestation up at this point. So this meant I had two separate triggers for Nest, I.E. two attackers each getting a counter, and when SBA is checked two triggers of Blowfly as the goblins go to the graveyard.
The only remaining creature on the board was a 1/1 Black Insect token from a previous Nest trigger.
This is where my question comes in. If I order the the two blowfly triggers to resolve first when is SBA checked? Is it after each blowfly trigger resolves, or is it after everything on the stack resolves?
I tried fumbling through the rule book on SBAs but couldn't locate a clear answer. I get the feeling that SBA will check after each trigger resolves but I want to be 100% sure.
However, If SBA isn't checked again until everything resolves then does that mean both counters would go on the same token since that is all that is there? Because if that is the case could this process be used to create an infinite number of tokens by always dumping both counters onto the same token and letting the other live? Provided SBA isn't checked until the entire stack resolves. If it is checked before then this is a moot point.
Any help answering this question would be greatly appreciated.
Nest doesn't even trigger in this case since you didn't put the counters on your creatures; your opponent did.
To answer some of your other questions: State Based Actions are checked after each object resolves, immediately before a players gets priority. If we assume you found a way to put counters on these at the same time somehow; since you have two triggers, each one needs to target the same 1/1. However, that 1/1 will die after the first counter is put on it which will trigger Nest and Infestation. But now, you have no more creatures and nothing more can continue since there is no way for any more counters to be placed.
The rest of the objects on the stack resolve and the game moves on.
I was deckbuilding last night and came across Blowfly infestation and wondered if it comboed off with Nest of Scarabs.
Does it make infinite etb/death triggers once one scarab is already out? Can it make a feedback loop at 0 scarabs to start with too?
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-general/334931-what-is-the-most-pimp-card-deck-youve-seen-or?comment=5361
Commander
RGOmnath, Locus of Rage Grenades! EDHGR
UWSygg's Defense, EDH - Voltron & ControlWU
BUGMimeoplasm EDH ft. Ifnir Cycling-discard comboBUG
WBTeysa, Connoisseur of CullingBW
BWSelenia & Recruiter of the Guard suicice combo EDHWB
UBRWGO-Kagachi - 5 Color Enchantments - EDHUBRWG
The sequence here is: (Assume that you just resolved Scar or something to put a -1/-1 counter on a random 1/1 creature. It can't be the "one token" above.)
1. Nest of Scarabs triggers and will go onto the stack the next time you get priority.
2. The creature dies when SBAs are checked, and Blowfly Infestation triggers.
3. You put the triggers from Nest and Infestation onto the stack in whichever order you choose. Infestation's ability requires you to choose a target at this point. (Notably: The token you will get from Nest's ability doesn't exist yet and can't be chosen as a target.) If you have another token already, let's say you target that.
4. Let's say you arranged the triggers so that Nest's ability will resolve first. It does and you get a new token.
5. Infestation's ability resolves, putting a -1/-1 counter on the targeted token. Repeat from step 1.
Note that both Blowfly Infestation and Nest of Scarabs have mandatory actions, so to break the loop you will need to do some different sort of sequencing. There are two ways to get out of the loop without some sort of outside effect.
1. If there is a creature with 2 or more toughness (such that it won't die from the -1/-1 counter), target that with Blowfly Infestation's ability.
2. Order the triggers in step 3 above so that Blowfly Infestation's ability resolves before Nest's. If there is exactly one X/1 creature on the battlefield and this one is the target of Blowfly Infestation's ability, then it will die, trigger Infestation again, and this ability will be removed from the stack because there is nothing to target. If there are multiple X/1 creatures on the battlefield, repeat this process keeping Infestation's trigger at the top of the stack at all times until there are no more creatures left to target - after which you'll get a bunch of tokens from however many times Nest triggered while you were doing this.
Because it's possible to end the loop by doing one of the above things, you eventually have to do so if you don't break the loop some other way.
Thank you very much for taking the time to help me understand this interaction!
