Yes sir. Though this deck still has some problem against grixis control.
Congratulations on the win
It is great to see something quite different doing well. I have believed for a long time that Infect is such a powerful mechanic, that there is quite a variety of possible competitive lists.
I just finished my infect deck and played a couple of small tournaments with it. I'm having a really hard time dealing with Grixis Delver and Jund.
How the heck are we supposed to behave in matches like those? Should we try to be as fast as possible and finish the game, or play a more conservative game? I can't seem to find the optimal way to deal, they always have thousands of kills in hand among terminates, bolts, k. commands and stuff.
Also, could anyone share his sideboard plans for those matchups?
Thanks in advance!
Personally, against Jund I find that siding in Sylvan Scrying to find Inkmoth Nexus is brilliant. It wasn't as good against Junk/Abzan because of Lingering Souls, but now that Jund is the BGx attrition deck of choice, Sylvan Scrying just got a whole heap better again. It gets around Liliana of the Veil, and usually ensures that you see at least 2 Inkmoths in a game. So even if you lose one to a Fulminator Mage or Tectonic Edge, chances are you will get more. It has been so good for me at the moment that I am running all 4 in the side. I am not a huge fan of them main deck, but Tyler Hill did run 2 main deck in Pro Tour Fate Reforged, and they are much better now than they were then.
Basically I bring in Sylvan Scrying against anything that runs a lot of removal, and isn't overly fast. It is similar to the transformation sideboard that people have been experimenting with (which is an option), including cards like Geist of Saint Traft and Invisible Stalker, but instead you are essentially siding in more Inkmoths, which are similarly hard to deal with.
Say your opening hand has Inkmoth Nexus as the only Infect creature,and Noble Hierarch with land to play the Hierarch on T1.
Is the appropriate turn Inkmoth and pass? Or is it Land, Hierarch, pass, and T2 inkmoth?
In that case you would definitely play the Hierarch on turn 1, you may draw a creature or even Wild Defiance on turn 2. Either way you set up for a big turn with Inkmoth on turn 3, if you have nothing else going on by then.
The original Zendikar block did have a lot of pump spells, including Vines of Vastwood and Groundswell, so I am really hoping for something useful from Battle for Zendikar. Something similar to Vines, but better than Ranger's Guile would be awesome.
Just quickly, casting Vines of Vastwood on an opposing Spellskite doesn't actually prevent them from redirecting your pump spells, since you are the one who controls those pump spells, not your opponent.
However in a desperate situation, you can still try it and see if your opponent knows. Cast your Vines on their Spellskite, then very confidently cast your pumps on your creature and see if they let you get away with it. If your opponent asks any questions, just get them to read Vines. Mind you, if you do get away with it and win, that might be considered a tad unsportsmanlike lol
On the Rancor topic (A card I am running again) I notice in GP Singapore one of the GP trial winners chose the card, along with the Geist plan in the side:
I think sideboarding in a normal damage creature can really help against difficult match-ups such as UWR control, where we can really struggle. In that match-up in particular I have thought about boarding in 2 Thrun, The Last Troll, which basically seems to win the game if it comes out. I think it is well worth exploring similar cards like Geist of Saint Traft or Invisible Stalker, for match-ups where our normal plan is difficult to execute effectively.
Honestly, I don't know if it is worth it, but it sure seems worth exploring!
Does anyone have advice on beating bloom titan? Would this be dependent on my opening hand mainly? I played against a pretty standard one for the first time this week and was crushed, even through casting a nature's claim on a t1 amulet and casting rapid hybridization on a t2 titan. The opponent had a second amulet to drop and a pact in hand. Granted I had to mull to 5 due to not having enough interaction or any infecters. Can I just chalk that one up to variance within the game?
I think it is still a good match-up for us, but it is quite often a race. I can assure you they don't like playing against us. Against any combo deck if they have everything they need, it can feel like you just got thrashed and were helpless to do anything about it. Same goes for them when we have everything we need
It might actually be the exact list that Aaron Barich ran at GP Charlotte, where he was at 8-0 at one point. Tom mentions that he spoke to Aaron, so I am guessing that Tom probably tried it out with no or few changes, and it will evolve from here.
Tom 'The Boss' Ross has finally posted a new infect list over at SCG, after playing other decks in recent tournaments. The list is inspired by Aaron Barich's deck, with Geist of Saint Traft in the sideboard.
It is great to see the return of Groundswell in the deck, compared with his pantheon list, and he is even running more of them than Might of Old Krosa! He is running 1 less Become Immense. There is no Wild Defiance in the list either. I tend to have a love/hate relationship with that card, sometimes it is amazing, and sometimes it just gets stuck in your hand. He is also running 3 Serum Visions, which is similar to the old Kelvin Chew deck that made the Top 8 of Pro Tour Return to Ravnica, which ran a lot of dig.
