[Deck] U/G Infect

http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers...verseid=213731http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers...verseid=179434http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers...ltiverseid=738http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers...verseid=247332

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I. Overview
II. Core Deck List
III. Card Choices
IV. Sideboard Options
V. Sideboarding Strategies
VI. Priceguide
VII. Awesome Links
VIII. Infect in action

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Original Infect thread: http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/s...232-U-G-infect

I. Overview

UG Infect is based on the Infect mechanic, first introduced in the Scars of Mirrodin Block that focuses on giving the opponent 10 poison counters to win the game. It is an aggro-combo deck that utilizes small creatures with Infect and pump spells to win, which can happen as fast as the second turn. The creatures in the deck are all 1/1, that you're trying to pump with spells and exalted triggers. While it can play the long game if needed, the deck is aiming to kill as quickly as possible. We do this by playing the most efficient pump spells available to us.

The aggro part of the deck mostly comes from green spells: all pump spells and (almost) all creatures are green. Blue makes sure we have a fighting chance to combo and to protect our small (vulnerable) creatures. The deck does contain blue creatures and also green provides some interactions to provide protection.

Poison counters have existed in Magic since the Legends expansion, although only two cards where printed that actually used them: Pit Scorpion and Serpent Generator. While those cards have never seen competitive play, a few more cards with poison counters have been printed in The Dark expansion set and the Mirage block. In the Time Spiral block, the poisonous mechanic was introduced, but was mostly used in casual or rogue Sliver decks in the form of Virulent Sliver as an alternative win condition. The Homelands expansion has the only card that gets rid of poison counters: Leeches. Finally, when Scars of Mirrodin block got printed, Legacy received the tools necessary to start playing this wonderful mechanic.

One of the most notable players of this deck is Tom Ross, who won the SCG Invitational on 8/29/2014.


II. Core Deck List

Creatures
4 Blighted Agent
4 Glistener Elf
4 Noble Hierarch

Spells
4 Brainstorm
1 Ponder
3 Daze
3 Force of Will
0-2 Spell Pierce
0-1 Stifle
2-3 Gitaxian Probe

2 Berserk
4 Invigorate
4 Vines of Vastwood
0-1 Become Immense
0-1 Green Sun's Zenith
1-2 Crop Rotation

Lands
0-1 Dryad Arbor
1-2 Pendelhaven
4 Inkmoth Nexus
1 Forest
3-4 Tropical Island
0-1 Savannah
1 Wasteland
8 fetchland


III. Card Choices

Creatures

Blighted Agent: Our only creature that does not care about the creatures of your opponent. This creature is a must-answer for most fair decks.
Glistener Elf: Simple 1/1 Infecter that enables our turn two wins.
Noble Hierarch: Noble Hierarch has quickly been adopted as 4-of in this deck, since it's amazing. It accelerates our mana development, allowing us to play more pump spells and it pumps our infecters, while also adding protection against Liliana of the Veil.

Pump Spells

Berserk: Berserk is one of the most important pump spells in the deck, but only powerful in combination with another pump spell. It gives our creature trample and doubles the creature's power. It also doubles as a removal spell of your opponent's creatures. This cards was actually banned in Legacy from 1994 to 2003!
Invigorate: Invigorate is our most efficient pump spell, since we can cast it for free. It gives our creature +4/+4 and our opponent 3 life which we do not care about.
Vines of Vastwood: Vines can give our creature +4/+4, but also often is used as protection spell for our creature in response to a removal spell. It can also be used to prevent an opponent from equipping his own creature. Remember that Vines does not actually give hexproof, but protection from spells or abilities your opponents control.
Become Immense: BI can pump your creature to a 7/7 for a single mana. The Delve on the card is quite easy to achieve, and even when you're not able to delve 6, giving your creature this kind of boost is still amazing for 2 or 3 mana in a single spell and is usually a must-answer for your opponent.

Other Spells

Brainstorm: Arguably the best Legacy staple. Draw three cards, put the two worst ones back and crack your fetchland to shuffle those two awful cards away.
Ponder: Look at the three top cards, keep one or shuffle those three awful cards away.
Force of Will: Important Legacy staple in most (all) blue decks. While most decks run a playset, we usually only run three.
Daze: "free" counterspell for early removal.
Gitaxian Probe: Mainly used to see if the coast is clear and making the deck "smaller".
Crop Rotation: Sac your land in response to their Wasteland, sac your land to find Inkmoth Nexus if you don't have a creature, find your single Wasteland to take care of their problem land, get Dryad Arbor in response to Liliana's sac ability or find your Pendelhaven for that additional damage. Also finds Karakas or Bojuka Bog after sideboarding.
Green Sun's Zenith: Find your creature or Dryad Arbor.

Lands

Dryad Arbor: Mainly used to negate Liliana's sac effect or surprise chump block. If you run Green Sun's Zenith, you can also use it as mana acceleration.
Wasteland: Take care of that pesky land. Grove of the Burnwillows or Tabernacle are great targets.
Inkmoth Nexus: For many decks the hardest card to interact with, especially decks that do not run Wasteland. Gets around Liliana of the Veil, Maelstrom Pulse and Abrupt Decay.
Pendelhaven: All your creatures are 1/1, so this card really found a home to shine in. Don't forget that a 1/1 creature with Pendelhaven is a 5 turn clock. Add a Hierarch and you have a 4 turn clock!

