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By: TheRegularGangster, TheRegular Gangster
Mar 31 2011 12:47pm
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Hello PureMTGO!

I'm going to step away from the Hotel Infinite series in order to bring you a limited-strategy article.  This is something I plan on doing from time to time as limited is my absolute specialty!  On to the meat . . .

Infuse This! 

When a format is young I always seem to be able to find a card that stands out as a hidden gem and get positive result after positive result drafting decks around them.  I believe being a premier drafter includes the innovation to think outside the box and get value out of drafts that just aren't going all that well.  In Scars x3 I quickly jumped on decks featuring Goblin Gaveleer or Furnace Celebration.  When no one is drafting these decks you have free reign on all the cards that work with your deck, including all the important cards that will be the focus of your deck.  The main advantage of putting yourself into a rogue archetype is that you can get top notch playables extremely late & on the wheel.  You pick your top removal spells, bombs, and top support cards early and you table your deck theme.  It's a beautiful strategy.

Blue has been much maligned in Scars of Mirrodin block drafting.  Blue has gone from the president to pauper - traditionally the strongest limited colour, it now finds itself at the bottom of the food chain.  With Besieged, drafting Islands just got a little more interesting . . .

Mirrodin Besieged presented us with an uncommon that I knew I would be all over as soon as I read the spoiler.  Mr. Vedalken Infuser:

His Flavour Text is Apt - He Awakens Below Average Cards to the Point of Being Broken.

I just knew that this guy would be busted in limited and available anywhere between 9th-13th pick.  What I didn't know was that they were going to continue with opening your Mirrodin Besieged booster first.  Opening the MBS booster first is a huge advantage to anyone drafting the infuser deck.  It's to the point that this deck would be completely undraftable if you had to wait until pack three to see if you were going to get Infusers or not.  Also, it could prove troublesome if someone was 14th picking Golem Foundrys and had picked up a Tumble Magnet and a Trigon and decided to second pick a Vedalken Infuser from a bad pack!

Before we get into some of my specific deck experiences, here are the cards that Vedalken Infuser elevates into better playables.  In the event of high picks already (such as Tumble Magnet and Trigon of Corruption) he just makes them all the better.  The fodder cards will not always make your maindeck, it depends what strategy you choose to go with, but they will always provide you with extremely effective and viable sideboard options:

Deck Components:  Infuser Fodder

 

Taking a quick look at the Infuser fodder above we see that many of them are extremely low picks, often being available picks 10-15.  Even some of the rares (Grindclock, Titan Forge) will consistently table (not to mention Inexorable Tide which will be mentioned later).  The beauty of this deck is that it changes low value unplayable cards into all-stars.  A Shriekhorn with defensive creatures (like Neurok Replica or Darkslick Drake) surrounding it is an immediate threat.  A Golem Foundry paired with a mass-removal spell or a clogged up board is game over.  A Culling Dais collecting Infuser counters for two or three turns is tough to come back from.  I logged onto MTGO on March 29 after telling the guy who taught me how to play MTG that I had this new thing for Vedalken Infuser.  I had a message waiting for me:  "I just drew 8 cards of Dais with Infuser out . . . they just don't know man.  They just don't know." 

As the game goes on, you increase your Infuser-target-options and the situations gets increasingly dire for your opponent.  You provide him with far too many Shatter targets and they fall to one of them.

Deck Components:  Proliferate

Believe it or not, the proliferate ability is not a mainstay in infuser-based decks.  In my mono blue deck example (seen below) I left a Thrummingbird in the sideboard.  It is a nice perk but far from mandatory.  The artifacts we use as fodder come into play with counters on them already, or quickly gain counters via the Vedalken Infuser or other triggers.  In many situations proliferate is just gravy.  In some situations proliferate can absolutely bury your opponent.  Here are the proliferators that hold in place in infuser draft decks:

***Please Note*** Throne of Geth is not included as your artifacts are reusable and like to stay on the table!

Drafting the Deck

The Infuser deck is incredibly easy to draft.  It's not rocket science.  You just need the innovation and a set of stones big enough to try it.  The deck acts much like Decimator Web in that it kills your opponents in a multitude of ways.  Much like permission decks of old, this draft deck controls first and figures out how to kill you later.  Once it has its hands fully around the game, the infuser deck can finish someone quickly. 

