Budget: Infected growth

Round Three I guess?

Hmm. .... downvoted comments and 2 deletions of all messages. You should contact the admins.

I think that is what is happening, anyways...i think the admins may be deleting them.
I mean, who else can delete comments?
I know this is my last post on this deck...every time i post comments, good ones or not, i get downvoted. lol

I know I have been getting a lot of downvotings on me too, not sure why. The only idea I have is infestation of trolls.

guys go see my new deck heliod's army #tokens

Yes, because distortion strike totally doesnt just say 'win the game'...

Jesus H. Christ, did you just recommend taking out over 30 cards?
Looking at his 36 likes...I don't think changing 30 cards is necessary. :)

Why not just make a new deck, dude? :). I'd love to see it.

Distortion Strike is amazing.

And a 3.50 card is not "cheap" that's 14$ for a playset.

That being said, Rancor is a great upgrade. The trample isn't that necessary, but it might win you a game. More importantly, the enchantment sticks around and refuses to leave the game.

the trample is absolutely necessary.... this deck cant even beat a resolved Elvish Mystic without it.....blockers are real, and trample pushes damage through.

your kidding right
trample really isn't that necessarily, especially when your creatures cant be blocked (so their are no blockers) from
distortion strike, aqueous form and apostle's blessing and with pump they can be out turn two
so i really dont see how putting in a card that makes the deck more expensive and doesnt improve it that much is necessary.

because you always have a distortion strike, right? if you want to fill your hand with a bunch of junk to keep your dude alive, fine, go right ahead. Rancor is a recurring pump spell at worst, and a way to push damage through when the ground gets gummed up.

And to be fair, I didnt say anything about rancor in my post, I said trample. there are plenty of ways to give trample that are more budget than rancor, if you cant afford a dollar for a card.

also, please work on your English, it hurts to read.

i can afford a dollar for a card but the deck is meant to be budget, also this deck has already been based around unblockable and pump and is what the deck was originally based around from the start. fair enough but what trample cards would you suggest that are budget and would work well in this deck

Predator's Strike is fine, Run Wild is a reasonable utility card, and Fistful of Force is a respectable pump card, with the clash mechanic, giving trample and additional pump if you win. Primal Rage is an enchantment that just gives all your dudes trample.

none of these cards are as good as Rancor, or Wild Defiance.

no rancor and wild defiance are better and they would be good in this deck, but will it make the deck that much better if they are put in.

yes. it would.

My suggestions were good and all dirt cheap cards except for Wild Defiance which will run you two quarters a piece. Pendelhaven would be a one or two-of, so if you ever break your $.50 card price limit or whatever, you could look into including one. Rancor is a bit more expensive because you'd want to run a full four, but like I said, they're for if you decided the deck's worth investing a few dollars in. If you want to run a two color infect deck, OK. But please put a real mana base in it. If you need help on cheap mana fixing, take a look at some pauper decks and how they approach the issue.

Whoa ... all this over trample? :)

guys, when you say $14 for a play set is expensive it makes me cry, I'm shelling out double that for a single! Also, it really isn't budget but INK MOTH NEXUS! It is so much fun to kill them with a land on turn 2! I play the mono-green version of this and it is actually more expensive, around $150, it is still the best budget deck for modern though, and Tom Ross would heartily agree to keep in the blue!

Tom Ross would also say play a better mana base than 8 Forest, 8 Island, 4 Simic Guildgate. Even for a budget deck that's inexcusable.

you don't get to speak on Tom's behalf.

I'm with muktidata. The land base is passable at best. :)

there isnt much that can be done to a land base in a two color deck and save the budget price.

There is a lot of budget mana fixing and since this version is slow he can absolutely afford to wait while he pecks away a poison counter at a time building up to a turn where he deals 6-7 counters. Infect decks are always listed under "Infect Combo" because it's more about chaining buffs which doesn't happen until turn four or five a lot of the time. I think cards like Terramorphic Expanse, Evolving Wilds, Simic Growth Chamber should probably make an appearance at the very least.

Simic Growth Chamber is a dollar or more, so using the rancor argument, its not budget, and the tempo loss from fetch lands that play your lands tapped is too much to even consider. this deck is about being fast and winning before they do anything, in ANY version. its too fragile to be anything else. even if SGC wasnt a dollar, its tempo loss is also too great to be effective. most of these lands come into play untapped, and thats usually going to be good enough. If you think that infect decks need to wait until turn 5 to "combo" then youre just wrong. this deck runs Glistener Elf, Mutagenic Growth, and Groundswell, just like every other infect deck, and is therefore a turn 2 potential kill, with a turn 3-4 lifespan. this deck does not survive a long game.