IV. Sideboard Options

These cards are common sideboard cards used in UG Infect decks. A few are metagame choices, others are mandatory.
Bojuka Bog
Flusterstorm
Force of Will
Grafdigger's Cage
Karakas (mandatory)
Krosan Grip (mandatory 2x)
Nature's Claim (mandatory)
Necropede
Piracy Charm
Pithing Needle
Rest in Peace (only if you splash white)
Spell Pierce
Spellskite
Submerge
Swords to Plowshares (only if you splash white)
Sylvan Library (mandatory)


V. Sideboarding Strategies

For sideboarding I would strongly advise to read Tom Ross' article The Ultimate Guide To Infect.


VI. Priceguide

These are the prices of the most common UG Infect cards. For the most current prices, click on the link of each card. High - Mid - Low according to MTGStocks.

Blighted Agent	$1.15	$0.27	$0.13
Glistener Elf	$1.30	$0.29	$0.12
Noble Hierarch	$83.88	$72.75	$64.98
Brainstorm	$2.49	$0.99	$0.20
Ponder	$1.99	$0.92	$0.65
Daze	$5.49	$3.08	$1.84
Force of Will	$128.25	$85.99	$72.75
Spell Pierce	$3.29	$2.19	$0.98
Stifle	$24.99	$7.36	$4.89
Gitaxian Probe	$3.00	$2.16	$0.48
Berserk	$79.99	$58.23	$51.73
Invigorate	$1.98	$0.75	$0.45
Vines of Vastwood	$2.99	$1.89	$1.25
Become Immense	$3.00	$1.11	$0.59
Green Sun's Zenith	$9.99	$5.12	$3.99
Crop Rotation	$1.99	$0.53	$0.33
Dryad Arbor	$7.98	$6.00	$4.74
Pendelhaven	$5.24	$4.42	$2.90
Inkmoth Nexus	$14.99	$9.52	$7.00
Tropical Island	$500.00	$200.00	$150.00
Savannah	$180.00	$79.22	$60.96
Wasteland	$200.00	$77.58	$62.01

To compare, Tom Ross' 1st Place SCG invitational deck costs: $3247.69 - $1449.96 - $1100.21 (source: http://mtgstocks.com/decks/77478)


VII. Awesome Links

The Ultimate Guide To Infect by Tom Ross

Boss Sligh & Bant Infect by Tom Ross

The Grind: Decision Making With Infect


VIII. Infect in action

SCG Open Atlanta - March 2nd, 2014
Quarterfinals: Tom Ross vs. BBD (Miracles) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN88M9bL9M8

SCG Invitational - April 2nd, 2014
Round 10/16: Tom Ross vs. Ross Merriam (Elves) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6qcZy1RhYY

SCG Invitational - August 31st, 2014
Finals: Reid Duke (Miracles) vs. Tom Ross - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujNcDm8FQSU

SCG Invitational - August 31st, 2014
Quarterfinals: Jared Boettcher (SnS) vs. Tom Ross - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8TI1zGua1Y

SCG Invitational - August 31st, 2014
Round 3/16: Tom Ross vs. Gerry Thompson (Shardless BUG) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td5arSRG2PA

SCG Open Atlanta - September 14th, 2014
Semi-finals: Todd Anderson (Infect) vs. Brad Nelson (Infect) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IsQC9CxMjE

I noticed this version of UG Infect winning an SCG Qualifier:
4 Blighted Agent
4 Glistener Elf
4 Noble Hierarch

2 Berserk
4 Brainstorm
4 Daze
4 Force of Will
4 Invigorate
4 Vines of Vastwood

3 Treasure Cruise
4 Gitaxian Probe

1 Forest
1 Pendelhaven
1 Windswept Heath
4 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Tropical Island
4 Verdant Catacombs

Most notably are the full playset Force of Will and Daze and the 3 Treasure Cruise.
Have other people experimented with such a setup?

// Deck: Infect (60)

// Lands
1 Forest
4 Inkmoth Nexus
1 Pendelhaven
1 Savannah
3 Tropical Island
4 Verdant Catacombs
1 Wasteland
4 Wooded Foothills

// Creatures
4 Blighted Agent
4 Glistener Elf
4 Noble Hierarch

// Instants
2 Berserk
4 Brainstorm
2 Crop Rotation
3 Daze
1 Dig Through Time
3 Force of Will
4 Invigorate
2 Spell Pierce
4 Vines of Vastwood

// Sorceries
3 Gitaxian Probe
1 Ponder

// Sideboard
SB: 1 Force of Will
SB: 1 Karakas
SB: 2 Krosan Grip
SB: 1 Nature's Claim
SB: 2 Necropede
SB: 1 Piracy Charm
SB: 2 Rest in Peace
SB: 2 Submerge
SB: 2 Swords to Plowshares
SB: 1 Sylvan Library

This is what I've been playing lately. I think crop rotation is too powerful to not be playing. Treasure cruise is powerful but the deck wants certain pieces, not card count. The dig through time in my list usually allows me to win the game that turn. You can also cast it mid combat after your pump spells have been countered (if you didn't have enough to delve with them on the stack) to find more. I've aggressively filled my yard with crop rotation finding a fetch and fetching. Sometimes I just use it as a test spell when I have the win in hand. Overall, I've been very pleased with the one of Dig Through Time but I would be hesitant to play more

I find the UU for Dig Through Time is a bit prohibitive in a deck with 5 colorless lands, a Forest and a Pendelhaven.

