I've created this thread to redirect discussion previously held in Mono White Artifact Infect. This deck revolves around playing small infect artifact creatures and boosting them with Tempered Steel to win via poison counters.
Tempered Steel has already had an impact on extended using ordinary artifact creatures, and there are a number of Tempered Steel decks being thrown about in standard. With the addition of MBS and a few more Infect artifact creatures, I believe W/x Infect decks could have a real impact on the standard meta as infect artifacts effectively get a +4/+2 from Tempered Steel due to the potency of poison counters.
The following infect creatures could find a place in an Infected Steel deck:
Because Tempered Steel requires two sources of white mana as early as possible the commitment to white is heavy despite most of the deck being colourless. However as it is the only 'essential' white spell there is plenty of room to splash another colour.
I was initially running Mox Opal but found I couldn't really activate it until turn 2 and then didn't have anything to ramp into on turn 3 so I replaced them with Plains. I'm running 24 land because I treat the Contested War Zone as an uncounterable finishing spell rather than a land drop. I generally don't want to have to rely on the War Zone for mana as once it drops it usually just passes back and forth tapped for the rest of the game, it can however win the game out right.
The Infantry Veteran may seem like an odd choice, but along with Signal Pest are really quite powerful combined with infect. There isn't a lot of choice for first turn drops and I want to create board presence from the first turn.
The equipment package likewise gives small creatures quite a lot of reach. Using Stoneforge Mystic's ability to sneak equipment into play is especially useful with living weapons to mess with combat math (late game Bonehoards can kill an attacker then attach to an Inkmoth Nexus to swing for the win). There are also some nice interactions such as Mortarpod plus Basilisk Collar.
Tempered Steel pumping the artifact infect creatures (plus Inkmoth Nexus) really puts the clock on your opponents.
So far I've enjoyed success against other aggro decks (without sideboarding at this stage) but I am still to test against control and Valakut. Eldrazi green can outrace me pretty quick, which is why I've got the Armored Ascensions in the SB. Also considering Piston Sledge and Livewire Lash equipments.
Another mono white version created by Battle Fries
I had an esper version that ran Tempered Steel + Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas. Was quite the beating but kind of clunky. I ended up moving on to a non infect version (http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=299460) that is a little less powerful but curves out better. The only think I really miss is Inkmoth Nexus. That land is amazing in this deck. Mox Opal is much better in the non-infect deck though.
Tempered Steel
Self Explanatory, boosts everything but the Hippo's
Contagion Clasp
Removal + Proliferate, sacs to Throne late game if need be.
Throne of Geth
Finisher, has plenty of ammo
Necropede, Ichorclaw, Core Prowler, Corpse Cur
Artifact Infects, each has their own plus aside, almost all add CA, claw being the only one that doesn't.
Razor Hippogriff
This one I'm alittle iffy on, but got no Idea on replacement, is in there as a means to bring back artifacts, and gain some life. Seems ok atm.
Infilltration Lens
When they block (Which they will when able) I draw, late game it sacks to Throne.
Dispense Justice
Instant Speed, sac two seems good. Good versus everything save Elves and Maybe Mono Red, in which Choking Fumes comes in.
Ajani Goldmane
Life gain + extra damage and vigilance seems good.
For artifact recursion, salvage scout, and frantic salvage are options.
Another card to consider is signal pest, not a lot of one drops, and battle cry seems like it could be good.
plague myr seems good with all the 4 drops.
Edit: Some other cards that might be good, gideon jura, armored ascension, phyrexian digester, piston sledge, repel the darkness, mighty leap, mortapod, emerge unscathed, hyena umbra, infantry veteran, sejiri steppe. Some of these cards are obviously better than others, but they all are options.
I believe if a second color is added it will be either Blue or Black.
Blue adds Distortion Strike + Disruption (Mana Leak, Spell Peirce, etc)
Black adds Go for the Throat + Disruption (Duress, Inquisition of Kozilek)
I'm in the process of testing the Mystic/Equip package, only thing I don't like is it limits your drops a lot, and ends up having more non-infects, which just makes me feel like I should just go and play WW.
I also think people mistake Infect Steel as being a weenie deck, when it looks much more like a mid-ranged aggro deck, as your plan is to get a point or two in, then finish off with Proliferate and/or just smash face with 3/3's and 4/4's.
