Lifeline Infinite Damage Combo

Games Sentinels of the Multiverse
1

A buddy of mine and I were playing against Oblivaeon last night and we think we discovered an infinite damage combo with Lifeline. Admittedly, it takes a little bit of setup but I figured I'd share -- either so others can enjoy, or people can point out what we are doing wrong.

The Team:
You will need some damage reduction support, so Argent Adept, Captain Cosmic, or any other heroes with that ability will be a necessary inclusion.

The Setup:
Have 1 copy of Calculated Action, 1 copy of Unleash Energy and 2 copies of Haunting Memories in hand.

Have a total of 2 damage reduction. (Lifeline can get partway there by himself with Terminarch's Casing in play, which reduces damage dealt to Lifeline by 1.)

  • Optional Alternative to Damage Reduction: Have a hero with Damage Redirection abilities. Someone like The Naturalist in Rhino Form with Indomitable Force in play, for example, would help mitigate the damage Lifeline takes.

The Sequence:

  1. Play Calculated Action. Lifeline takes 0 damage because of reduction. Choose to play 2 cards. Calculated Action moves to trash. (Play Count is 2.)
  2. Play Unleash Energy. Lifeline deals himself 0 damage because of reduction, then deals each non-Hero target 2 Energy Damage. Choose to play a card. Unleash Energy moves to trash. (Play Count is 2.)
  3. Play Haunting Memories 1. Lifeline takes 0 damage because of reduction. Move Calculated Action and Unleash Energy from your trash to your hand. Haunting Memories 1 moves to trash. (Play Count is 1.)
  4. Play Calculated Action. Lifeline takes 0 damage because of reduction. Choose to play 2 cards. Calculated Action moves to trash. (Play Count is 2.)
  5. Play Unleash Energy. Lifeline deals himself 0 damage because of reduction, then deals each non-Hero target 2 Energy Damage. Choose to play a card. Unleash Energy moves to trash. (Play Count is 2).
  6. Play Haunting Memories 2. Life takes 0 damage because of reduction. Move Calculated Action, Unleash Energy and Haunting Memories 1 from your trash to your hand. Haunting Memories 2 moves to trash. (Play Count is 1.)
  7. Return to start of sequence.

By reducing the damage Lifeline would take, this sequence of cards should allow you to deal 2 Energy Damage to each non-Hero target ad infinitum. This obviously does not get around enemy damage reduction, but against Aeon Men, most Scions/Villains, and even Oblivaeon himself during the later phases, this is a one-turn infinite combo to kill all non-Heroes in Lifeline's battle zone.

Are we missing anything here? Is this legal? It obviously takes a lot of setup, and the right combination of cards in hand, but with 3 copies of each in the deck it isn't out of the question. We'd appreciate any feedback and thoughts about this.

2

" Play Calculated Action. Lifeline takes 0 damage because of reduction. Choose to play 2 cards. Calculated Action moves to trash. (Play Count is 2.) "

Right, I'mma stop you right there.  Calculated action doesn't move into the trash until you play both the cards it lets you play.

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Also welcome to the forums. 

4

That was a debate we had, actually, so I’m glad someone else pointed it out. Just so we’re clear, until all cards that let you play extra cards are resolved, nothing hits the trash? Must be the part of my brain that’s been trained for Magic: the Gathering that confused things for us.

If that’s the case, then this obviously doesn’t work as written. How would this interact if Lifeline were given a static ability to “play an additional card during his Play phase”, akin to something like Tachyon’s Pushing the Limits?

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Thanks!

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Of course, if you can get one set of those three cards in your trash, and another in your hand, then you're off to the races!

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Welcome to the forums!

8

Basically until the effects of all extra card plays are resolved you don’t put the card that gives extra plays into the trash. For example, if Tach has pushing the limits out and plays Fleet of Foot first, Fleet of Foot will not go into the trash until the card fleet of foot plays is done going off. Once that card is done Fleet of Foot will go into the trash and then you can play a card provided by Pushing the Limits. If I’ve worded this poorly I suggest watching the video game adaptation be played as it makes things clearer.

As a note this also applies to Stuntman’s ongoings. They don’t enter the trash until all the effects go off which prevents you from chaining Dramatic Cliffhanger with itself.