ignite memories is a cute way to win, but if they're sandbagging a land in hand you're pretty much done.
i wish it was more reliable, the flavor of the card is just amazing.
Justin Sweet artist -> imagery reminiscent of sweetooth character from twisted metal black
do you know a way to beat Jeskai combo decks with infect ? Is nature's claim enough to beat them or do you also need twisted image MD ?
Thanks, I never played against this deck in mtgo or with my team, and I want to be sure to beat it during Gp madrid in one month.
if you're looking to beat the glittering wish ascendency deck....infect isn't it.
they start to go off on turn 2, infect can win turn 2 uninterrupted but it's few and far between.
the people that do it constantly should probably be looked at closely since it probably involves cheating.
but jeskai ascendency combo can be shut the **** down with UWR control and you working on tightning your play.
it's just like UR storm shut down the engine (ie mana leak the past in flames) and they're pretty much ****ed.
in this case it's wiping the board, or countering their ascendancy.
the answer on how to beat deck X, is learn how to play the deck
then work on your play style, alot of homework
and then picking up control
not optional, tom ross did it so he's taking credit for someone else's idea and acting pious about it bragging about it a little too. people tried it in the past and it was okay, its more of a meta-game decision to free up side board slots. unless you're playing some artifact heavy meta (when tom ross did it he was facing A LOT of affnity) and ran a less aggressive list than the mono-green lists. he played it more like a legacy deck, tempo infect. IE bounce and counter spell their stuff with spell pierce and the stuff like that and hitting for 2 here and 3 there rather than going for the groundswell + groundswell + mutagenic turn 2/3/4 kill infect is known for.
Tom was also more reliant on inkmoth nexus than most of these guys here assume, viridian corrupter was not really a threat it was a removal spell/something they had to deal with in one shot for only 3 mana or be a thorn in their side all game
so the corrupter itself baited any removal that would have been used on inkmoth (personally i think it's not too game swinging)
it's up to you guys on what you want to do/how to play.
it should be noted that since ichor was dropped, the playset of rancor was dropped, as well as a number of really aggressively costed pump spells
would it be wrong to run 2 pyromancer acension, and 2 past in flames (rather than 4 PA and 3 PIF) while i save up for them (couple of weeks) then drop one of the desperate ravings (so 2 main deck) for the 4 bolts?
Chances are im going to run this as a casual deck for at least a year before i even bring it to an event, that is how little confidence i have in me piloting this effectively
the dryad arbor, groundswell trigger in response to a bolt alone is worth running the full gambit of fetches
i see no reason not to run fetches in infect, unless you can't afford them, the dryad arbor. (infect is the budget list and plenty of people can't even afford the $8 for the might of old krosa playset and run less than 4 inkmoth) so i totally understand these prices are getting stupid.
alright guys thank you for the opinions. i guess i will finish the deck.
also turns out most of you guys are mainboarding lightning bolt to deal with a lot of eidolon based burn decks.
so what are you removing from jon finkel's list to main board the play set? maybe this will allow me to get into the deck a bit faster since i have the play set
hey guy's I have a question on opinion and would love yours since you play this deck.
I have most of the cards for this deck. i can almost afford to finish it if i cash in all of my store credit on every store account i have online and off. (i think i'll be short the play set of serum visions which ill have to shell out cash for).
so i have a few questions before i finish my list:
how is the deck positioned in the meta?
Do you guys typically place first or anywhere near it on weekly events or are you hated out too easily?
lastly this is a big one, i am not a great magic player. I'll admit i am just flat out bad at this game.
I usually play infect and place top 3 weekly because it literally takes no skill or thought to win.
storm is a very skill intensive deck, it scares me to play this. i goldfished it a few times but that teaches you nothing of how it interacts in the wild. how did you guys over come lack of skill at this game (if this applies to you) to pilot this deck effectively?
If you already have 12 Infect creatures main (which you should), I wouldn't bring in Corrupter from the SB. Despite all the potential targets, it actually hurts you, because it makes your deck slower.