Treasure Cruise isn't just about card count, often times its about rebuilding resources. This deck doesn't need specific cards to win. We're content to grind it out and typically lose when we run out of resources. It's also much easier to play multiple Cruises in a game, because of the additional card count. Treasure Cruise feels a lot like Sylvan Library; it's tough to lose once it resolves.

Also, Crop Rotation is quite good with the delve cards.

I'm running 4 Treasure Cruise and it's stupid.

The double UU is why I only run a singleton. The only cards I could cut for cruise would be the countermagic and I'd rather keep it to fight combo decks seeing as infect is strong against the midrange decks and doesn't need to try to out card them

I haven't tried the Cruises yet, but I'm planning on testing them. Hardest thing to do is choosing which spells to cut. I guess I can cut a probe, but what else? Testing will (hopefully) give me the answers.

Today I've tried in a local tournament (27 people) to cut green sun zenith and dryad for treasure cruise and seems good

http://sales.starcitygames.com//deck...p?DeckID=74778

Both the Elves decks in tonight's top 8 play 1 Melira out of the board. Don't let those Glimpe for 2's resolve, guys.

Ive been trying this list:

12 creatures
19 lands
10 pump
4 bs
4 ponder
4 probe
3 TREASURE CRUISe

I wouldn't play this deck without the permission but that's just me

With everyone else jumping on board the Delve-cestral Recall bus, is the white splash version better now because it has Rest In Peace? Blanking your opponents goyfs and Treasure Cruise's seems pretty good. That's a potential 4-8 cards in their deck that now do nothing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Specksynder

With everyone else jumping on board the Delve-cestral Recall bus, is the white splash version better now because it has Rest In Peace? Blanking your opponents goyfs and Treasure Cruise's seems pretty good. That's a potential 4-8 cards in their deck that now do nothing.

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That was my logic for starting off with the white splash. The Atlanta open in late November will be my first tournament with the deck

before khans i was running maindeck 3 needles, and giving me success over a meta filled with sfms/jittes/wastelands
last week where i top 8ed, i tested 1 cruise main and i think i wanted more..
last sunday when i 4-0ed a small tourney, 2 cruises was the difference... gave me my much needed boosts mid game. TC is just very good here! especially with crop rots coz it fills our GY early..

that's why i cut number of probes over croprots, giving us an EOT inkmoth or tapping a pendel and searching for another pendel vs forked bolts or zealous is insanely good!

my list:
19 lands (1forest/8fetches/2pendels/4trops/4inkmoths)
12 crits (4nobles/4blighteds/4glisteners)
29 spells (4 each of fows/vines/invigorates/bstorms....2 probes/2tc/2croprots/2berserks/2needles...3dazes

the only matchup i worry bout are decks with grims/jittes/reanimators...i added another copy of berserk for my unfair matchup, coz im confident i can go faster vs them.
maindeck needle was a bonus too vs SnTs, and probing then needling fetches are a bonus too! i will look for another spot to include back the 3rd copy.

helpers:
2 beb/2pierces/2necropedes/2surgicals/2tormods/1naturalize/1claim/2grips/1berserk

didnt carry any creature hate, and my artifact hate are variables so i have lots of outs vs a resolved chalice 1.

I'm reading the recent Tom Ross SCG article where he goes into side boarding. It is super helpful but I'm having trouble with the one aspect he doesn't cover, what to take out. Anyone have some insight there? Especially with the white splash list. I am for sure not playing my SB optimally right now.

Hello, I'm new with UG infect. Yesterday I played this deck for the first time at tournament, went 3:1, beat ur delver, bug delver, ant and loose to dark maverick due to budget, greed and misplay.

decklist:

19 lands
---------
2x pendell
8x fetch
4x trop
1x forest
4x inkmoth

12 creatures
------------
4x agent
4x noble
4x glistener

29 noncreature spells
--------------------
1x pierce
4x fow
3x daze
2x crop rot
3x ponder
4x brainstorm
2x gitaxian probe
2x become immense (will be berserk)
4x invigorate
4x vines of vastwood

sb:
3x pierce
3x needle
1x wasteland
1x bojuka bog
2x surgical
1x krosan grip
2x natures claim
2x submerge

Immense won me one game where berserk would not, but also loose one game to resolved teeg with immense in hand, card is not bad, but I would prefer 2x berserk for more explosive hands and would like to play some treasure cruises too. Still not sure about treasure cruise in this deck, read this: http://www.reddit.com/r/MTGLegacy/co...easure_cruise/

"[–]Youtube_Money
I won an IQ last weekend playing UG Infect with 3 Treasure Cruise main and the fourth in the sideboard.

