Looks like Infect had a good turn out at GP Vancouver. Mark Jacobson went 9-0 on day 1 with a list that looks similar to Tyler Hill's list. Here is a link to an awesome match with Mark Jacobson in round 8: http://www.twitch.tv/magic2/v/3818077?t=6h12m56s
I've stayed away from Sylvan Scrying so far because it just seems so slow, and it makes for pretty bad top deck when you're looking to close the game out. I'm willing to test it out though. Especially if I'm dropping to just 12 infect threats.
Quite often when you are looking to close the game out, you find Inkmoth with Sylvan Scrying and then play it as your land for the turn, then the next turn you untap and threaten to win. Any other creature that you play will be vulnerable to removal (including Liliana of the Veil) before you get the chance to untap again.
@ Ultra_Magnus. I would cut 1 Breeding Pool and a fetchland and add a second Pendelhaven and third forest. Sometimes damage matters (against decks like burn) and you are happy to fetch more basics.
Good suggestion, I will probably be dropping a Breeding Pool for an extra forest. I do only like running 1 Pendelhaven though as I seem to like drawing both of them when I run 2, and I can fetch one with Sylvan Scrying on occasion too. That is just me though, I can certainly see the benefit of running 2.
@UltraMagnus Why no love for Wild Defiance? :/ Also I figured you'd shave Pendelhaven to 1 copy since you have Sylvan Scryings anyway. The sideboard looks remarkably similar. :))
True, I was running BUG before Pod was banned, and now that Junk/Abzan is doing well again I switched to Sylvan Scrying instead of Plague Stinger. I prefer the UG mana base too. I must admit though, I do miss hitting my opponent with a turn 1 Inquisition of Kozilek
Probably what stands out the most in this list is along with 4 Might of Old Krosa and 4 Groundswell, I am also running 4 Giant Growth which is such a good card against burn and Lightning Bolt in general. It takes the place of cards like Become Immense and Wild Defiance. But hey, I am not suggesting that people should run 4 Giant Growth lol, I have just been running stompy decks for so long that I can't not run it
Vines of Vastwood is great not only for Twin, but also against every pump spell in the mirror including their own Vines, against pump from aggro zoo such as Ghor-Clan Rampager, against the modular counters from Arcbound Ravager, and even in an emergency against a Cranial Plating equip. It is also great against the Amulet of Vigor decks that have seen some popularity recently as Vines can stop them from giving Primeval Titan haste/vigilance from Slayers' Stronghold, or double strike from Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion, which actually stops them from going off that turn. Basically anytime you see your opponent target their own creature for any reason, you look in your hand for a Vines and consider if you should use it.
Dismember is great against Twin too, as you can quite often kill Pestermite or Deceiver Exarch while Splinter Twin is on the stack. In your case Kovo since you are running BUG, Abrupt Decay is great here as they can't even counter it in response.
What made me curious was why the 2 Rancor over Distortion Strike? It's one of the reasons for tapping into blue :/
I am still a big fan of Rancor, it regularly hangs around for the rest of the game once you draw it, tends to accumulate in multiples over longer games, is a form of card advantage that the deck lacks, and gives +2 rather than +1. On the flip side Distortion Strike does play a similar role, but with genuine unblockability for 2 turns, and can trigger Wild Defiance. They are both definitely good choices. It is good to see Rancor back in a UG list again!
I know all the cards serve their functions and all, but Tyler Hill's smorgasboard of 1-ofs is driving me nuts. :))
At least it was only running 1 Become Immense
I find it interesting that the Infect deck that did the best in the modern portion of the Pro Tour was only running 1 Become Immense and 4 Groundswell.
I find a 4x vines and 4x blessing a must. But thats my taste.
Completely agree. One of the reasons Apostle's Blessing is so good, besides the fact that it can counter a removal spell, and/or make your creature unblockable, is the fact that you can cast it with Inkmoth Nexus, allowing you to use all your other lands for pump spells if required.
Why doesn't UG run 4 blessing and BUG usually does? I think at least in part, UG lists have been influenced by Tom Ross and he cut back on the number of blessings a while ago, along with some other interesting decisions. In fact in his IQ win last year he didn't run any blessings at all: http://sales.starcitygames.com//deckdatabase/displaydeck.php?DeckID=68492
It is certainly a mystery to me why the Pantheon didn't run Groundswell. I have to say it, 4 Become Immense is ridiculous! What happens if you get multiples in your hand, or have a chance at a big swing early in a particular game before Become Immense can be cast. There is only one answer to that, the list the Pantheon decided to run was not the optimal build.