Were as Mono Green Infect is more Weenie like, in that you go for a quick kill with a couple of creatures, and well Mono Black, that's even more Mid-Ranged..lol
I have found that the equipment package sometimes means I don't have an infect creature, but having said that, I have won games on the back of a Signal Pest equipped with Bonehoard. Also once a weenie infect creature appears (Inkmoth Nexus is the bomb) with the help of equipment it can end the game much faster than a non-infect critter.
I think black would be the best splash colour except that we don't have multi-lands that support it. My deck already runs 9 colourless lands, and hitting 2 white turn three is ideal. Blue or green splash would be much more reliable, though at this point I'm not sold on either, although Distortion Strike probably warrants investigation. Unblockable poison creatures are pretty exciting.
Also considering Throne of Geth. At the moment I'm using Mortarpod to fill that 'sac a creature, add one poison' role. I've also considered playing with Ajani Goldmane but I don't know what to trim.
I have found that the equipment package sometimes means I don't have an infect creature, but having said that, I have won games on the back of a Signal Pest equipped with Bonehoard. Also once a weenie infect creature appears (Inkmoth Nexus is the bomb) with the help of equipment it can end the game much faster than a non-infect critter.
I think black would be the best splash colour except that we don't have multi-lands that support it. My deck already runs 9 colourless lands, and hitting 2 white turn three is ideal. Blue or green splash would be much more reliable, though at this point I'm not sold on either, although Distortion Strike probably warrants investigation. Unblockable poison creatures are pretty exciting.
Also considering Throne of Geth. At the moment I'm using Mortarpod to fill that 'sac a creature, add one poison' role. I've also considered playing with Ajani Goldmane but I don't know what to trim.
I think Throne of Geth is better then Mortar Pod in this deck, because of versatility.
Pod requires both mana and a creature, were as throne just wants a artifact, also proliferate means, I can add more +1/+1 counters, more -1/-1 counters, more loyalty counters, and poison.
That's a lot of power.
I also like blue the best, Strike + Counter Magic seems REALLY nice.
Problem then becomes trimming down to fit it all in.
Any case I'll be testing a version of the deck tonight at FNM, so I'll post results when I get back.
I would not run any other non-infect creatures with the exception of Steel Overseer, and then...lolz...Lodestone Golem from the board.
While Steel Overseer is a powerful creature, this archtype is already flush with 2CMC creatures. I prefer Signal Pest to act as a lord which also fills out the 1CMC spot which is unfortunately vacant in most infect builds.
I think I might try putting in Throne of Geth in place of Mortarpod (although I do like being able to trade creatures using Mortarpod and Basilisk Collar). Certainly Throne of Geth looks much better once Ajani Goldmane fits into the deck. Also Throne of Geth makes running Piston Sledge more appealling. As I can sac either the Throne to re-equip or the Sledge to proliferate.
Frantic Search can bring your guys back on opponent's EoT. It's a little better than Corpse Cur in that respect.
I disagree that Frantic Salvage (Frantic Search is not type 2 legal!) is better than Corpse Cur. Corpse Cur creates a body at the same time as recycling a creature in the gy. Perhaps as a one of Frantic Salvage might be a neat trick? Frantic Salvage gains value if the game goes longer, but at that point most of our creatures have lost most of their value.
I've been running Eldrazi Monument...Indestructible, Flying and +1/+1is insane with infect...And I never have a problem with sacing a creature cause once I've got 2 Corpse Curs I can alternate sacing and returning them
Every White Deck should side 3-4 Leyline of Sanctity.
It wrecks Valakut. Improves Red. (burn) Improves Black. (discard)
The only other side you would need really is Luminarch Ascension or somesuch against Blue.
Really, I can't say enough about that card in the side.
This is what I think is going to be the starting point for me in this archetype. The problem I see with it is that it faces the same conundrum as Valakut, which is I draw a bunch of sick enablers and no business, or I draw business with no enablers...
I still see this archetype being pushed out of the meta until Valakut is gone. With the exception of a couple of blisteringly fast aggro decks (KDW, Vamps), aggro is hard pressed to win in this meta because Valakut is so good.
