Timestream Navigator and Ajani, Valiant Protector makes an infinite combo when they have been assembled together (assuming no other creatures in the deck). While on MTGO, the deck is possible to play because shuffling is instant - in paper it would be much harder. My question is:
When you have Timestream Navigator and Ajani, Valiant Protector and demonstrate the loop in paper form. Are you able to shortcut to the end part of the loop where you have only timestream navigator in your library, 7 cards in hand, and X counters on Ajani?
Or are you required to play it out each time while shuffling?
719.2a At any point in the game, the player with priority may suggest a shortcut by describing a sequence of game choices, for all players, that may be legally taken based on the current game state and the predictable results of the sequence of choices. This sequence may be a non-repetitive series of choices, a loop that repeats a specified number of times, multiple loops, or nested loops, and may even cross multiple turns. It can’t include conditional actions, where the outcome of a game event determines the next action a player takes. The ending point of this sequence must be a place where a player has priority, though it need not be the player proposing the shortcut.
You can't predict the results of your steps, because you don't know what cards you will be drawing and discarding when, due to the repeated randomization of the cards in the library. Therefore you can't take the shortcut.
719.2a At any point in the game, the player with priority may suggest a shortcut by describing a sequence of game choices, for all players, that may be legally taken based on the current game state and the predictable results of the sequence of choices. This sequence may be a non-repetitive series of choices, a loop that repeats a specified number of times, multiple loops, or nested loops, and may even cross multiple turns. It can’t include conditional actions, where the outcome of a game event determines the next action a player takes. The ending point of this sequence must be a place where a player has priority, though it need not be the player proposing the shortcut.
You can't predict the results of your steps, because you don't know what cards you will be drawing and discarding when, due to the repeated randomization of the cards in the library. Therefore you can't take the shortcut.
In this particular case, the only creature findable with Ajani's ability is another Timestream Navigator, so each loop ends up in a predictable way. Is it still not shortcut-able? Admittedly there are 3 copies of Navigator, so if more than 1 is still in your deck I can see how it could be unpredictable in ways that do not impact the game (such as how many cards get randomized each cycle)...does that matter?
One visile and potentially very imortant and undeterminable thing about this loop is the order of cards in the graveyard. You can't determine which card you discard when because you don't know what you draw each turn. You have to be able to predict the results of all your game choices, and this one you can't predict.
Once demonstrated, can you shortcut the same portions of the loop for each required iteration? That is, announce you will perform the loop say 10 times, shuffle + draw 10 times (discarding as needed), and get to the end state with the required unpredictable steps included but without repeatedly performing the predictable steps of activating the creature, activating ajani, casting the creature, each time.
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Timestream Navigator and Ajani, Valiant Protector makes an infinite combo when they have been assembled together (assuming no other creatures in the deck). While on MTGO, the deck is possible to play because shuffling is instant - in paper it would be much harder. My question is:
When you have Timestream Navigator and Ajani, Valiant Protector and demonstrate the loop in paper form. Are you able to shortcut to the end part of the loop where you have only timestream navigator in your library, 7 cards in hand, and X counters on Ajani?
Or are you required to play it out each time while shuffling?
You can't predict the results of your steps, because you don't know what cards you will be drawing and discarding when, due to the repeated randomization of the cards in the library. Therefore you can't take the shortcut.
Former Rules Advisor
"Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge
(The Gamers: Dorkness Rising)
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
(Girl Genius - Fairy Tale Theater Break - Cinderella, end of volume 8)
In this particular case, the only creature findable with Ajani's ability is another Timestream Navigator, so each loop ends up in a predictable way. Is it still not shortcut-able? Admittedly there are 3 copies of Navigator, so if more than 1 is still in your deck I can see how it could be unpredictable in ways that do not impact the game (such as how many cards get randomized each cycle)...does that matter?
Former Rules Advisor
"Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge
(The Gamers: Dorkness Rising)
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
(Girl Genius - Fairy Tale Theater Break - Cinderella, end of volume 8)