I don't know if you've ever played with or against infect, but while you want turn 2-3 kills to happen as often as possible, it's just not when you win a lot of games. Maybe I'm assuming too much about this deck's metagame, but cheap removal is real and with a low creature count you're typically not playing your Glistener Elf until turn 2 at the earliest where you can protect it. Without fixing this mana base, on top of all of the roadblocks you can already run into, you're adding another problem: mana. The double forest draw with three blue spells, the double island draw with all green spells. This is mitigated somewhat by playing the artifact creatures, but even considering that, I don't think this mana base is up to snuff. I think the easiest fix is to switch to mono green (as I suggested), but another option is to steal a page from Pauper's playbook and play the common fetches. Infect doesn't "survive" a long game, but it does "just win" consistently around turn 4 or 5 if you can set it up. A lot of modern (I don't know what metagame this deck isn't "surviving a long game" in, so I'll use modern as an example) games are decided by a Snapcaster Mage doing 14 damage over the course of 7 turns or something equally silly. I'd like to assume this deck isn't meant to be played in a turn 3 format, but if it is, the reasons to go fully green at a budget level become even more convincing.

Im not even going to read that wall of text. I have bot Pauper and Modern Infect built. Im not here for your advice, I know how the deck works. Removal is the enemy, which is why this deck needs WIld Defiance.

and there are literally no modern games decided by a snapcaster mage dealing 14 damage. all this does is prove that you dont know what youre talking about.

this mana base is fine.

How does Wild Defiance help against removal other than burn? Or are you saying that's mostly the removal that is played? Vines of Vastwood is a great help against removal, but is a bit restrictive mana-wise. If he simply HAS to win the game on turn 2 (lol) or 3, because he will lose immediately after one of those turns, why is he making his deck clunky by adding blue? My original suggestion was get rid of the blue. Then I said if you're going to play blue, fix your mana. I've seen way too many modern games where a Delver, Snapcaster, Dark Confidant, etc. do tons of damage to somebody.

it helps against any damage based removal, and it absolutely is the most prevalent form of removal in Modern. yeah, Path and Maelstrom Pulse are around, but thats what your Vines are for. the deck plays blue for access to Invisible Stalker, which is invaluable in games where your opponent plays creatures.

this mana base is fine. yes there will be clunky draws. there is not a good way to fix mana, keep a budget, and not lose tempo. thats why fetch lands are expensive.

I gotcha on the Wild Defiance comment. That's what I thought you meant. It could potentially help blank Dismember as well. I think getting Path'ed is pretty good for this deck - helps fix your mana! Did you mean to say the deck plays blue for Blighted Agent? I think you did. He's very good. So is the rebound card. Simic Growth should just be Vines of Vastwood, I think. Aqueous Form I could see being great and awful so I'm not sure about it. I guess it's the best replacement for Rancor for the money.

simic charm helps with defense, gives hexproof, and can be the finishing buff. and yes, blighted agent.

Simic Charm is a direct downgrade from Vines of Vastwood, though.

blue is also in their for distortion strike which makes the deck heaps more consistent

I would point out ... damage-based removal is common from red!

Even in modern, you have to expect path to exiles and doom blades dropping from white and black opponents, respectively. Hexproof is very good to counter those threats, but what if it doesn't work? Why not have a backup plan?

I would sideboard wrap in vigor for apostle's blessing if AOE removal is present. Cyclonic Rift does beat every form of protection ...

Vines of vastwood is $1.99 each if you really want to bang on about budget. Any non-pump spell is useless apart from blessing because it is 1 colourless. Everything else just isn't as good in infect so stop banging on about it or you will just make the deck worse.

Well, as for manabase, hinterland harbor and yavamaya coast are under $4. Manasbases a hard to get cheap, but >$4 is a deal for dual colored functional lands. I think we all have different definitions of budget from reading this... I don't see why not to run rancor

rancors proberly not going to run in this deck as its aiming to be around the $15-20 budget area and a playset of rancor costs about $5

ok, i wasnt sure the range.. budget modern ends up being roughly 100$ to me.

