Bloated Contaminator is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Trample Toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get a poison counter.) Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.)
Complete guide
Bloated Contaminator is a powerhouse for aggressive green decks, offering a highly efficient body with the deadly potential of poison. As a 4/4 with Trample and Toxic 1 for only three mana, it forces opponents into difficult blocking decisions early in the game. Understanding how its triggered ability interacts with combat damage is key to maximizing its value on the battlefield.
What It Does
Bloated Contaminator is a creature built around the Toxic mechanic and the Proliferate keyword. It has Trample, allowing excess damage to reach the opponent even when blocked. When it deals combat damage to a player, it places a poison counter on them via Toxic 1 and then triggers a Proliferate effect, which allows you to add an additional counter of every type already present on any number of permanents or players.
How It Resolves Step by Step
First, Bloated Contaminator deals combat damage during the combat damage step. If at least one point of damage is assigned to a player, two things happen: the player loses life equal to the damage dealt, and the Toxic 1 ability places a poison counter on them as a result of that damage. Immediately after this, the Contaminator's triggered ability goes on the stack. When that trigger resolves, you perform the Proliferate action. You choose any number of players or permanents (including the opponent who just received a poison counter) and add another counter of each kind already there.
Common Mistakes
A common misconception is that Toxic replaces damage; however, the player still loses life in addition to gaining the poison counter. Another mistake involves Proliferate: you cannot pick and choose which specific counters to add if a target has multiple types. If a creature has both a Shield counter and a +1/+1 counter, and you choose to proliferate it, it must receive one of each. Additionally, keep in mind that you cannot proliferate counters on cards in zones other than the battlefield, such as cards in exile or your graveyard.
When to Play It
This creature is most effective when you have other permanents that benefit from counters, such as Planeswalkers or creatures with +1/+1 counters. Because it has Trample, it is excellent against decks that rely on small 'chump' blockers. If you can deal even one point of trample damage to the player, you will trigger the Proliferate ability, allowing you to grow your board or move your opponent closer to the ten-poison-counter loss limit.
Interaction examples
Bloated Contaminator
Sakura-Tribe ElderIf Bloated Contaminator attacks and is blocked by Sakura-Tribe Elder (a 1/1), you can assign 1 damage to the Elder and 3 damage to the defending player due to Trample. The player loses 3 life and gets 1 poison counter from Toxic. Then, the Proliferate trigger goes on the stack. You can choose that player to give them a second poison counter immediately.
Solemn SimulacrumIf your Solemn Simulacrum has a +1/+1 counter on it and Bloated Contaminator deals combat damage to an opponent, the Proliferate trigger allows you to choose Solemn Simulacrum. You add another +1/+1 counter to it, making it larger, while also having the option to add a poison counter to your opponent if they already have one.
Poison CounterIf an opponent already has 8 poison counters and is hit by Bloated Contaminator, they first receive 1 poison counter from the Toxic 1 ability, bringing them to 9. The Contaminator's trigger then allows you to Proliferate. By choosing the opponent, you add a 10th poison counter, causing them to lose the game immediately as a state-based action.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Bloated Contaminator
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
A player with ten or more poison counters loses the game. This is a state-based action and doesn't use the stack. In other words, it happens immediately and players can't respond to it, just like a player losing the game due to having 0 or less life.
Card named in this ruling
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Toxic doesn't change the amount of combat damage a creature deals. For example, if a 2/2 creature with toxic 1 deals combat damage to a player, that creature will deal 2 damage. The results of that damage are the player loses 2 life and gets a poison counter.
Card named in this ruling
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
Any other effects of that damage, such as life gain from lifelink, still apply.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature with toxic deals combat damage to a creature or planeswalker, or if it deals noncombat damage, toxic has no effect and no player gets poison counters.
Card named in this ruling
- #5· Wizards of the Coast
Damage dealt by a creature with toxic grants the same number of counters regardless of how much damage is dealt. Notably, if a replacement effect modifies the damage in some way (such as that of Gratuitous Violence), the number of counters given remains unchanged.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #6· Wizards of the Coast
Conversely, replacement effects that apply to the number of counters put on a player can modify the counters placed this way. For example, Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider's last two abilities can apply to counters placed this way.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #7· Wizards of the Coast
Multiple instances of toxic are cumulative. For example, if a creature has toxic 2 and gains toxic 1 due to another effect, combat damage that creature deals to a player will cause that player to get 3 poison counters.
Card named in this ruling
- #8· Wizards of the Coast
To proliferate, you can choose any permanent that has a counter, including ones controlled by opponents. You can choose any player who has a counter, including opponents. You can't choose cards in any zone other than the battlefield, even if they have counters on them.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #9· Wizards of the Coast
You don't have to choose every permanent or player that has a counter, only the ones you want to add another counter to. Since "any number" includes zero, you don't have to choose any permanents at all, and you don't have to choose any players at all.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #10· Wizards of the Coast
If a player or permanent has more than one kind of counter on it, and you choose for it to get additional counters, it must get one of each kind of counter it already has. You can't have it get just one kind of counter it already has and not the others.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #11· Wizards of the Coast
An ability that triggers "Whenever you proliferate" triggers even if you chose no permanents or players while doing so.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #12· Wizards of the Coast
Players can respond to a spell or ability whose effect includes proliferating. Once that spell or ability starts to resolve, however, and its controller chooses which permanents and players will get new counters, it's too late for anyone to respond.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #13· Wizards of the Coast
If a permanent ever has both +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters on it at the same time, they're removed in pairs as a state-based action so that the permanent has only one of those kinds of counters on it.
No other card is named in this ruling.
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