Putrid Goblin — ruling 1

If a card with persist is removed from the graveyard after it dies but before the ability trigger resolves, it won’t be returned to the battlefield.

Putrid Goblin — ruling 2

Once persist returns the creature, it’s considered a new object with no relation to the object that it was. Auras that were attached to it won’t return to the battlefield. Equipment that was attached to it will remain unattached. Any counters that were on it won’t be put on the new creature.

Putrid Goblin — ruling 3

If a creature has +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters on it, state-based actions remove the same number of each so that it has only one kind of those counters on it. Putrid Goblin’s persist ability can bring it back again if its -1/-1 counters are removed this way.

Putrid Goblin — ruling 4

If a creature with persist that has +1/+1 counters on it receives enough -1/-1 counters to cause it to be destroyed by lethal damage or put into its owner’s graveyard for having 0 or less toughness, persist won’t trigger and the card won’t return to the battlefield. That’s because persist checks the creature as it last existed on the battlefield, and it still had -1/-1 counters on it at that point.

Putrid Goblin : règles, fonctionnement et interactions (MTG)

Putrid Goblin 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

Persist (When this creature dies, if it had no -1/-1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control with a -1/-1 counter on it.)

Complete guide

Putrid Goblin is a resilient two-drop that demonstrates the true power of the Persist keyword. Whether you are building a Zombie tribal deck or a dedicated sacrifice engine, this little undead warrior is remarkably difficult to keep in the graveyard.

The Mechanics of Persist

Putrid Goblin features the Persist keyword, a triggered ability that triggers when the creature dies. If the Goblin had no -1/-1 counters on it at the exact moment it was put into the graveyard, it returns to the battlefield under its owner's control. Crucially, when it returns, it enters with a -1/-1 counter already placed on it, making it a 1/1 creature.

Step-by-Step Resolution

When Putrid Goblin dies, the Persist ability checks its status as it last existed on the battlefield. If it had no -1/-1 counters, the ability goes on the stack. Upon resolution, the card moves from the graveyard to the battlefield. Because it is treated as a brand-new object, it loses any previous Auras or Equipment, and then a -1/-1 counter is placed on it as part of the return effect.

Canceling Out Counters

One of the most important interactions involves +1/+1 counters. If Putrid Goblin has a -1/-1 counter on it and you place a +1/+1 counter on it, state-based actions will remove both counters until only one type remains (or none, if the amounts are equal). If the -1/-1 counter is removed this way, Persist is 'reset' and can trigger again the next time the Goblin dies.

Strategic Timing

Because Persist relies on a triggered ability that uses the stack, your opponent has a window to respond. If Putrid Goblin is removed from the graveyard (by an effect like exile) before the Persist trigger resolves, it will not return to the battlefield. Use this card as a reliable blocker or sacrifice fodder to generate value twice for the price of one card.

Interaction examples

Basic Survival

You block an opponent's 2/2 creature with Putrid Goblin. Both creatures die. Since the Goblin had no -1/-1 counters, Persist triggers. The Goblin returns to the battlefield as a 1/1 creature with a -1/-1 counter on it.

The Reset Trick

Your Putrid Goblin is already a 1/1 because it has a -1/-1 counter from a previous death. You play a spell or ability that puts a +1/+1 counter on it. The counters cancel each other out and are both removed. Now, if the Goblin dies again, Persist will trigger once more because it had no -1/-1 counters when it left the battlefield.

Total Destruction

An opponent casts a spell that gives Putrid Goblin -2/-2. The Goblin's toughness becomes 0 and it is put into the graveyard. Since it had no -1/-1 counters on it before this effect, Persist triggers and it returns to play as a 1/1.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.

How it works : Putrid Goblin

Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall

#1June 14, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
If a card with persist is removed from the graveyard after it dies but before the ability trigger resolves, it won’t be returned to the battlefield.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#2June 14, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
Once persist returns the creature, it’s considered a new object with no relation to the object that it was. Auras that were attached to it won’t return to the battlefield. Equipment that was attached to it will remain unattached. Any counters that were on it won’t be put on the new creature.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#3June 14, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature has +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters on it, state-based actions remove the same number of each so that it has only one kind of those counters on it. Putrid Goblin’s persist ability can bring it back again if its -1/-1 counters are removed this way.
No other card is named in this ruling.
#4June 14, 2019· Wizards of the Coast
If a creature with persist that has +1/+1 counters on it receives enough -1/-1 counters to cause it to be destroyed by lethal damage or put into its owner’s graveyard for having 0 or less toughness, persist won’t trigger and the card won’t return to the battlefield. That’s because persist checks the creature as it last existed on the battlefield, and it still had -1/-1 counters on it at that point.
No other card is named in this ruling.