I feel like Tezzeret's Gambit should be mainboard, i've been running Tempered Steel and variants on it since last september, and I ran infect steel about 4 months ago and it turned out nice. Angelic Destiny seems like it'd be killer. I think Venser is pretty good, just for its unblockable but i'd reccomend something that lets you profit from his +2 ability. A good card tthat also stays on target would be contagion clasp. Proliferation, removal, and great target for venser. One last note, i feel like Artful Dodge isn't as good as it could be in this deck. Maybe another cantrip or a Mutagenic Growth would serve better?

Artful Dodge is just another win condition, mainly against swarm/stall decks. The deck doesn't do well late game, and I feel like Artful Dodge helps sneak in the last couple of points of damage. With that said, I do think they could be better, but Mutagenic Growth doesn't get there unless they have no creatures, in which case, I've probably already won; and Contagion Clasp always feels so slow, but against control it is a good option, so I will have to keep it in mind while I'm testing this week.

You are completely correct in that Venser, the Sojourner is there almost purely for his -1, but +2ing an Oblivion Ring is pretty good, and against some match-ups I will be siding in Day of Judgment, which makes his +2 nearly broken. The thing with Venser, the Sojourner's +2 is that whenever he hits the table, I want to be winning that turn with his -1. I understand that that will not always happen, but I feel that it will happen a lot.

I'm not sure where I would put Tezzeret's Gambit at this point, but I do agree that it is very good in longer games. It gives a certain amount of reach, and restocks your hand a little, which is great, I'm just not sure where to put it. It was actually a "I need another side-board card, ummm..... Gambit, that'll work" type of card, so I'm almost looking to replace it completely. I will try it out main throughout the week though and let you know.

Thanks for all the advice, I hope you don't feels like I'm just shooting down all your ideas, because I do like them, I'm just also trying to explain why we put the things there in the first place.

Artful Dodge is just another win condition, mainly against swarm/stall decks. The deck doesn't do well late game, and I feel like Artful Dodge helps sneak in the last couple of points of damage. With that said, I do think they could be better, but Mutagenic Growth doesn't get there unless they have no creatures, in which case, I've probably already won; and Contagion Clasp always feels so slow, but against control it is a good option, so I will have to keep it in mind while I'm testing this week.

You are completely correct in that Venser, the Sojourner is there almost purely for his -1, but +2ing an Oblivion Ring is pretty good, and against some match-ups I will be siding in Day of Judgment, which makes his +2 nearly broken. The thing with Venser, the Sojourner's +2 is that whenever he hits the table, I want to be winning that turn with his -1. I understand that that will not always happen, but I feel that it will happen a lot.

I'm not sure where I would put Tezzeret's Gambit at this point, but I do agree that it is very good in longer games. It gives a certain amount of reach, and restocks your hand a little, which is great, I'm just not sure where to put it. It was actually a "I need another side-board card, ummm..... Gambit, that'll work" type of card, so I'm almost looking to replace it completely. I will try it out main throughout the week though and let you know.

Thanks for all the advice, I hope you don't feels like I'm just shooting down all your ideas, because I do like them, I'm just also trying to explain why we put the things there in the first place.

Artful Dodge is just another win condition, mainly against swarm/stall decks. The deck doesn't do well late game, and I feel like Artful Dodge helps sneak in the last couple of points of damage. With that said, I do think they could be better, but Mutagenic Growth doesn't get there unless they have no creatures, in which case, I've probably already won; and Contagion Clasp always feels so slow, but against control it is a good option, so I will have to keep it in mind while I'm testing this week.

You are completely correct in that Venser, the Sojourner is there almost purely for his -1, but +2ing an Oblivion Ring is pretty good, and against some match-ups I will be siding in Day of Judgment, which makes his +2 nearly broken. The thing with Venser, the Sojourner's +2 is that whenever he hits the table, I want to be winning that turn with his -1. I understand that that will not always happen, but I feel that it will happen a lot.

I'm not sure where I would put Tezzeret's Gambit at this point, but I do agree that it is very good in longer games. It gives a certain amount of reach, and restocks your hand a little, which is great, I'm just not sure where to put it. It was actually a "I need another side-board card, ummm..... Gambit, that'll work" type of card, so I'm almost looking to replace it completely. I will try it out main throughout the week though and let you know.

Thanks for all the advice, I hope you don't feels like I'm just shooting down all your ideas, because I do like them, I'm just also trying to explain why we put the things there in the first place.

Venser, the Sojourner's -1 is intriguing, but he does cost 5 mana, seems pretty difficult to cast. I like Signal Pest in this deck to try and get a faster win if you don't draw Tempered Steel, Signal Pest + Inkmoth Nexus is a good plan.

-2 Venser -1 Angelic Destiny +3 Livewire Lash

and -4 Oblivion Ring for +4 Mutagenic Growth

Yes, Venser, the Sojourner is 5 mana, but by that time you should have blue up. He is there for the late game since this deck does almost nothing late game.

