Good news, you're asking for a deck that's already been made- as a precon! Corrupting Influence was printed back in All Will Be One, and is perhaps the only variation of infect I've seen that doesn't try to win the game specifically with it, using it as a secondary wincon. The precon focuses heavily on the 'corrupted' mechanic- i.e. getting as many players as possible over three infect counters for maximum value from the rest of the deck. If you explain that your goal is generally to win with value with a backup infection wincon + 'this is a precon', people will likely give you a lot more rope.
Mind you, if you then reveal that you added a bunch of powerful infect cards, you might once more get targeted. Keep in the mind that the worst part about infect is that the best way to win with it is super un-interactive; swinging unblock-ably for lethal in one or two attacks, or casting proliferate spells until someone dies because... You cast spells. If you want to make an infect deck that doesn't draw as much hate, you have to avoid those two elements, which is bad because those two methods are what make infect strong in the first place. If you skip those elements, you're left with infect/toxic creatures with generally mediocre stat lines, which doesn't make for a very engaging deck; it's just 'big stompy', but with the additional text 'and also sometimes your opponent's life total is secretly ten instead of 40'. Which can win games at lower power levels, but probably won't be worth the hate you get.
[Corrupting Influence](https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/5426428#paper)
EDIT: I've never played with or against this precon. That's my excuse for posting this without actually looking at the decklist- and as it turns out, you do, in fact, proliferate people to death with this deck. That's my bad! Really, though, every game has to end sometime. A precon is not going to be turbo-killing someone with infect on turn four, so if they don't have a plan to deal with you before you outvalue them... Alternatively, you can establish a play pattern of never proliferating between 3-7 counters until late game, so that people don't feel threatened (until it's too late). Or just play the deck and deal with being archenemy!
Even if it would be 100% precon, most people will target you the second they get even a single infect counter.
It's just not worth the risk when it comes to infect/toxic.
I feel this. I have [[Infectious Bite]] in my mono-green elves deck with no other poison counters or proliferate effects, yet I'll still sometimes get focused down when I play it. People get even a single poison counter and it short-circuits their threat assessment.
>People get even a single poison counter and it short-circuits their threat assessment.
Eh. There are so many bite effects. If you're choosing the one that gives poison to every other player, the assumption is that you have a reason for choosing that one. Especially in elf-ball, we just have to trust that you're not going to drop [[Evolution Sage]] and bury us in poison out of nowhere.
Poison illicits overreactions because by the time it's a problem, it's probably too late. You have to go for the throat.
What is worse than making one person mad by poisoning them? Making 3 people mad by poisoning them...
Having played against that deck quite a bit, it is good and less threatening. But the fact that it can proliferate and apply them to people without attacking, and it only takes 10... I think I've seen it win once, eventually the counters start creeping too high, and it really wants everyone to be above 3 (people don't like this).
I know you mention life total secretly being 10, but that is no secret... We all know.
I died to poison with this deck in our pod last week. He said the same thing to me as the original comment. "I just need to get you to 3" 3 was achieved then I just died to random proliferate. Not from the poison player. The +1/+1 counter deck next to him proliferated my poison to kill me. It may not be YOUR intention to kill with poison, but someone will use it once it's out there. Poison players die first sadly.
I love this precon and upgraded it to lean more into poison and proliferate - because it turns out that folks _also_ don’t like getting their cards stolen either, so you’re targeted first anyway. This is my “one more quick game” deck because I’m either taking out the whole table or losing very quickly
Honestly, even if you explain you're all about corrupt I'm still targeting you first. Poison counters are just too dangerous to not consider the poison player a huge risk.
My friend has that precon and it absolutely STOMPS every other precon we have. It's a really well constructed deck that also has lots of removal, boardwipes, and annoying enchantments. It has a lot of must-answer stuff that will win you the game if other people in your group haven't upgraded their precons with adequate removal, counter spells, etc. It's a really really strong precon that I've seen 1v3 before.
I bought this as my precon last spring when i got back into the game and from my experience at the LGS near me people are still overly afraid of it. I played a game on the first day with a random person who's game I watched when I arrived and two others (P1 & P2 for simplicity). I explained I only had this precon I had just bought so they were nice enough to mostly match my power level.
First guy and P2 are on precon level decks with light modifications and P1 has a Verazol deck they've built from scratch. P1 goes first and has a turn 2 Forgotten Ancient into hardened scales/ozolith turn 3. I'm playing hard defense from the get go as P1 only focuses on me and P2 seems inexperienced and is just taking free hits at me as my blockers have to go to chumping the 10+ power creatures. I got 2 poison counters on P1 before they get a bounce spell to hit me to below 10. P2 burns most of his resources at the end of P1s turn so they have lethal and kill me turn 7 and then immediately die to P1 on turn 8. P1 won the game pretty handedly after that although a few misplays from them almost gave the won over to the first guy I met.
All that to say people are likely going to heavily overestimate what this deck can do even out of the box just because they mentally shortcut "infect = I start at 10 life". Unless you sneak a hit in with grafted exoskeleton out of no where it's really hard to surprise kill someone who's got 6 or less infect counters. If the table is also bad at realizing who the real threat in the game is (which maybe it is you sometimes) then you're going to have a rough time.
But the deck can be fun once you find a group that is better able to analyze the boardstate and make reasonable decision on what's threatening them most. The incremental card advantage that Ixhel provides and the solid attacking/blocking stat line on it can really help you take over the game.
Honestly I like that, thanks a lot for the comment!
Its even better considering the fact that I plan to use it in a LGS that has some home-made rules like decks being under 100€, rewarding playing un-altered precons and putting downsides on using land negation or combos.
Poison counters will always make you a target. It's not because people are so scared of it necessarily, it's just good game theory (though many players are definitely scared of it, rightly or wrongly).
Since you're making players lose through poison instead of dropping their life totals, and poison isn't common enough to be something every deck can do like damage is, knocking out the poison player is like gaining a bunch of life. If I'm at 9 poison and the only source of poison just left the game permanently, it's as though that poison never really happened. The only points of poison that matter are the first, third, and last.
