Magic: The Gathering's Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus makes proliferate decks more powerful than ever

Proliferate in Magic: The Gathering can be one of the most powerful abilities in the game, and one of the Phyrexian gods is going to make that even more dangerous. The Dominus are gods of Phyrexia and have some genuinely terrifying powers.

In addition to making itself indestructible, Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus has the power to double up on your proliferate activations, making both him and the counters you put in play far more accessible to stack up. Whether poison counters on your opponent or using it to boost your creature's damage potential, this Magic: The Gathering card will undoubtedly see play.

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Proliferate has never been better with Magic: The Gathering’s Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus in play

Each color in Magic: The Gathering is going to be receiving a Dominus, which are considered Phyrexian Gods. Each of them brings something powerful, like Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus. Like Mondrak, Tekuthal can make himself unbeatable, and it takes very little work to make it happen.

Here’s what Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus can do in your Magic: The Gathering games.

If you want to generate counters faster than ever, this Magic: The Gathering card is what you need to try (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus

• Mana Value: 2UU
• Type: Legendary Creature - Phyrexian Horror
• Rarity: Mythic Rare
• Stats: 3 power, 5 toughness
• Keyword: Flying
• First Ability: If you would proliferate, proliferate twice instead.
• Second Ability: 1PP, remove three counters from other artifacts, creatures, and planeswalkers you control: Put an indestructible counter on Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus (P can be paid with either U or 2 life).

While Tekuthal isn’t the most potent dominus to come to Magic: The Gathering, it’s an interesting, powerful card in the right deck. What it does is incredibly straightforward. Anytime you would proliferate, for any reason, do it a second time. Depending on your actions, this could lead to 4, 5, or even 6 proliferates in one turn.

For example, you could run it in superfriends decks and combine it with Ichormoon Gauntlet. That card grants all planeswalkers a +0: Proliferate ability. It’s the most obvious combo for this card and one that players will immediately pursue in Magic: The Gathering.

However, that’s not the only significant use for the card. You could easily run a Blue/Green Toxic deck for your Standard deck. It remains to be seen whether it will be a tier 1 deck, but it could very well happen. Combine the above cards with just a few that deliver a poison counter.

From there, slow the game down with removal and board control, and proliferate with planeswalkers or any other card that allows proliferate. There will be plenty of those, so fear not. In settings like Commander, fans might want to look at Contagion Engine.

A classic MTG card, it puts a -1/-1 counter on each creature your opponent controls when it comes into play. But you can pay 4 mana and tap it to Proliferate, then Proliferate again. That means you can generate 4 poison counters, 4 -1/-1 counters, and so much more each time you proliferate.

The only downside to Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus is that it’s harder to get his indestructible trigger. Remove 3 counters from among other artifacts, creatures, and planeswalkers you control. You have to give something up, but it will be worth it. That is perhaps the card's only real weak point.

It’s a bit of a niche pick, but this Magic: The Gathering card will be wildly powerful in the right deck. Players can take this for a spin when Phyrexia: All Will Be One kicks off on February 10, 2023. Pre-release events start on February 3, 2023 as well.