Signal Pest does seem really good, and it was an option in the previous version of this deck, but I'm not convinced. Here is my line of thinking:

Replacing Artful Dodge: Pros: More sustained damage and slightly faster clocksCons: Less late game presence and not as good against token decks, especially Lingering Souls, which is everywhere.

Replacing Ponder:Pros: Faster clocks and an actual effect on the board.Cons: Loss of any form of draw until g2, still gets blocked by Lingering Souls

Replacing: Apostle's BlessingPros: More damage against an empty board, or with no flyersCons: Apostle's Blessing is the only protection I have against targeted removal, and it can help swing through board stalls.

@quargurI like the idea of Livewire Lash and will test with it, but I think it will be slower than Angelic Destiny and I would lose my only removal by taking out Oblivion Ring for Mutagenic Growth, it does make Artful Dodge really good though.

Thanks for the ideas.

@Quagur

I'm sorry I ever questioned you, I just solitaried the deck with you changes and I consistently did lethal on turn 5 with an unblockable creature. I am strongly considering making those changes, as soon as I can find 3 Livewire Lash.

This deck is... odd, to say the least. You said you like where you are with the mainboard, but you would like some help with the sideboard. Probably for the better, as this deck feels so unfamiliar to me, that the advice I would give would probably be off-center (like, my first thought was "Four Mutagenic Growth and Apostle's Blessing?? What?"). The sideboard, as we know, is more meta dependent. Being pretty familiar with the standard meta, my comments should be alright here.

First off, you might as well switch Negate for Mana Leak, and drop to 3. The only reason you don't want Mana Leak mainboard is Cavern of Souls. Against decks that don't run Cavern Mana Leak can answer more things. If you really insist on a hard counter try Dissipate.

Day of Judgment seems like it will be hurting you... or is the strategy to play the day, and in response play Apostle's Blessing to shield one of your creatures? If so... eh, I'm still not sold on it. I would use a catch-all spot removal like Oblivion Ring instead. Sure it doesn't combo with Livewire Lash, but the best combo you get out of using Day of Judgment is dealing an extra two damage to the player. With infect, we can equate that to four regular damage. Not terrible, but in my opinion, not worth sacrificing our own creatures.

Ooh, if you're using it to pop tokens, how about Ratchet Bomb?

Tezzeret's Gambit is next. Hmm. This seems relatively powerful in the control match-up, allowing you to gain card advantage and proliferate poison (and maybe -1/-1) counters. All in all, I don't feel like it's powerful to warrant a spot. If control is on their a-game, their going to be keeping off the poison counters as long as possible, neutering Tezzeret's Gambit and making it a simple Divination early to mid-game. In this slot, I would recommend graveyard hate such as Grafdigger's Cage, Surgical Extraction or Nihil Spellbomb, to solidify game two against reanimator.

Finally, we get to Spellskite. I assume you board him in against heavy creature-killing decks, to take the heat off of your infect creatures. He's kind of like a redundant Apostle's Blessing. It dies to boardwipes though, and while it is very versatile, it doesn't have infect (or even a positive power). I'm wondering if something like Faith's Shield or Turn Aside might fill this role better.

Anyway, that's just my two cents. I hope this is helpful to you.

@"PhyrexianAssimilator"

" Day of Judgment seems like it will be hurting you... or is the strategy to play the day, and in response play Apostle's Blessing to shield one of your creatures?"

Um, protection doesn't stop DoJ. It stops:

D.E.B.T.

Damage

Enchant/Equip

Block

Target

"Destroy" isn't included in that :) Ergo, your statement is false.

Possibly Mortarpod for the finisher.

I like the idea of the deck, using tempered steel to buff your infect artifacts. The problem is though that right now in the meta there is just so much artifact hate that it makes it hard to play. Casual I think this deck would be amazing, competitive though, I can see it consistantly winning on game 1 but on games 2 and 3 after your opponent sideboards in ancient grudge, divine offering, revoke existence, etc. I can see you having some trouble. Maybe add in some Blighted Agents since you already have blue mana, or maybe splash green for some glistener elves and titanic growths. Honestly I like the U/G version of infect better, it seems to consistantly swing for game on like turn 3 or 4, but the idea you have going is interesting.

i agree that there is a lot of artifact hate in this meta but, in each respective deck there isnt enough to deal with twelve 2 drops and inkmoths. Ive played against this deck and landed 3 naturalizes and a counter spell and still lost turn 5-6. And Apostle's Blessing is a great counter to any targeted removal.

This deck absolutly recks the meta right now and i believe the only deck that can trump this one is maybe tokens (debatable).

Frites loses turn 3-5 and its only saving grace is ancient gruge in the side board.

Solar flare... dies. a resolved Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite is neutilized by Tempered Steel.