I am going to try this config, but I thought there were cards being discussed in this thread that perked my interest, and also some unmentioned cards (TEZZ is the nutz, Also Sphere of the Suns for fixing) that I thought I would bring to the forefront for discussion...Tezz with 22 artifacts is not optimal (I think the magic number is 25), but this config will almost always net an artifact, possibly with choices, and Tezz is another way to buff your seemingly weak creatures without Tempered Steel.
I like the idea of this build. I have been working on something similar myself. Some choices I'm not completely happy with, and more testing is required but here is what I have.
Maelstrom Entity the danger with running so many equipment is that you end up with a hand full of it with nothing to equip it to. Running Bonehoard and Mortarpod diminishes this risk by putting their own creatures on the board, so you can play them as creatures. Also don't underestimate the power of being able to flash in a blocker using Stoneforge Mystic.
I agree the Mortarpod + Basilisk Collar isn't great, but it's ideally a non-infect critter you're sacrificing (or even better, a 0/0 germ token) to clear the way for your infectors. Because Mortarpod gives the creature the 'sac for damage' ability, it also a way to dish out that last poison counter.
So far in my testing I do well against other aggro strategies and midrange, but seem to get overwhelmed by ramp strategies and control. The trouble I find is the deck isn't quite fast enough and very draw dependent. Still quite fun to play though, and I haven't really tested my sideboard yet.
for mono white infect deck, has anyone considered Armored Ascension? It would give a huge pump and add flying!
I see Armored Ascension as a sideboard card. I can't justify playing it over equipment if there is a good chance that the creature will be killed in response to the Aura targeting. At least with equipment you can save it for the next critter.
I see Armored Ascension as a sideboard card. I can't justify playing it over equipment if there is a good chance that the creature will be killed in response to the Aura targeting. At least with equipment you can save it for the next critter.
It just depends on whether you cast Armored Ascension at the right time or not. You could wait for your opponent tapped out and cast it. Boom! +4/+4 (at least) + flying! It just like a U/B infect deck casting a Tezzeret and make a 1/1 little guy become 5/5 for crushing the opponent! And with flying! (Ensure that your huge monster won't be chump blocked.)
Give it a go and let us know how it plays out My build is quite equipment heavy and uses the Stoneforge Mystics as tutors. Also I run 9 non-plain lands, which is why I'm less keen on putting in Armored Ascension.
In an Armored Ascension build you'll want to probably scrap some of (most of?) the equipment package and probably scrap both Contested War Zone and some Tectonic Edges for more plains.
TY for the cetch Tyy. I like this version a little bit more then what I was trying to put together earlier. Never underestimate the power for Sledge. It's an amazingly powerful card.
Tempered Steel has already had an impact on extended using ordinary artifact creatures, and there are a number of Tempered Steel decks being thrown about in standard. With the addition of MBS and a few more Infect artifact creatures, I believe W/x Infect decks could have a real impact on the standard meta as infect artifacts effectively get a +4/+2 from Tempered Steel due to the potency of poison counters.
The following infect creatures could find a place in an Infected Steel deck:
Necropede
Ichorclaw Myr
Plague Myr
Phyrexian Digester
Corpse Cur
Core Prowler.
Maybe Vector Asp if you can find an easy way to activate it's infect ability (though personally I don't think it's very good).
While both Phyrexian Juggernaut and Blightsteel Colossus benefit from Tempered Steel, they probably don't belong in this style of aggro deck.
Because Tempered Steel requires two sources of white mana as early as possible the commitment to white is heavy despite most of the deck being colourless. However as it is the only 'essential' white spell there is plenty of room to splash another colour.
Here is my mono white version:
15 Plains
4 Inkmoth Nexus
3 Tectonic Edge
2 Contested War Zone
Creatures - 24
4 Signal Pest
3 Infantry Veteran
3 Plague Myr
3 Necropede
4 Ichorclaw Myr
4 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Corpse Cur
1 Basilisk Collar
2 Mortarpod
1 Sword of Body and Mind
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Sword of Vengeance
4 Tempered Steel
2 Bonehoard
4 Revoke Existence
4 Journey to Nowhere
4 Day of Judgment
4 Emerge Unscathed
3 Armored Ascension
The Infantry Veteran may seem like an odd choice, but along with Signal Pest are really quite powerful combined with infect. There isn't a lot of choice for first turn drops and I want to create board presence from the first turn.