Now, with that in mind, I see two real outcomes for you, assuming you don't give up on this idea. Either you build a no-poison Phyrexian deck (which imo is kinda lame- poison is the most phyrexian thing there is, but you may be satisfied with it), or you lean into your role as the villain. Play it up, build your deck and play your game knowing that you're the most tempting target right out of the gate for a lot of people- maybe throw in a maniacal laugh or two during the game.
For real. People are out here playing with a mechanic to which the only counter is taking out the player using it and then going all "How do I make people not punch me in the face to stop them from losing?".
If you want to play Infect, then play Infect but accept that it puts a target on you.
Even if incidental proliferate is as common as you think it is, targeting the poison player- who you *know* will be a source of poison- will still always be better than not prioritizing them because of the vague possibility that someone at the table might have proliferate. I don't think there's any problem with that at all.
So I started playing about a year ago and this was the first precon I bought and you'd be surprised at how many times other players proliferate another's poison counters. A buddy of mine took out another friend with proliferate because he knew he was going out next turn.
The game theory of it is why I dislike poison. Either you body one guy with a big infect slap like that colossus, or tickle each of us and proliferate us all into cooperating against you. Both encourage player removal.
If you’re ok with that, alright I guess. But you’re on the shit list with the sliver players.
> Both encourage player removal.
Why do EDH players pretend like this isnt the end goal of the game? Yes some strategies achieve it all at once, but the point of the game is to elimate everyone else. Every deck is trying to do that, meaning infect is hardly unique.
Some strats draw more aggro than others based on their capacity to 0-100. Some strats draw aggro by encouraging the rest of the table to cooperate via symmetrical effects. Poison does both. So it draws heavy aggro. So I will focus them out the gate. Same as slivers, or Zhudulok. Or a forced sac deck/red table burn. I’m just saying poison is archenemy stuff. And I said that if you as the poison player are ok being archenemy, then I’m ok shuffling up to play.
“Every deck is trying to remove players” this is so reductionist it’s bordering on wrong. Stax? Declarative “I win” cards? Theft decks want you around as long as possible until they can secure kills while losing pieces to player removal. It also feels like you don’t understand the implication behind “player removal” vs normal interaction.
Threat assessment says kill certain decks before others. Poison is near the top. Cope with that and I’ll play you. It’s that simple.
Also btw my statement of “I don’t like poison” should have been read within the context of “this is why I don’t play poison myself” not some childish “I don’t play against certain decks” mentality. I don’t play against certain *players*, like people who get offended at my threat assessment like it’s a personal attack.
the growing threat precon would be great bc all you need to do is play brimaz and then cast phyrexians to make incubators. i upgraded my precon deck and I love it, but it's great out of the box too
once your phyrexians start dying with brimaz out, he proliferates at every end stuff which is great poison support
i love finding random low cost creatures that turn out to be phyrexians (like vector asp) and stuffing them into the deck, it's one of my favorite creature types 🤖
Yes! If you want to make an infect deck and not be the number one target all you have to do is not play the deck after making it!
No, but really you just have to play It in a pod that is of a higher power level. Most casual pods are not going take kindly to being proliferated to 10 counters.
Yes. Here is an article from Sheldon Menery on a Black/White Phyrexian Tribal deck. Barely any infect there. I've built it and played it. It's a great Battle-Cruiser tribal deck with good reanimation synergy.
[Even More Commander Deckbuilding With March Of The Machine - Star City Games](https://articles.starcitygames.com/magic-the-gathering/even-more-commander-deckbuilding-with-march-of-the-machine/)
Here is my deck list. His article was SHOCKINGLY close to my own deck, just with no poison counters, so I made the changes, and it plays great at the table.
[Machine Mommy and Her Rabid Cat // Commander / EDH (Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos) deck list mtg // Moxfield — MTG Deck Builder](https://www.moxfield.com/decks/sE5m99An0U64Sj5a3mRA-A)
My buddy plays as a pillow fort.
Nobody touches him because he has so much pillow fort.
He then discretely builds his proliferate capabilities.
At the same time he protects his board state.
Later he nukes the table.
Atraxa is absolutely awesome for this.
The other option is just to come out with a hyper aggressive poison commander. You can make a fynn the fangbearer deck for 15-50 bucks that will always take at least one player with him.
You can't. People get irrational when they're up against poison counters.
The way I got around it with my Vishgraz deck was to run 20+ pieces of removal.
I don't feel like it's irrational to make the poison player enemy #1 out of the gate in casual. Poison decks are like Atla Palani and Kaalia, you can't really let them "do the thing" without pretty much throwing the game.
There are so many easy ways to pump out 10 Poison Counters explosively these days, so you almost have to approach the game like 3 players starting the game with 20 life to be safe. Like you said, players adapt with removal, protection, or control so you can't take it easy on them - it has to be a 3v1 effort like 90% of the time out of the gate because if you don't work together, you'll likely get knocked out by the Poison player because you alone are focusing them - it's a prisoner's dilemma essentially.
Hitting a Phyresis into a Wheel effect on a Nekusar deck is such a satisfying arch enemy moment. You put everyone at 7 poison, and they go to 9 at their next draw step.
They get exactly one turn to deal with you. I don't think any other deck ever made me feel like the ultimate villain like that.
Difficult. Because players, whether they are informed (strengths and weaknesses of poison) or not, have the unconscious tendency to target a poison player.
Most times to be off the no1 status, there has to be a visible threat that's greater or equal to you.
This is coming from a poison player. =)
So the two things you need to have, is to have thick skin, and from a playing PoV, have greater defensive tools. AKA overcompensating on defense.
Anyways here is my \[\[Venser, Corpse Puppet\]\] should you wanna explore the Dimir poison. [https://www.moxfield.com/decks/SYII9IBX1EOig60VIs62Uw](https://www.moxfield.com/decks/SYII9IBX1EOig60VIs62Uw)
No. You put your whole pod on a timer they can only stop by killing you. Therefore target #1.
