Profaner of the Dead — ruling 1

You can’t sacrifice more than one creature to any one exploit ability.

Profaner of the Dead — ruling 2

Use the toughness of the exploited creature as it last existed on the battlefield to determine which creatures to return to their owners’ hands.

Profaner of the Dead — ruling 3

A creature with exploit “exploits a creature” when the controller of the exploit ability sacrifices a creature as that ability resolves.

Profaner of the Dead — ruling 4

You choose whether to sacrifice a creature and which creature to sacrifice as the exploit ability resolves.

Profaner of the Dead — ruling 5

You can sacrifice the creature with exploit if it’s still on the battlefield. This will cause its other ability to trigger.

Profaner of the Dead — ruling 6

If the creature with exploit isn’t on the battlefield as the exploit ability resolves, you won’t get any bonus from the creature with exploit, even if you sacrifice a creature. Because the creature with exploit isn’t on the battlefield, its other triggered ability won’t trigger.

Profaner of the Dead : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Profaner of the Dead 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

Exploit (When this creature enters, you may sacrifice a creature.) When this creature exploits a creature, return to their owners' hands all creatures your opponents control with toughness less than the exploited creature's toughness.

How it works : Profaner of the Dead

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1February 25, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
You can’t sacrifice more than one creature to any one exploit ability.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2February 25, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
Use the toughness of the exploited creature as it last existed on the battlefield to determine which creatures to return to their owners’ hands.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3February 25, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
A creature with exploit “exploits a creature” when the controller of the exploit ability sacrifices a creature as that ability resolves.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4February 25, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
You choose whether to sacrifice a creature and which creature to sacrifice as the exploit ability resolves.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#5February 25, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
You can sacrifice the creature with exploit if it’s still on the battlefield. This will cause its other ability to trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#6February 25, 2015· Wizards of the Coast
If the creature with exploit isn’t on the battlefield as the exploit ability resolves, you won’t get any bonus from the creature with exploit, even if you sacrifice a creature. Because the creature with exploit isn’t on the battlefield, its other triggered ability won’t trigger.
No other card is named in this ruling.