The equipment package likewise gives small creatures quite a lot of reach. Using Stoneforge Mystic's ability to sneak equipment into play is especially useful with living weapons to mess with combat math (late game Bonehoards can kill an attacker then attach to an Inkmoth Nexus to swing for the win). There are also some nice interactions such as Mortarpod plus Basilisk Collar.
Tempered Steel pumping the artifact infect creatures (plus Inkmoth Nexus) really puts the clock on your opponents.
So far I've enjoyed success against other aggro decks (without sideboarding at this stage) but I am still to test against control and Valakut. Eldrazi green can outrace me pretty quick, which is why I've got the Armored Ascensions in the SB. Also considering Piston Sledge and Livewire Lash equipments.
Another mono white version created by Battle Fries
2 Signal Pest
4 Ichorclaw Myr
3 Necropede
3 Corpse Cur
3 Core Prowler
3 Wall of Omens
2 Sun Titan
2 Mox Opal
2 Sphere of the Suns
2 Infiltration Lens
2 Throne of Geth
3 Condemn
2 Journey to Nowhere
4 Tempered Steel
19 Plains
4 Inkmoth Nexus
And a W/g deck created by DRjester
4 Razorverge Thicket
4 Sunpetal Grove
3 Stirring Wildwood
7 Plains
4 Ichorclaw Myr
4 Plague Myr
4 Necropede
4 Phyrexian Digester
4 Steel Overseer
3 Putrefax
4 Giant Growth
3 Lead the Stampede
Blue splash has been suggested by GodoftheGrove and MattiK to include Distortion Strike (plus Livewire Lash) and/or control elements such as Spellpierce and Flashfreeze (SB).
By Amardarial:
4x Contagion Clasp
4x Throne of Geth
4x Necropede
4x Ichorclaw
4x Core Prowler
4x Corpse Cur
3x Razor Hippogriff
3x Infilltration Lens
3x Dispense Justice
2x Ajani Goldmane
4x Inmoth Nexus
4x Tectonic Edge
13 Plains
By Sun_shine_dan
2x Contagion Clasp
4x Throne of Geth
4x Vector Asp
4x Necropede
4x Ichorclaw Myr
4x Plague myr
4x Oust
2x Infilltration Lens
4x Mox Opal
3x Journey to Nowhere/Signal Pest
4x Inmoth Nexus
3x Contested Warzone
8x Plains
2x Swamp
4x Marsh Flats
Some suggestions by frozenspade
Blue adds Distortion Strike + Disruption (Mana Leak, Spell Peirce, etc)
Black adds Go for the Throat + Disruption (Duress, Inquisition of Kozilek)
I'm in the process of testing the Mystic/Equip package, only thing I don't like is it limits your drops a lot, and ends up having more non-infects, which just makes me feel like I should just go and play WW.
I also think people mistake Infect Steel as being a weenie deck, when it looks much more like a mid-ranged aggro deck, as your plan is to get a point or two in, then finish off with Proliferate and/or just smash face with 3/3's and 4/4's.
Were as Mono Green Infect is more Weenie like, in that you go for a quick kill with a couple of creatures, and well Mono Black, that's even more Mid-Ranged..lol
I think black would be the best splash colour except that we don't have multi-lands that support it. My deck already runs 9 colourless lands, and hitting 2 white turn three is ideal. Blue or green splash would be much more reliable, though at this point I'm not sold on either, although Distortion Strike probably warrants investigation. Unblockable poison creatures are pretty exciting.
Also considering Throne of Geth. At the moment I'm using Mortarpod to fill that 'sac a creature, add one poison' role. I've also considered playing with Ajani Goldmane but I don't know what to trim.
Frantic Search can bring your guys back on opponent's EoT. It's a little better than Corpse Cur in that respect.
Ajani Goldmane should be in here as a 2-of at most as he should be at the top of the curve.
I would not run any other non-infect creatures with the exception of Steel Overseer, and then...lolz...Lodestone Golem from the board.