Long story short, the card is NOT GOOD in Infect. I cast it one time in 6 played rounds, and it was Force'd. I also pitched it to Force once. I essentially boarded them out every game I could and replaced them with the cheap interactive spells I had cut for them.

I still think Treasure Cruise is the most important card to hit the format since DRS and Decay. It seems excellent in many flavors of Delver and Stoneblade. I'm still very high on the card, though I most likely won't play it in Infect ever again.


[–]notaprisonerTeeg is my homeboy

I still think Treasure Cruise is the most important card to hit the format since DRS and Decay. It seems excellent in many flavors of Delver and Stoneblade. I'm still very high on the card, though I most likely won't play it in Infect ever again.

I agree with this. However, while a stoneblade deck with it would be good, there's little reason to bother with the slower SFM plan when you can just play Delver and bash.


[–]UnconfidenceEsper Control - U/G Infect

Yeah, I would definitely not put it into my U/G Infect deck. It's just far too slow."

I was a fan of Dig Through Time as a one of until recently. I was running a dig, 3 probes, and a ponder. I decided to cut the dig and a probe for 2 more ponders and it's been great

I am trying out three Treasure Cruise in the deck and it's been mostly positive. On one hand if we're setting up for the fast kill it doesn't do too much and this deck doesn't fill the graveyard very quickly if things are going well. It has definitely saved me a few times in the grindier games, though. Also a lot of the time in the grindy games where they manage to kill a few of our guys I end up with a lot of lands and can Cruise without delving the full seven. Maybe two is the right number but I really can't imagine that zero of Cruise/Dig is correct.

As far as Cruise vs. Dig goes I'm going to going to replace two of the cruises with Dig Through Time and see how it feels. Whiffing on Cruise when looking for a pump spell is pretty bad.

Here is my current list. I have kept the Crop Rotation package for flexibility and because it helps to fill the graveyard quickly. I am interested in trying the white splash but I don't think I'd bring the Rest in Peace in vs. non-BUG tempo decks. I think we should be trying to outrace and out-maneuver UR Delver instead of turning off their Cruises. They still have plenty of cantrips, removal and speed if we manage to blank those four cards.

* 19 lands
1 - Forest
3 - Tropical Island
9 - Green Fetches
4- Inkmoth Nexus
2 - Pendelhaven

* 12 creatures
4 - Glistener Elf
4 - Blighted Agent
4 - Noble Hierarch

* 29 spells
3 - Gitaxian Probe
1 - Ponder
4 - Brainstorm
3 - Treasure Cruise
3 - Daze
2 - Force of Will
1 - Spell Pierce
2 - Crop Rotation
4 - Invigorate
4 - Vines of Vastwood
2 - Berserk

* sideboard
1 - Bojuka Bog
1 - Wasteland
1 - Blue Elemental Blast
1 - Flusterstorm
1 - Piracy Charm
1 - Spell Pierce
1 - Nature's Claim
1 - Null Rod
1 - Submerge
2 - Krosan Grip
2 - Necropede
2 - Force of Will

I would love to get more permission in the maindeck but I'm not sure what to cut. Daze is great but even another Force might be nice to have in the main.

last sat where i run 3 TC main, 11 games total and all it did significantly was to be fow pitched...
with the rise of urcruise (forked bolts) and meta will pack hate vs 1 toughness hordes.. uginfect will definitely be affected.
the game plan is to go off early, by the time we Tcruise, the game state should already have a clear view if we'll win or lose.

decided to cut number of cruises for more relevant spells i can execute early on..
(i'll test this list further this weekend before the major tourney on Nov16)

crits (12)
4 each = nobles, blighteds, glisteners

lands (19) i like the 9 fetch/3 trops posted ^, and i will try that
4 inkmoths/4trops/1 forest/ 2 pendels (mvp vs forked bolts, zealous, toxic) 8 fetches

spells (29)

4 fows
4 dazes (loaded counters for more crit protection/connect early with invi/berserk/defense vs opposing combo decks
4 bstorms
1 treasure cruise
1 ponder
2 probes
2 crop rots (my favorite card in this deck!)

4 invigorates
4 vines
2 berserks
1 groundswell (was the 3rd berserk, but sometimes i really like that addtional pump, especially crit toughness pump)

SB
2 kgrips
1 naturalize (i dont carry claim, as it has no app vs cbtop/chalices for 1...might switch this to a 3rd grip
2 surgicals
1 tormods
1 relic progenitus
1 mizzium skin
2 bebs
1 pithing needle
1 necropede
1 sylvan lib
2 pierces

Hi,

I'm fairly new to Legacy, but I'm going to put up my sideboarding list for this deck. I use Brad Nelson's deck, found here: http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles...ect-2014-09-19

Any help/advice/insight would be great.

My biggest questions with sideboarding are a) when to side out Force of Will. Should I always be leaving in some number? b) Am I siding out Crop Rotation too much?
After getting recommendations, maybe we can fix this list and post it? Also, does anyone know Brad Nelson and want to direct him here? That would be amazing!

