[Deck] U/G Infect

[Hopo]

Null Rod is very good storm hate in addition to counterspells. It has plenty of use; it's effective also against miracles (or Top in general), painter, equipments, vial decks, MUD and even some more fringe decks like Turbo eldrazi, UB Tezz and affinity.

Postboard I have 12 counters and a Stifle, 2 Rods and 0-2 grave hate. Wasteland is also relevant against storm.

[Mattincognito]

Null Rod is very good storm hate in addition to counterspells. It has plenty of use; it's effective also against miracles (or Top in general), painter, equipments, vial decks, MUD and even some more fringe decks like Turbo eldrazi, UB Tezz and affinity.

Postboard I have 12 counters and a Stifle, 2 Rods and 0-2 grave hate. Wasteland is also relevant against storm.

Have been thinking about Null Rod in the board, but haven't pulled the trigger, but will certainly try it out. Also have considered adding an extra spell pierce or 2 to the main (currently running 2 pierce in the main)

[Hopo]

Have been thinking about Null Rod in the board, but haven't pulled the trigger, but will certainly try it out. Also have considered adding an extra spell pierce or 2 to the main (currently running 2 pierce in the main)

I play 2 Pierce and 1 Flusterstorm and I have to say that I like it a lot. Flusterstorm is tailor-made for protecting our combo which consists of free/cheap spells as well as being naturally excellent against storm, of course. It's great vs. Hymn and quite handily wins about any counter war.

Conveniently, Philipp Schönegger recently published an article about Flusterstorm. Especially the part about building a stack to counter multiple spells is very real in this particular deck even though it might be a stretch in others. Invigorate and Vines are just so good in forcing reactions and turning Flusterstorm blowouts on.

[Neffy]

I play 2 Pierce and 1 Flusterstorm and I have to say that I like it a lot. .

Maindeck?
Do you use fluster in your flexslot - meaning 19 lands, no sylvan, 1 ponder, 3probes? I agree with your points. Flusterstorm is very suited for this deck - especially in counterwars in the mainstep or combat step. I just have a hard time finding room for it, other than in the board.

[Hopo]

Maindeck?
Do you use fluster in your flexslot - meaning 19 lands, no sylvan, 1 ponder, 3probes? I agree with your points. Flusterstorm is very suited for this deck - especially in counterwars in the mainstep or combat step. I just have a hard time finding room for it, other than in the board.

No Sylvan, no Ponder, 3 Probes. And two more Flusterstorms in sideboard.

EDIT: the actual list.

//Lands
4 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Tropical Island
4 Windswept Heath
1 Wasteland
1 Pendelhaven
1 Forest

//Spells
4 Brainstorm
4 Invigorate
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Daze
3 Force of Will
3 Gitaxian Probe
2 Berserk
2 Spell Pierce
1 Crop Rotation
1 Become Immense
1 Flusterstorm
1 Stifle

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

[Neffy]

No Sylvan, no Ponder, 3 Probes. And two more Flusterstorms in sideboard.

EDIT: the actual list.

//Lands
4 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Tropical Island
4 Windswept Heath
1 Wasteland
1 Pendelhaven
1 Forest

//Spells
4 Brainstorm
4 Invigorate
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Daze
3 Force of Will
3 Gitaxian Probe
2 Berserk
2 Spell Pierce
1 Crop Rotation
1 Become Immense
1 Flusterstorm
1 Stifle

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

Thanks for sharing. I like your high number of Flusterstorms - i do like the ponder when i draw it though, but maybe I should consider cutting my library for a fluster maindeck if the meta is too red or aggressive.

[Neffy]

So I suited up my infect deck after a few weeks without it and it was a blast.
We were 20-ish at the LGS. I went 3-2-1.

Matches were:

miracles 2-0
miracles 1-1
grixis delver 0-2
Death n taxes 2-1
reanimator 2-0
Bug delver 1-2

Short notes:
- Survived through 4 wastelands from bug. One time animating and vining my inkmoth to save it. neat.
- Same MU, lost to a turn 2 needle on inkmoth that i should have fought better for. Did not board artifact destruction :( and never saw other dudes really..
- Dual surgicals, dual croprot, dual sword and karakas+bojuka is a great (and fast reanimor package!)
- Had 1 turn 2 kill against reani (booyah!)
- Boarded 2 absolute law, expecting lots of red delver decks. Only met one, but never saw the Laws.. Dang.. Will try the same list tomorrow - usually a sea of grixis there..
- Played 1 savannah 3 trop main (19 lands) and for the first time had to mulligan because of savannah that wasnt a trop.. I do like the room it free in the board, but you rarely use savannah for much in the first game - if i could i would go back (no SB room for savannah)
- Seeds of innocence is fun against D&T. Took out 1 jitte, 1 sofai and 1 vial. neat!
- miracles were great matchups, sadly the second miracle player spoiled my turn 3 kill in overtime and we had to draw.

