Pauper Infect

[MPL]

Based on my observation that there are a lot of commons in the Infect based deck that is being developed here, I thought I could try to make a Pauper version. As I can't run the really good discard spells, I tought I'd go with the UG version, allowing me to play Unstable Mutation and and Blighted Agent.

So here's my list so far:

4 Ichorclaw Myr
4 Glistener Elf
4 Blight Mamba
4 Blighted Agent

4 Unstable Mutation
4 Invigorate
4 Groundswell
4 Vines of Vastwood
4 Rancor

4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Daze
4 Lotus Petal

4 Island
8 Forest

I am afraid that my mana base won't work that well, even though I only play 8 blue cards. Hopefully Gitaxian Probe will help to fix that. Yet, maybe it won't be enough, so do you think I should add Brainstorm? It would make things slower though. Another idea is Mutagenic Probe, as I free pump should further speed the deck up.

Maybe someone is working on a similar deck or is just curious if it can work. I'd appreciate any help you can give.

///

I came to the conclusion that playing Daze with so few Islands just isn't going to work and adding Brainstorm, while adding some stability, will also bring more problems as it's another blue spell. Therefore, I changed the deck to this:

4 Glistener Elf
4 Ichorclaw Myr
4 Blight Mamba
4 Blighted Agent

4 Invigorate
4 Groundswell
4 Vines of Vastwood
4 Unstable Mutation

4 Lotus Petal
4 Manamorphose
4 Gitaxian Probe

14 Forest
2 Island

I'd rather make the deck mono green, but the number of common infect creatures is pretty limited and I don't really like the 3 mana options. Adding blue also gives me access to Unstable Mutation which I think is pretty good.

[MPL]

So the format of the tournament I am preparing for was changed to Peasant, letting me play 5 uncommons. Even though this thread has not yet sparked anybody's interest, I'll keep posting, maybe the other format is more interesting.

My list at the moment looks like this:

4 Glistener Elf
4 Ichorclaw Myr
4 Blight Mamba
4 Necropede

4 Invigorate
4 Groundswell
4 Vines of Vastwood
4 Wild Might
1 Might of Old Krosa

4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Lotus Petal

19 Forest

I went from the UG version back to a monogreen deck, because the peasant rules let me play with Necropede, so I can hit 16 creatures with green alone. So basically, I put every playable infect creature and every pump spell that pumps for 4 or more at a reasonable mana cost into a deck. Not very cunning, I know, but I hope it works.
The deck is capable of a turn 2 win - T1: Glistener Elf or Lotus Petal + 2 mana infect creature T2: Invigorate + Wild Might - which is pretty impressive for a peasant deck I think.

As for Berserk, which is obviously way better than Wild Might - the other common infect creatures either suck or are in another color and well, it's pretty expensive too. For that reason I didn't include the card.

As always, I would be happy to get any kind of response, positive or negative, as any feedback will probably help me improve the deck.

[Sims]

The MTGO Pauper infect decks in classic are actually pretty fast, and that's lacking all of Masques block. Mono Green is certainly more stable than trying to splash in a Pauper or Peasant format simply due to the lack of truly good dual lands or color smoothing. Typically in pauper your creature base is going to look like

4 Glistener Elf (post-NPH.. currently would likely be Cystbearer)
4 Ichorclaw Myr
4 Blight Mamba
4 Rot Wolf

This is actually pretty strong. Blight Mamba is a friggen house in your hands that don't open Vines of Vastwood as he allows you to just rancor him up and then get in there while being able to keep him alive. He will buzzsaw through most opposing defenders because of this and is actually one of the better creatures in the deck. Rot Wolf allowing you to draw cards can be key in certain matchups. To be fair, if I could run Necropede in Pauper I certainly would, i'm just not sure in place of what. Rot Wolfs card draw really can be significant in finding you more pump, but keeping the curve down can also be important, so i can understand that trade.