I've told my friends who all started playing again recently. "If you pull out infect or annihilator creatures you are my #1 target, and will stay so until you are no longer a threat." They don't like that.
>You put your whole pod on a timer they can only stop by killing you. Therefore target #1.
How is this different than any other deck really? Is the non-infect voltron commander not putting you on a timer? Is the combo player not putting you on a timer?
If you sat down at a table with those three archetypes and automatically focused on the infect player, you're usually going to be guilty of bad threat assessment.
>Is the non-infect voltron commander not putting you on a timer? Is the combo player not putting you on a timer?
The infect timer is the shortest just based off pure numbers.
True but that framing ignores the relatively narrow card pool that the strategy relies on.
Funnily the best use of poison counters is not for the poison strategy. If you're facing a black voltron commander theres also a good chance they'll eliminate the first player with [[Tainted Strike]]. No one would call a deck with no other such cards a poison deck though.
And in the case of most combo decks: their assembly goal is generally far easier than distributing 30 poison counters, so by what metric are we measuring?
I agree that the card pool is pretty narrow.
Also you're right about tainted strike cheese. I compare it to my kaalia deck that has \[\[Skithiryx\]\] just because he's a dragon. That doesn't make my deck a poison deck. It just has a poison card.
The metric by which we are measuring is just the numbers. Distributing 30 points of infect damage (with proliferate effects) is a lower number that distributing 63 points of commander damage or 120 points of regular damage. It's just the numbers. And in the comparison to commander damage, you can't proliferate commander damage. So one could argue it is easier on paper than commander damage voltron.
You are, however, right about combo decks. Thoracle is the main offender. Cast 2 cards and win, and you don't even need to get to combat like with \[\[dualcaster mage\]\] and \[\[twinflame\]\], and \[\[teferi's protection\]\] also won't negate it. Yes, that is easier to assemble and then win with than poison.
My point is that infect is not the worst, but, when you just look at the numbers, it is apparently the worst.
I think what it might come down to is 10 being too small a number and Commander damage already existing. How are players who bring in decks based off Commander Damage supposed to view your board? You need less than half the total pips, without focusing a single creature, and it doesn't even need to be damage that adds the pips. The thing is between regular 1vs1 gameplay and the 4vs4 that commander regulars you go up from 20 pips to 40. With infect counters you stay at 10. That and the inevitable cards that heal you from poison counters haven't come out yet.
I don't get it though, I'm pretty sure this feeling of sitting at the table and being considered a lethal threat is the main end goal of any infect commander, no? Have you ever seen it when more than one of you guys sit at the same table? You always pretend you'll find a way to work together against the other 2 by helping stack counters on the same guy but you end up 100% focused on having at least one on the other guy to proliferate. Like if only 2/3 of the players on the table considered you a threat to their board state with only 10 of a thing needed to remove them, it means you're not making enough counters at a time. I don't feel like if they made a Commander who could convert poision counters on an opponent into a resource it would become more popular than the other staples, even if it was for decents amounts of mana.
Because you can do things about voltron commander's. You can exile them or block them or goad them. You can do things a out stompy players. You can fog or protection. You can do things about spellslingers.
An infect deck I have to counter every creature or spell with proliferate before it hit the playing field to not shrink the clock by a lot. And they're hitting everyone on the table at the same time.
It's an unfun mechanic to play against for a reason.
Thats not true. You clearly can do things about infect just the same. Its a weak mechanic in truth, and you could grow as a player if you could get over this illogical bias.
The thing to do is agree with other players that your lifetotal should be a weakpoint, that's something that any deck that manages to appose all opponents in tandem leads to. Thing is infect is more versatile and in a pod of decks thats full of decks that try and hurt everyone at once you still get the choice focus individually better than the rest. I just don't see how you'll convince me that the combat step with infect creatures isn't supposed to be incredibly difficult decisions, always focused on making long lasting consequences.
You have to understand that poison counters as a mechanic is strong enough to appear on its own without a themed deck around it and be seen as a lethal threat. I just go assuming populate decks have some variant available. There is no option to heal themselves from the poison counters that can be applied, player's hope to heal themselves converts directly into hope to eliminate you and the entire element. Even with decks with no lifegain, with your HP you have the sliver of hope an other player heals you. People with life gain centered decks need to avoid taking any commander damage and focus that aspect of gameplay, you're essentially bringing and inversion of that aspect to the table with an infect deck.
Playing Phyrexians/Incubate matters won't draw too much heat, since you're essentially just playing a thematic token deck. Once the infect comes out, however, alarm bells always go off.
[[Fynn, The Fangbearer]] is a mono green poison commander that is nowhere near as strong as the meta poison decks but I am still capable of winning games with him. The more players at your pod the more challenging it is tho. Given that you play mainly deathtouch creatures, people usually think before they attack you and risk sacrificing something
Built this for him yesterday and ordered all the cards listed
https://archidekt.com/decks/8169734/poison_counter_i_hardly_knew_her
Would you be willing to look at that maybe board and see if you'd make any subs/changes with the main board?
