<p>Yes, you can repeat this action as often as you like (which is different from 'infinite times'): you must declare how often you are activating these abilities upfront.</p>

<p>You need another card (e.g. <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bCrackdown%20Construct%5d">Crackdown Construct</a>) to actually profit from it. More 'single card infinite' cards exist, see the answers to my question <a href="https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/q/47380/12315">Are there any Magic cards capable of generating loops alone?</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-28T20:06:39.663Z
Mesmeric Orb empties _your_ library if you're the one doing the combo. Which might also be useful, but requires more finesse to exploit.
Arthur
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-28T20:08:24.553Z
@Arthur thanks for catching that. I misremembered, and earlier today Gatherer was in maintenance mode.
Glorfindel
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-28T18:13:54.050Z
2019-10-28T20:07:53.033Z
2019-10-28T20:07:53.033Z
Glorfindel
<p>Yes, this is currently legal* and there is no direct payoff to using the Monolith to untap itself, with no other cards that interact with it, the idea of the card was to give you mana in advance that you would pay for later. There are ways to make this give a benefit, based on how Basalt Monolith works that benefit would most likely be extra if not infinite mana.</p>
<p>Cards that can make this combo create benefit:</p>
<ul>
<li><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bPower%20Artifact%5d">Power Artifact</a> - Infinite colorless mana, since this aura makes the enchanted artifact cost <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/gurlF.png" alt="{2}" /> less, letting you tap to gain <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /> and untap for <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Quh6B.gif" alt="{1}" />, netting <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /> and this is infinitely repeatable.</li>
<li><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bKurkesh%2c%20Onakke%20Ancient%5d">Kurkesh, Onakke Ancient</a> - This lets you copy the untap ability for <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ft3GA.png" alt="{R}" /> - you can tap it again between the resolution of the two untap abilities, gaining <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /> for every <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ft3GA.png" alt="{R}" /><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/VNHRu.gif" alt="{3}" /> spent - effectively turning <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ft3GA.png" alt="{R}" /> into <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /> - repeatable as long as you have red mana - with something like <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSkyshroud%20Elf%5d">Skyshroud Elf</a> you can use some of the <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" /> gained as a source of red - leaving you an infinite combo again with a profit (infinite <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png" alt="{C}" />, <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ft3GA.png" alt="{R}" /> and/or <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/X6h3y.gif" alt="{W}" /> in this case)</li>
<li><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bCrackdown%20Construct%5d">Crackdown Construct</a> - This one cares about activating abilities that aren't mana abilities. The first ability of Basalt Monolith, tap to gain three colorless, is a mana ability, but the second, pay <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/VNHRu.gif" alt="{3}" /> to untap Basalt Monolith, is not - this combo that is mana neutral would grow the construct to whatever size you decide to stop at, letting you attack, block or fling an arbitrarily large creature.</li>
<li><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bWake%20Thrasher%5d">Wake Thrasher</a> - this one is similar to the construct, but it cares about the number of untaps, each iteration of the combo gives wake thrasher +1/+1 until end of turn because Monolith is untapped in the combo.</li>
</ul>
<p>There are other cards that can interact with this combo, but these are generally considered negative results, though with certain strategies and other cards involved can be exploited:</p>
<ul>
<li><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bMesmeric%20Orb%5d">Mesmeric Orb</a> - self mills - this can be useful in things that use dredge, delve or <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bLaboratory%20Maniac%5d">Laboratory Maniac</a></li>
<li><a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bArtifact%20Possession%5d">Artifact Possession</a> and <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bHaunting%20Wind%5d">Haunting Wind</a> - does damage to controller - harder to make use of, but controlled taking of damage can be used (i.e. <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bDarien%2c%20King%20of%20Kjeldor%5d">Darien, King of Kjeldor</a> or <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bVilis%2c%20Broker%20of%20Blood%5d">Vilis, Broker of Blood</a> for tokens or card draw, possible <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bNear-Death%20Experience%5d">Near-Death Experience</a> win condition comboing at end of opponents turn). Possession is an aura that does 2 damage to the controller of enchanted artifact when it is tapped, Wind is an enchantment that does damage to the controller of any artifact when that artifact becomes tapped.</li>
</ul>
<p>*Previous errata prevented using the mana from Basalt monolith from untapping itself - it would have been theoretically possible to pass this mana through a filter, like the Skyshroud Elf mentioned before, to use it to untap the monolith even while this errata was in place.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-29T16:19:52.113Z
2021-02-12T01:48:34.587Z
2021-02-12T01:48:34.587Z
Andrew
<p><strong>Yes, you can tap and untap Basalt Monolith arbitrarily many times, alone, with no other benefit.</strong></p>
<p>The current text of Basalt Monolith's activated abilities is as follows:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>{T}: Add {C}{C}{C}.<br />
{3}: Untap Basalt Monolith.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The first ability adds three mana, and the second ability costs three mana of any type, so you can use the mana produced by the first ability to activate the second ability. Activating both abilities in order results in the game returning to the same exact state it was in before either ability was activated, so you can immediately do the same thing again.</p>
<p>The relevant rule for voluntary infinite loops, <a href="https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Shortcut" rel="nofollow noreferrer">rule 726.2a</a> says this:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>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. <strong>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.</strong> 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.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Like with any infinite loop, you can announce that you are activating Basalt Monolith's first ability and then using the mana to activate the second ability any specific number of times.</p>
<hr />
<p><a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/latest-developments/power-level-errata-b-gone-2006-07-14" rel="nofollow noreferrer">A 2006 article on the Wizards website</a> describes some previous power-level errata to Basalt Monolith that prevented this loop from working:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This card had textbook power-level errata previously; it basically said “you can't use Basalt Monolith to untap itself.” I'm not sure if this clause was invented to stop combos with <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Power%20Artifact">Power Artifact</a> or the old wording of <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Relic%20Bind">Relic Bind</a>, but either way it was bad news. It is removed, and Power Artifact fans across the globe can rejoice!</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-29T11:34:17.760Z
Alright! That was the text I was referencing, but if it was removed, hooray!
CollinB
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-31T11:46:47.210Z
There is a card called [Elvish House Party](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=73961) that you could either nerf or buff with this card by using it in a loop until it is what ever time you desire.
Q Paul
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-01T15:28:50.573Z
@QPaul You don't need game actions to waste everyone's time. Just hold priority whenever.
Caleth
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-01T16:17:29.893Z
In both cases that is considered slow play, which is illegal in tournaments and impolite in most other situations.
murgatroid99
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-28T18:06:16.960Z
2022-08-22T22:03:03.490Z
2022-08-22T22:03:03.490Z
murgatroid99
<p>Can't <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bBasalt%20Monolith%5d">Basalt Monolith</a> go infinite with itself? No payoff or practical use, but it's a one card infinite?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-28T17:54:40.850Z
What are you unsure about here? Do you want to know how the abilities function? Or how loops work in the game? Or something else?
murgatroid99
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-28T17:55:51.490Z
Just want to make absolutely sure that you can just untap Monolith with the 3 colorless from it's first ability. Thought i remembered errata somewhere that said you can't, but can't find it. Mostly asking to convince a friend.
CollinB
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-28T19:15:56.927Z
@CollinB, can't find the exact language, but this article talks about it a bit: https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/latest-developments/power-level-errata-b-gone-2006-07-14
CALEB F
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-28T20:11:48.230Z
@CALEBF Do you mind if I add that information to my answer?
murgatroid99
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-28T20:23:39.187Z
@murgatroid99 Sure, go ahead!
CALEB F
<magic-the-gathering>
Is Basalt Monolith a 1-card infinite combo with no payoff?
CollinB
# Is Basalt Monolith a 1-card infinite combo with no payoff?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-10-28)