If you're playing Revoker or Needle against some other decks, it's fine to bring them in. I wouldn't SB Needle specifically for Tron, your deck is already favored against them.
Needle is better because it can't be killed by creature removal. I know Revoker stops mana abilities (so you might be thinking of naming an egg), but Tron has 2 different eggs so they can still cast Pyroclasm through a Revoker.
If you already have 12 Infect creatures main (which you should), I wouldn't bring in Corrupter from the SB. Despite all the potential targets, it actually hurts you, because it makes your deck slower.
If you're playing Revoker or Needle against some other decks, it's fine to bring them in. I wouldn't SB Needle specifically for Tron, your deck is already favored against them.
Needle is better because it can't be killed by creature removal. I know Revoker stops mana abilities (so you might be thinking of naming an egg), but Tron has 2 different eggs so they can still cast Pyroclasm through a Revoker.
Gotcha, and yea it's pretty hard to get a Pithing Needle removed unless you have a specific card that gets rid of it, unlike Revoker...
So even if I'm playing the UG version don't include Viridian?
oblivion stone still hits pithing needle.
pithing needle is to name a karn.
viridian is too slow
muligan aggressively.
it sounds like you're playing a good tron player and are getting advice from so-so tron players (no offense to anyone here) player skill and ability to see answers and not misplay actually do matter.
ranger's guile in for vines of vastwood (vines can be skite'd) kicker doesn't do much when you're racing tron lands and karn
you ranger's guile the karn target shall they decide to target inkmoth.
rancor out, 2 pithing needle or 4 nature's claim in.
turn 2 you want them at 8 or 9 poison.
once the karn hits the table you want to have so many threats they can't block all of them
but you have to watch the clasm and the stone.
took me like 6 months to figure out exactly how to play RGtron (great player)
when he lends the deck out to so-so players who are meh (you know which ones aren't good in your store) its hands down don't even have to think about the game win
So seeing that there are three different versions of infect...G, UB, and BUG...I'm looking to see which build is better against RG Tron, and if anyone would know what build exactly? Maybe any sample decklists against RG Tron
tron is an easy matchup but experienced tron players can blow you out if you don't sideboard correctly.
i like to remove pump spells that can be redirected, so keep everything on "you control" like ranger's guile. side out the rancor (nothing to trample over) bring in the pithing needles to shut off karn and skite.
bring in the viridian corrupters, the nature's claim.
you want to deal as much poison as you can before they stick a turn 3 karn or a turn 3 wurmcoil
then from there you can start evading.
best trick is to let them karn an inkmoth, tap inkmoth float 1, animate inkmoth ranger's guile targeting inkmoth in response to a karn exile. it's basically timewalking them.
best build for tron is blue/green
your main threats are going to be blighted agent and inkmoth.
they'll chump wurmcoil over and over which is 3 big ass pain in the ass blockers as your hand goes down.
keep in mind it only takes maybe 2 turns to wi once a karn hits the table, they fetch out emurakul, they target themselves exiling emurakul from their hand, then restart the game and you lose
with infect in modern, turn 3 or 4 is the game changing turn.
i assume the card in question is some delve pump spell. if you think it's the best card for the deck feel free to put it in your deck and brew with it.
but generally it is too situational for infect in my opinion. we all have been around the block long enough to know what is game breaking or not. a turn 5/6 situational pump isn't it.
the weakest card in infect hands down is might of old krosa. if they print a better +4/+4 enabler for the deck we won't even run it. actually what most modern infect players are waiting for is invigorate to replace the krosa. i mean some people are running giant growth in that position, its that dire.
second up is rancor, which screams 2-for-1 that deck that requires a 1/1 NOW.
i know there are A LOT of newer players who picked up this deck and get excited whenever they see something that is green, one or 2 cmc situational and says +X/+x until end of turn
Just started building the mono green version tom ross posted in his article but was wondering why the list ran groundswell over might of old krosa? It just seems a more reliable source of the +4/+4.
short answer because it's better
long answer requirees advanced play with the deck.
because it is hidden, and can be played in response to something like a bolt, crack fetch their turn for a shock or a forest, groudswell responding to bolt triggers landfall so +4/+4.
there are benefits to leaving fetches uncracked too like liliana or devour flesh respose, or getting a shockland at endstep
I'll admit, I haven't been following any tournaments lately is the main infect decks G/u or has it mainly gone to bug?