It seems like budget on this site typically means Vintage super-casual and sub twenty bucks. I think the only reason deck is getting thrown into Modern-talk is because it's Modern legal and infect is a common Modern archetype.

yeh modern decks can be ridiculously expensive but yeh this decks aiming for under $20

It's awesome. Hard to destroy, used multiple times, and grants trample which might tack on that last counter when it counts and you can't cast distortion strike.

rancors too expensive as this is meant to be a budget deck
but spider umbra is a really good idea instead of rangers guile

There 1.36 a piece (m13 prices) but seeing that most of your cards in the deck are under a dollar I see your point a playset would run over five bucks.

Hey ... I put Aurelia and Chandra, Pyromaster in 25$ budget decks! Rancor is a valid option ... even in a $20 budget deck.

yeh but what would you take out so that it satys under $20

redo the budget to $50 and you can pick up everything you would want except noble heirarch

Hmm ... take out inchorclaw and replace it with a cheaper infect creature with 2 or 1 CMC... $1-2 dollars saved. Logic: if it's blocked, +2/+2 won't help it hit your opponent. This boost is less than useful against removal.

$3.50 over $20 can be ignored, since that's the lands. Just go to a shop's spare card bin!

I don't think rancor is the best choice though .... so saving money is moot.

To bad Invigorate isn't legal in modern but, NinjaStyle612 is right, there is lots of removal in Modern. Ranger's Guile and Alpha Authority would be great for sideboard for protection as well.

He has apostles blessing, might of old krosa would help

apostles blessing is a card that should be in the sideboard. and even that gets better with Wild Defiance.

wild defiance would be great against the removal spells
and would work amazingly with apostles blessing
main reason its in the main deck is to use for protection against removal and to make a creature unblockable

apostles blessing does not make a creature unblockable. its protection can make it difficult for mono colored deck to block, but there arent many of those in Modern. since this is a budget deck, and not really a modern deck, it might work like that more often, but protection is not the same as unblockable.

sorry protection, meant unblockable in the sense they cannot block it that turn if your versing a mono coloured deck.

Wild defiance is a usual include anyways, it really makes the deck more than a one trick pony

Anything that increases the chances of connecting with your opponent's face.

Face punch!!!

Deny the Witch!!!

Wild Defiance comes down too late, CVM played the non-budget version of this against BBD playing Kiki control and the defiance took a game (it is fantastic) but overall it was pretty poor, this deck has a need for speed and a 3 mana enchantment that clogs up your draws isn't the best

Wild Defiance gives the deck a long game, which it does not have. if you like being a glass cannon, then dont run it. I like winning games I have no business winning, so I will run it.

Glass cannon, eh? How about wrap in vigor?

LATE GAME!? NEVER UTTER THOSE FOUL WORDS IN THE PRESENCE OF AN INFECT PLAYER! LATE GAME DOESN'T EXIST!

Nope, kill fast or die fast. That is the motto of Infect Players.
Sorta like pure red burn decks.
You either win by turn 5...or it is going to be a rough day for you.

Gothy is right, no late games, for Infect, unless something wrong happened (i.e. your pumped up infect creature is neutralized).

I could see Wild Defiance going off say, you had a Gut Shot and Mutagenic Growth in your hand and a Blighted Agent on the field. Which would give nine poison. But, there is good and bad. Yes three man in infect is not that great but, you only need one green and two colorless to play it, and yes the turn you cast it your missing opportunity for buffing spells for creatures but, it does add a nice bonus next turn to target your creature.

But that's next turn. Infect is all or nothing. Yes, infect can still win mid game with a well placed distortion strike or blighted agent or inkmoth nexus, but as a rule of thumb infect is looking for the turn 2 or turn 3 win. That is simply because in the modern or legacy scene, if you haven't won by turn 4 with an aggro deck, you are going to have a very hard time winning.

I do get your point, ClockworkCopper...it is possible to try to build a Infect deck that isn't pure "all or nothing."
I do get it.
But 99 percent of Infect builders are after that impressive Turn 2 or Turn 3 win.

A infect creature card...for decks that aren't exactly after that Turn 2 win...would be something like:
Phyrexian Crusader.
It can't be targeted by white protect/removal spells.
It can't be targeted by red direct damage cards.
It has first strike.
It is black...so it escapes a lot of black hate cards.
Basically, it sticks around!
But it cost 3 mana...which is a no-no to most Infect deck builders.

Yeah. ... it's still freaking awesome though.