UR Delver

+1 Krosan Grip (I bring this in for Blood Moon and go up to 2 if I see it. Also good against Needle)
+1 Spellskite
+2 Blue Elemental Blast
+1 Sylvan Library
+1 Flusterstorm

-3 Force of Will
-2 Crop Rotation
-1 Glistener Elf

Does anyone side in Sylvan Library here (or against all Delver variants), as Delver is the control player?

RUG Delver

+1 Krosan Grip (I bring this in for Blood Moon and go up to 2 if I see it. Also good against Needle)
+2 Submerge
+1 Spellskite
+2 Blue Elemental Blast
+1 Flusterstorm

-3 Force of Will
-2 Crop Rotation
-1 Glistener Elf
-1 Ponder


BUG Delver

+2 Submerge
+1 Flusterstorm
+1 Sylvan Library

-1 Crop Rotation
-3 Force of Will

UWR Delver

+2 Krosan Grip
+1 Nature's Claim
+1 Spellskite
+2 Blue Elemental Blast
+1 Flusterstorm

-3 Force of Will
-2 Crop Rotation
-1 Ponder
-1 Gitaxian Probe


4c Delver

+2 Submerge
+1 Spellskite
+2 Blue Elemental Blast
+1 Flusterstorm

-3 Force of Will
-2 Crop Rotation
-1 Glistener Elf


UWR Miracles

+2 Krosan Grip
+2 Blue Elemental Blast
+1 Sylvan Library

-3 Daze
-1 Ponder
-1 Force of Will

Elves

+2 Submerge
+2 Grafdiggers Cage
+1 Force of Will

-3 Gitaxian Probe
-2 Crop Rotation
..some Dazes could come out on the draw?

Sneak and Show

+1 Krosan Grip
+1 Force of Will
+2 Blue Elemental Blast
+1 Flusterstorm

-2 Crop Rotation
-1 Ponder
-2 Vines of Vastwood

Mono Red Sneak Attack

+2 Krosan Grip
+1 Nature's Claim
+2 Blue Elemental Blast
+1 Force of Will
+1 Karakas

-3 Gitaxian Probe
-1 Stifle
-3 Daze

Burn

+1 Force of Will
+2 Blue Elemental Blast
+1 Spellskite

-3 Gitaxian Probe
-1 Stifle

Infect

+1 Sylvan Library
+1 Spellskite
+1 Nature's Claim

-3 Force of Will (on play)
-3 Daze (on draw)

Lands

+1 Nature's Claim
+1 Krosan Grip (side the 3rd if you see Chalice or Sphere)
+1 Karakas
+1 Bojuka Bog
+1 Sylvan Library
+1 Force of Will
+1 Submerge (on draw)

-3 Gitaxian Probe
-3 Daze
-1 Spell Pierce (on draw)

Tezzerator

+1 Nature's Claim
+2 Krosan Grip
+1 Sylvan Library
+1 Force of Will
+1 Bojuka Bog

on play
-3 Gitaxian Probe
-1 Stifle
-1 Ponder

on draw
-1 Stifle
-3 Daze
-1 Gitaxian Probe

Death and Taxes

+2 Krosan Grip
+1 Nature's Claim
+1 Karakas
+1 Sylvan Library

on play
-3 Force of Will
-2 Gitaxian Probe

on draw
-3 Daze
-1 Spell Pierce
-1 Force of Will

Deathblade

+2 Krosan Grip
+1 Nature's Claim
+1 Sylvan Library

-2 Crop Rotation
-2 Force of Will

Esper Stoneblade

+2 Krosan Grip
+1 Nature's Claim
+1 Sylvan Library

-2 Crop Rotation
-2 Force of Will

Shardless BUG

+2 Submerge
+1 Sylvan Library

-3 Force of Will

ANT

+2 Blue Elemental Blast
+1 Force of Will
+1 Flusterstorm
+2 Grafdigger's Cage
+1 Bojuka Bog

-4 Inkmoth Nexus
-3 Vines of Vastwood

Belcher

+2 Blue Elemental Blast
+1 Force of Will
+1 Flusterstorm
+1 Spellskite

-2 Crop Rotation
-3 Gitaxian Probe

Dredge

+2 Krosan Grip
+1 Nature's Claim
+1 Bojuka Bog
+2 Grafdigger's Cage

on play
-3 Force of Will
-1 Stifle
-2 Daze

on draw
-3 Daze
-1 Stifle
-2 Force of Will

Merfolk

+2 Krosan Grip (if you think they have Jitte)

on play
-1 Stifle
-1 Force of Will
on draw
-1 Stifle
-1 Daze

High Tide

+1 Force of Will
+1 Flusterstorm

-2 Crop Rotation

OmniTell

+1 Force of Will
+1 Flusterstorm

-2 Crop Rotation

Jund

+1 Bojuka Bog (if Punishing Fire)
+1 Spellskite
+1 Blue Elemental Blast (if Bloodbraid Elf)
+1 Sylvan Library
+2 Submerge