Infect isn't really a deck most people bring to a large event for modern. In legacy it has been doing really well to where most people who thought it was iffy at best brewing with it.
But that is legacy, it's less of a glass cannon thanks to wasteland, force of will, daze, spell pierce.
And the deck is much more explosive with crop rotation, invigorate, the A/B/U dual lands in it, and the berserk.
If you want to get into actual tournaments with infect build that variant, all said and done it will be roughly $2100ish if you purchase at retail and get some near mint cards. cheaper if you get heavy played white border or less pimp cards
Well, good news is I've now got a playset of Inkmoth Nexus, though my budget's blown for a while. I'll probably run Hinterland Harbor as my duel for a while, until I can run Fetch/Shocks. Anything I need to remember with Inkmoth Nexus?
it took me awhile to figure this out: Infect is a deck built around inkmoth nexus, and protects it by throwing drayad arbor to sac effects via fetch lands, or by saccing necropedes.
i usedto think it was a glistener elf, plague stingerand a blighted agent based deck. i wish someone told me that when i picked up the deck. Also inkmoth nexus used to be a $3 card when i was playing the deck so i feel your pain on the budget
i wish it was more reliable, the flavor of the card is just amazing.
Justin Sweet artist -> imagery reminiscent of sweetooth character from twisted metal black
if you're looking to beat the glittering wish ascendency deck....infect isn't it.
they start to go off on turn 2, infect can win turn 2 uninterrupted but it's few and far between.
the people that do it constantly should probably be looked at closely since it probably involves cheating.
but jeskai ascendency combo can be shut the **** down with UWR control and you working on tightning your play.
it's just like UR storm shut down the engine (ie mana leak the past in flames) and they're pretty much ****ed.
in this case it's wiping the board, or countering their ascendancy.
the answer on how to beat deck X, is learn how to play the deck
then work on your play style, alot of homework
and then picking up control
Tom was also more reliant on inkmoth nexus than most of these guys here assume, viridian corrupter was not really a threat it was a removal spell/something they had to deal with in one shot for only 3 mana or be a thorn in their side all game
so the corrupter itself baited any removal that would have been used on inkmoth (personally i think it's not too game swinging)
it's up to you guys on what you want to do/how to play.
it should be noted that since ichor was dropped, the playset of rancor was dropped, as well as a number of really aggressively costed pump spells
http://www.starcitygames.com/article/28653_Infect-in-Modern.html
Chances are im going to run this as a casual deck for at least a year before i even bring it to an event, that is how little confidence i have in me piloting this effectively
i see no reason not to run fetches in infect, unless you can't afford them, the dryad arbor. (infect is the budget list and plenty of people can't even afford the $8 for the might of old krosa playset and run less than 4 inkmoth) so i totally understand these prices are getting stupid.
also turns out most of you guys are mainboarding lightning bolt to deal with a lot of eidolon based burn decks.
so what are you removing from jon finkel's list to main board the play set? maybe this will allow me to get into the deck a bit faster since i have the play set
I have most of the cards for this deck. i can almost afford to finish it if i cash in all of my store credit on every store account i have online and off. (i think i'll be short the play set of serum visions which ill have to shell out cash for).
so i have a few questions before i finish my list:
how is the deck positioned in the meta?
Do you guys typically place first or anywhere near it on weekly events or are you hated out too easily?
lastly this is a big one, i am not a great magic player. I'll admit i am just flat out bad at this game.
