This deck is lovingly dedicated to my friend Jadie.
Traditional Blitz Infect with an Exalted engine built in for midrange. This allows me to hit hard without dedicating pumps while focusing more on playing around my opponent.
Justifications:
CREATURES
*Glistener Elf - In a vacuum, this is the worst creature in the deck. On the other hand, this is the only creature that is capable of winning the game on Turn 2.
*Blighted Agent - Unblockable justifies the extra mana in his cost and makes him one of the strongest creatures in this build.
*Plague Stinger - Air Superiority can be massive in any format, and Modern is no exception. Don't forget to wave at Tarmogoyf below as you pump for game. I like BUG infect, because running Abrupt Decay and Thoughtseize in sideboard makes me happy.
*Noble Hierarch - Not only does this give me a turn 1 Exalted permanent, but it also gives me a mana dork. Plus, with the opponent using his/her own life total with impunity after they realize this deck doesn't attack it, she can swing for game with a few pump spells of her own after they get to 10 life or less.
PUMPS & PROTECTION
*Apostle's Blessing - This is the best protection spell in Modern. Period. While it is not the most optimal defensive spell in the deck, it would be stupid not to run at least 2.
*Groundswell - Drop a land, get a +4/+4 pump at instant speed. As far as 1 drop pumps go, waiting for another land is not a terrible trade off.
*Might of Old Krosa - With all the protection/Hexproof in your deck, the Main Phase casting requirement is easy. Swing big!
*Vines of Vastwood - For GG I get a hexproof creature that pumps +4/+4. Good luck eating that.
*Ranger's Guile - Definitely the weakest pump, but even 1 extra damage could mean the difference between a game or allowing your opponent an extra turn. Hexproof, on the other hand, is invaluable. Either way, a great card for sideboarding out.
*Mutagenic Growth - I planned to put
Unnatural Predation
in place of this spell, but a manaless pump to me is much better than another trample, especially with Rancor in maindeck.
LANDS
*Inkmoth Nexus - This should be in every Infect deck ever. This card alone gives me a final count of 20 creatures mainboard and allows me to dictate when my opponent is allowed to play removal spells. This card has won me many games. Running a full playset has no detriment, since one Nexus can tap in another.
*Cathedral of War - I debated long and hard about using this card over more shocks, but in the end it won the day. Not only does it bring my Exalted count up to 6 Permanents but it allows me to tap in Inkmoth Nexus without wasting a colored mana. Also, Kekai Kotaki is my favorite fantasy artist and I promised myself I'd include at least 1 card in my Modern deck with his artwork.
*
Gemstone Mine
- It was either this or another Breeding Pool. I didn't want to run two playsets of fetches, so the verdict was a single copy of this land. I've only exhausted the counters on it once - and it was on the turn I won. This is an emergency land that gives you unbridled reign over your hand.
*
Misty Rainforest
- Fetchlands are insane in grabbing other lands out of your deck, and these are no exception. For 1 life you grab a shock from your library and thus give yourself more probability of drawing cards you need (creatures, pumps, protection) I use three.
*Verdant Catacombs - Three of these as well to grab shocks and forests. 8 fetches always seemed like overkill to me in BUG Infect. I'd much rather have 2 Cathedrals.
*
Pendelhaven
- With the new Legendary rules, this card has gone from great to AWESOME. Pump a creature, land for the turn, pop the old one and bam, another G on your board to cast Groundswell like a champ. Absolutely mandatory in this deck.
*Breeding Pool - for a dedicated U/G source
*Overgrown Tomb - for two dedicated B/G sources due to my sideboard being Black heavy.
*Forest - because this deck is G heavy. Might just run 4
Gemstone Mine
later on.
SIDEBOARD
*Dismember - CMC 1 at the high cost of life. Worth it for annoying decks with creatures you MUST dispose of.
*Relic of Progenitus - Graveyard tomfoolery is a staple in this format. I will have none of that if they force a midrange/control game.
*Spellskite - Target redirect is great for decks that would otherwise not want you to have creatures or rely on targeted effects to combo you to death. This handy fellow takes care of both. Sideboard out Ranger's Guile for this when the situation calls for it.
*Thoughtseize - Don't tell me you didn't think this wasn't going to be sideboarded. Getting rid of stuff that cramps your style is massive, and it's a nice feeling to slam it on the table when playing against Jund and yelling "LOOK I CAN DO IT TOO!!!"
*Nature's Claim - Artifacts and Enchantments are annoying. That's why I like to get rid of them and give my opponent an irrelevant resource.
*Abrupt Decay - Uncounterable removal is great and this little spell gets rid of almost anything, including our biggest shutdown threat: Melira.
*Hurkyl's Recall - If you've ever wanted to see an Affinity player flip a table, this is how it's done.
Suggestions are always welcome under the following guidelines:
This is BUG Infect, not UG, not UB, not Mono.
I playtested with Giant Growth. It does not perform as well as Mutagenic Growth.
I'm not adding in any Exalted creatures other than the already existing playset of Noble Hierarch.
I will be competing every Saturday at my local shop, I will post results.