Pod gets merced on incridibly fast and all targeted removal can be shut down or neutilized by play another creature.

the only thing that can shut this down is Melira, Sylvok Outcast

....uh huh keep looking.... no spot removal. its not a huge deal but if you deck loses to one card by itself...blah blah blah, put Oblivion Rings or Dispatches in the side for g3

This deck is really good right now.

@ PhyrexianAssimilator

Thank you for all you thoughts, the sideboard wasn't changed when I went to a Livewire Lash Combo-ish deck, so it is all fairly bad.

I like the Negate specifically for playing against control, my creatures get to big to deal with and I have 8 cards that make them unblockable, so the only thing I need to counter is non-creature spells, which is why I choose Negate over Mana Leak. Otherwise I would be behind you 100%

Day of Judgment was good in the old deck because of the Inkmoth Nexus and Venser, the Sojourner tricks, but I fully agree that they are useless now. Oblivion Ring seems the best choice, although Ratchet Bomb will probably be a 2 of. Dispatch is good, but I seldom have problems with creatures, and even less often have Metalcraft, oddly.

Tezzeret's Gambit was a filler card, mostly because it said "proliferate." Graveyard hate is a great idea that I didn't even think of, since I don't see much reanimator where I have been playing. So, 3-4 Grafdigger's Cage? Maybe Surgical Extraction, we'll see.

I still like Spellskite, though I do see you points, Turn Aside seems like it would be really good. The reason I think I'll be sticking with Spellskite though is that I play against a lot, like A LOT, of Birthing Pod and being able to block Viridian Emissary forever is good as well, and heavy kill decks will have 8-12 kill spells, against my 4 Apostle's Blessing, seems like a bad matchup personally, but I will test it out.

Also, DoJ doesn't target, it won't trigger Livewire Lash, just so you know, and what FireTeam said too.

@Geoff_of_Biscuits

I tried Mortarpod but I didn't like it personally, if I ever have more than 2 creatures in play (besides the Inkmoth Nexus I have over commited, since I only have 12 total), but it is a good idea.

@vila_a23

Thanks for the feedback, but I think that SlinsgDiamonds is right here and summed up everything fairly well. But, UG infect is also very fun to play, and I might try it out again eventually.

Yeah, sorry, still getting used to the rulings on Day of Judgment. Only recently found out protection doesn't guard against it, and I just didn't think it all the way through when I commented about Livewire Lash.

Your sideboard should be decided ultimately on your meta... so if you're not seeing any reanimator, but a ton of pod decks, toss the graveyard hate and put in some more pod hate. I don't really know what that would be, because I have very little experience against pod. Torpor Orb, maybe?

Torpor Orb would work, but so does Oblivion Ring and Negate. Also, I'm going to a different store for FNM this week, so since I'm not sure what the meta is there I'm just siding for the standard meta-game.

Ah I see. Well good luck. Consider recording a play-by-play and typing it up here so that people can get a hands-on feel of the deck.

Hmmm....I really like the idea of Faith's Shield either replacing Artful Dodge or Spellskite. I need to do more testing, but Cockatrice doesn't seem to be working. :(

I'm thinking of cutting one Angelic Destiny for the fourth Livewire Lash. The deck has become almost a Livewire Combo deck instead of the Tempered Steel deck it started as, and as such it seems right to do so. The only problem is that it hurts my chances of a t4 win (t1: Land; t2: 2-drop guy; t3: Tempered Steel, swing for 3; t4: Angelic Destiny, swing for 7 in the air for lethal), but that doesn't happen often anyway, and it is really fragile, any form of disruption kills it.

The other change I'm considering is replacing Artful Dodge with Faith's Shield to better protect my combo. There have been many times that I have wished an Artful Dodge in my hand was an Apostle's Blessing. But than I lose my UU: 4 Infect to the face, and the unblockability is slightly more conditional, but still possible.

Have you tried Blighted Agent as a built-in unblockable infect creature to throw Livewire Lash on? Know it doesn't fit with the Tempered Steel theme but it's an idea.

I still feel like there is room to squeeze Phyrexian Metamorph into the deck or sideboard somewhere. I suggested this to you on Cockatrice and you admitted you liked access to the clone effect, especially in late game situations.

I have thought about it, and I will be making that deck later. But for now I'm keeping it where it is because I have to play it tonight, and have no more time to test it out. Thanks for the thought though.

I'll tell you what I've been telling everyone and suggest that you record a play-by-play of the deck. I would like to see an in-depth look at how you play the deck and how the meta reacts to it. If you don't want to go to all of the trouble of a play-by-play, another good option is simply summarizing the games that you play. Either way, I'd like to know how you did and what decks you faced if you don't mind sharing.

I'm brining paper to FNM tonight so I can record it for a friend who helped to build this deck because he can't be there. I'll post it in an update, umm... soon-ish. (I don't know if I'll get online this weekend, but on Monday for sure.)