I do run it in my poor attempt at a Infect deck. :)
But this Infect deck, that I am posting on, doesn't need it (nor has the mana).

Honestly, I prefer reliability and flexibility over raw power. Therefore, I would shoot for a turn 3 or 4 win, with plenty of removal.

Then you will lose to the modern decks of nowadays. Crusader is also black, black is a poor colour in infect. SPEED!

Hey now ... I never said I disliked speed. :)

And black can be pretty fast if you pay life for favors. :)

And it would be more accurate to say that I would lose some and win some. For example, I prefer Electrikery over Shock ... because I can hit hexproof creatures with it.

Black isn't fast enough, also noble heirarch won't tap for black and that is the next card to go in once you get rid of this budget malarky

Hey, now! I would like to point out that black gives you access to hand disruption and Varolz the Scar-Striped plus Death's Shadow! ;-)

Thanks dude! ;)

not fast enough

Not bad ... doubles counters.

I guess other ideas in red could be: Brute Force, Furious Resistance, Madcap Skills, Uncanny Speed, and Titan's Strength. I know it's complete change of the deck but, an idea maybe to keep in mind.

Then the only way to push through damage would be to give it trample, which would still kill your creature, or to give it protection of which there is really only one viable way to do that. In the end you do more damage but it's slower.

Let's make it r-b!

And if it's slower ...Phyrexian Crusader can come.

I would still keep the Blighted Agent, Distortion Strike, and Aqueous Form in there of course.

Assault Strobe in a Infect deck...no. Nope. Many forums and websites say that it is not a good idea. The day that they make a really good red infect creature...then yes, it will take of the Infect world, for sure!
A red infect creature with cmc=1...yep, Assault Strobe will rule the world.
But hell, the lowest infect creature for red is 3 mana...and that, my friends, is weak!!!

I'm dreaming on the draw but, just think:
Turn one: Forest - Glistener Elf
Turn two: Mountain - Attack with Glistener Elf, playing Groundswell, then Assault Strobe.
Ten Poison game over...

turn one Elf
turn two: Land, swing with elf, Groundswell, Groundswell, Mutagenic Growth. 11 poison, no red.

There's not a lot of reasons to splash with infect, but red is a very real one for Assault Strobe, Ghor-Clan Rampager, and Flesh/Blood. I don't think it offers as much as blue especially when you step out of the budget realm, but Assault Strobe is hilarious.

I'm still a fan of green and blue infect but, was shooting for something a little more different.

Yeah, Red definitely adds three very usuable cards to the deck and broadens your sideboard options. I'm not sure what I'm doing to get negative feedback on my posts, but I'm sorry to whomever they're offending.

It's just a troll. If I see it, I'll upvote you to neutral.

I did upvote it. NO reason to down vote decks, if you try and give advice that you think is good. All of those cards you suggested, were solid card choices for splashing red. Just wish they would make a cmc1 or cmc2 red infect creature.

That's like wishing they'd reprint Jace, the Mind Sculptor. :)

Yeah, Magic would be too smart to do that.

ive considered Infect Gruul...Too expensive. This IS budget after all. A decent one typically runs between 60-200 bucks depending on if you wanna cough up for the special lands.

While Gruul Infect works just as well if not better, Simic Infect has the best pound-for-pound power for low cost and high efficiency.

Simic does low-cost efficiency well. The green gives it punch, and the blue makes that hit connect.

this has all the right elements of the real infect modern deck, but the consistency is not there. this deck would likely not win a match at an FNM in its current form.

A mono green version could, though.

doubtful...

yeh making this deck mono green wouldn't help that much

This deck definitely uses Green as its shell, but without splashing blue or black as most infect decks have, it loses Evasion and relies on plowing your opponent as hard as you can. Suddenly you just traded all your creatures with no way to sneak in that last damage ftw.

Even with Rancor's Trample, even with green cards like wild defiance, Might of old Krosa or Vines of Vastwood or Blight Mamba, a good opponent WILL chump block you all day every day if nothing else than to get rid of your creatures. Because guess what? Once you've played the 6 creatures you can statistically draw in one game, theyve got you.

But with blue, suddenly youve got Evasion, you've got unblockable creatures, distortion strike and aqueous form. Cards that let you safely damage your opponent. Suddenly youve got Simic charm that fills every need of this deck, it removes a potential blocker, it hexproofs your creature, it gives them a pump.