Just a few notes.
Go ebola!

[Hopo]

So I suited up my infect deck after a few weeks without it and it was a blast.
We were 20-ish at the LGS. I went 3-2-1.
.........
- Seeds of innocence is fun against D&T. Took out 1 jitte, 1 sofai and 1 vial. neat!

Regardings Seeds of Innocence: How does it fare against Null Rod/Hurkyl's Recall/Serenity? Three mana is a lot for a non-Krosan Grip spell.

Also, did you try the Flusterstorm?

[Neffy]

Regardings Seeds of Innocence: How does it fare against Null Rod/Hurkyl's Recall/Serenity? Three mana is a lot for a non-Krosan Grip spell.

Also, did you try the Flusterstorm?

Well, first of, I dont own either serenity or Recall. So that settles that. I see how Serenity might be better though if your facing a jitte with counters and or massive artifact threats, you might want to get them off the table NOW instead of giving them an attack extra? I guess the counterargument is that you get serenity out 1 turn earlier :) I will consider that. Three mana is a bit tough yes -especially against DnT. It could also be a claim/grip/naturalize (i run 1 claim 1 grip atm)..
Null rods are supposed to be in the list as a 1 off (though it goes in and out) - but my two copies are mailed out for signing by the artist ^^

I did have 1 fluster in the board but never saw it really. Tomorrow will, probably, be delver heavy with a lot of bolts, so I will cut the maindeck sylvan for a MD fluster or perhaps a stifle. If i put the sylvan in the board i will have to rethink what to bring out.

Something like this:

1 Forest
4 Inkmoth Nexus
1 Pendelhaven
1 Savannah
3 Tropical Island
4 Verdant Catacombs
1 Wasteland
2 Windswept Heath
2 Wooded Foothills
2 Become Immense
2 Berserk
4 Blighted Agent
4 Brainstorm
1 Crop Rotation
3 Daze
1 Flusterstorm / stifle
3 Force of Will
3 Gitaxian Probe
4 Glistener Elf
4 Invigorate
4 Noble Hierarch
1 Ponder
2 Spell Pierce
3 Vines of Vastwood
Sideboard:

2 Absolute Law
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Crop Rotation
1 Flusterstorm
1 Force of Will
1 Karakas
1 Krosan Grip
1 Nature's Claim
1 Pithing Needle
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Swords to Plowshares
1 Sylvan Library

Im unsure how well another blue card (fluster/stifle) fits the 1 savannah/3 trop configuration tho..

[poxy14]

2-3 on a 24man year end legacy, (7-6 in all games) i won every first game of every match, luck wasnt on my side that day, but i felt the deck is still very solid. i might have to drop sylvan in the main for another ponder which is more faster to search for cards i needed that moment. played the white splash, 19 lands.

1-2 storm
turn 2 kill game 1, i had the combos both games 2-3, but lack permissions when his discards raped my pumps... game 3 i had fow with no blue card to fetch : (

2-0 painters
was able to daze bloodmoon early on but magus resolved, good thing i left an uncracked fetch to use while magus was on stack to get me my lone forest, he risked not blocking an exalted glistener and it punished him... game 2 he landed an early sdtop, i needled it on my turn, he wasnt able to draw any red source he scooped.

1-2 mbc
another early combo connected, game 2 he ripped my hand with discards, i was gaining momentum game 3 when suddenly he deluged my horde of nobles and blighteds... any pierce or daze couldve saved me upon brainstorming...none showed.

2-0 miracles
i got another early 3rd turn kill, 3 invis with daze backup sealed the deal. game 2 he landed a cbalance, on my turn i cast seal primordium (it resolved, showing a plains on cbalance trigger)... he cast mentor tapped out, eot i destroyed cbalance and brainstormed for invi, invi, bimmense for an inkmoth slaughter.