Don't forget that while it is not an Infect creature it makes, Luminarch Ascension can be a really good SB card here.
currently playing:
Standard
UW Control
UWB Control
UB Control
MODERN
BRGJund
X Affinity
UWR Control
LEGACY
Dredge
R Burn
UWx Miracles
EDH
BRW Kaalia
______
Quotes:
My Magic Card nicknames.
I think Throne of Geth is better then Mortar Pod in this deck, because of versatility.
Pod requires both mana and a creature, were as throne just wants a artifact, also proliferate means, I can add more +1/+1 counters, more -1/-1 counters, more loyalty counters, and poison.
That's a lot of power.
I also like blue the best, Strike + Counter Magic seems REALLY nice.
Problem then becomes trimming down to fit it all in.
Any case I'll be testing a version of the deck tonight at FNM, so I'll post results when I get back.
While Steel Overseer is a powerful creature, this archtype is already flush with 2CMC creatures. I prefer Signal Pest to act as a lord which also fills out the 1CMC spot which is unfortunately vacant in most infect builds.
I think I might try putting in Throne of Geth in place of Mortarpod (although I do like being able to trade creatures using Mortarpod and Basilisk Collar). Certainly Throne of Geth looks much better once Ajani Goldmane fits into the deck. Also Throne of Geth makes running Piston Sledge more appealling. As I can sac either the Throne to re-equip or the Sledge to proliferate.
I disagree that Frantic Salvage (Frantic Search is not type 2 legal!) is better than Corpse Cur. Corpse Cur creates a body at the same time as recycling a creature in the gy. Perhaps as a one of Frantic Salvage might be a neat trick? Frantic Salvage gains value if the game goes longer, but at that point most of our creatures have lost most of their value.
Lands WUBG
EDH:
Doran WBG
It wrecks Valakut. Improves Red. (burn) Improves Black. (discard)
The only other side you would need really is Luminarch Ascension or somesuch against Blue.
Really, I can't say enough about that card in the side.
4 Plague Myr
4 Ichorclaw Myr
4 Core Prowler
4 Corpse Cur
spells
4 Tempered Steel
4 Repel the darkness
3 Steady progress
1 Contagion clasp
1 Contagion engine
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Venser, the Sojourner
2 Ajani Goldmane
land
4 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Seachrome Coast
4 Glacial Fortress
6 Plains
6 Islands
2 Contagion Clasp
4 Throne of Geth
3 Mox Opal
4 Vector Asp
3 Signal Pest
4 Necropede
4 Ichorclaw Myr
3 Plague myr
3 Repel the Darkness
4 Inmoth Nexus
2 Contested Warzone
8 Plains
3 Swamp
4 Marsh Flats
Very strong deck. Great removal suit. Especially because we don't care if they gain life.
your deck only has 59 cards?
4 Darkslick Shores
4 Marsh Flats
3 Swamp
3 Plains
4 Inkmoth Nexus
22 Land
4 Sphere of the Suns
4 Tezzeret, Slave of Bolas
4 Go for the Throat
4 Tempered Steel
20 Spells
4 Ichorclaw Myr
4 Necropede
4 Plague Myr
2 Phyrexian Digester (IDK, need 3-drops)
18 Creatures
This is what I think is going to be the starting point for me in this archetype. The problem I see with it is that it faces the same conundrum as Valakut, which is I draw a bunch of sick enablers and no business, or I draw business with no enablers...
I still see this archetype being pushed out of the meta until Valakut is gone. With the exception of a couple of blisteringly fast aggro decks (KDW, Vamps), aggro is hard pressed to win in this meta because Valakut is so good.
I am going to try this config, but I thought there were cards being discussed in this thread that perked my interest, and also some unmentioned cards (TEZZ is the nutz, Also Sphere of the Suns for fixing) that I thought I would bring to the forefront for discussion...Tezz with 22 artifacts is not optimal (I think the magic number is 25), but this config will almost always net an artifact, possibly with choices, and Tezz is another way to buff your seemingly weak creatures without Tempered Steel.
and away we go....