Can't [Basalt Monolith](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bBasalt%20Monolith%5d) go infinite with itself? No payoff or practical use, but it's a one card infinite?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What are you unsure about here? Do you want to know how the abilities function? Or how loops work in the game? Or something else?  
> **username_0**: Just want to make absolutely sure that you can just untap Monolith with the 3 colorless from it's first ability. Thought i remembered errata somewhere that said you can't, but can't find it. Mostly asking to convince a friend.  
> **username_2**: @username_0, can't find the exact language, but this article talks about it a bit: https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/latest-developments/power-level-errata-b-gone-2006-07-14  
> **username_1**: @username_2 Do you mind if I add that information to my answer?  
> **username_2**: @username_1 Sure, go ahead!  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-10-28. Score: 23 | Accepted answer

**Yes, you can tap and untap Basalt Monolith arbitrarily many times, alone, with no other benefit.**

The current text of Basalt Monolith's activated abilities is as follows:

> {T}: Add {C}{C}{C}.  
> {3}: Untap Basalt Monolith.

The first ability adds three mana, and the second ability costs three mana of any type, so you can use the mana produced by the first ability to activate the second ability. Activating both abilities in order results in the game returning to the same exact state it was in before either ability was activated, so you can immediately do the same thing again.

The relevant rule for voluntary infinite loops, [rule 726.2a](https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Shortcut) says this:

> 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.

Like with any infinite loop, you can announce that you are activating Basalt Monolith's first ability and then using the mana to activate the second ability any specific number of times.

---

[A 2006 article on the Wizards website](https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/latest-developments/power-level-errata-b-gone-2006-07-14) describes some previous power-level errata to Basalt Monolith that prevented this loop from working:

> This card had textbook power-level errata previously; it basically said “you can't use Basalt Monolith to untap itself.” I'm not sure if this clause was invented to stop combos with [Power Artifact](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Power%20Artifact) or the old wording of [Relic Bind](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Relic%20Bind), but either way it was bad news. It is removed, and Power Artifact fans across the globe can rejoice!

