Cryptic Trilobite 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.
01
Official card text
This creature enters with X +1/+1 counters on it. Remove a +1/+1 counter from this creature: Add. Spend this mana only to activate abilities.
,
: Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
How it works : Cryptic Trilobite
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
A mana cost of
means that you pay twice X. If you want X to be 3, you pay 
to cast Cryptic Trilobite.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
Activated abilities contain a colon, such as Cryptic Trilobite’s activated mana ability and its last activated ability. They’re generally written “[Cost]: [Effect].” Some keyword abilities are activated abilities (such as cycling) and will have colons in their reminder text.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
You can spend the two colorless mana produced by Cryptic Trilobite on two different activated abilities.
No other card is named in this ruling.
02
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
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#1
Ghave, Guru of Spores + Cryptic Trilobite + Hardened Scales
Infinite death triggersInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite creature sacrifice triggers
- 1Activate Cryptic Trilobite's first ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, adding .
- 2Activate Ghave's first ability by paying and removing a +1/+1 counter from Cryptic Trilobite, creating a 1/1 Saproling creature token.
- 3Activate Ghave's second ability by paying and sacrificing the Saproling token, putting two +1/+1 counters on Cryptic Trilobite.
- 4Repeat.
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#2
Ghave, Guru of Spores + Cryptic Trilobite + Good-Fortune Unicorn
Infinite death triggersInfinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite creature sacrifice triggers
- 1Activate Cryptic Trilobite's first ability by removing two +1/+1 counters from it, adding .
- 2Activate Ghave's first ability by paying and removing a +1/+1 counter from Cryptic Trilobite, creating a 1/1 Saproling creature token.
- 3The Saproling enters the battlefield, triggering Good-Fortune Unicorn, putting a +1/+1 counter on the Saproling.
- 4Activate Ghave's first ability by paying and removing a +1/+1 counter from a Saproling, creating a 1/1 Saproling creature token.
- 5The Saproling enters the battlefield, triggering Good-Fortune Unicorn, putting a +1/+1 counter on the Saproling.
- 6Activate Ghave's second ability by paying and sacrificing a Saproling token with no counters on it, putting a +1/+1 counter on Cryptic Trilobite.
- 7Activate Cryptic Trilobite's first ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, adding .
- 8Repeat from step 4.
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#3
Ghave, Guru of Spores + Cryptic Trilobite + Cathars' Crusade
Infinite colorless manaInfinite creature tokensInfinite death triggersInfinite creature ETB
- 1Activate Cryptic Trilobite's first ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, adding .
- 2Activate Ghave's first ability by paying and removing a +1/+1 counter from Cryptic Trilobite, creating a 1/1 Saproling creature token.
- 3The Saproling enters the battlefield, triggering Cathars' Crusade, putting a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
- 4Activate Ghave's second ability by paying and sacrificing the Saproling token, putting a +1/+1 counter on Cryptic Trilobite.
- 5Activate Cryptic Trilobite's first ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, adding .
- 6Activate Ghave's first ability by paying and removing a +1/+1 counter from any creature you control, creating a 1/1 Saproling creature token.
- 7Repeat from step 3.
- 8Once you have infinite +1/+1 counters on Cryptic Trilobite, you may activate Ghave's first ability an infinite number of times to get infinite Saproling tokens.
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#4
Ghave, Guru of Spores + Cryptic Trilobite + Corpsejack Menace
Infinite creature ETBInfinite creature LTBInfinite death triggersInfinite creature sacrifice triggers
- 1Activate Cryptic Trilobite's first ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, adding .
- 2Activate Ghave's first ability by paying and removing a +1/+1 counter from Cryptic Trilobite, creating a 1/1 Saproling creature token.
- 3Activate Ghave's second ability by paying and sacrificing the Saproling token, putting two +1/+1 counters on Cryptic Trilobite.
- 4Repeat.
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#5
Marath, Will of the Wild + Cryptic Trilobite + Hardened Scales
Infinite colorless mana that can only be spent to activate abilitiesInfinite creature tokensInfinite damageInfinite creature ETB
- 1Activate Marath by paying and removing a +1/+1 counter from it, putting two +1/+1 counters on Marath.
- 2Activate Marath by paying and removing a +1/+1 counter from it, putting two +1/+1 counters on Cryptic Trilobite.
- 3Activate Cryptic Trilobite's first ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, adding that can only be spent to activate abilities.
- 4Repeat.
- 5Once Cryptic Trilobite has infinite +1/+1 counters, you may remove them for infinite mana, then repeat step 1 to get infinite +1/+1 counters on Marath, which can then be used for Marath's other modes.
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#6
Ghave, Guru of Spores + Cryptic Trilobite + Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest
Infinite colorless manaInfinite creature tokensInfinite death triggersInfinite creature ETB
- 1Activate Cryptic Trilobite's first ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, adding .
- 2Activate Ghave's first ability by paying and removing a +1/+1 counter from Cryptic Trilobite, creating a 1/1 Saproling creature token.
- 3Activate Ghave's second ability by paying and sacrificing the Saproling token.
- 4Mazirek triggers, putting a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
- 5Resolve the Ghave ability, putting a +1/+1 counter on Cryptic Trilobite.
- 6Activate Cryptic Trilobite's first ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, adding .
- 7Activate Ghave's first ability by paying and removing a +1/+1 counter from any creature you control, creating a 1/1 Saproling creature token.
- 8Repeat from step 3.
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#7
Ghave, Guru of Spores + Doubling Season + Cryptic Trilobite
Infinite colorless mana that can only be spent to activate abilitiesInfinite creature tokensInfinite death triggersInfinite creature ETB
- 1Activate Cryptic Trilobite's first ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, adding .
- 2Activate Ghave's first ability by paying and removing a +1/+1 counter from Cryptic Trilobite, creating two 1/1 Saproling creature tokens.
- 3Activate Ghave's second ability by paying and sacrificing a Saproling, putting two +1/+1 counters on Cryptic Trilobite.
- 4Repeat.
- 5Once you have infinite +1/+1 counters on Cryptic Trilobite, you may alter this loop to produce infinite creature tokens, put infinite +1/+1 counters on all your creatures, and activate Cryptic Trilobite infinite times.
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#8
Marath, Will of the Wild + Cryptic Trilobite + Conclave Mentor
Infinite colorless mana that can only be spent to activate abilitiesInfinite creature tokensInfinite damageInfinite creature ETB
- 1Activate Marath by paying and removing a +1/+1 counter from it, putting two +1/+1 counters on Marath.
- 2Activate Marath by paying and removing a +1/+1 counter from it, putting two +1/+1 counters on Cryptic Trilobite.
- 3Activate Cryptic Trilobite's first ability by removing a +1/+1 counter from it, adding that can only be spent to activate abilities.
- 4Repeat.
- 5Once Cryptic Trilobite has infinite +1/+1 counters, you may remove them for infinite mana, then repeat step 1 to get infinite +1/+1 counters on Marath, which can then be used for Marath's other modes.
03
Legal formats
legacyvintagecommanderoathbreakerdueltlr
Commentaires
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Meta decks with Cryptic Trilobite
No archived Top 8 deck with this card yet.