Proliferate

Proliferate is a keyword action introduced in Scars of Mirrodin. When a player proliferates, he or she chooses any number of players and/or permanents with a counter on them, then puts another of those counters on these players or permanents. Proliferate was featured as rules card 3 of 5 in the Scars of Mirrodin set and as rules card 5 of 5 in the Mirrodin Besieged set and as rules card 4 of 4 in the New Phyrexia set.

For example, a player proliferates and chooses an opponent with a Poison counter, a Planeswalker card with a loyalty counter, a creature with a -1/-1 counter and an artifact with a charge counter on it. Then that opponent gets another poison counter, the planeswalker gets another loyalty counter, the creature now has two -1/-1 counters and the artifact two charge counters on it. Note that proliferate does not target, so permanents with shroud or hexproof can be chosen.

Thematically, the Proliferate mechanic is tied in with the Phyrexia faction in Scars of Mirrodin and its related Infect mechanic. As such, each of the cards that have been printed with proliferate are marked with the symbol of the Phyrexia faction. Only featured on blue and artifact cards in Scars of Mirrodin, it has spread to black and green in Mirrodin Besieged, illustrating the block theme/storyline of the Phyrexian infestation taking over Mirrodin.

From the Comprehensive Rules: 701.24. Proliferate 701.24a To proliferate means to choose any number of permanents and/or players that have a counter, then give each exactly one additional counter of a kind that permanent or player already has. 701.24b If a permanent or player chosen this way has more than one kind of counter, the player who is proliferating chooses which kind of counter to add. 701.24c To proliferate in a Two-Headed Giant game means to choose any number of permanents and/or teams that have a counter, then give each exactly one additional counter of a kind that permanent or team already has. See rule 810, “Two-Headed Giant Variant."

Contents 1 Reminder text 2 Examples 3 Color percentages 4 Development 5 Cards with Proliferate 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Reminder text

The latest reminder text for proliferate reads "You choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there."

[edit] Examples

Fuel for the Cause - Instant Counter target spell, then proliferate. (You choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)

[edit] Color percentages

[edit] Development

Mark Rosewater originally developed a mechanism for creatures to amplify infect by adding -1/-1 counters to those already on other creatures. This mechanism futhered the metaphor of a Phyrexian disease spreading. Eventually, it grew to affect all counters^[1].

[edit] Cards with Proliferate

Card	Set	Comment
Contagion Clasp	Scars of Mirrodin
Contagion Engine	Scars of Mirrodin	The only card with an ability to proliferate more than once per activation
Inexorable Tide	Scars of Mirrodin	The first enchantment with proliferate
Steady Progress	Scars of Mirrodin	The first instant with proliferate
Thrummingbird	Scars of Mirrodin	The first creature with proliferate
Throne of Geth	Scars of Mirrodin
Core Prowler	Mirrodin Besieged
Fuel for the Cause	Mirrodin Besieged
Plaguemaw Beast	Mirrodin Besieged	The only green card with proliferate
Spread the Sickness	Mirrodin Besieged	The first sorcery and first black card with proliferate
Grim Affliction	New Phyrexia
Tezzeret's Gambit	New Phyrexia
Viral Drake	New Phyrexia
Volt Charge	New Phyrexia	The only red card with proliferate

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• A Planeswalker's Primer for Scars of Mirrodin: Proliferate