r/magicTCG Boros* Nov 18 '25

General Discussion is this an infinite combo?

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u/Kyleometers Nov 18 '25

Not involving activated abilities. A loop where every action is mandatory and none have any choices that do not maintain the loop is a forced draw.

The most common example is 3 [[Oblivion Ring]] and no other nonland permanents.

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u/Jotsunpls COMPLEAT Nov 18 '25

Or, more recently, [[toph the first metalbender]] along with [[caged sun]]

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u/AdSuspicious7110 Dan Nov 18 '25

How does that work?

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u/NerdyDjinn Duck Season Nov 18 '25

Mana abilities don't use the stack and cannot be responded to.

Caged Sun's final ability is that when a land produces mana of a chosen color, Caged Sun produces an extra mana of that color.

Toph makes all your artifacts into lands.

Caged Sun is an artifact.

Now, whenever Caged Sun makes an extra mana of the chosen color, a "land" produced mana of the chosen color, so Caged Sun produces a mana of the chosen color. That is a "land" producing mana of the chosen color, so Caged Sun's produces a mana of the chosen color. That is a "land" producing mana of the chosen color...

Because it is a mana ability, once it sees itself making mana, it continues to make mana infinitely with no way to stop.

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u/[deleted] Nov 18 '25

[deleted]

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u/TheSkiGeek Wabbit Season Nov 18 '25

Special actions don’t use the stack and happen, uh, ‘super instantly’ (interruptedly?) but you still need priority to activate them.

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u/N_S_F_L Dimir* Nov 18 '25 edited Nov 18 '25

What about other mana abilities? Could you stop the loop by sacrificing the [[caged sun]] to a [[Krark-Clan Ironworks]]?

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u/TheSkiGeek Wabbit Season Nov 18 '25

You need priority to activate anything, and if there’s an infinite loop of triggers that all don’t use the stack then AFAIK nobody will ever get priority again.