I also feel strongly that as much of your pump as possible should be +4/+4... Groundswell, Vines, and Invigorate are solid and have to be there, from there I typically run Rancor for trample, and then either Giant Growth/Seal of Strength or possibly soon Mutagenic Growth (because it's free and opens mana up for blight mamba regens or other pump.)

I like the Probe for scouting out removal, but i wonder if maybe also lowering the forest count might work. You want to make land drops every turn, but you cut the three drops so you might be able to sneak out a few lands either for mutagenic growths or even land grants. Since honestly, if you go turn 1 forest, Glistener... I don't think your strategy is going to be much of a surprise anymore.

Just food for thought. Good luck :)

[MPL]

I thought about Land Grant too, but I am unsure whether it's worth it or not. As you said, when I drop a Glistener Elf, my opponent knows what I am up too, but what he doesn't know is whether I have the kill or not or Vines of Vastwood or not.

As for the Wolf, three mana is a lot. The deck is very aggressive at the moment, in a do-or-die way. Rot Wolf would add to sustainability, but makes things slower too.

[Sims]

I thought about Land Grant too, but I am unsure whether it's worth it or not. As you said, when I drop a Glistener Elf, my opponent knows what I am up too, but what he doesn't know is whether I have the kill or not or Vines of Vastwood or not.

As for the Wolf, three mana is a lot. The deck is very aggressive at the moment, in a do-or-die way. Rot Wolf would add to sustainability, but makes things slower too.

Very true on both counts. I haven't personally added land grant to my paper Pauper list because I haven't done enough testing and weighing the benefits vs. the risks of revealing my hand. Just something to consider, I suppose.

And yeah, Rot Wolf definitely does slow the deck down, and perhaps the environment would be different in Peasant where you're allowed a few uncommons, but there are enough creatures in pauper that you tend to be slowed down enough as is and can't just do the goldfish turn 2-3 kill. In those match-ups, the card draw off rot wolf shines as it allows you to sculpt a hand. But again, that's just my experience in pauper, ymmv for sure.

[GGoober]

The list I had before NPH was spoiled (now adding the elves obviously is)

Mana: 24
4 Terramorphic Expanse
2 Swamp
14 Forest
4 Lotus Petal

Infectors: 16
4 Glistner Elves
4 Blight Mamba
4 Ichor Claw Myr
4 Plague Stinger


Pump: 20
4 Rancor
4 Bonesplitter
4 Seal of Strength
4 Invigorate
4 Groundswell


I didn't play Vines of Vastwood or any 2cmc pump, it is too expensive. Terramorphic sucks but is 1 turn slow but sets up for more consistent plague stingers and has some synergies with Groundswell. I could use Gitaxian Probe and maybe 4 Street Wraiths in the deck now.

Postboard, I have 3 Corpse Cur, 3 Viridian Longbow against control/MBC decks. Yes, read Viridian Longbow with infect, it's pretty hilarious. Postboard couple of Duress + Augur of Skulls against combo/control decks come in when needed as well.

The elf is a blessing for this deck.

[MPL]

Your deck is all commons, so would you go mono green if you could? Exchanging Stinger with Necropede would be the first thing I'd do, to be honest.

Regarding the pump: Bonesplitter costs 1 and 1 to equip and you need to swing three times with the creature to make it more cost efficient than any of the two mana spells, assuming Wild Might gives +5/+5. Rancor is cheaper, but also needs more time. Actually, Rancor looks fine, but Bonesplitter seems so bad to me.
So my question would be if you think the added sustainability (your pump sticks around) is worth the loss of tempo of at least a turn. Your deck can't win turn two either other than with double Invigorate.

Also, did you think about Mutagenic Growth? With Rancor and Bonesplitter it should be more useful than in my build, as it could provide the last need point of power.

// Edit: After thinking about it for a while, I am going to replace Vines of Vastwood with Rancor. The lack of trample in my deck makes me sad and I can't play Berserk. Vines will move to the sideboard against control decks.