An Infinite Combo that may Potentially Halt the Game
Asked by CptDanger 13 years ago
So me and my friend were talking the other day and we were talking about infinite combos, I mean, who doesn't? And he thought up of something: what if you use Painter's Servant and Grindstone to mill an opponent's library, only to find out that their library was full of multiples of copies of the Eldrazi gods.
In this case would the grindstone-have-to-finish-resolving-and-the-eldrazi-gods'-reshuffling-triggered-ability-just-go-to-the-stack-and-wait-for-[[grindstone to finish resolving or do they get reshuffled immediately, causing an infinite loop? I am almost positive the correct answer is the former, not the latter.
benzzer853 says... #2
It is an infinite loop. The eldrazi gods get shuffled immediatly. if this happens the player just shuffles there graveyard into there library and play resumes.
April 14, 2012 10:12 a.m.
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
The legendary Eldrazi all have triggered abilities. What would happen in your scenario is that your opponent's entire library would be placed into his graveyard. The abilities of the Eldrazi would trigger at that time, but do nothing at this point. Grindstone would stop because it doesn't find two cards that share a colour. Then, the Eldrazi abilities would be put onto the stack. When they resolve, his graveyard will be shuffled into his library. You could still win if you could cast a Stroke of Genius on him in response.
On the other hand, if his library contains multiple copies of Blightsteel Colossus, the game would end in a draw. The difference is that Blightsteel Colossus has a replacement effect, rather than a triggered ability, meaning that it will take effect during the resolution of Grindstone's ability. Eventually, there will come a point where your opponent will reveal two copies of Blightsteel Colossus, shuffle them back into his library, then reveal them again without end. There is no way to respond because it is all during the resolution of one ability.
April 14, 2012 10:14 a.m.
((Emrakul, the Aeons Torn for reference))
Nothing will trigger while an ability is resolving.
Grindstone will mill the entire library, then all three Eldrazi triggered abilities will go on the stack and resolve, shuffling graveyard back into library.
This is because Grindstone does not put another copy of its ability on the stack, but instead repeats until the condition is not met, as one ability. If the ability were to be put back onto the stack, the Eldrazi would have time to trigger and set up an infinite loop.
April 14, 2012 10:46 a.m.
GoblinsInc says... #5
Nitpick. The abilities -will- trigger while the grindstone's ability is resolving. they just will not go on the stack, nor resolve themselves until after grindstone finishes resolving.
April 14, 2012 3:03 p.m.
Yes, that is true, I did misspeak. Meant to say Nothing will be placed on the stack while an ability is resolving.
CptDanger says... #1
I have no idea why there are so many dashes between the words up there, I never put them there.
April 14, 2012 9:41 a.m.