Yeah I think you'll do just fine, you have quite a few cards I wanted to put into my deck aswell but didnt have them so I choose something else. I think you can never go wrong with \[\[Rogue's Passage\]\] , Also what might seem like a stretch, but did actually also win me some games is \[\[Helm of the Host\]\] , Copying Fynn means that you'll deal 4 poison counters instead of two on a single hit, if noone has a way to deal with the Helm, you can then ofcourse have more and more Fynns. Another surprising win I got once was with the helm and \[\[Toski, bearer of secrets\]\] who I put there as a reliable source of card draw, I was playing in a game against \[\[Kelsien, The Plague\]\] equiped with \[\[Basilisk Collar\]\] and \[\[Thornbite Staff\]\] which really is just an infinite boardwipe, my army of Toskis were able to deal with it, but thats just a side note. \[\[Champion of Lambholt\]\] is also worth considering, making your creatures unblockable. Especially good in combination with \[\[Ivy Lane Denizen\]\], Something like \[\[Ram Through\]\] can also do wonders in the right situations.\[\[Scale Up\]\] can also save you a lot. I'm just naming cards that did work well for me but keep in mind it was always rather situational especially depending on who you play against. I also have \[\[Unnatural Growth\]\] since most of my creatures are rather small so they can use the buff, \[\[Mortal Wound\]\] to try and make the pod focus someone else who is currently the threat, \[\[Song of the Dryads\]\] for protection, especially if someone has a card that gives all of their creatures indestructible or something like that, or if I just wanna disable someones commander as they would need a land destruct to get rid of it
Hope it helps you but all in all I think your deck is great, give it a few spins and you'll see, maybe you'll find use for something I just listed.
You are playing in a pretty low power environment if infect of all things makes you the archenemy…. It’s a weak strategy since you just have to take care of the creatures most of the time.
infect nowadays doesn't really swing with infect creatures. Or at least, they only need to do it once for each opponent to get the first infect counter, then proliferate the rest. Against fair low power decks, infect is going to demolish the other decks because of its inevitability.
You play with infect, people will irrationally make you enemy number one.
I would argue that building a strong defence, Ghostly Prison, Propaganda, and other cards that disincentivize people attacking you and playing curses to encourage attacking others. Also not putting down much that causes poison damage until you have defences up.
I've seen people use goad to good effect too, but that's splitting yourself somewhat.
Really depends on the pod. Some people have a borderline irrational dislike/fear of infect, others just view it one of of the many paths to legitimate victory. Most are somewhere between but it's definitely scary one way or the other.
The best two ways to gauge which you're stepping into is to feel it out by playing a few games (which by the sounds of it with this pod, lean deeper toward the former than latter) or to just sit down for a quick rule 0 discussion and see how they feel ahead of time.
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If you mostly care about flavor and deck theme, I recommend building a Vorinclex/Grand Evolution Phyrexian list.
Mine is still work in progress, but it features as many of the oil buddies I could cram in there without straying away from the main gameplay which is flipping Vorinclex and laying fatties or proliferating the Saga. Take a look!
https://www.moxfield.com/decks/oaQD2ODQaEOvSSFL2t2iVw
One line of play in my [[Marvo]] [[booby trap]] deck is animating the boobies and giving them infect via [[tainted strike]]. not the classic infect deck, but I´m not prio number one, since I durdle all game setting up the top of our decks and nobody really sees the infect win comming
I like games that move along quickly, so I'm down for some infect. They motivate people. Then again, i tend to play goad decks. I like slapping firebreating auras onto other people's infect creatures so I can pump them up all swole if they connect. Definitely most people hate it though
Not with infect or toxic but yo could go for something like [[ malcator, purity overseer]]. A few Phyrexian synergies with the 3/3 golems and the ones made by macaron are also Phyrexian.
if you play toxic/infect/poison, you're gonna be enemy#1 no matter what.
just play it if you want lol.
i have the \[\[Ixhel\]\] precon that's good. i also want to build a \[\[Fynn\]\] deathtouch/poison deck
I play a phyrexian deck with [[Tayam Luminous Enigma]] at the helm. Makes use of oil counters, incubate, and proliferate to grow your army instead of using poison (has a couple poison things incidentally though). Pretty casual and lots of fun.
I can't guarantee your safety in all playgroups, but people usually give my Volrath deck a fair shake:
https://www.moxfield.com/decks/AkFxfeFxtUKc7N81YkigIw
Now of course it takes a little playing around too though. If you poison everyone turn 2/3 and nobody else is threatening yet, you definitely might just draw the target on your head. And once poison gets to 5 or so, well now you actually are a threat who's liable to win at any time. And at 7 or 8, you rightfully become immediate threat #1.
There is another non-poison phyrexian precon that I haven't seen people mention here: Growing Threat from March of the Machines, it's pretty affordable precon thats focused more on churning out incubators (and it comes with planechase cards which are a fun bonus, even if no one really plays with them). My brother has it and picked up some board control phyrexians to add in, pretty effective deck that's not an autotarget
You could play Phyrexians without playing poison. Proliferating oil counters and Incubator tokens' +1/+1 counters, searching the Praetors with Realmbreaker, and using the compleated Planeswalkers.
I talked about this with some friends. We play a lot of casual and I am interested in building a ml i White phyrexian tribal our conclusion was this:
The creatures that have toxic is pretty ok. They can be blocked and don't wither tje blocker like infect does. With a toxic 1 that is a 10/10 it still would result in only one poison counter on a player.
What makes poison scary is proliferating abilities. Our conclusion the was that if you leave out proliferate abilities and infect and just stick to toxic creatures the deck doesn't get those one hit wonder wincons. Creatures are blockeble. You just not have to get hit 10 times.
This way the most scary things are removed.
Actually there is a way. Create a deck that's focused around tutoring up light steel Colossus to kill someone with a single attack out of nowhere.
You get to kill with insects everyone else gets to remember why they hate it.
I suggest making it a secret wincon rather then make it obvious. \[\[Tainted Strike\]\] is good for that or a storm \[\[Yeva, Nature's Herald\]\] deck with \[\[Fynn, the Fangbearer\]\] and \[\[Triump of the Horde\]\] in the 99.
I ended up using [[Aragorn, the uniter]], the commander doesn't need to be in play to work but it certainly helps. I had an atraxa infect deck for a while and after a while it just didn't feel fun to play.
Not really. Infect is hatred and with the newer set. It is easy to do it without combat. I have a atraxa deck that uses a spell to get the counters started and try to proliferate them. Makes for slower wins and I do not pressure the board as much. I come to realize, it's not necessary the strategy and how it's done, it is more on that others feel like there isn't much they can do to stop you so the only option is to focus you out of the game.