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Alright! That was the text I was referencing, but if it was removed, hooray!  
> **username_6**: There is a card called [Elvish House Party](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=73961) that you could either nerf or buff with this card by using it in a loop until it is what ever time you desire.  
> **username_7**: @username_6 You don't need game actions to waste everyone's time. Just hold priority whenever.  
> **username_1**: In both cases that is considered slow play, which is illegal in tournaments and impolite in most other situations.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-10-28. Score: 11

Yes, you can repeat this action as often as you like (which is different from 'infinite times'): you must declare how often you are activating these abilities upfront.

You need another card (e.g. [Crackdown Construct](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bCrackdown%20Construct%5d)) to actually profit from it. More 'single card infinite' cards exist, see the answers to my question [Are there any Magic cards capable of generating loops alone?](https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/q/47380/12315)

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Mesmeric Orb empties _your_ library if you're the one doing the combo. Which might also be useful, but requires more finesse to exploit.  
> **username_3**: @username_4 thanks for catching that. I misremembered, and earlier today Gatherer was in maintenance mode.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2019-10-29. Score: 7

Yes, this is currently legal\* and there is no direct payoff to using the Monolith to untap itself, with no other cards that interact with it, the idea of the card was to give you mana in advance that you would pay for later. There are ways to make this give a benefit, based on how Basalt Monolith works that benefit would most likely be extra if not infinite mana.

Cards that can make this combo create benefit:

* [Power Artifact](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bPower%20Artifact%5d) - Infinite colorless mana, since this aura makes the enchanted artifact cost ![{2}](https://i.sstatic.net/gurlF.png) less, letting you tap to gain ![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png)![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png)![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png) and untap for ![{1}](https://i.sstatic.net/Quh6B.gif), netting ![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png)![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png) and this is infinitely repeatable.
* [Kurkesh, Onakke Ancient](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bKurkesh%2c%20Onakke%20Ancient%5d) - This lets you copy the untap ability for ![{R}](https://i.sstatic.net/ft3GA.png) - you can tap it again between the resolution of the two untap abilities, gaining ![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png)![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png)![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png)![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png)![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png)![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png) for every ![{R}](https://i.sstatic.net/ft3GA.png)![{3}](https://i.sstatic.net/VNHRu.gif) spent - effectively turning ![{R}](https://i.sstatic.net/ft3GA.png) into ![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png)![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png)![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png) - repeatable as long as you have red mana - with something like [Skyshroud Elf](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSkyshroud%20Elf%5d) you can use some of the ![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png)![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png)![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png) gained as a source of red - leaving you an infinite combo again with a profit (infinite ![{C}](https://i.sstatic.net/EQvzz.png), ![{R}](https://i.sstatic.net/ft3GA.png) and/or ![{W}](https://i.sstatic.net/X6h3y.gif) in this case)
* [Crackdown Construct](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bCrackdown%20Construct%5d) - This one cares about activating abilities that aren't mana abilities. The first ability of Basalt Monolith, tap to gain three colorless, is a mana ability, but the second, pay ![{3}](https://i.sstatic.net/VNHRu.gif) to untap Basalt Monolith, is not - this combo that is mana neutral would grow the construct to whatever size you decide to stop at, letting you attack, block or fling an arbitrarily large creature.
* [Wake Thrasher](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bWake%20Thrasher%5d) - this one is similar to the construct, but it cares about the number of untaps, each iteration of the combo gives wake thrasher +1/+1 until end of turn because Monolith is untapped in the combo.

There are other cards that can interact with this combo, but these are generally considered negative results, though with certain strategies and other cards involved can be exploited:

* [Mesmeric Orb](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bMesmeric%20Orb%5d) - self mills - this can be useful in things that use dredge, delve or [Laboratory Maniac](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bLaboratory%20Maniac%5d)
* [Artifact Possession](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bArtifact%20Possession%5d) and [Haunting Wind](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bHaunting%20Wind%5d) - does damage to controller - harder to make use of, but controlled taking of damage can be used (i.e. [Darien, King of Kjeldor](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bDarien%2c%20King%20of%20Kjeldor%5d) or [Vilis, Broker of Blood](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bVilis%2c%20Broker%20of%20Blood%5d) for tokens or card draw, possible [Near-Death Experience](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bNear-Death%20Experience%5d) win condition comboing at end of opponents turn). Possession is an aura that does 2 damage to the controller of enchanted artifact when it is tapped, Wind is an enchantment that does damage to the controller of any artifact when that artifact becomes tapped.

\*Previous errata prevented using the mana from Basalt monolith from untapping itself - it would have been theoretically possible to pass this mana through a filter, like the Skyshroud Elf mentioned before, to use it to untap the monolith even while this errata was in place.


---

