Persist

Persist is a keyword ability. Persist was introduced in Shadowmoor.

Description
When a permanent with Persist dies, if it had no -1/-1 counters on it, it is returned it to the battlefield under its owner's control with a -1/-1 counter on it.

Persist was also used in Eventide and Modern Horizons.

Rulings

 * All cards currently printed with persist are creatures. If a creature with persist stops being a creature (for example, if an artifact creature with persist becomes a noncreature artifact due to Neurok Transmuter's second ability), persist will still trigger.
 * Likewise, if a noncreature permanent becomes a creature, gains persist, and dies, the persist ability will still trigger even though that permanent won't be a creature when it returns to the battlefield.
 * If a permanent has multiple instances of persist, they'll each trigger separately, but the redundant instances will have no effect. If one instance returns the card to the battlefield, any others will do nothing since the card is no longer in a graveyard.
 * If a card with persist is removed from a graveyard before the persist ability resolves, persist will do nothing.
 * Tokens can gain persist, and the ability will trigger if a token dies. However, like all tokens, it can't return to the battlefield and will cease to exist as a state-based action before the ability would go on the stack.
 * When a permanent with persist dies and then returns to the battlefield, it becomes a new object with no memory of its previous existence. It has "summoning sickness."
 * Persist triggers when the permanent is put into a graveyard and relies on the last known information about that permanent when it left the battlefield. If a permanent with a +1/+1 counter on it receives enough -1/-1 counters to reduce its toughness to 0 or less or have lethal damage marked on it, it won't return to the battlefield despite the state-based action of +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters "cancelling each other out". As the permanent last existed on the battlefield, it had a -1/-1 counter on it, so persist won't trigger.

Cards that grant Persist
Creature Instant Artifact
 * Antler Skulkin (white creature)
 * Cauldron Haze
 * Cauldron of Souls

Trivia

 * Persist was featured as rules card 5 of 6 in the Shadowmoor set and 5 of 8 in the Eventide set.
 * Persist mirrors Undying.