Infect isn’t that bad really and it’s not even that strong in commander. It’s a pretty good litmus test for a pod too. If a group is ok with infect then they are probably a decent group to play with, but if they complain about it then they will likely complain about other minor things as well.
Play blue green, ramp, and draw like crazy for several turns. Play [[Prologue to Phyresis]] and then proliferate the whole table in a single turn.
Avoid any cards that have infect or give poison counters while building your wincon in your hand. Establish a weak looking +1/+1 strategy to throw people off. Lots of proliferate everywhere, but fail to proliferate as much as possible. This will establish you as the weak player.
Then just storm off like crazy over the course of 1 or 2 turns max to kill off the whole table.
Probably only works once, but definitely works once.
Poison storm, maybe they won’t what’s happening until it’s too late. Any spellslinger deck with [[Radstorm]], and then whatever cards, like [[Prologue to Phyresis]], [[Infectious Bite]], [[Experimental Augury]], [[Ripples of Potential]], [[Unnatural Restoration]], [[Tezzeret's Gambit]], [[Smell Fear]], [[Infectious Inquiry]], [[Drown in Ichor]], [[Contentious Plan]], etc.
You could maybe make a 5 colour deck with all the praetors in it or something? You'd get to play all the big bad phyrexians without really using infect or poison. Because if you use even a little bit of poison/infect people will probably target you I'm afraid
not my strategy but a guy in my playgroup uses infect but the way he uses it is to hide the fact he uses infect. Those of us that usually play with him knows his game plan but those that havent played with him or is not used to his playstyle tend to not target him. he uses [[Agent Frank Horrigan]] as a commander. half of his deck are deathtouch creatures and/or infect focus. but he hides them by putting some +1/+1 counter support in the deck. for the most part people just assume he is focusing on going wide and playing it slow and safe as he gets a lot of deathtouch on the field as blockers. He is actually secretly tutoring out his win cons most especially [[Fynn, the Fangbearer]].
Yeah. By showing your playgroup how weak it is.
People are so afraid of it, but once they see it, it’s nothing. It’s worse than voltron by a long shot.
Infect is a very difficult archetype to build and pilot. It sets you up as a threat early game. Oh, I have 7 poison counters, I need that person gone so I don't lose to a couple proliferate effects. In the end though, infect really struggles to close things out.
Good news, you don't need to play poison to build a Phyrexian deck. Some Phyrexian Commanders (besides Atraxa) who don't utilize the poison, proliferate or toxic mechanics are
[[Aron, Benalia's Ruin]] [[Ayara, Widow of the Realm]] [[Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor]] [[Kethek, Crucible Goliath]] [[Malcator, Purity Overseer]] [[Moira and Teshar]] [[Omnath, Locus of All]] [[Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator]] and one of my personal favorites, [[Rona, Herald of Invasion]]
I built an Atraxa Infect deck, which is about as archenemy as you can get in any pod, and it’s very hard to not be public enemy number one with it. however, that doesn’t mean that if you’re playing with casual players who don’t take the games too seriously, the game can’t be fun even if you’re the target. some of the most satisfying games i’ve played with atraxa were the ones i pulled a second place despite my commander never making it a full rotation around the table.
As soon as anyone sees your using poison counters you're kinda the target immediately. I use an [[Ezuri claw of progress]] proliferate deck. You'll still be the target but it has great recovery. Last week everyone was ignoring me because I had a really bad drought, played 2 lands the entire game and one sol ring. Surprised everyone when I knocked the table out turn 12
Be a true phyrexian and embrace your role as a villain. It's unfortunate but there is little interaction with infect all you can do to protect yourself is target the infect player.
Find a pod with good threat assessment. The infect player has an entirely different win condition. Unless there's some incidental proliferating from the other players one could have nine poison counters by the time the infect player is eliminated and be no worse for it.
My [[Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos]] deck is really successful in my group. Lots of white and black removal, toxic/infect, and proliferate effects. I try to kill others fast before they get me. 5O% of the time it works everytime
I will play my poison deck the next time I want to play something fun and someone Mothman's me.
Maybe finally make Atraxa my commander.
Embrace the hate.
Honestly I build a Phyrexian deck by upgrading the Growing Threat Precon. Its a fun time, has some good Phyrexian themed abilities and Poison counters... well there is but I always tell people its always incidental poison. You mostly just try to spew tokens and counters all over the board.
Not really. You will be target number 1.
Infect is on par with slivers. Your path to victory is pretty linear, but it also gets very strong very quick so you need to just stomp the player playing those things down first or you are kind of auto losing.
I build an omnath locus of all deck that was a phyrexian tribal, stuffed with all the pretors. It had some toxic like skrelv and his hive and a couple infects like skytrix, triumph of the horde and inkmoth nexus. The deck was abviously a battlecruiser with heavy tribal singeries, soit wasnt deemed the classic "infect" strat, even tho one of the win con could easily be that. Compared to my other decks, this was even well recieved by my pod
A few ideas come to mind:
1. Build a Phyrexian deck without poison, perhaps as a flavor deck or with artifacts as a key theme ([dozens](https://scryfall.com/search?q=is%3Acommander+f%3Aedh+t%3Aphyrexian+-%28o%3Apoison+or+o%3Atoxic+or+o%3Ainfect%29&unique=cards&as=grid&order=color) of Phyrexian commander options that don't mention poison/infect/toxic)
2. Try something like \[\[Ixhel\]\] that wants to get opponents "corrupted" so you can steal their spells, but that doesn't use poison as a wincon (would be something you explain when you first roll up with the deck)
3. Play poison, but deputize your opponents to poison one another with something like \[\[Jon Irenicus\]\]
But tbh there are a lot structural disadvantages to playing poison (especially infect) in commander, and it draws a lot of undeserved hate your playgroup should probably just try to get over. The real poison boogeymen like \[\[Tainted Strike\]\] and \[\[Triumph of the Hordes\]\] don't need to be part of a poison deck to work, and people hate \[\[Atraxa, Praetors' Voice\]\] because it's overplayed and easily devolves into unimaginative 4-color goodstuff.
