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Rules Q&A » Post: Loops

Loops

Feb. 17, 2013 10:51:18 PM

José Moreira
Judge (Level 1 (Judge Academy))

Iberia

Loops

A quick question about loops,

i know we have to give a value, but, for example:

two players are playing with the humaninator deck (infite life + infinite tokens), if the first players says 1000, the second player can always say 2000 and win, so the second player will always get the advtange here.

Can infinite be used as a number? I believe not, but what can i say to players when confronted with that?

Feb. 17, 2013 11:42:41 PM

Jan Brinkmann
Judge (Uncertified), Scorekeeper

German-speaking countries

Loops

Hi José,

you are right! Players have to chose a finite number. See CR 716.1b:
Occasionally the game gets into a state in which a set of actions could be repeated
indefinitely (thus creating a “loop”). In that case, the shortcut rules can be used to determine
how many times those actions are repeated without having to actually perform them, and how
the loop is broken.
In your example the second player may anticipate the first players move as described.

Greetings
Jan

Edited Jan Brinkmann (Feb. 17, 2013 11:50:46 PM)

Feb. 19, 2013 01:31:18 AM

Justin Miyashiro
Judge (Uncertified)

USA - Northwest

Loops

In that specific example, it may be useful to point out (after the match,
of course) that the first player can combo again later in the game (for
instance, when he's getting attacked by 2000 wolves). In such an instance,
however, it is certainly important to indicate that the loop rules
specifically disallow continuing the loop immediately after concluding it.
Thus, the first player cannot simply say “Ok, since you chose 2000, I
choose my DCI number” and so on.

But generally, yes, unbounded loops from both players favor the player who
is looping second.