The Infuser Deck Acts Much Like Decimator Web in that it isn't Quite Sure How It's Going to Kill You, but Kill You it Does!

Pack 1:  Mirrodin Besieged:

Mirrodin Besieged acts like your setup pack.  You don't need much here; just a rough outline of a blue-X deck with a Vedalken Infuser and a Shriekhorn or two (to keep the mill option open).   Shriekhorn is a quality deck component as it is a win condition that is tutorable with Trinket Mage (it legitimately is a win condition when paired with Infuser). 

What if I don't see an Infuser?  You ask. 

Well, for the time being, Vedalken Infuser is readily available through out your first booster.  I kept tabs on the availability of the Infuser for 10 MSS drafts.  On 5 Occasions I saw one Vedalken Infuser.  On 3 Occasions I saw two Vedalken Infusers.  On three occasions I saw three Vedalken Infusers.  On zero occasions I saw zero Vedalken Infusers.  There are very few people on MTGO today drafting decks surrounding VI.  I'm sure the way most people approach Infuser is to pick him up on the wheel and see what happens.  I suggest taking him anywhere after 3rd pick and allowing any pick three infusers or earlier to table. 

You start by drafting a traditional blue-X deck and keep notes of any early Infusers, Shriekhorns, Fuel for the Cause, and Spire Serpents that may table.  This should let you know exactly how many deck components you can get pack one as these cards consistently table.  What this also allows you to do is speculate on other colours, taking top quality playables like Burn the Impure or Spread the Sickness or even a Rot Wolf whenever they are available.  Hopefully you just got lucky and opened a Corrupted Conscience or a Vedalken Anatomist (which screams Infuser.dec to me). 

As far as secondary colours, I generally recommend black for the Infuser deck as the deck can take advantage of cards such as Fume Spitter, Virulent Wound, and Instill Infection while it also appreciates the advantage of Phyrexian Rager and Moriok Replica (and consequently Morbid Plunder).  Infuser-decks also appreciate an infect package when featuring a proliferate theme and black can provide a solid infect theme.  The timely spot removal that black offers is a nice add to any limited deck.

Blue Common Pick Order Diagram:

  Trumps     Trumps    Trumps

Vivisection and Quicksilver Geyser are extremely marginal and should only be played on a deck dependant basis.

In Infuser decks that have a lethal-damage theme you can willingly play Gust Skimmer, Serum Raker, Rusted Slasher (I generally only play him with "tech") and Razorfield Rhino (If you have metalcraft capabilities, which this deck usually does).

Packs 2 & 3:  Scars of Mirrodin:

 

Recognize these cards?  Well if you draft a healthy diet of MSS you should!  These cards fly around the table like nobody's business.  When you're drafting the consistently underdrafted colour blue, you will reap the added benefit of picking these up anywhere from picks 1-8.    

As mentioned above, Blue is often savagely underdrafted.  Seeing 8th pick Sky-Eel Schools is commonplace.  Seeing 4th pick Grand Architect is not uncommon.  You can get some real value while drafting blue in SoM if that's where you find yourself after the Mirrodin Besieged booster to start the event.  Pair this phenomenon with the fact that the Infuser deck turns below average playables into gems and you're looking at 30+ playable card pools with legitimate sideboard options and oftentimes separate sideboard strategies.

For the sake of this section we're going to go on the assumption that you were able to grab 2x Vedalken Infuser in the Mirrodin Besieged booster and that's why you ended up drafting the deck in the first place.   You can reference the above sections Infuser Fodder & Proliferate for cards you'll be looking for in SoM.  Also, please seen the supporting cast section (below) for the type of creatures which will play a role in your deck.  These cards are all readily available throughout the final two boosters. 