1-2 dredge
another easy turn2 kill, game 3 wherein i never drew any of my gyhate, any permission didnt show again via multiple brainstorms to avoid cabal therapies couldve gotten me the W.. was just unfortunate.

i loaded up on pierces that day, as there were lots of burn and combos but they werent present when i needed them the most, i kinda like the 3rd berserk on my sb coz i have the combo pieces that couldve given me the wins, only they werent protected by my needed permissions. sylvan was a none factor wholeday, i love them vs any midrange, controllish decks but i guess i have to sit em down at the moment, replacing it with another ponder.
happy holidays everyone!

sb:
2 stps
1 relic progenitus
1 surgical
1 graf
1 fow
1 fluster
2 pierces
2 kgrips
1 seal primordium
2 needles
1 berserk

[Trei_gamer]

"Optimally" might not be the correct choice of words (if I think optimal, I'm thinking Tom Ross), but I would definitely agree that it's easier to become competent with Infect than with Miracles.

Even though there's control elements in the UG/w Legacy build, it's still an aggro/combo deck in the vast majority of match ups and while aggro/combo isn't as easy as some people like to imply, it's typically easier to play than a control deck, even if you only consider the fact that sometimes we just get free wins via some combination of Elf, pumps, and counters/protection. I'd argue that Infect is one of the easier Brainstorms to resolve as well. Plus, when you're playing Miracles, you not only have to be competent enough to find the correct lines, but you need to find them quickly or you're setting yourself up for unintentional draws.

And while the Modern deck is certainly a different beast, once you learn the different cards and the meta (and you'd need to learn the latter with any deck), I think there's some advantage to being used to playing when your opponent often has to be scared that you might just "have it".

Well I played in a Legacy tourney of 31 today and got 1st :)

I played the normal 57 cards and my flex slots were 2nd Become Immense, 3rd Probe and 2nd Ponder. I didn't want to run cars like Stifle and Sylvan Library because I don't know enough about my meta or the deck to play conditionally good 1-ofs. I opted for a more streamlined MB with the W splash SB.

$137 in store credit!

Round 1: 2-0 Grixis Delver
Round 2: 2-1 Burn
Round 3: 2-0 BUG Control
Round 4: 1-2 Maverick
Round 5: ID against RUG Delver
Quarters: 2-0 BUG Control
Semis: 2-0 Maverick
Finals: Split with Miracles

Here is my list if you're curious

4 Glistener Elf
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Blighted Agent
1 Crop Rotation
1 Spell Pierce
4 Invigorate
1 Flusterstorm
4 Brainstorm
3 Daze
2 Berserk
3 Gitaxian Probe
3 Force of Will
3 Vines of Vastwood
2 Ponder
2 Become Immense
2 Windswept Heath
2 Wooded Foothills
4 Tropical Island
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Pendelhaven
1 Forest
1 Wasteland
4 Inkmoth Nexus
//Sideboard
1 Crop Rotation
1 Flusterstorm
1 Nature's Claim
2 Krosan Grip
2 Spellskite
1 Savannah
1 Rest in Peace
1 Force of Will
3 Swords to Plowshares
1 Submerge

[Jesture]

Meanwhile, we all sit here hoping a degenerate pump spell with Surge gets printed. So far all quiet on the spoiler front.

[Hopo]

Meanwhile, we all sit here hoping a degenerate pump spell with Surge gets printed. So far all quiet on the spoiler front.

It would have to be more degenerate than Become Immense, which I doubt. But one never knows. Surge spells in general are interesting for the same reason I like Flusterstorm in this deck. The surge cost of a playable card would have to be pretty much just one mana, though.

[shocked439]

Hey everyone,

Played in a small Monday night event last night. The deck performed well going 3-1 only loss was to some dumb jeskai deck with countertop. Actually the only loss was in 3 close games against miracles piloted by one of my good friends, in a matchup neither of us look forward to because we've played it way too many times. Had two legacy events going on at the same time with one giving a goyf to the winner. That one was farther from my house so I went to this which had a better out (12 players versus 11). Not great but for the most part it was a more dedicated legacy player base.

Round 1 faced dark maverick, not sure what he was trying to do but it was too slow and I combo him out game one. Game 2 I anticipate dark blast and abrupt decay and he has them. I have the kill in hand along with a crop rotation and he was aggressively trying to keep my creatures off the board. When he tries to dark blast I fetch a trop, play the crop rotation grab pendlehaven save my elf and secure the win with him tapped out.

Round 2 I play elves
Game 1 I keep a turn three win, see the elves start and hope I make it to t3. He casts nature's claim t2 and fizzles out, I win on turn 3 with inkmoth.
Game 2 My hand needs help to win but I think I can beat him. He does elf things but is afraid of being infected out the whole time. I finally draw the pieces I need after he removes blighted agent and the first elf with abrupt decay. The writing is on the wall that if I let him take another turn I am losing this game, I have invigorate and berserk in hand, with hierarch's on the field. Attack into drs and some other elf guy he blocks and bounces his elf. I become immense he laughs and reminds me that the creature is still blocked, I agree and ask if it resolves he agrees. I cast berserk he reads the card and tilts complaining that berserk is a broken card. I also agree but hey it's legacy and most things are broken (I'm looking at you tinfins!).