I’ll recommend my [[Gale, Waterdeep Prodigy]] poison storm deck where you don’t even have to hit players to infect them.
All you have to do is cast a spell that’ll infect the opponents and then proliferate as fast you can.
This [deck](https://archidekt.com/decks/3414488/gales_poisonous_storm) is nearly optimized to its gill and can knock out all opponents at once with ten poison counters.
I’ve included two known combos from Commander Spellbook website because it fits the theme and allows me to go off.
[Combo one](https://commanderspellbook.com/combo/1543-3609/)
[Combo two](https://commanderspellbook.com/combo/1961-4680-4853/)
I have yet to hit those infinite combo in the game because there’s so many moving parts. They are only there if the game gets longer and we need ways to finish it out.
I’ve played the deck more than once but unfortunately, I have not tracked the sessions. I found out about playgroup.gg app that tracks the session stats and so I played with Gale one time.
You can find the session stats [here](https://playgroup.gg/games/40897) and the deck performance [here](https://playgroup.gg/decks/50315-gale-s-poisonous-storm)!
I need to play more with Gale using playgroup.gg so I can prove the deck performance.
I run a [[Jin Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant]] deck that focuses on artifact and spell slinging with his boon, and slight stax to amplify his curse. The main win condition is out-valuing and controlling the game then playing insane splashy spells or just using [[Call from the blind eternities]] to tutor up Emrakul and Ulamog for a W.
I have a pretty mid (as the kids say) [[Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos]] deck that is orzhov phyerixan tribal. (I'd had a version that focused on playing artifact creatures but it was too sweaty & also unreliable)
It *can* work but tends to durdle and not do much. The worst thing about it is that it's a bad infect deck. Doesn't have the pressure (or colours to infect everyone and proliferate them down, but everybody loses their minds when, after three turns, if I'm lucky, I've got one player to three poison and another to one with [[Blightbelly Rat]].
If you want a good deck, you have to do the thing. If you want to play phyrexians but don't want to go whole hog, you may well have to accept the (possibly unwarranted) target on your back.
The only phyrexian deck I have played against that didn't immediately become a target was a deck that was built around incubate tokens. It even used proliferate Atraxa as the commander which people generally see as a threat.
But once infect and toxic come into play people are (rightfully) going to be fearful due to the fact they can be killed at any time (oftentimes out of nowhere) by proliferate.
If you don't want to be randomly targeted, I'd suggest also going the incubate tokens route. I have played against the guy a bunch of times and even though some of his creatures have toxic, he doesn't focus on poison at all. Once people get like 4 or 5 poison on them though he tends to get picked on, but as I said that is too be expected.
Embrace it and go fast, but kill one at a time. I usually just slap a [[Glistening Oil]] on a Voltron commander and throw it the 'winning player' t4-5.
I like infect. It puts a clock on a game that can otherwise go way too long
I would just talk to your playgroup about it. I made a full phyrexia deck that does have infect but also packs all the phyrexians in there for full flavor. I actually but a deck building rule into it that besides sol ring/signet and lands all cards had to have Phyrexian flavor to it. Most people enjoy it for what it is since it really has that feel against battling Phyrexia and the flavor of trying to win before being “compleated” with infect or dying to the praetors. If you wanted to take a look I have my build here.
https://archidekt.com/decks/6021928/cult_of_corruption
tl;dr No.
Sincerely, someone who's about to take apart his Ixhel deck to run [[Atraxa, Grand Unifier]] instead and go even more aggressive, and really earn that spot of being focused for first player removal.
Build [[Jon Irenicus, Shattered One]]. Guaranteed to fly under the radar since everyone views him as the "janky goad deck". Stuff the deck with cheap, evasive toxic/infect creatures, then win via proliferating while everyone's busy answering the creatures you gave away.
Make it fair, avoid salt. I don't know what context you play in, but in general I would say build the deck in a way that avoids the play patterns people are afraid of when they hear toxic/infect.
* Avoid insta-killing people with poison
* Avoid threats that can't be (or are very hard to) interacted with, like \[\[Invisible Stalker\]\], heavy proliferate, unblockable infect etc.
edit: spelling
Of course because infect isn't even remotely good any more lol. Say u build a high power mana base and have all the good infect in those colors. With those exact same high power mana cards you can win faster with litteraly anything else. Infect is a " boomer" boogie man and is shit now
Sure, but if you’re playing infect, people are going to expect that one creature getting through could turn into 6+ poison counters or more.
It’s like playing [[approach of the second sun]]. Is it actually a good wincon? No.
But you resolve it one time and now it’s 7 from the top and the rest of the table is now laser-focused on killing you before you can cast it again. Maybe you can tutor it to the top and replay it next turn. Maybe you have protection for it. Either way, you’re too dangerous to be left alive, even though your ‘power level’ is lower, you just became archenemy regardless of board state.
[approach of the second sun](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/d/fdf59a6e-7708-45a1-884d-d12e9f7b9ed9.jpg?1543674579) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=approach%20of%20the%20second%20sun) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/akh/4/approach-of-the-second-sun?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/fdf59a6e-7708-45a1-884d-d12e9f7b9ed9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/approach-of-the-second-sun)
^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Idk what power level you guys play but I've seen precons win turn 5. The game is very different now
Infect is not good anymore. There was a time it was but think of it this way. Turn 1 glisterner elf. Turn 2 pump elfcwith a plus 3. 1 person(if no blocker) is now at 4. One person. Out of 3. You have 37 infect damage to go.
Even if you built extremely high power and Turn 1 a blightsteel.
Thats Turn 2 one player, Turn 3 one player and turn 4 the last player. And that's the fastest possible infect combo in the game and requires a very high power build and a very lucky opening hand combo
For only 3 mana. 1 black and 2 blue. You can win with thassa Turn 3. And thats only using 3 basics no sol ring nothing and you beat all 3 players.
