I have been playing BUG Infect for a while now, and I really like it. I played this deck at the GP in Prague and did pretty good. So let's break it down.
BUG Infect is a combo deck that is focused on pumping creatures to hit 10 poison counters within 1-2 attack. Although it is possible to draw it off against a couple of decks, that's is not what you are trying to do (if you can avoid it).
--Main board--
The core pump spells is Might of Old Krosa and Groundswell, which both gives +4/+4. Second is Rancor and Mutagenic Growth, Rancor gives a permanent +2/+0 buff to whatever creature it's attached to. The fact that it's bounce right back to your hand when the creature dies is really important against heavy removal decks, like Jund, at last Rancor gives trample which will be relevant against certain decks. Mutagenic Growth is really weak pump, but the fact that it's a free (if needed) +2/+2 pump spell, can be just what you need to get a victory. Giant Growth is a weaker pump than Might of Old Krosa and Groundswell, but it's one of the only pump which can be use to counter Lightning Bolt, which is a very common card in modern.
One of the biggest problem I have faced, are decks that run heavy removal, like Jund and UWR control. I'm running 4 Vines of Vastwood which is giving hexproof to target creature and can be kicked if need to give another +4/+4. Second i'm running Apostle's Blessing which can give protection for a color of my choice to the end of turn, can be used both as protection from removal but also as way to bypass blockers of a color of my choice.
When it comes to creatures I'm running 16,12 which has Infect. First of all I'm running 4 Glistener Elf which is a basic +1/+1 creature with Infect. It makes it possible to win in turn 2 with the right draws. Second comes Blighted Agen which is by far the best creature in the deck, I'm running 4. It's a regular +1/+1 creature for 2 mana (1U), but the fact that it's unblockable is very important. The last creature with infect is Plague Stinger, running 4. Flying is second best after unblockable, few decks runs flying blockers, and in case I face a deck that does, B/W tokens, then Rancor will be the card to go. I'm running 4 Noble Hierarch, even though, it doesn't have infect it's a very important card. The fact that it tap for a green mana is very important, and it can also be used to cast Blighted Agen and Apostle's Blessing on occasions. Secondly it has exalted, which can give just the 1 damage you need to win, if you cast 1 Might of Old Krosa and 1 Groundswell on a Blighted Agen, will give a total of 9 poison counters, if you then add the +1/+1 from exalted, then it gives a total of 10 and you win. I'm running 2 Spellskite main board, because it's really useful against a lot of decks, if it's to protect my creatures against removal or to be a good blocker against aggro decks.
Let's talk a little about the lands. I'm running a total of 7 fetchlands (could be 8) which all can search for a forest. I'm only running 1 Breeding Pool because the only card that cost blue is Blighted Agen, plus I'm running 4 Noble Hierarch which can tap for a blue mana. I'm running with 3 Overgrown Tomb because it's the only mana source I have to black and i'm running 2 Thoughtseize main board, pluse a few others black cards sideboard. I'm running 2 Pendelhaven which is a great card, tapping for a green and giving the opportunity to give +1/+2 to my 1/1 creatures can really be a lifesaver against burn, I'm currently running 1 Cathedral of War, used to run 2 but cut one of them for another Overgrown Tomb. I like to have exalted against decks that runs a lot of control, being able to hit for 2 or 3 every turn without using any pump is great. It only tap for 1 colorless and enter the battlefield tapped, so it can be a little slow (why i cut 1), but it can be used to pay for Apostle's Blessing and Inkmoth Nexus, which brings me to my next land. Inkmoth Nexus by far one of the best cards in the deck. Not only does it tap for 1 colorless mana, but it's can also be a +1/+1 creature with flying until end of the turn. This makes it totally immune to boardwipes and if someone want to cast a removal on it, they have to do it in my turn, when I have mana to use my protection spells. It can be a little slow, because it cost a mana to activate it, but against heavy control, this is really the key card to victory. At last i'm running 2 basic Forest which is useful when I need to fetch for a green mana, but can't effort to take the damage from shock lands.
Currently I run 1
Distortion Strike
, because I have found myself in a lot of situations where I just wanted to draw a Blighted Agent and scry 1 is a huge bonus. I've had a hard time deciding if I should use Aqueous Form or
Distortion Strike
, or perhaps a third Rancor could do it.
--Sideboard--
For my sideboard, I'm using a wide selection of cards, that can be very useful against certain match up.
2x Abrupt Decay - A very useful removal, can be used to removal Tarmogoyf, Spellskite, Melira, Sylvok Outcast, Isochron Scepter and many more. Good against Jund, Pod, Splinter Twin and Affinity.
3x Dismember - This is a greate creature removal card, it's only "downside" is it's cost 4 life to cast (if I have no black to tap), but life normally doesn't matter as Infect. Good against Pod and heavy aggro decks.
1x Hurkyl's Recall - A good card against Affinity. Affinity can throw down a lot of blockers within a few turns(even with flying), which can be a problem if I don't have a Blighted Agent on the board. Been able to clean the board for just 1 turn can be all Infect need to win.
3x Nature's Claim - A good card to get rid of nasty artifacts and enchantments, such as Spellskite, Blood Moon, Birthing Pod Isochron Scepter and affinity (which is one of the harder matchups for us). The only "downside" is it give 4 life to my opponent, but it doesn't matter as Infect.
2x Phyrexian Crusader - It's a little slow, but the protection from red and white makes him perfect against control deck such as UW Angel, Jund, UWR Control and RDW/burn.
1x Relic of Progenitus - Good graveyard hate card, very useful against Snapcaster Mage and deck such as Living End.
1x Spellskite - Proberly the best card for sideboarding, in this deck. Not only does it prevent heavy removal and burn, but it's also a good blocker and can be good against Aura decks. Useful against UWR control, burn, Aura Hexproof, Jund, Twin and Infect (very good against mirror matches). Currently I run 1 main board, but against a lot of decks 3 will be very usefull.
2x Thoughtseize - I have 2 Thoughtseize on sideboard, useful against a lot of control decks and combo decks, also very good against Tron (discard all their land searching).
Two solid examples to win at turn 2 and 3.
Turn 2 win:
Turn 3 win:
If you have any suggestions feel free to post them, for either main board or sideboard
If you like the deck feel free to +1.
