Grim Affliction — ruling 1

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.

Grim Affliction — ruling 2

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.

Grim Affliction — ruling 3

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.

Grim Affliction — ruling 4

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.

Grim Affliction — ruling 5

An ability that triggers "Whenever you proliferate" triggers even if you chose no permanents or players while doing so.

Grim Affliction — ruling 6

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.

Grim Affliction — ruling 7

You may choose the creature you put the -1/-1 counter on to get another -1/-1 counter when proliferating.

Grim Affliction : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Grim Affliction 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

Put a -1/-1 counter on target creature, then proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.)

How it works : Grim Affliction

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1February 4, 2023· 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.
#2February 4, 2023· 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.
#3February 4, 2023· 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.
#4February 4, 2023· 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.
#5February 4, 2023· 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.
#6February 4, 2023· 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.
#7June 1, 2011· Wizards of the Coast
You may choose the creature you put the -1/-1 counter on to get another -1/-1 counter when proliferating.
No other card is named in this ruling.