By Wraithawk (67 cards)
4 Inkmoth Nexus
3 Tectonic Edge
2 Contested Warzone
14 Plains
17 Creatures
4 Ichorclaw Myr
4 Necropede
4 Steel Overseer
3 Core Prowler
2 Sun Titan
4 Throne of Geth
4 Everflowing Chalice
3 Voltaic Key
3 Lux Cannon
3 Ichor Wellspring
1 Spine of Ish Sah
4 Tempered Steel
4 Journey to Nowhere
2 Ajani Goldmane
By MaverickHunterX. A mono white control version.
2 Emeria, The Sky Ruin
4 Inkmoth Nexus
20 Plains
Creatures
2 Core Prowler
2 Baneslayer Angel
4 Plague Myr
4 Wall of Omens
1 Phyrexian Rebirth
3 Contagion Clasp
3 Contagion Engine
4 Condemn
4 Day of Judgment
4 Throne of Geth
Planeswalkers
1 Gideon Jura
2 Ajani Goldmane
1 Baneslayer Angel
1 Contagion Engine
2 Ratchet Bomb
3 Leyline of Sanctity
4 Revoke Existence
4 Celestial Purge
By Mcpatches. White with blue splash.
4x glacial fortress
4x seachrome coast
2x celstial colonade
7x island
5x plains
4x ichorclaw myr
4x necropede
3x corpse cur
4x plague myr
3x phyrexian digester
3x core prowler
2x ajani
2x venser
4x distortion strike
2x mortarpod
4x tempered steel
3x contagion clasp
2 Corpse Cur
4 Ichorclaw Myr
4 Necropede
4 Plague Myr
4 Signal Pest
2 Contagion Clasp
1 Darksteel Axe
2 Frantic Salvage
2 Livewire Lash
1 Mimic Vat
3 Oust
3 Repel the Darkness
4 Tempered Steel
1 Throne of Geth
4 Inkmoth Nexus
16 Plains
3 tectonic edge
I agree the Mortarpod + Basilisk Collar isn't great, but it's ideally a non-infect critter you're sacrificing (or even better, a 0/0 germ token) to clear the way for your infectors. Because Mortarpod gives the creature the 'sac for damage' ability, it also a way to dish out that last poison counter.
So far in my testing I do well against other aggro strategies and midrange, but seem to get overwhelmed by ramp strategies and control. The trouble I find is the deck isn't quite fast enough and very draw dependent. Still quite fun to play though, and I haven't really tested my sideboard yet.
I see Armored Ascension as a sideboard card. I can't justify playing it over equipment if there is a good chance that the creature will be killed in response to the Aura targeting. At least with equipment you can save it for the next critter.
It just depends on whether you cast Armored Ascension at the right time or not. You could wait for your opponent tapped out and cast it. Boom! +4/+4 (at least) + flying! It just like a U/B infect deck casting a Tezzeret and make a 1/1 little guy become 5/5 for crushing the opponent! And with flying! (Ensure that your huge monster won't be chump blocked.)
I think Armored Ascension is worth a shot.
In an Armored Ascension build you'll want to probably scrap some of (most of?) the equipment package and probably scrap both Contested War Zone and some Tectonic Edges for more plains.
2 Contagion Clasp
3 Throne of Geth
3 Mox Opal
4 Vector Asp
3 Signal Pest
4 Necropede
4 Ichorclaw Myr
3 Plague myr
3 Repel the Darkness
3 Piston Sledge
4 Inmoth Nexus
2 Contested Warzone
8 Plains
3 Swamp
4 Marsh Flats
TY for the cetch Tyy. I like this version a little bit more then what I was trying to put together earlier. Never underestimate the power for Sledge. It's an amazingly powerful card.
4 [MBS] Inkmoth Nexus
18 [MBS] Plains
// Creatures
4 [SOM] Necropede
4 [SOM] Ichorclaw Myr
4 [MBS] Plague Myr
1 [SOM] Corpse Cur
3 [MBS] Core Prowler (2 poison counters with Thron)
4 [MBS] Priests of Norn (not an artifact, but survive under slagstorm)
// Spells
4 [SOM] Tempered Steel
4 [SOM] Throne of Geth
4 [ROE] Oust (1st turn removal without any drawback)
4 [ROE] Repel the Darkness
2 [M11] Armored Ascension (often equal to 5 poison counters on a single sucessful attack)
This deck was not designed by me. I just found it from the web.