Tier 1 Infuser-Deck Picks:  Scars of Mirrodin

The Tier 1 picks for the Infuser-Deck are the same as they are for pretty much every other strategy: 

Money > Bombs > Top Removal

There are three Infuser-themed cards that I would consider taking over top removal:  Contagion Clasp, Tumble Magnet, and Trigon of Corruption.  These are three cards that the Infuser deck absolutely loves.  All three act as top removal while also lending some synergy to your deck.  I probably still take Arc Trail over any of them if I'm in Blue/Red, but it is very very close.

Ranking the Trigons:

It is important that we rank the Trigons for Infuser-based decks.  This is the one segment of SoM that really changes if you're in Infuser.

> > > >

This deck doesn't like Trigon of Rage and most importantly does not need Trigon of RageTrigon of Infestation (Rank 3) and Trigon of Mending (Rank 4) are interchangeable depending on your deck.  Naturally, all of the Trigons are improved with proliferate.  Having Said That, you are not required to be playing the coloured lands that charge the trigons you are playing . . . you have two infusers.

What You Are Hoping To Table:

Key cards that you are hoping to consistently table throughout the SoM boosters are lower-valued Trigons, lower-valued defensive creatures, Golem Foundry, Golden Urn (for sideboard purposes), the occasional Culling Dais (more on this later), Stoic Rebuttal, Halt Order, Thrummingbird, Steady Progress, and "bad" rares like Grindclock and Inexorable Tide (remember:  they are rares so people are bound to take them.  If you really want it, take it!). 

You should be on the lookout for any of these cards while you're taking your high picks.  You have a more than reasonable expectation of getting these cards back (since most are predominantly unplayable).  If you know what you're getting later, it can change your picks now!

The Importance of Culling Dais:

 

Ummmm . . . How Do I Put 8 or 9 Red Dots on This Jpeg?

Culling Dais is an extremely powerful card in the Infuser deck.  It cycles Oculus.  It removes creatures with Perilous Myr or Necropede.  It protects you from bonus effects on your opponent's removal.  It allows you to recycle a CiP effect if you are holding Morbid Plunder.  We haven't even got to the best part yet . . . Culling Dais collecting counters from 1-2 Infusers is just downright dirty.  I've recently cracked Dais for 9.  NINE!   The only way I'm losing that game is if my opponent plays his own Shriekhorn.   You don't need to be a hero and crack CD for nine; anything over 3 is generally very good.  5 is likely game over as well.  Culling Dais is more important than all the other Infuser-Fodder save for Trigon of Corruption and Tumble Magnet.  Unless there is an extremely good card in the pack, you should be taking your first Dais whenever you see it.  You don't particularly want to risk these gems not tabling!

Some Examples

Let's take a look at two examples of the Infuser deck.  The decks acted very different in nature but had similar results - A win in a 4-3-2-2 and a win in an 8-4.  I'm 15-0 with Infuser decks in MSS drafts.  Here are six of those wins:

Mono-Blue Infuser:

This deck featured Vedalken Infuser as a support card as opposed to the central theme.  I was discouraged during the drafting segment of this deck as I couldn't manage to pick up ANY Golem Foundry's (which would have been amazing in this deck).  I also whiffed on landing a Soliton for my Pack 2 Pick 1 Heavy ArbalestSoliton-Arbalest is an extremely welcome segment to any Infuser deck.  Regardless, Arbalest shined through the course of this event and was responsible for at least two game wins.  The lack of the traditionally large amount of Infuser targets left Thrummingbird in the sideboard in favour of Myr Propagator (who I usually hate:  he replaced a Gust Skimmer - I'm not sure why it registered it as 2x Gust Skimmer).

Bomby-Infuser:

I have an admission to make:  I have yet to win a round in MSS drafts where I open Black Sun's Zenith.  I've opened BSZ twice and felt the natural progression for the draft was to go into Blue/Black Control based around advantage creatures and advantage spells, on top of all the predictable spot removal and counter-magic (every other archetype just seems awkward with BSZ).  Naturally, this draft when I opened Black Sun's Zenith I opted to draft Blue-Black again (what's that old phrase about history repeating itself).  I was soon met with a Vedalken Infuser and the lightbulb went on:  "Load me up some Golem Foundries, Shriekhorns, Trigons and then Zenith for 3?. . . Sounds Good!"  This is the one situation where I can see Zenith just absolutely wrecking someone while leaving you with full advantage.  When you open a mass-removal spell it is always your goal to optimize it into a mass-I-win spell.     