I usually play infect and place top 3 weekly because it literally takes no skill or thought to win.
storm is a very skill intensive deck, it scares me to play this. i goldfished it a few times but that teaches you nothing of how it interacts in the wild. how did you guys over come lack of skill at this game (if this applies to you) to pilot this deck effectively?
oblivion stone still hits pithing needle.
pithing needle is to name a karn.
viridian is too slow
muligan aggressively.
it sounds like you're playing a good tron player and are getting advice from so-so tron players (no offense to anyone here) player skill and ability to see answers and not misplay actually do matter.
infect preys upon misplays
you ranger's guile the karn target shall they decide to target inkmoth.
rancor out, 2 pithing needle or 4 nature's claim in.
turn 2 you want them at 8 or 9 poison.
once the karn hits the table you want to have so many threats they can't block all of them
but you have to watch the clasm and the stone.
took me like 6 months to figure out exactly how to play RGtron (great player)
when he lends the deck out to so-so players who are meh (you know which ones aren't good in your store) its hands down don't even have to think about the game win
tron is an easy matchup but experienced tron players can blow you out if you don't sideboard correctly.
i like to remove pump spells that can be redirected, so keep everything on "you control" like ranger's guile. side out the rancor (nothing to trample over) bring in the pithing needles to shut off karn and skite.
bring in the viridian corrupters, the nature's claim.
you want to deal as much poison as you can before they stick a turn 3 karn or a turn 3 wurmcoil
then from there you can start evading.
best trick is to let them karn an inkmoth, tap inkmoth float 1, animate inkmoth ranger's guile targeting inkmoth in response to a karn exile. it's basically timewalking them.
best build for tron is blue/green
your main threats are going to be blighted agent and inkmoth.
they'll chump wurmcoil over and over which is 3 big ass pain in the ass blockers as your hand goes down.
keep in mind it only takes maybe 2 turns to wi once a karn hits the table, they fetch out emurakul, they target themselves exiling emurakul from their hand, then restart the game and you lose
i assume the card in question is some delve pump spell. if you think it's the best card for the deck feel free to put it in your deck and brew with it.
but generally it is too situational for infect in my opinion. we all have been around the block long enough to know what is game breaking or not. a turn 5/6 situational pump isn't it.
the weakest card in infect hands down is might of old krosa. if they print a better +4/+4 enabler for the deck we won't even run it. actually what most modern infect players are waiting for is invigorate to replace the krosa. i mean some people are running giant growth in that position, its that dire.
second up is rancor, which screams 2-for-1 that deck that requires a 1/1 NOW.
i know there are A LOT of newer players who picked up this deck and get excited whenever they see something that is green, one or 2 cmc situational and says +X/+x until end of turn
but it's not what we're looking for.
short answer because it's better
long answer requirees advanced play with the deck.
because it is hidden, and can be played in response to something like a bolt, crack fetch their turn for a shock or a forest, groudswell responding to bolt triggers landfall so +4/+4.
there are benefits to leaving fetches uncracked too like liliana or devour flesh respose, or getting a shockland at endstep
Infect isn't really a deck most people bring to a large event for modern. In legacy it has been doing really well to where most people who thought it was iffy at best brewing with it.
But that is legacy, it's less of a glass cannon thanks to wasteland, force of will, daze, spell pierce.
And the deck is much more explosive with crop rotation, invigorate, the A/B/U dual lands in it, and the berserk.
If you want to get into actual tournaments with infect build that variant, all said and done it will be roughly $2100ish if you purchase at retail and get some near mint cards. cheaper if you get heavy played white border or less pimp cards
it took me awhile to figure this out: Infect is a deck built around inkmoth nexus, and protects it by throwing drayad arbor to sac effects via fetch lands, or by saccing necropedes.
i usedto think it was a glistener elf, plague stingerand a blighted agent based deck. i wish someone told me that when i picked up the deck. Also inkmoth nexus used to be a $3 card when i was playing the deck so i feel your pain on the budget