https://twitter.com/CubeApril/status/958037833033371649 and https://www.reddit.com/r/magicTCG/comments/7tyrma/i_came_across_an_interesting_dilemma_on_twitter/



In our regional discord we are at a disagreement.
Stefan L. said it's a fragmented loop(which some of us agree), so the Lantern player would have to stop his loop and lose the game. (CR 719.3 and CR 104.4b, and looping his artifact isnt an mandatory action)
Others say its not a fragmented loop, so they can play on and on because the game state changes enough because he loops more than one mox opal.
And others even say it's a draw because of whatever rule they found but dont want to tell us.

O' plx.

Edited John Brian McCarthy (Jan. 30, 2018 05:35:56 PM)

I've removed the picture of text you posted because it was breaking the mobile width. Please edit your post to post it as text.

I've also locked for an O answer.

Ah, the eternal loop of eternal loop threads… I kind of missed this. (NOT)

Usually, these loops start looping while I'm off line, typically when I'm out of town (or even overseas); a rather nice surprise to see loopiness while I'm available!

All kidding aside, folks: this is a recurring topic, and it's safe to say that lots of people are unhappy to learn that they might have to lose a game that they'd rather draw via a loop. I get that - you think you see a way to win, or at least not lose, and some Judge Meanie (hmmm… I should patent that) tells you “you must choose a different action and break the loop.”

The most recent instance of a loop loop that I recall started here.

And Toby posted his (unfortunately ignored) 'O'fficial answer here.

And, just so we're clear: Toby's answer remains correct and ‘O’fficial. (Short version: No, you can't repeat a loop in the desired manner.)

My compatriot and fellow NetRep, Callum Milne, offered up this great explanatory analogy:

If you're having trouble understanding why the player is forced to stop looping if that causes them to lose the game, it might be helpful to imagine the loop rules as being about limits of the player's physical capacity to continue acting. Because after all, in real life you can't possibly continue to engage in the same activity infinitely–if you told a player in this situation that they needed to physically perform the actions required to continue the loop, and that they'd lose if they ever stopped, they would eventually lose, because at some point their mind and body would fail them. It might take eight or twelve or fifty hours, but even if their will to continue didn't wane, eventually physical and mental exhaustion would win out, and they'd be forced to stop. Us forcing an end to loops amounts to shortcutting to the point where that happens.

d:^D

P.S. - for those who will now call for re-opening the thread, well - I've learned that lesson; it only serves to invite 42 variations (what if there's a FOO in play?) which turn out to be not at all a variation.