Tom mentions that he really enjoyed playing with Path to Exile as an alternative to cards like Dismember, which is interesting considering our recent discussions. Of course Geist of Saint Traft is also no doubt very enjoyable to play with in certain match-ups. I saw Aaron Barich on camera cast it on turn 2 with Noble Hierarch against 4 color control, which I can imagine that would be an enjoyable experience
It will be interesting to see how the deck evolves from here.
Against burn Nature's Claim deals with Eidolon of the Great Revel, possibly Blood Moon, and the occasional trick where you hit your own artifact or enchantment to gain 4 life and stay alive in emergencies.
I wish there was something better than Dismember in UG, BUG certainly has other options, but you can cast it for colorless which can be relevant in this deck.
Round 3: Bloom Titan: 1-2: I have mixed experiences with this deck, but today was obnoxiously horrible. Game 1 was a pretty easy win, he had a near perfect hand and just needed a land. Never got it, and I got it. Game 2.....turn 1 kill. Literally. I didnt even draw a card. Game 3, turn 3 kill after I mulled to a weak 6. I dont even want to discuss bloom titan. lol
There is also some tricky interactions when Hive Mind is on the board and they cast a pact. If they cast any pact you can announce that you wish to retain priority with your copy of the pact on the stack, then Spell Pierce the copy. They will copy your Spell Pierce, but if you have 2 open mana you can pay the cost. Of course you fail to pay for Spell Pierce that you cast, since it was targeting your copy. The copy of the pact will get countered and you won't die on your turn. Most of the time if you have Spell Pierce in hand, you would just counter the Hive Mind itself, but you can't always do that if they have enough mana to pay for the Spell Pierce.
Similarly, if they cast Slaughter Pact on one of your creatures, while Hive Mind is on the board, you can announce that you wish to retain priority with the copy targeting the same creature on the stack, and cast Apostle's Blessing on your creature giving it protection from black. Both Slaughter Pact and the copy will get countered on resolution, and you get to live for another turn.
Getting beaten on turn 1 was rough though, I guess they cast Amulet of Vigor with a Simian Spirit Guide and went to town with bounce lands and Summer Bloom lol.
@UltraMagnus I'll be playing in GP Singapore but I haven't had a chance to face the following decks:
Wilted Abzan
Abzan Company
Company Elves
How should I play and board against these? Thanks in advance! general UG Infect decklist:
-Tom Ross's list except:
-1 Sleight of Hand, -4 Might of Old Krosa, +2nd copy Spellskite, +4 Groundswell
Unfortunately Melira, Sylvok Outcast is back. Even before Pod was banned, Melira had mostly dissapeared from pod decks, but now thanks to Collected Company Melira is back, not only main deck in Abzan Company, but also usually as a 1 of in the Company Elves sideboard. It means that we have to go back to the old rule of running removal that hits both Spellskite and Melira. This means that Twisted Image is no longer as good as it was when Spellskite was our only concern. Dismember is the logical replacement, and I would seriously consider adding 2 more to your 75, and dropping 2 Twisted Image. I am even looking at going back to running 2 main and 2 side, which is something to consider, although fitting it in to the main deck is proving difficult.
Dismember is not only good for removing Spellskite and Melira, it also hits key elves such as Heritage Druid, is great against Splinter Twin, and of course is excellent in the mirror.
Also against the company decks, Dispel is good. It is worth noting that Collected Company, Chord of Calling and Summoner's Pact are all instant, so Dispel can be more reliable than Spell Pierce here, especially against elves where they usually have a pile of mana available and laugh at Spell Pierce.
As for Wiltleaf Abzan, that matchup is probably easier than normal Abzan/Junk as they tend to run less removal and discard, and focus more on creatures. It is really just a matter of finding a way through, while being mindful of removal, which is what our deck does well.
It is great to see something quite different doing well. I have believed for a long time that Infect is such a powerful mechanic, that there is quite a variety of possible competitive lists.
4 Blighted Agent
4 Noble Hierarch
2 Ichorclaw Myr
2 Spellskite
3 Slaughterhorn
4 Might of Old Krosa
3 Groundswell
1 Vines of Vastwood
3 Temur Battle Rage
4 Mutagenic Growth
3 Apostle's Blessing
1 Wild Defiance
2 Pact of Negation
2 Stomping Ground
3 Misty Rainforest
3 Wooded Foothills
4 Inkmoth Nexus
2 Pendelhaven
1 Cathedral of War
2 Forest
Side:
2 Dismember
1 Pact of Negation
1 Slaughterhorn
4 Feed the Clan
1 Wild Defiance
3 Nature's Claim
2 Relic of Progenitus
1 Dryad Arbor
I would definitely be running 4 x Vines of Vastwood though
Just to clarify Loki, are you saying you won a PPTQ with this list?