-3 Gitaxian Probe
-3 Force of Will

Imperial Painter

+2 Blue Elemental Blast
+2 Krosan Grip
+1 Nature's Claim
+1 Force of Will

on play
-3 Gitaxian Probe
-2 Crop Rotation
-1 Daze

on draw
-3 Daze
-2 Crop Rotation
-1 Gitaxian Probe

Reanimator

+1 Force of Will
+1 Flusterstorm
+2 Grafdigger's Cage
+1 Bojuka Bog
+1 Karakas

-4 Inkmoth Nexus
-1 Ponder
-1 Vines of Vastwood

Metalworker

+2 Krosan Grip
+1 Nature's Claim
+1 Force of Will
+1 Bojuka Bog

-1 Stifle
-3 Gitaxian Probe
-1 Vines of Vastwood

Nic Fit Recurring Nightmare

+2 Krosan Grip
+1 Nature's Claim
+1 Spellskite
+1 Sylvan Library
+2 Grafdigger's Cage
+2 Submerge
+1 Bojuka Bog

-3 Force of Will
-3 Gitaxian Probe
-3 Daze
-1 Ponder

Mono Black Pox

+1 Sylvan Library
+1 Flusterstorm
+1 Nature's Claim
+1 Krosan Grip

-1 Stifle
-3 Gitaxian Probe

Unless Treasure Cruise will be banned, I think UG infect is almost unplayable in today's meta. We have negative matchup against UR delver, and sideboard strategy against young pyromancer is very effective against us. Every one is playing cards like forked bolt, grim lavamacer, darkblast, jitte, blood moon, golgari charm etc.
Im definitely happy, that I didnt purchase my berserks yet.

What is your experience?

Tom Ross's decklist from last SCG Legacy Open Columbus, he made TOP 32

1 Wasteland
4 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Tropical Island
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Verdant Catacombs
1 Forest
2 Pendelhaven

4 Glistener Elf
4 Blighted Agent
4 Noble Hierarch

2 Force of Will
4 Brainstorm
2 Gitaxian Probe
4 Daze
4 Invigorate
3 Spell Pierce
2 Berserk
4 Vines of Vastwood
1 Crop Rotation
1 Become Immense
1 Piracy Charm

SB: 1 Spell Pierce
SB: 2 Krosan Grip
SB: 2 Necropede
SB: 1 Submerge
SB: 1 Piracy Charm
SB: 2 Force of Will
SB: 2 Hydroblast
SB: 1 Karakas
SB: 1 Treasure Cruise
SB: 1 Grafdigger's Cage
SB: 1 Sylvan Library

Quote:

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Originally Posted by datanaga

Tom Ross's decklist from last SCG Legacy Open Columbus, he made TOP 32

1 Wasteland
4 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Tropical Island
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Verdant Catacombs
1 Forest
2 Pendelhaven

4 Glistener Elf
4 Blighted Agent
4 Noble Hierarch

2 Force of Will
4 Brainstorm
2 Gitaxian Probe
4 Daze
4 Invigorate
3 Spell Pierce
2 Berserk
4 Vines of Vastwood
1 Crop Rotation
1 Become Immense
1 Piracy Charm

SB: 1 Spell Pierce
SB: 2 Krosan Grip
SB: 2 Necropede
SB: 1 Submerge
SB: 1 Piracy Charm
SB: 2 Force of Will
SB: 2 Hydroblast
SB: 1 Karakas
SB: 1 Treasure Cruise
SB: 1 Grafdigger's Cage
SB: 1 Sylvan Library

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I'm a little puzzled about some of the changes he's made since his invitational list.

Upping the count of pendelhaven, spell pierce and daze while going down a force of will seems to be a direct response to the rise in popularity of TC delver decks, UR in particular.

What I don't follow is the inclusion of a maindeck piracy charm, and cutting white from the sideboard. Does the utility of piracy charm really outweigh the raw power of stp creature removal? Access to white has never been a problem for the deck, and the replacement of Savannah for a 4th trop barely increases the power level of daze in the deck.

On another note, what matchups are best suited for bringing in necropede? I feel like its intended for fair decks, but it just seems a bit lackluster against delver. Maybe elves?

Edited for spelling

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jesture

I'm a little puzzled about some of the changes he's made since his invitational list.

Upping the count of pendelhaven, spell pierce and daze while going down a force of will seems to be a direct response to the rise in popularity of TC delver decks, UR in particular.

What I don't follow is the inclusion of a maindeck piracy charm, and cutting white from the sideboard. Does the utility of piracy charm really outweigh the raw power of stp creature removal? Access to white has never been a problem for the deck, and the replacement of Savannah for a 4th trop barely increases the power level of daze in the deck.

On another note, what matchups are best suited for bringing in necropede? I feel like its intended for fair decks, but it just seems a bit lackluster against delver. Maybe elves?

Edited for spelling

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His current list is much more similar to lists which were played at SCG Atlanta ( http://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=8179&d=247092&f=LE )
Personally I don't like white splash in UG infect at all, imho we don't need swords so desperately, piracy charm can deal with unfliped delver, young pyromacer and grim lavamacer, btw I supose that necropede is against decks which can side in grim lavamancer and maybe elves.