And thats why I went blue for this deck. That compromise gives your creatures Evasion and in turn survivability at the expense of burst damage. In the long run is better due to how EASILY this deck gets shut down from removal.

It also gives me a way around the inconsistency issue that most infect players overcome by paying up real moneyz for lands. Aqeuous form's Scry ability bros. And Blighted Agent or Distortion Strike can give me something to do while I have a dead hand.

Good job on that!

yes, no one is saying this isnt a valiant effort

yeh, its a pretty good deck and would be really fun to play with.

Supersick, Groundswll gives +4/+4 due to playing a land.

Also Infect lets you win the game by doing half their life total.
The game starts with 20 LIFE. But you need 10 INFECT COUNTERS to win.
Do you understand the reasoning behind this mechanic? It effectively lets you win by dealing 10 damage instead of 20 while countering your enemy's lifegain.
What you're describing is a redundant strategy. Whats the point of Infecting 10 counters if their life is aready down to 10?

i dont understand supersicks post at alll.......

Maybe he's mad because someone played an infect EDH deck?

well that would make sense, or 2hg i guess.

Supersick:
"The problem I see here is that if you don't win very early you probably won't win."

That isn't exactly a problem. Infect decks and pure burn decks (and others) are built around the concept of trying to win before the 5th turn (good decks can do it in under 4) AT ALL COST. They try with all of their might to rush through control, disruption, etc. You can't win all games against all decks...and again, decks like Infect and Burn are included in that. But they will win a lot of games, and very quickly too.

But with that said, Supersick, I am sure you could build a slower infect deck with more protection/control/life gain/disruption...and it would probably turn out really good/solid...but that isn't what most Infect deck builders are worried about. Infect and speed go hand in hand. So, might as well use that to your advantage.

Casual Infect and Competitive infect, 2 entirely different things.

HAHA, no I was up really late and shouldn't have posted anything. I was tired and forgot about the landfall from Groundswell. My bad.

Yea, I had built an infect Myr deck with Exoskeletons. I would cast a bunch of Myrs then use my Battlesphere with an exoskeleton to hit them for 10+ infect and win the game. It was slow and took people by surprise. That was my fun way of playing infect.

With all that being said, this is a great budget infect deck with great early game power. I will probably take this deck under my wing just to piss people off when they try to run infinite loops against me. =)

@bootsncatsn

"Supersick, Groundswll gives +4/+4 due to playing a land.

Also Infect lets you win the game by doing half their life total.
The game starts with 20 LIFE. But you need 10 INFECT COUNTERS to win.
Do you understand the reasoning behind this mechanic? It effectively lets you win by dealing 10 damage instead of 20 while countering your enemy's lifegain.
What you're describing is a redundant strategy. Whats the point of Infecting 10 counters if their life is aready down to 10?"

Thanks for clarifying groundswell and my mistake when referring to it in my post.

I'm not confused at all about how Infect works. I simply said that I think there should be a variant rule for infect because it is far too powerful. This deck should prove that point well enough.

I suggested that the counter to win should be half of someones life total, which can obviously change and won't always be 20. It doesn't take away the possibility of winning with 10 counters, or even with less, but it does provide one the ability to counter infect by gaining life. So early infect can still win, but if it doesn't it makes it more difficult the longer the game runs vs. life gain. Just something to think about. Not trying to rustle and jimmies. =)

While I completely agree it's a stupid deck archetype, infect is only viable because of the way the ruling is worded. Changing the mechanic would cause a lot of mad players and make invigorate in legacy infect completely irrelevant. Sure you would please a few, but there are plenty of players that want to run super fast aggro, the only viable choices being Affinity or Infect. It's fine the way it is and there are ways to deal with it.
The greatest thing about the game is that there is an answer to every deck, no matter how it's built.

I was just about to say what Couch312 said. Infect is super aggro for sure, but with Infect..all it takes is one chump blocker against you..and you have lost.

Infect...of all aggro decks...is probably the easiest to disrupt. And when you disrupt an Infect deck JUST ONE TIME, it is probably going to lose. Badly. So there is a payoff for it being so powerful.

And Mtg needed to do something with poison/infect. They had 3 or 4, that weren't viable to play, poison cards for over a decade. They were just sitting their gaining dust.

Like I said above, and got shit for, Infect is a Glass Cannon type deck. it either preforms perfectly, and you win, or you stumble and lose. there is very little middle ground

I will very much agree with you, on that statement. Win big or don't win at all. Yep.

