Post by jaspax on Feb 2, 2013 21:32:08 GMT -5
This is a Simic Infect deck that I've played and cashed with in several dailies, so it's pretty well tuned, and it's capable of winning against any deck in the metagame (or at least, it's just as capable as Mono-G Infect). You'll note that the list will need some updating since it DOES have Invigorate and DOES NOT have Simic Guildgate, two things which will change after next week.
Here's a link to an event where I went 3-1 (the only one I could find in short order... I seem to miss the ones that Wizards posts): www.wizards.com/Magic/Digital/MagicOnlineTourn.aspx?x=mtg/digital/magiconline/tourn/4633543#standings
Since I assume that most people know how the stock Infect list plays, I'm only going to point out some of the obvious differences.
Stuff we have
Blighted Agent: Unblockable infect damage is good. This is the best creature in the deck and the main reason to run blue. Your opponent has to kill this creature, since chump blocking it is not an option.
Brainstorm, Ponder: Card selection! This is the other reason to run blue. These cards work in a couple of different modes: you're either rebalancing your hand (when you have all creatures and no pump spells or vice versa), or you're digging for the spell that will allow you to win on this turn. I frequently cast B-storm on my first main phase so that I can get maximum information before I commit to an attack, which might feel wrong if you're used to Brainstorming at instant speed. But it's often the case that you need a Rancor, a Seal of Strength, or an extra guy (to play around edicts), and you need to cast those on your first main.
There's a lot of room for tweaking the exact number and mix of Brainstorm/Ponder/Preordain in this deck. I'm happy with the list that I showed above, but you could easily run something different if you find it works better for you.
Land Grant: This card is take-it-or-leave-it in the Mono-G infect build, but it's crucial here because of the way it interacts with Brainstorm and Ponder. You need your shuffle effects, and this one is free and effective.
Piracy Charm: This is a sideboard card, but it's an *excellent* card in the infect mirror. It will kill their guys when you need to, but it can also act as a pump spell when you need to finish them off. Just make sure that you cast another pump spell before this one. I've also given a guy islandwalk once or twice.
Stuff we don't have
Blight Mamba: This creature is terrible. The regen cost is too expensive for a deck that runs this few lands, making this just a bad two-mana 1/1 most of the time.
Vines of Vastwood: Leaving this out makes me sad, but paying GG to pump is actually kind of hard in a two-color deck. Instead, we have to rely just on Apostle's Blessing.
Upcoming changes
Simic Guildgate will replace the Evolving Wilds, obvs. This might make it easier to run Vines of Vastwood again, since we'll have more total green sources.
I don't know what will replace Invigorate yet. Wild Might, Distortion Strike, and Spider Umbra are all vying for a slot, and I'll have to playtest with them to see what I actually like.
Here's a link to an event where I went 3-1 (the only one I could find in short order... I seem to miss the ones that Wizards posts): www.wizards.com/Magic/Digital/MagicOnlineTourn.aspx?x=mtg/digital/magiconline/tourn/4633543#standings
4 Land Grant
3 Gitaxian Probe
1 Rancor
4 Blighted Agent
3 Brainstorm
4 Island
3 Rancor
4 Ichorclaw Myr
3 Groundswell
4 Invigorate
2 Ponder
1 Forest
4 Glistener Elf
5 Forest
3 Cystbearer
2 Evolving Wilds
3 Apostle's Blessing
1 Island
2 Seal of Strength
4 Mutagenic Growth
Sideboard
3 Fog
3 Scattershot Archer
1 Gitaxian Probe
1 Groundswell
3 Piracy Charm
1 Cystbearer
2 Rot Wolf
1 Seal of Strength
Since I assume that most people know how the stock Infect list plays, I'm only going to point out some of the obvious differences.
Stuff we have
Blighted Agent: Unblockable infect damage is good. This is the best creature in the deck and the main reason to run blue. Your opponent has to kill this creature, since chump blocking it is not an option.
Brainstorm, Ponder: Card selection! This is the other reason to run blue. These cards work in a couple of different modes: you're either rebalancing your hand (when you have all creatures and no pump spells or vice versa), or you're digging for the spell that will allow you to win on this turn. I frequently cast B-storm on my first main phase so that I can get maximum information before I commit to an attack, which might feel wrong if you're used to Brainstorming at instant speed. But it's often the case that you need a Rancor, a Seal of Strength, or an extra guy (to play around edicts), and you need to cast those on your first main.
There's a lot of room for tweaking the exact number and mix of Brainstorm/Ponder/Preordain in this deck. I'm happy with the list that I showed above, but you could easily run something different if you find it works better for you.
Land Grant: This card is take-it-or-leave-it in the Mono-G infect build, but it's crucial here because of the way it interacts with Brainstorm and Ponder. You need your shuffle effects, and this one is free and effective.
Piracy Charm: This is a sideboard card, but it's an *excellent* card in the infect mirror. It will kill their guys when you need to, but it can also act as a pump spell when you need to finish them off. Just make sure that you cast another pump spell before this one. I've also given a guy islandwalk once or twice.
Stuff we don't have
Blight Mamba: This creature is terrible. The regen cost is too expensive for a deck that runs this few lands, making this just a bad two-mana 1/1 most of the time.
Vines of Vastwood: Leaving this out makes me sad, but paying GG to pump is actually kind of hard in a two-color deck. Instead, we have to rely just on Apostle's Blessing.
Upcoming changes
Simic Guildgate will replace the Evolving Wilds, obvs. This might make it easier to run Vines of Vastwood again, since we'll have more total green sources.
I don't know what will replace Invigorate yet. Wild Might, Distortion Strike, and Spider Umbra are all vying for a slot, and I'll have to playtest with them to see what I actually like.