"Weird Infect"! MH1 Updated *Budget Primer*

Modern Aggro BRGW Budget Competitive Infect Primer

JKRice

Instant (22)

• 3x Aphotic Wisps
• 3x Apostle's Blessing
• 2x Gut Shot
• 4x Manamorphose
• 4x Mutagenic Growth
• 4x Tainted Strike
• 2x Temur Battle Rage

Land (18)

• 3x Blood Crypt
• 4x Bloodstained Mire
• 4x City of Brass
• 4x Mana Confluence
• 3x Tendo Ice Bridge

Creature (12)

• 4x Kiln Fiend
• 4x Monastery Swiftspear
• 4x Soul-Scar Mage

Sorcery (8)

• 4x Assault Strobe
• 4x Scale Up

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Sideboard

Instant (11)

• 1x Apostle's Blessing
• 2x Become Immense
• 2x Blossoming Defense
• 2x Dispel
• 3x Lightning Bolt
• 1x Noxious Revival

Sorcery (4)

• 2x Claim / Fame
• 2x Distortion Strike

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Maybeboard

Creature (2)

• 1x Blistercoil Weird
• 1x Simian Spirit Guide

Land (1)

• 1x Gemstone Caverns

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Name credit: rolfMTG

Weird Infect

This was my very first deck on the site. It began with Kiln Fiend. I was new to magic, and believed this card to be broken beyond belief, so I built a deck with it an Nivix Cyclops, alone with some spells like Giant Growth and Might of Old Krosa. It was honestly a really good deck for casual modern, and I usually killed people turn four or five. Then I found several cards, and this became “weird infect”. The first was Assault Strobe. With kiln fiend on the battlefield, this was eight damage with one mana. The second was Tainted Strike, which turned that eight damage into a win. Finally, Slip Through Space would ensure that the damage would get through. This was also around the time I put in Monastery Swiftspear, making this deck into a turn three kill on average. It became a powerhouse in my playgroup, and I rarely lost (none of us had decks with interaction). The final iteration, which made it to third on this site, had Elusive Spellfist in as well.

But that was a while ago. Now, I’ve got cards like Soul-Scar Mage, and the ridiculously overpowered Scale Up, and to make things better there is now the London mulligan rule. This was a fringe deck before. Now it is actually a good option for budget modern, even in a competitive playgroup. It can hold its own against the best decks in the format.

Weird Infect lies somewhere between real Infect decks (playing Glistener Elf along with Giant Growth and such) and suicide rush decks (playing Kiln Fiend along with Giant Growth and such). What makes this deck different is that it doesn’t actually play spells that significantly buff your creature’s power. Since all the creatures in the deck are self buffing, that just isn’t necessary. I don’t see why other kiln fiend decks play giant growth when they could go a much faster route. Anyways, the point of this deck is to stick a creature on the board for just one turn. Then, you play just two spells, and the opponent dies.

Card Choices

Mainboard

1: Kiln Fiend is the main beater of the deck. He’s usually good for a turn three win, but watch out! He only buffs his power, unlike the other creatures in the deck, so he can still be bolted.

2: Monastery Swiftspear is the backup beater, which also allows you to win a turn early with the right hand.

3: Soul-Scar Mage is just there because it's the best one drop prowess creature besides swiftspear. The wither effect is irrelevant, except maybe to Gut Shot away a single damage in Infect matchups.

3: Apostle's Blessing is extremely good. Of course it protects your creatures, but it also doesn't take up any specific mana, and it can be used as an uncanny dodge when the opponent only has one blocker.

4: Aphotic Wisps is basically me giving in to the fact that the jund matchup is an auto-lose. Since we don't care about jund, and affinity has fallen off, this is basically a Slip Through Space. In very specific situations, it can be used with apostles blessing to make the creature totally unblockable. This is an extremely efficient card, and the draw will usually give you more access to damage.

5: Assault Strobe/Temur Battle Rage are the main wincons. Note that with kiln fiend, when you play battle rage, fiend’s trigger happens before battle rage checks for ferocity, meaning fiend will get trample even if rage is the only spell you’ve cast so far.

6: Tainted Strike is rigged in this deck, and makes it way more consistent in the T2/T3 kill. It’s also where the deck got its name.

7: Manamorphose/Gut Shot/Mutagenic Growth grow your creatures for free, and make when turn two kill much easier.

8: This deck used to only play two cards which when combined would allow for a turn 2/3 kill, which were tainted strike and assault strobe (Temur battle rage was added later). The new Scale Up allows for the same thing. With kiln fiend, you can play scale up with either tainted strike or assault strobe and swing for the win. Unfortunately, if you are going for the turn two kill, scale up gives you either nine Infect or sixteen damage, unless you have a Gut Shot, Mutagenic Growth, or Manamorphose.

Sideboard

1: You can never have too many Apostle's Blessing, especially in a meta so saturated with lightning bolts. Blossoming Defense is also a good card to bring in with or instead of blessing.

2: Become Immense is real good in the long game, as you have probably emptied your hand into the yard and need to topdeck something that will kill the opponent. Great with Monastery Swiftspear to kill them before they can respond.

3: Claim / Fame is a great card against removal heavy decks. If you don't think you can play through their removal, you can draw out as many of their kill spells as possible, then lay down one of these bad boys on a swiftspear for the win.

4: Dispel just kills decks like storm that want to outpace you, and can also be used to protect your creatures.

5: Distortion Strike for decks with blockers, like humans, hogaak, or jund.

6: Lightning Bolt to kill those pesky Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, or other annoying bears.

7: Noxious Revival is something I’m trying out. It’s free and it has hella value, since you have lots of ways to draw the card you put on top. Basically a slow Claim / Fame, but can also be used to grow your creature for free.