As you can tell by the decklist screenshot, you'll see that I was lucky enough to open Contagion Engine too.  I got all the goodies including 4 Trigons (mending left in SB due to infect), Grindclock, and other charge-counter based artifacts.  The deck featured a heavy proliferate theme as well.  With all these paired together it was almost impossible to beat but not because of the reasons you'd suspect (aka Contagion Engine and Black Sun's Zenith).  This deck just wore people down via the infuser and all the fodder-proliferate engines.  The mass removal spells were just gravy:  you don't need them to have consistent success with this archetype.  I milled.  I killed.  I infected. 

Deck Components:  The Supporting Cast

Naturally you can't just have a deck with nothing but 1/4 Infusers, Golem Foudry's and Golden Urns.  You're going need to have a good creature base and support cards surrounding your central-themed deck synergies.  I'm going to refrain from including cards like Grasp of Darkness or Arc Trail from this list.  It goes without saying that cards such as Galvanic Blast or Shatter make good additions to any deck;  the infuser deck is no different.  If you find yourself in a position to take these cards and successfully cast them, you should be taking them.  This section looks at the supporting cast (not the stars like the aforementioned removal spells). 

The Defensive/Advantage Creatures:

***Note*** This deck likes almost anything that has "Myr" in its name

Get it While It's Hot

This deck has an expiry date and you need to have your fun with it while you still can!  As people become more aware of the actual power of Vedalken Infuser they will begin either a) trying to draft the deck themself or b) cutting the deck components resulting in a necessity for you to take them high (resulting in your card quality being worse).  That's not the only thing working against the shelf-life of this deck:  when the next set arrives we'll have to speculate on whether we're going to see an Infuser or not while we're drafting the first booster.  This kind of speculation usually results in negative margins.  The point here is that this deck is likely specific to MSS drafts.  Have your fun, and success, with it while you can.

Oh, and if you're in a queue with me let the 1/4's skate by and leave me those Shriekhorns.

Until Next Time,

TRG

Captain of MTGO Clan Frat Broke (recruiting again)

TheRegularGangster on MTGO

17 Comments

Full of win. Although I never by SwolyswoND at Thu, 03/31/2011 - 13:12
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Full of win. Although I never see Infusers 1/3 as often as you do, apparently.

What are some typical high-pick MBS cards you would take VI over? I assume still not over any bomb rare, Flamefiend, Conscience, Mortarpod or Corrupter?

I take all those things over by TheRegularGangster at Thu, 03/31/2011 - 13:15
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I take all those things over Infuser. With his propensity to table I'll take Spread, GFTT, Flesh Eater Imp, Anatomist (you prob just forgot that one), and potentially Burn or even Divine Offering. Other than that I'm fine just taking Infuser first and seeing what happens.

I can agree with all those by SwolyswoND at Thu, 03/31/2011 - 13:46
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I can agree with all those (and yes just forgot Anatomist) except Divine Offering. Not sure why, but I'm not very high on that card. I probably just hate white.

To be fair I probably don't by TheRegularGangster at Thu, 03/31/2011 - 13:53
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To be fair I probably don't take Divine Offering over it either but mood depending I would consider it. White seems to be real strong when you're A) Drafting white infect when no one wants it or B) You get a healthy mix of Skyhunters and Glint Hawk Idols. I've had some absurd mono-white decks that just lose.

Just found a different by TheRegularGangster at Thu, 03/31/2011 - 15:40
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Just found a different variant of my STD deck. This is a reminder for you to remind me later!!!

whaaaaat by el_pato at Thu, 03/31/2011 - 13:31
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April Fools is tomorrow, silly! Not today. Just kidding, nice article. If I had such tech I would never share it with the world. You are a saint.

"Ummmm . . . How Do I Put 8 by Paul Leicht at Thu, 03/31/2011 - 16:02
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"Ummmm . . . How Do I Put 8 or 9 Red Dots on This Jpeg?" I would download and use g.i.m.p. to do that fairly easily.