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-general/334931-what-is-the-most-pimp-card-deck-youve-seen-or?comment=5361
Commander
RGOmnath, Locus of Rage Grenades! EDHGR
UWSygg's Defense, EDH - Voltron & ControlWU
BUGMimeoplasm EDH ft. Ifnir Cycling-discard comboBUG
WBTeysa, Connoisseur of CullingBW
BWSelenia & Recruiter of the Guard suicice combo EDHWB
UBRWGO-Kagachi - 5 Color Enchantments - EDHUBRWG
"I put a neg counter on a scarab now I make 1 million snakes by killing 1 million scarabs" then put a counter on hapatra or an enemy to end the cycle. Bonus points for parralel lives(not even needed) and something like kaladesh's green instant give my stuff hexproof and indestructible (bonus if thats on an iso sceptor :D)
Not quite.
After you put a -1/-1 counter on a 1/1, state based actions are checked before triggers are put on the stack. There's a creature with 0 toughness in play, so it goes to the graveyard. Now, triggers are put on the stack. There are two triggers waiting, one from Blowfly Infestation and one from Nest of Scarabs. Since you control both triggers, you may stack them any way you want. Having the trigger from Nest of Scarabs resolve first is what this loop requires.
Of course, it also requires another creature around as those triggers are put on the stack, since that's when we choose targets for Blowfly Infestation.
So, prerequisites:
1 Blowfly Infestation
1 Nest of Scarabs
2 1/1 creatures
1 effect that puts a -1/-1 counter on a creature
Loop:
When you resolve an effect that puts a -1/-1 counter on any of your creatures, it begins.
1. State based actions are checked, the creature goes to the graveyard. We now have one creature left.
2. Triggers are put on the stack. Blowfly Infestation goes first, targeting our remaining creature. Then Nest of Scarabs, which has no targets.
3. Nest of Scarabs resolves. We now have two creatures.
4. Blowfly Infestation resolves. Start again at 1.
If you want to break the loop, simply reverse the trigger resolution. Blowfly Infestation resolves first, killing the last token, retriggering immediately both itself and Nest of Scarabs. However, since it has no targets anymore, the Infestation trigger cannot actually be put on the stack and the loop ends.
You now have:
2 1/1 tokens.
I had a question regarding this combo that wasn't addressed above and thought I would see what you guys think. I was testing out this combo in a deck earlier and ran into bump. I'll give the play by play of what happened and then ask my question and see what you think.
I was running combo deck against a goblin deck to see how it would do. On the goblin deck's turn I declared my attackers, two X/1 goblins. With attackers declared the combo deck countered with Choking Fumes. I had both Nest of Scarabs and Blowfly Infestation up at this point. So this meant I had two separate triggers for Nest, I.E. two attackers each getting a counter, and when SBA is checked two triggers of Blowfly as the goblins go to the graveyard.
The only remaining creature on the board was a 1/1 Black Insect token from a previous Nest trigger.
This is where my question comes in. If I order the the two blowfly triggers to resolve first when is SBA checked? Is it after each blowfly trigger resolves, or is it after everything on the stack resolves?
I tried fumbling through the rule book on SBAs but couldn't locate a clear answer. I get the feeling that SBA will check after each trigger resolves but I want to be 100% sure.
However, If SBA isn't checked again until everything resolves then does that mean both counters would go on the same token since that is all that is there? Because if that is the case could this process be used to create an infinite number of tokens by always dumping both counters onto the same token and letting the other live? Provided SBA isn't checked until the entire stack resolves. If it is checked before then this is a moot point.
Any help answering this question would be greatly appreciated.
To answer some of your other questions: State Based Actions are checked after each object resolves, immediately before a players gets priority. If we assume you found a way to put counters on these at the same time somehow; since you have two triggers, each one needs to target the same 1/1. However, that 1/1 will die after the first counter is put on it which will trigger Nest and Infestation. But now, you have no more creatures and nothing more can continue since there is no way for any more counters to be placed.
The rest of the objects on the stack resolve and the game moves on.