I think Piracy Charm is to give your creature "Islandwalk", remember that you will fight lots of URs with lots of tokens

Islandwalk is not the main reason, 2/3 of our creatures are unblockable by pyromancers tokens naturally, there are better cards for unblockableble attack like Distortion Strike. I like the piracy charm flexibility, all modes (boost/kill/instant discard/unblockable) are relevant in this deck.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by datanaga

Islandwalk is not the main reason, 2/3 of our creatures are unblockable by pyromancers tokens naturally, there are better cards for unblockableble attack like Distortion Strike. I like the piracy charm flexibility, all modes (boost/kill/instant discard/unblockable) are relevant in this deck.

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Flexibility is definitely a plus, but I feel as though the power level offered by piracy charm in the UR delver matchup just isn't enough to warrant a main deck inclusion. Maybe Ross was expecting to hit many other decks where the charm shines? If anyone has any experience with the Columbus area meta, that could be really insightful here.

Tom Ross playing some good Magic, just beat Lan Pham(?) to go 13-1.

EDIT: And now he's back on the Pro Tour! :D

that was crazy 3rd game in quarterfinals:) go tom!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by datanaga

that was crazy 3rd game in quarterfinals:) go tom!

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In spite of that risky brainstorm, Tom Ross really play a great game.

top'ed8 a legacy 25+man tourney yesterday 5 rounds (4-1)
2-1 mud, 2-1 jeskai stoneblade, 1-2 reanimator, 2-0 mud, 2-1 jeskai stoneblade......quarters 1-2 urcruise

before losing to 1-2 vs urcruise, 3rd game in which i didnt draw any invigorates that couldve sealed the W for me..

packed in 3 BEB effects and a mizzium skin, and it did great!
managed to beat 2 jeskai stoneblades, 1 game me hard casting a fow over a counterspell for my invi..it was awesome!

i carried a 1 of's tcruise, groundswell, ponder...maindecked 4 fows, 4 dazes...
hope tom ross wins the GP for our banner!

Surprised this thread is so quiet...honestly the deck seems under the radar and totally bonkers good. Umm...crop rotation end of turn for ink moth is too good.

It is a good deck and I have it built at all times, but play it against UR delver and it is a tough win unless you draw well. Then can you by turn 4 or 5 all while having counter magic and removal open. Electrickery is now a commonly used card that will hose you if you over extend, and they will apply pressure while you wait to make sure you have enough counter/pump to win through.

mizzium skin should be an auto include in the sb these days, and has done me well vs forked, electrikery, zealous, golgari charm...
vs ur, you will always have an advantage in land count with nobles, thus providing u ways to interact with vines and pierces too vs their removals...

crop rot to pendel is a very nice trick too. and once u resolved an invi, it shld be game.
ive included a 1 off groundswell for additional toughness support, rather than 3rd beserk or become immense (too slow for me)
treasure cruise provides us reload, 2 is just enough as it is a dead card early on.

I've been trying a somewhat new build of infect and been going X-0 X-1 at my local shop. Although I can't say it's the most competitive meta down there. Though lots of the players there did top the SCG open in my state, including me (1st place :smile: ).

But instead of become immense, I've been running 2x Dig through times. I feel like it does what you want become immense does but better and more. You can most likely get an invigorate/pump or two and turn the dig into any where from a +4/+4 to a +8/+8 spell, find berserk+pump for 1 shot, or find what ever pieces you are missing. Only down side is Dig is UU and 1 extra delve cost, but you always have the plus side of it being blue and pitchable to FOW when you are going off early and don't have enough to delve.

I'm running 3 probes, 4 ponders, and 4 BS to help fill the yard and help smooth out draws for when you want or don't want the dig through times. Also I upped to 4 force of wills since the blue count is higher and the dig through times can help with the long term card disadvantage.

I cut the wasteland, crop rotation, and stifle plan from the deck to make room. I feel my build is more streamline at finding combo pieces and win versus having a toolbox/plan B tempo plan strategy. I will admit there were times I miss having a wasteland to break up burning grove combo/maze of ith, and the crop rotation can be used to fill the yard too, but I disliked the card advantage and felt most the times I was just holding it in hand for emergencies instead of being proactive.

Sorry for the wall, don't post much here but thought I'd share my brew idea and get some feedback.

Can you post a list? How do you for the ponders? Are you cutting daze or pierce??

i love treasure cruise in this deck
(i play tempo decks and has been on RUGdelver most of my life : ), and i hate treasure cruise!)

equipped with 2 crop rots, tc will be fast! i usually crop rot to fetch to trop/forest for max gy buildup.
croprots also are our 13th/14th infect creatures and it's haste considering it'll be an eot inkmoth.
crop rots are very valuable here.. will punish punishing fire once u call pendelhavens, and blanks wastelands too.

that's why my i tend to use a 1-off groundswell, that i can cast anytime rather than BImmense..
i'll dedicate my delves on just tc's for reload.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fired88

I've been trying a somewhat new build of infect and been going X-0 X-1 at my local shop. Although I can't say it's the most competitive meta down there. Though lots of the players there did top the SCG open in my state, including me (1st place :smile: ).