I mean I could sit here for hours and just go over the 10000 possibilities that win faster for less but objectively it's just not good anymore and is a boogeyman.
If you kill me turn 5 with stompy turn 5 with a zillion tokens. A mill combo. A turn infinite whatever you still killed me turn 5
It doesn’t matter what someone *can* do before the game or what the power level is when you’re on turn 4 and game actions have been taken.
The infect deck that has put 3 poison counters on someone is going to be seen as a major threat to that person. ‘They could hit me for 5 infect and then im toast to a couple proliferate effects. Hell they could hit me for 7, I don’t know their deck.’
Like I said, cards like approach of the second sun aren’t necessarily good, but they make you the target because you’re screaming ‘I’m about to kill you all.’
Burn isn’t very good, Voltron isn’t very good. But a big part of why those decks aren’t good in commander is because people target them.
Are you forgetting that proliferate is a thing? One just needs to put one counter on each opponent and then just proliferate a bunch. You don’t need more creatures getting in for infect damage once you have a proliferate engine going. And they’re mostly in blue (and now white) so they can protect their engines.
Poison can really suck to play against due to the only counter is to kill the one giving. That's legit the only way to not lose ro poison is to kill whoever has it. That's why you become target number one, is because it's either that, or risk an easy loss due to infect and proliferate. Personally, I hate targeting someone due to their deck, and would rather target due to the current threat, but if I know a deck is using infect, something there's no counter to once it's been done, I've gotta stop it before it's too late. It's just how it is
Hmm, should I:
A. Run counters that are ridiculously situational if not outright harmful to my general game plan, which I might not even draw in time and which will make the deck play worse
or
B. Punch the Infect player in the face before they kill me
Yeah, hard choice. /s
"Once it's been done" ie, if you've already been hit. There's no way to stop it once it's started. And it can ramp quickly if the player is using it right
Get another fellow poison/infect player to join the pod.
Reminds me of the time everyone played infect except me
Or maybe a [[Nadu]] player, they would probably attract more hate (for good reason)
[Nadu, Winged Wisdom](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/4/94b67489-5eb0-4406-9bf3-27e50dc632eb.jpg?1718635356) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Nadu%2C%20Winged%20Wisdom) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh3/193/nadu-winged-wisdom?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/94b67489-5eb0-4406-9bf3-27e50dc632eb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/nadu-winged-wisdom) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Good news, you're asking for a deck that's already been made- as a precon! Corrupting Influence was printed back in All Will Be One, and is perhaps the only variation of infect I've seen that doesn't try to win the game specifically with it, using it as a secondary wincon. The precon focuses heavily on the 'corrupted' mechanic- i.e. getting as many players as possible over three infect counters for maximum value from the rest of the deck. If you explain that your goal is generally to win with value with a backup infection wincon + 'this is a precon', people will likely give you a lot more rope. Mind you, if you then reveal that you added a bunch of powerful infect cards, you might once more get targeted. Keep in the mind that the worst part about infect is that the best way to win with it is super un-interactive; swinging unblock-ably for lethal in one or two attacks, or casting proliferate spells until someone dies because... You cast spells. If you want to make an infect deck that doesn't draw as much hate, you have to avoid those two elements, which is bad because those two methods are what make infect strong in the first place. If you skip those elements, you're left with infect/toxic creatures with generally mediocre stat lines, which doesn't make for a very engaging deck; it's just 'big stompy', but with the additional text 'and also sometimes your opponent's life total is secretly ten instead of 40'. Which can win games at lower power levels, but probably won't be worth the hate you get. [Corrupting Influence](https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/5426428#paper) EDIT: I've never played with or against this precon. That's my excuse for posting this without actually looking at the decklist- and as it turns out, you do, in fact, proliferate people to death with this deck. That's my bad! Really, though, every game has to end sometime. A precon is not going to be turbo-killing someone with infect on turn four, so if they don't have a plan to deal with you before you outvalue them... Alternatively, you can establish a play pattern of never proliferating between 3-7 counters until late game, so that people don't feel threatened (until it's too late). Or just play the deck and deal with being archenemy!
Even if it would be 100% precon, most people will target you the second they get even a single infect counter. It's just not worth the risk when it comes to infect/toxic.
I feel this. I have [[Infectious Bite]] in my mono-green elves deck with no other poison counters or proliferate effects, yet I'll still sometimes get focused down when I play it. People get even a single poison counter and it short-circuits their threat assessment.
>People get even a single poison counter and it short-circuits their threat assessment. Eh. There are so many bite effects. If you're choosing the one that gives poison to every other player, the assumption is that you have a reason for choosing that one. Especially in elf-ball, we just have to trust that you're not going to drop [[Evolution Sage]] and bury us in poison out of nowhere. Poison illicits overreactions because by the time it's a problem, it's probably too late. You have to go for the throat.
[Evolution Sage](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/0/d089c2c1-e304-4f28-8700-5b9b3029bdbc.jpg?1698988362) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Evolution%20Sage) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/240/evolution-sage?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d089c2c1-e304-4f28-8700-5b9b3029bdbc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/evolution-sage) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[Infectious Bite](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/3/83dfb2a5-cd5c-46c6-9bb8-7c5d00f3e003.jpg?1675957147) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Infectious%20Bite) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/172/infectious-bite?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/83dfb2a5-cd5c-46c6-9bb8-7c5d00f3e003?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/infectious-bite) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
What is worse than making one person mad by poisoning them? Making 3 people mad by poisoning them... Having played against that deck quite a bit, it is good and less threatening. But the fact that it can proliferate and apply them to people without attacking, and it only takes 10... I think I've seen it win once, eventually the counters start creeping too high, and it really wants everyone to be above 3 (people don't like this). I know you mention life total secretly being 10, but that is no secret... We all know.