Basically I bring in Sylvan Scrying against anything that runs a lot of removal, and isn't overly fast. It is similar to the transformation sideboard that people have been experimenting with (which is an option), including cards like Geist of Saint Traft and Invisible Stalker, but instead you are essentially siding in more Inkmoths, which are similarly hard to deal with.
However in a desperate situation, you can still try it and see if your opponent knows. Cast your Vines on their Spellskite, then very confidently cast your pumps on your creature and see if they let you get away with it. If your opponent asks any questions, just get them to read Vines. Mind you, if you do get away with it and win, that might be considered a tad unsportsmanlike lol
4 Blighted Agent
4 Glistener Elf
4 Noble Hierarch
2 Spellskite
1 Dryad Arbor
Sorcery (4)
4 Gitaxian Probe
Instant (18)
2 Apostle's Blessing
4 Become Immense
4 Might of Old Krosa
4 Mutagenic Growth
4 Vines of Vastwood
2 Rancor
1 Wild Defiance
Land (20)
3 Breeding Pool
2 Forest
4 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Pendelhaven
1 Verdant Catacombs
4 Windswept Heath
1 Spellskite
2 Dispel
4 Geist of Saint-Traft
3 Nature's Claim
2 Path to Exile
1 Temple Garden
2 Twisted Image
Honestly, I don't know if it is worth it, but it sure seems worth exploring!
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/tier-2-modern/557165-infect?comment=1546
I think it is still a good match-up for us, but it is quite often a race. I can assure you they don't like playing against us. Against any combo deck if they have everything they need, it can feel like you just got thrashed and were helpless to do anything about it. Same goes for them when we have everything we need
2 Spellskite
4 Blighted Agent
4 Glistener Elf
4 Noble Hierarch
1 Dryad Arbor
Lands (20)
2 Forest
3 Breeding Pool
4 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Verdant Catacombs
1 Wooded Foothills
2 Pendelhaven
2 Apostle's Blessing
3 Become Immense
4 Groundswell
2 Might of Old Krosa
3 Mutagenic Growth
4 Vines of Vastwood
4 Gitaxian Probe
3 Serum Visions
1 Spellskite
2 Dispel
3 Nature's Claim
2 Path to Exile
2 Twisted Image
4 Geist of Saint Traft
1 Temple Garden
It is great to see the return of Groundswell in the deck, compared with his pantheon list, and he is even running more of them than Might of Old Krosa! He is running 1 less Become Immense. There is no Wild Defiance in the list either. I tend to have a love/hate relationship with that card, sometimes it is amazing, and sometimes it just gets stuck in your hand. He is also running 3 Serum Visions, which is similar to the old Kelvin Chew deck that made the Top 8 of Pro Tour Return to Ravnica, which ran a lot of dig.
Tom mentions that he really enjoyed playing with Path to Exile as an alternative to cards like Dismember, which is interesting considering our recent discussions. Of course Geist of Saint Traft is also no doubt very enjoyable to play with in certain match-ups. I saw Aaron Barich on camera cast it on turn 2 with Noble Hierarch against 4 color control, which I can imagine that would be an enjoyable experience
It will be interesting to see how the deck evolves from here.
I wish there was something better than Dismember in UG, BUG certainly has other options, but you can cast it for colorless which can be relevant in this deck.
There is also some tricky interactions when Hive Mind is on the board and they cast a pact. If they cast any pact you can announce that you wish to retain priority with your copy of the pact on the stack, then Spell Pierce the copy. They will copy your Spell Pierce, but if you have 2 open mana you can pay the cost. Of course you fail to pay for Spell Pierce that you cast, since it was targeting your copy. The copy of the pact will get countered and you won't die on your turn. Most of the time if you have Spell Pierce in hand, you would just counter the Hive Mind itself, but you can't always do that if they have enough mana to pay for the Spell Pierce.
Similarly, if they cast Slaughter Pact on one of your creatures, while Hive Mind is on the board, you can announce that you wish to retain priority with the copy targeting the same creature on the stack, and cast Apostle's Blessing on your creature giving it protection from black. Both Slaughter Pact and the copy will get countered on resolution, and you get to live for another turn.
Getting beaten on turn 1 was rough though, I guess they cast Amulet of Vigor with a Simian Spirit Guide and went to town with bounce lands and Summer Bloom lol.
Dismember is not only good for removing Spellskite and Melira, it also hits key elves such as Heritage Druid, is great against Splinter Twin, and of course is excellent in the mirror.
Also against the company decks, Dispel is good. It is worth noting that Collected Company, Chord of Calling and Summoner's Pact are all instant, so Dispel can be more reliable than Spell Pierce here, especially against elves where they usually have a pile of mana available and laugh at Spell Pierce.
As for Wiltleaf Abzan, that matchup is probably easier than normal Abzan/Junk as they tend to run less removal and discard, and focus more on creatures. It is really just a matter of finding a way through, while being mindful of removal, which is what our deck does well.
Good luck in GP Singapore!!