It was really exciting that the Pantheon decided to back Tom Ross and play Infect. What was not exciting is the list they brought to the tournament.
http://www.twitch.tv/magic2/v/3818077?t=6h12m56s
Looking forward to Infect doing well on day 2!
https://www.reddit.com/r/spikes/comments/2vp8ee/moderntyler_hill_infect_primer_part_1/
Also for quick reference here is his list again:
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Windswept Heath
2 Wooded Foothills
2 Breeding Pool
3 Forest
2 Pendelhaven
4 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Blighted Agent
4 Glistener Elf
2 Spellskite
2 Sylvan Scrying
3 Mutagenic Growth
3 Might of Old Krosa
4 Vines of Vastwood
2 Apostle's Blessing
1 Spell Pierce
1 Gitaxian Probe
1 Become Immense
1 Dismember
2 Wild Defiance
2 Rancor
1 Spellskite
1 Spell Pierce
1 Dismember
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Twisted Image
3 Nature's Claim
2 Viridian Corrupter
1 Wall of Roots
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Dryad Arbor
I would be running 2 Wild Defiance and 1 or 2 Become Immense if I wasn't running 4 Giant Growth. Can you blame me when I have a playset of these lol:
4 Verdant Catacombs
1 Windswept Heath
4 Breeding Pool
2 Forest
1 Pendelhaven
4 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Glistener Elf
4 Blighted Agent
2 Sylvan Scrying
4 Might of Old Krosa
4 Groundswell
4 Giant Growth
4 Vines of Vastwood
4 Apostle's Blessing
2 Distortion Strike
4 Nature's Claim
2 Spell Pierce
2 Dispel
2 Twisted Image
2 Dismember
2 Viridian Corrupter
1 Creeping Corrosion
Probably what stands out the most in this list is along with 4 Might of Old Krosa and 4 Groundswell, I am also running 4 Giant Growth which is such a good card against burn and Lightning Bolt in general. It takes the place of cards like Become Immense and Wild Defiance. But hey, I am not suggesting that people should run 4 Giant Growth lol, I have just been running stompy decks for so long that I can't not run it
Dismember is great against Twin too, as you can quite often kill Pestermite or Deceiver Exarch while Splinter Twin is on the stack. In your case Kovo since you are running BUG, Abrupt Decay is great here as they can't even counter it in response.
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/tier-1-modern/557165-infect?comment=1046
I am still a big fan of Rancor, it regularly hangs around for the rest of the game once you draw it, tends to accumulate in multiples over longer games, is a form of card advantage that the deck lacks, and gives +2 rather than +1. On the flip side Distortion Strike does play a similar role, but with genuine unblockability for 2 turns, and can trigger Wild Defiance. They are both definitely good choices. It is good to see Rancor back in a UG list again!
Quote from his Reddit thread, sums it up nicely for me
I find it interesting that the Infect deck that did the best in the modern portion of the Pro Tour was only running 1 Become Immense and 4 Groundswell.
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Windswept Heath
2 Wooded Foothills
2 Breeding Pool
3 Forest
2 Pendelhaven
4 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Blighted Agent
4 Glistener Elf
2 Spellskite
2 Sylvan Scrying
3 Mutagenic Growth
3 Might of Old Krosa
4 Vines of Vastwood
2 Apostle's Blessing
1 Spell Pierce
1 Gitaxian Probe
1 Become Immense
1 Dismember
2 Wild Defiance
2 Rancor
1 Spellskite
1 Spell Pierce
1 Dismember
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Twisted Image
3 Nature's Claim
2 Viridian Corrupter
1 Wall of Roots
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Dryad Arbor
Completely agree. One of the reasons Apostle's Blessing is so good, besides the fact that it can counter a removal spell, and/or make your creature unblockable, is the fact that you can cast it with Inkmoth Nexus, allowing you to use all your other lands for pump spells if required.
Why doesn't UG run 4 blessing and BUG usually does? I think at least in part, UG lists have been influenced by Tom Ross and he cut back on the number of blessings a while ago, along with some other interesting decisions. In fact in his IQ win last year he didn't run any blessings at all:
http://sales.starcitygames.com//deckdatabase/displaydeck.php?DeckID=68492
It was really exciting that the Pantheon decided to back Tom Ross and play Infect. What was not exciting is the list they brought to the tournament.