But instead of become immense, I've been running 2x Dig through times. I feel like it does what you want become immense does but better and more. You can most likely get an invigorate/pump or two and turn the dig into any where from a +4/+4 to a +8/+8 spell, find berserk+pump for 1 shot, or find what ever pieces you are missing. Only down side is Dig is UU and 1 extra delve cost, but you always have the plus side of it being blue and pitchable to FOW when you are going off early and don't have enough to delve.

I'm running 3 probes, 4 ponders, and 4 BS to help fill the yard and help smooth out draws for when you want or don't want the dig through times. Also I upped to 4 force of wills since the blue count is higher and the dig through times can help with the long term card disadvantage.

I cut the wasteland, crop rotation, and stifle plan from the deck to make room. I feel my build is more streamline at finding combo pieces and win versus having a toolbox/plan B tempo plan strategy. I will admit there were times I miss having a wasteland to break up burning grove combo/maze of ith, and the crop rotation can be used to fill the yard too, but I disliked the card advantage and felt most the times I was just holding it in hand for emergencies instead of being proactive.

Sorry for the wall, don't post much here but thought I'd share my brew idea and get some feedback.

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This doesn't feel like where you want to be with infect. While the deck does have combo elements, it's ultimately playing like an old RUG delver deck that sticks a threat and then protects it for long enough to get the job done. At 6UU, I don't see dig being cast reliably before turn 4, considering that you want to land a threat by turn 2 at the latest, and that inkmoth and basic forest don't provide blue mana to help pay for UU.

The ponders also feel clunky in the deck. While they are far and away the best choice for smoothing out the deck (outside of four brainstorm), they force you to take actions main phase rather than at instant speed. Infect is a deck that thrives on small windows of opportunity created by out maneuvering the opponent. If you're cutting soft counters for ponders (just assuming, I can't imagine you'd cut anything else), you're hurting yourself two fold, both by preemptively tapping lands on your turn and by removing the soft counter package that can double up as protection for your infect creatures.

Here is my current list, it's been pretty strong and consistent:

Spells: 29

4x Force of Will
4x Daze
4x Brainstorm
4x Invigorate
4x Vines of Vastwood
2x Crop Rotation
2x Berserk
3x Treasure Cruise
2x Gitaxian Probe

Creatures: 12

4x Noble Hierarch
4x Glistener Elf
4x Blighted Agent

Lands: 19

3x Windswept Heath
1x Misty Rainforest
4x Wooded Foothills
4x Tropical Island
4x Inkmoth Nexus
1x Forest
1x Wasteland
1x Pendlehaven

Sideboard: 15

2x Grafdiggers Cage
1x Submerge
2x Spell Pierce
1x Nature’s Claim
2x Krosan Grip
1x Necropede
2x Viridian Corrupter
1x Bojuka Bog
1x Hydroblast
1x Blue Elemental Blast
1x Sylvan Library

In my testing the one card I wish I had more often is actually Gitaxian Probe. The info obtained is incredibly valuable in this deck because you are always playing chicken during your combat phase with pump spells and there is always a choice to just kill them right there (instead of say just going for a 2 poison hit), but if you go for it and they've got the bolt of whatever your board is wiped and you do no poison. But I'm really stuck on what to take out for more probes. I think with 3 TCs the 4 Force of Wills are automatic, so I'm stuck on those, but I'm not so sure about the full set of dazes. When the opponent is tapped out they are obviously amazing, but against a deck like miracles or even UR Delver, they often have the mana to play a removal spell around daze, and the card really sucks to draw mid or late game. Do you guys think it makes any sense at all to maybe drop 2 of the dazes for the rest of the set of Probes? Is daze even something you want at all if you cant play 4? Does dropping a daze and a force make any sense?

3 cruises seems ambitious. The only way I see even 2 resolving in a game is if you're aggressively crop rotating for delve, and that seems really dangerous if you want to go down to 2 daze and sb spell pierces. I would consider cutting pendlehaven or moving it to sb for another fetch in the main to help out with delve. You could even cut an inkmoth depending on your meta, as 2 crop rotations in the main are basically instant speed fliers with infect.

Depending on what your meta looks like, you might want to consider swapping 2 maindeck forces for the spell pierces in the side. Going 2 for 1 on counterspells is a necessary evil of legacy, but dumping spell pierces does just as well early game while doing a much better job of fueling delve. As for probe, I think it's a fantastic card, though I'm still unsure of what the correct number to run is. My current list only runs 2, as burn seems to be in full swing at my shop. That said, I'm curious to know how 3 or even 4 of probes play out in the deck.

Edited for punctuation

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jesture

3 cruises seems ambitious. The only way I see even 2 resolving in a game is if you're aggressively crop rotating for delve, and that seems really dangerous if you want to go down to 2 daze and sb spell pierces. I would consider cutting pendlehaven or moving it to sb for another fetch in the main to help out with delve. You could even cut an inkmoth depending on your meta, as 2 crop rotations in the main are basically instant speed fliers with infect.

Edited for punctuation

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I think I agree. I just love treasure cruise I kinda just jammed 3 in there, but it really is never about resolving multiple cruises. It's more about drawing that one when you need to reload. I may swap out the 3rd cruise for a 3rd probe and see if it feels better. THANKS!