What it does
Proliferate lets you choose any number of permanents and/or players that already have a counter, then add one more counter of a kind they already have. You're not limited to your own stuff—you can proliferate counters on opponents' permanents too (rarely useful, but legal).
The big rule nuance: proliferate only adds counters that are already there. You can't put a +1/+1 counter on a creature that has none, and you choose which counter type to add when a permanent has multiple kinds. Also, "any number" means you can choose zero, and each chosen thing gets exactly one counter—not more.
In Commander, proliferate shines with planeswalker loyalty, +1/+1 counter decks, infect/poison, charge counters on artifacts, and saga chapters. It's a flexible value engine, but remember you can also proliferate beneficial counters onto opponents accidentally helping them, so choose carefully.
Iconic cards with Proliferate
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