Tendo Ice Bridge?

Yes! I am actually very glad I found this card, as it is a very good budget option, replacing the need for Gemstone Mine. It pays the colorless cost for Kiln Fiend and Apostle's Blessing early on in the setup phase. On turn three, you can use the counter to make sure you have the mana consistency necessary to go off. Even if they manage to live after you use the counter, it is not a dead land, and you can still transmute it into colored mana with Manamorphose.

Non-budget List

Replace most of your lands with Gemstone Mine, City of Brass, Mana Confluence, Reflecting Pool, and 1-3 Gemstone Caverns. You are never going to have problems with having the wrong type of mana. The lands are just about the only thing making this into a budget deck and keeping it from being truly competitive.

Gameplay

Starting Hands

London mulligan means these rules are a lot less strict than they used to be. I honestly love the london mulligan rule.

There are four general rules for when to keep and when to mull

1. If you don't have a creature, throw it away. This deck is way too aggro to be dependent on topdecks.

2. Do the math. If at any point you have a creature, along with spells that do enough damage to win turn two or three, that's a keeper.

3. Unless you have no lands, never go below five. It is too risky for a deck with bad topdecks and no Serum Visionss or Faithless Lootings. You can still win with four cards in hand, but you are dependent on topdecks for both of your first two turns.

4. This is kind of a half rule. If you have a creature, along with enough spells to get to 8+ infect or 16+ damage, you should keep. Most decks will bring themselves down to 16 by turn three, and sometimes you will pull a mutagenic off the top and win on the spot.

Setup

The setup phase happens in the first two turns, and isn't super complicated.

1. Play your creatures out as quickly as possible, even if you can't kill them the next turn. This lets you chip a bit of damage in early, making it easier to finish them off later. Furthermore, even though swiftspear is a threat, most people will think you are playing some other burn/aggro deck, so they will prioritize the Wild Nacatls and Eidolon of the Great Revels and the Vexing Devils that they think will come down next turn. However, if they see kiln fiend, the jig is up, and your creatures will automatically become must-kill targets.

2. If you have multiple creatures, only play one of them. Since you can usually win using just one creature, doing this has little to no opportunity cost and gives the opponent as little information as possible, making it easier for them to decide to immediately use their Lightning Bolt, leaving you clear to play your second creature.

Winning

With Swiftspear/Soul-Scar

Turn Two/Three

The following get you to exactly ten infect, or more if you have mutagenic, manamorphose, or gut shot

Tainted Strike + Assault Strobe + any spell (on turn 2 it must be mutagenic, manamorphose, or gut shot)

Tainted Strike + Scale Up + Any spell (T2: must be mutagenic, manamorphose, or gut shot)

Tainted Strike + Temur Battle Rage + Manamorphose/Gut Shot/Mutagenic Growth

Tainted Strike + (2 x Mutagenic Growth) + Any spell

The following get you to exactly 20 damage, or more if you have manamorphose, gut shot, or mutagenic growth

Assault Strobe + Scale Up + Any two spells (T2: must be manamorphose, gut shot, or mutagenic)

Temur Battle Rage + Scale Up + Any two spells (T2: must be manamorphose, gut shot, or mutagenic)

Assault Strobe + at least 3 Mutagenic Growth

Temur Battle Rage + at least 3 Mutagenic Growth

Turn One Meme Kill

Unfortunately, this requires that you play either Simian Spirit Guide or Gemstone Caverns in order to get two mana on turn one.

Exile spirit guide to play swiftspear, or just use caverns if you have it. Play a land, use it to cast either Tainted Strike or assault strobe. Now, the goal is to get to ten power, you already have two power with strobe or three with strike. You need at least three zero cost spells, and two of them must be Mutagenic Growth. You will deal a minimum of 10 infect or 19 damage (Gut Shot to their face). if they are at one life, this means they cant fetch or shock, which most likely leaves you free to swing in for one next turn.

With Kiln Fiend

The following get you to 10+ infect

Tainted Strike + Scale Up

Tainted Strike + Assault Strobe/Temur Battle Rage

Tainted Strike + any two spells

The following get you to 20+ damage

Assault Strobe/Temur Battle Rage + Scale Up

Assault Strobe/Temur Battle Rage + any two spells

Playing From Behind

Monastery Swiftspear is your main man when it comes to playing from behind. Let's say your creature dies, and the opponent takes control of the game. At this point you want to start running out all of your creatures. This provides some defense, and also draws out removal, since the opponent will be scared of you one-shotting them. If you have a swiftspear, wait for an opportune moment, then go in for the kill. The haste is key here. If they tap out for some big threat, you can usually win on the spot with swiftspear. The rule is, only run out swiftspear and go for the win when either you are pretty sure they can't answer it or they are about to kill you next turn.

Other than that this deck is pretty bad at playing from behind. The point is that you either kill them or get them to a very low life total before they can do anything.

Maybeboard

1: Blistercoil Weird would probably be better suited for the spot that Immolating Souleater is taking up.

2: Silence would be an interesting defensive sideboard choice or stall card; basically a preemptive blossoming defense.

3: Gemstone Caverns would decrease the mana consistency of the deck, but would give you a memey turn one win once in a blue moon.

4: Simian spirit guide would’ve a other way to accelerate a T1 win

Top Ranked	Achieved #5 position overall 7 years ago
Date added	7 years
Last updated	1 year
Legality	This deck is Modern legal.
Rarity (main - side)	4 - 0 Mythic Rares 18 - 0 Rares 14 - 12 Uncommons 24 - 3 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	1.31
Folders	Modern Deck Ideas, Fun budget modern, Ciekawe, Modern, Decks I Like, To Build, Decks I like, Destroy travis, Decks I can dig, keep