Yea, this is exactly what I was saying in my original statement. "The problem I see here is that if you don't win very early you probably won't win." My suggestion may not be the perfect scenario for Infect, and you guys make good points. I'm sure as more sets come out there will be more ways to deal with infect.

And thinking on it now, I actually have a druid elf land control deck with a legendary elf named Melira, Sylvan Outcast in my sideboard just for infect decks. Card Information

Legendary Creature - Human Scout 2/2, 1G
Card Rules

You can't get poison counters. Creatures you control can't have -1/-1 counters placed on them. Creatures your opponents control lose infect.

no one plays Melira to combat Infect. she is only played in Modern because she combos with Murderous Redcap and Viscera Seer to deal infinite damage. Stopping Infect is a bonus, if it ever comes up.

What Ninja said. Melira is used in decks that abuse Birthing Pod and the Persist mechanic with infinite combos.
On a side note, she makes an excellent casual card with Phyrexian Unlife.

Yes, she is very useful. But, of course people play her to counter infect. I do for one. I don't understand why people wouldn't use her to combat infect. She turns infect into the common cold. I guess it's more interesting to play her with the combos you guys are talking about but it's no reason to imply that she isn't good to combat infect by stating that "no one plays her that way". C'mon.

lol You can talk like you're a know it all but it doesn't make it true. You are quite full of yourself if you think no one uses her as she is meant to be used. I'm not gonna argue any further though. This is dumb. Take care.

Hunt the Hunter is the best sideboard option against Malira because it pumps yours creature as well.

I'm taking it Supersick has never even bothered looking at the grand prix or ptq lists for Melira pod. Otherwise he wouldn't shit out of his mouth.
Yes, Melira combats infect, however, in any competitive deck, she is mostly used for no -1/-1 counters on creatures. Facts are facts.

True that. Used properly, she is a pain in the ass. I got my butt handed to me by an EDH persist deck ... with her as the commander. It also had heartmender and wrap in vigor and ... you get the picture. Nothing staid dead!

Also, as a note ... if she was soley intended to counter infect, then they are here 1st/2nd and 3rd abilities redundant?

Supersick has deleted this comment.

I acknowledged her use against -1/-1. I NEVER said that she was SOLELY used to combat infect. On the other hand, I was told that she is NEVER used to combat infect. Reading is hard, I know. >.> I simply stated that people use her to combat infect as well and to say that NO ONE DOES is more talking out your ass than anything.

Couch, make your point man but no need to be rude about it. There is a simple argument here. Is she used to combat infect or not? Maybe not in the hands of the pros, fine. But, to say that no one does...that's ridiculous. That's all I'm saying. No need to say that I must not know this or must not read that. You just look like a jerk when you talk like that. Thanks for your comments. I just don't study tournament decks and live and die on what pros are doing and base all of my ideas about MTG on them.

lol. you cry a lot. I may not know it all, but I do know quite a lot about this game. I dont care what the pros do, I get my information from my own playtesting and tournament results.
Yes, Melira has an ability. its cute.
It is not used the way you want it to be in a competitive world. In EDH, it can be built around. In casual games, it can be useful. In the competitive world, there are not enough infect decks to make it relevant. it is too narrow in decks that dont use it to combo, and there are better sideboard options.

You sound like a typical douche, but I'll forgive you. I didn't ask how it was used in any world. I stated how I was using it and why. You are the one who decided to say that "no one uses it that way" BECAUSE of what is done in the pro scene. Then, "I don't care what the pros do" you say. Then you contradict yourself further by bringing up your already well stated and now extremely redundant point about how it is or isn't used in competitive play. Get over yourself man. If you wanted to add a point about Melira you could have done so without stepping on me to do it with a blatant bs statement such as, "no one uses it that way". Maybe no one does because as you also said, "there are not enough infect decks to make it relevant". Not that it wasn't relevant because it isn't good vs infect. Just that it isn't used vs infect because infect doesn't really exist in competitive play.

Your contradiction doesn't stop there. You originally said, "no one plays Melira to combat Infect". Then to go along with what others have said you now say, "In EDH, it can be built around. In casual games, it can be useful." But originally you act as if the mentioning of her set you off and you just HAD to say something to show everyone that you know something about competitive play. If that is your only purpose here then good job, the others like you have climbed on board.

This is incredibly stupid to argue about anyway. The facts are that people use this card for every reason that they should and not just one or two of the abilities printed on it. Competitive play and casual play are two different things. Nuff said.

