Loran of the Third Path is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.

Official card text

Vigilance When Loran enters, destroy up to one target artifact or enchantment. : You and target opponent each draw a card.

Complete guide

Loran of the Third Path combines selective artifact or enchantment removal with a repeatable way to draw cards alongside an opponent. Vigilance helps her stay available for her tap ability after attacking, but timing and targeting matter for both of her abilities.

What Loran Does

For {2}{W}, you get a legendary Human Artificer with vigilance and two useful abilities. When Loran enters, her triggered ability can destroy up to one target artifact or enchantment. “Up to one” means you may choose no target; you do not have to destroy something just because a legal target exists. Her activated ability costs {T} and targets an opponent. When it resolves with that opponent still a legal target, you and that opponent each draw a card. Neither draw is optional, and you cannot target yourself instead of an opponent.

How Her Abilities Resolve, Step by Step

When Loran enters, her removal ability triggers. As that trigger is put on the stack, you choose either no target or one legal artifact or enchantment. Players may respond before it resolves. On resolution, it destroys the target if that target is still legal. If you chose no target, it simply does nothing. To activate her draw ability, choose a target opponent and tap Loran to pay the cost. Players may then respond. If the ability resolves with a legal target, both specified players draw a card. Tapping Loran is already paid for; an opponent cannot respond before that cost is paid. Example 1 — Solemn Simulacrum: An opponent controls Solemn Simulacrum. You resolve Loran, then target Solemn Simulacrum with her enters ability. If the ability resolves and destroys it, Solemn Simulacrum goes to its owner's graveyard and its dies ability triggers. That trigger is put on the stack after Loran's ability finishes resolving. When it resolves, the player who controlled Solemn Simulacrum before it died may draw a card. Removing it therefore does not prevent its controller from receiving that potential final card.

Common Mistakes and Extra Triggers

Vigilance means attacking does not cause Loran to tap. It does not let you activate her {T} ability while she is already tapped, and it does not bypass the rule commonly called summoning sickness. Without haste, you cannot use that ability unless you have controlled her continuously since your most recent turn began. Destroying a permanent is not guaranteed to put it into a graveyard: for example, indestructible prevents destruction. Also, if the sole target of either of Loran's abilities becomes illegal before resolution, that ability does not resolve. For her draw ability, that means you do not draw either. Example 2 — Roaming Throne: You control Roaming Throne with Human or Artificer chosen, then Loran enters under your control. Her enters ability triggers an additional time, giving you two separate triggers. You choose up to one target for each, and they resolve separately with opportunities to respond between them. You may target two different permanents, choose no target for either trigger, or target the same permanent twice. If the first resolving trigger destroys their shared target, the remaining trigger will not resolve because its target is no longer legal. Roaming Throne does not double Loran's draw ability, because that is an activated ability, not a triggered ability.

When to Play Her and When to Tap

Loran can remove a troublesome artifact or enchantment while leaving you with a creature for later turns. You can also cast her when there is nothing you want to destroy, since her enters ability permits zero targets. Example 3 — Attacking, Then Drawing: You have controlled Loran continuously since your turn began, and she is untapped. You attack with her; vigilance leaves her untapped. If she survives combat and remains untapped, you can activate her draw ability afterward, targeting an opponent. When it resolves, you each draw a card. You can also wait until an opponent's turn to activate her ability when you have priority. Keeping Loran untapped preserves the option to block, although activating her ability before blockers are declared will leave her tapped and unable to block. In multiplayer, choose the recipient carefully: gaining a card also gives your chosen opponent another resource.

Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.