Tried it by Grazingcattle at Thu, 03/31/2011 - 17:08
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I Started the draft with P1P1 Black sun, no infuser in pack. Grabbed black sun...
P1P2 I snap draft a tezz AOB... no infuser (the guy to my right crashed and missed his first 2 picks)
I never got a Infuser but still got to the finals with the same general strategy... IF I had an infuser in the deck it would have been retarded good...

Someone else at the table was drafting blue and I played them round 1... Shriekhorn won the match, and trinket mage for it is Awesome!

Really enjoyed the article and Had a great draft this afternoon!

On an aside I just wanted to thank the author for another great article. I am new to MTGO and these articles are well written and Helpful. I cant Thank you enough for taking the time out of your busy schedule to help build the community and help newbies like me find success

Cool strategy by silverwyvern4 at Thu, 03/31/2011 - 19:41
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Cool strategy

I don't know that I'm likely by StealthBadger at Fri, 04/01/2011 - 07:48
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5

I don't know that I'm likely to be bold enough to draft this archetype (if they kill your infusers or you don't draw them, isn't the deck just sort of random weak cards?), but this was a great read.

I would like to say that IMO, you're putting out easily the best content on this site at the moment. Really good stuff.

Aside; Is golem foundry good enough? Even with an infuser (and say, casting an artifact ~every 2 turns), you're probably only making one 3/3 every couple of turns for a fairly significant investment of time and mana?

hello by GGKO at Fri, 04/01/2011 - 10:49
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hello theregulargangster,firstly i want tell you that i like your articles on puremtgo.
i've drafted this (kind of) archetype last week as a test (1st picked corrupted conscience), and you pointed out in this article my leaks ie: trigon of rage was not that great.

i want to say that "titan forge was a pain cause long to cast" my opponent just waited that i use my mana each round to shatter it.

i think this archetype have tough matchup against good infects deck.

sorry for my bad english, it's not my primary language.

thanks again

Drafted my first VI yesterday by SwolyswoND at Fri, 04/01/2011 - 11:17
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Drafted my first VI yesterday (after p1p1 Corrupted Conscience, p1p2 Go for the Throat, then a pack with nothing else), but the other VI I saw did not wheel from p1p2.

I got a couple things to use the VI with - Tumble Magnet, Trigon of Corruption, and a late Shriekhorn. But the rest of the deck was extremely solid UB control, like Grasp of Darkness, flyers, Trinket Mage, 2x Scudder, etc.

And then infect stomped my face round 1.

These articles are a great by ThatDude at Sat, 04/02/2011 - 23:48
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These articles are a great read! I have been impressed with VI when I've played against him on a couple of occasions but never actually considered that he could be built around.

I actually tried this last night in a draft and ran a U/r control deck with only 1 VI and x2 Necrogen Censer, Culling Dias, and a Trigon of Throught. The deck had a lot of removal and was pretty solid but the VI was the definite MVP. By himself he won me a few games comboing with a Necrogen Censer and in other generating insane CA with a Culling Dias. Just a fun card and a really fun deck to play.

Hopefully I can give this a try again before it gets too popular.

I had one the other day that by TheRegularGangster at Sun, 04/03/2011 - 10:11
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I had one the other day that had Myr Welder, who was a house. I had 2 infusers out and a golem foundry in the bin, so the welder imprinted that and started making tons of golems.

Somebody blew up your golem by StealthBadger at Mon, 04/04/2011 - 17:56
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Somebody blew up your golem foundry?! :P

It was collecting 2 infuser by TheRegularGangster at Thu, 04/07/2011 - 15:46
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It was collecting 2 infuser counters per turn + any artifact counters from artifacts that I topped.

I rarely draft control or by Barbarian King at Mon, 04/04/2011 - 23:08
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I rarely draft control or blue cards for that matter but after getting an Angel first pick and an Atonomist second pick I decided to take the third pick Infuser from a fairly weak pack and give this deck a try.

Ended up losing in round 2, some how for a U/W deck I had surprisingly few fliers and that cost me. Still the deck seemed good and I'd consider playing it again if I find myself drafting blue.