The ranting on this site really makes my day! I am the best ranter, by far, just look at some of my comments. But you guys are pretty good at ranting. You guys make me smile. Keep up the ranting! But, if you guys get finished doing that...mind doing something like checking a few of my decks out?

Hell, you can check them out and rant on how crappy they are!
http://www.mtgvault.com/jessie/decks/the-wind-of-phasing-words/
http://www.mtgvault.com/jessie/decks/color-hate-challenge/

Sorry about that, I may or may not have been super tired, I try not to come off as a dickweed, I do apologize.
I agree with both of you to a point, and yes, this is stupid to argue about, however, here are the points I was probably trying to make.
Yes, Melira's main purpose in 95% of the decks she is in is to abuse birthing pod and persist, or murderous redcap and something to sac it to.
Yes, Melira's has other abilities that become extremely relevant in the infect matchup.
I do not know of any tier 1 deck lists that sideboard Melira to combat infect. Melira is pretty much always mainboarded in the two or three deck she sees play in. Maybe Primetime land tricks? Since Melira is pretty much mono green's only way to combat infect?
Hivemind just runs enough disruption to not care. Burn wrecks infect for days. Every Modern tier 1 deck has enough disruption to destroy infect if it doesn't win by turn 2 or 3. UR Delver just controls the board from turn 1, Tron basically can't win against a good infect player, and Tron does not play Melira. UWR Control... enough said. Kikipod would have a hard time as well.
Basically, Infect is a tier 1.5 deck in both modern and legacy. It's good enough to be played competitively at larger events, but does not win consistently enough to be played at a grand prix or ptq, although granted, someone might take it to one and catch a large number of people off guard.

Nice knowledge of the Tourney world! :)

Damn ... you know a lot about tournaments!

Secondly, while Melira may be some use against infect, she is but one card. I wish wizards got serious about some REAL defenses against infect. Like maybe ... removing poison counters? Sort of a counter-proliferate?

Leeches. White card. That is all they have. And that isn't Modern.

Just play mono red burn with Eidolon of the Great Revel. Great card that is seeing mainboard legacy play in mono red burn. Just wrecks decks that want to play fast.
Want to brainstorm? Better shock yourself.
Want to ponder? Better shock yourself.
Want to play Merfolk? Better shock yourself for every creature.

Dang ... along with Ash Zealot, that's a whole ton of deck shutdown. From RED!

Yep. The red Eidolon is really good outside of standard. Although Ash Zeolot isn't played. At least not in the legacy list.

What? I've seen her run a bit. Don't play her for her triggered ability, play her for being a 2/2 first strike with haste! The fact that she shuts down decks is just a bonus.

Similar reasoning applies to Frontline Medic.

I'm sorry I couldn't make sense to you Ninja. Let's just agree to disagree and move on, k? We can both kick rocks in different directions now. =)

So what Im hearing is, Melira is a good sideboard vs Infect and has enough utility to be in a sideboard regardless. Interesting.

thinking about adding Alpha authority...but not really.

in THIS deck?

Ensoul Artifact isn't good for this deck. It might be good if you had infect lands to use it on. But, as is, Ensoul Artifact just doesn't belong in this deck.

And Aqueous Form...you already have distortion strike in this deck. It is a game winner.

So...neither of those cards are needed for this Infect deck.

And don't down vote Ninja, for asking if the question was about this deck or another deck.

its OK Jessie, some people just read everything with a negative tone, and those people lead miserable lives.

thanks for the Upvote, though. I have a new deck you might enjoy :) Check it

Liked and commented on.
Hopefully people will show it some love.

Good luck.

Would Simic Growth Chamber be a better choice?

I was thinking he should just use two more forests and two more islands. That would increase the aggressiveness of the deck. The double lands like the growth chamber are for midrange decks mainly.

I would go with Halimar Depths (Set ups for better draw), Soaring Seacliff (Giving one of your creatures flying) or Sejiri Steppe (Giving your creature protection from a color).

hinterland harbor?

yavimaya coast?

I think that yavimaya coast would work really well, buy I'm not sure about any lands that enter tapped. Even with their bonuses they hinder the aggro aspect of decks like this.

Well said.

because its a sorcery so its wouldn't be as consistently useful in the deck. but it would work well if you have blighted agent on the field or distortion strike in your hand. but yeh it could still work in the deck but what would you take out for it>