4-0 in games 2-0 in matches

Round three Miracles
lose in three games. Nothing exciting here he brings in 12 cards against me and always has a plan for infect since we play together and he expects the deck to be in the room. Honestly this could have gone either way. I was not thrilled to be playing this match.

5-2 games 2-1 matches

Round four Burn
Speaking of matches I'm not a fan of. Game one he gets me to 3 life with 2 cards in hand. I decide if had the kill I would be dead crack two fetches and combo with inkmoth.
Game 2 I'm one turn away from winning have daze in hand at 10 life. He double bolts then sacs the tapped lands for fireblast. I stare at daze and think we were so close buddy.
Game 3
I play threats he removes the threats, eventually he stops applying pressure and leaving back GG as a blocker. I keep dumping as many threats as I can knowing he will point burn at them. He ends up with one card in hand and tries to bolt my inkmoth I become immense in response and win.

Not surprisingly the deck performed well. I love being able to win matches that my opponent thinks they have the upper hand in.

Take aways--I still love crop rotation. I quit playing the white sideboard and run two crop rotations main so I can find my utility lands or the answer I generally need.

Corrupter in the main seems like a good decision. I ran corrupter in the main instead of piracy charm or reality ripple (thanks for the suggestions). GSZ should be considered a one of must in this deck. The shuffle effect, the finding G Elf, Hierarch, or Corrupter are all great options. Same goes for dryad arbor having an instant speed blocker is not something most players expect from this deck.

Jace Vryn's Prodigy is worth considering. I know I've been pushing this card for awhile and I still stand by it. The looting effect is not trivial and the fake-flashback is bonkers with FOW and Invigorate. I won a game because I targeted FOW with his minus ability and had the extra protection to get the win. If you are looking for another effect try him out, at his worst he is a pitch card for FOW. I think he is worth serious consideration in this deck as well.

I also only ran 2 vines of vastwood. This felt like the right number, a couple of the combos required vines instead of invigorate which never feels good but hey it wins.

If you're interested in the full decklist: my deck

[Hopo]

It looks like there are zero playable cards for this deck in OGW.

[shocked439]

It looks like there are zero playable cards for this deck in OGW.

Sadly it doesn't look like there is anything worth experimenting with from OGW. The modern version got a couple new tools, but after playing the legacy version I could never play the modern version. The legacy version is pretty bonkers and filled with seriously degenerate synergies, for a card to have an impact in this deck it has to be absurd. The best hope is that some of the new cards influence other decks in a way that improves infect's match ups.

[PollePotDK]

Hi all,

Does anyone have a good strategy to DeathBlade (UWBg)?

I think it's an incredible difficult match up, fighting through Stp, SnapMage -> more Stp, Jitte, Lili, Jace (big & small), Counterparts, Wasteland and multiple SB cards against us

It's really hard. I have come to the conclusion that I need to take Daze, Forze out when sideboarding and take Needle, Natualize, N.Claim and soft counters in (S.Pierce, Flusterstorm, Dispel) to fight card by card and not card disadvantage.

Any suggestions? I hate the match up.

[Hopo]

Hi all,

Does anyone have a good strategy to DeathBlade (UWBg)?

I think it's an incredible difficult match up, fighting through Stp, SnapMage -> more Stp, Jitte, Lili, Jace (big & small), Counterparts, Wasteland and multiple SB cards against us

It's really hard. I have come to the conclusion that I need to take Daze, Forze out when sideboarding and take Needle, Natualize, N.Claim and soft counters in (S.Pierce, Flusterstorm, Dispel) to fight card by card and not card disadvantage.

Any suggestions? I hate the match up.

I have exactly zero experience against deathblade, but I still advise playing maximum Vines if you regularly play against any removal.dec with Wastelands.

[PollePotDK]

@Hopo: I play with the full set af Vines for that reason, plus I just like the card overall. I play two Crop Rotation to have more ways of finde critters. That deck just have so many answers and can apply pressure at the same time.

[Zombie]

That's one thing that's always puzzled me, btw: Can anyone explain this deck's insane number of singletons in the core skeleton, as opposed to the typically 4-of Delver builds where singletons usually show up in the flex slots?