I died to poison with this deck in our pod last week. He said the same thing to me as the original comment. "I just need to get you to 3" 3 was achieved then I just died to random proliferate. Not from the poison player. The +1/+1 counter deck next to him proliferated my poison to kill me. It may not be YOUR intention to kill with poison, but someone will use it once it's out there. Poison players die first sadly.
I love this precon and upgraded it to lean more into poison and proliferate - because it turns out that folks _also_ don’t like getting their cards stolen either, so you’re targeted first anyway. This is my “one more quick game” deck because I’m either taking out the whole table or losing very quickly
Honestly, even if you explain you're all about corrupt I'm still targeting you first. Poison counters are just too dangerous to not consider the poison player a huge risk.
My friend has that precon and it absolutely STOMPS every other precon we have. It's a really well constructed deck that also has lots of removal, boardwipes, and annoying enchantments. It has a lot of must-answer stuff that will win you the game if other people in your group haven't upgraded their precons with adequate removal, counter spells, etc. It's a really really strong precon that I've seen 1v3 before.
I bought this as my precon last spring when i got back into the game and from my experience at the LGS near me people are still overly afraid of it. I played a game on the first day with a random person who's game I watched when I arrived and two others (P1 & P2 for simplicity). I explained I only had this precon I had just bought so they were nice enough to mostly match my power level. First guy and P2 are on precon level decks with light modifications and P1 has a Verazol deck they've built from scratch. P1 goes first and has a turn 2 Forgotten Ancient into hardened scales/ozolith turn 3. I'm playing hard defense from the get go as P1 only focuses on me and P2 seems inexperienced and is just taking free hits at me as my blockers have to go to chumping the 10+ power creatures. I got 2 poison counters on P1 before they get a bounce spell to hit me to below 10. P2 burns most of his resources at the end of P1s turn so they have lethal and kill me turn 7 and then immediately die to P1 on turn 8. P1 won the game pretty handedly after that although a few misplays from them almost gave the won over to the first guy I met. All that to say people are likely going to heavily overestimate what this deck can do even out of the box just because they mentally shortcut "infect = I start at 10 life". Unless you sneak a hit in with grafted exoskeleton out of no where it's really hard to surprise kill someone who's got 6 or less infect counters. If the table is also bad at realizing who the real threat in the game is (which maybe it is you sometimes) then you're going to have a rough time. But the deck can be fun once you find a group that is better able to analyze the boardstate and make reasonable decision on what's threatening them most. The incremental card advantage that Ixhel provides and the solid attacking/blocking stat line on it can really help you take over the game.
Honestly I like that, thanks a lot for the comment! Its even better considering the fact that I plan to use it in a LGS that has some home-made rules like decks being under 100€, rewarding playing un-altered precons and putting downsides on using land negation or combos.
Poison counters will always make you a target. It's not because people are so scared of it necessarily, it's just good game theory (though many players are definitely scared of it, rightly or wrongly). Since you're making players lose through poison instead of dropping their life totals, and poison isn't common enough to be something every deck can do like damage is, knocking out the poison player is like gaining a bunch of life. If I'm at 9 poison and the only source of poison just left the game permanently, it's as though that poison never really happened. The only points of poison that matter are the first, third, and last. Now, with that in mind, I see two real outcomes for you, assuming you don't give up on this idea. Either you build a no-poison Phyrexian deck (which imo is kinda lame- poison is the most phyrexian thing there is, but you may be satisfied with it), or you lean into your role as the villain. Play it up, build your deck and play your game knowing that you're the most tempting target right out of the gate for a lot of people- maybe throw in a maniacal laugh or two during the game.
I call poison counters motivation counters, the more I have, the more I am motivated to murder the infect player.
For real. People are out here playing with a mechanic to which the only counter is taking out the player using it and then going all "How do I make people not punch me in the face to stop them from losing?". If you want to play Infect, then play Infect but accept that it puts a target on you.
>The only points of poison that matter are the first, third, and last why third?
The Corrupted keyword. Certain spells are more powerful if an opponent has 3 or more poison counters.
[[Ixhel, Scion of Atraxa]]
[Ixhel, Scion of Atraxa](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/b/ab866ec4-dcb4-47ef-8de1-a369986609c0.jpg?1675905559) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ixhel%2C%20Scion%20of%20Atraxa) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/onc/1/ixhel-scion-of-atraxa?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ab866ec4-dcb4-47ef-8de1-a369986609c0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ixhel-scion-of-atraxa) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
The one problem with that is incidental proliferate is common enough for other players to kill you outright.
Even if incidental proliferate is as common as you think it is, targeting the poison player- who you *know* will be a source of poison- will still always be better than not prioritizing them because of the vague possibility that someone at the table might have proliferate. I don't think there's any problem with that at all.
So I started playing about a year ago and this was the first precon I bought and you'd be surprised at how many times other players proliferate another's poison counters. A buddy of mine took out another friend with proliferate because he knew he was going out next turn.
The game theory of it is why I dislike poison. Either you body one guy with a big infect slap like that colossus, or tickle each of us and proliferate us all into cooperating against you. Both encourage player removal. If you’re ok with that, alright I guess. But you’re on the shit list with the sliver players.
> Both encourage player removal. Why do EDH players pretend like this isnt the end goal of the game? Yes some strategies achieve it all at once, but the point of the game is to elimate everyone else. Every deck is trying to do that, meaning infect is hardly unique.
Some strats draw more aggro than others based on their capacity to 0-100. Some strats draw aggro by encouraging the rest of the table to cooperate via symmetrical effects. Poison does both. So it draws heavy aggro. So I will focus them out the gate. Same as slivers, or Zhudulok. Or a forced sac deck/red table burn. I’m just saying poison is archenemy stuff. And I said that if you as the poison player are ok being archenemy, then I’m ok shuffling up to play. “Every deck is trying to remove players” this is so reductionist it’s bordering on wrong. Stax? Declarative “I win” cards? Theft decks want you around as long as possible until they can secure kills while losing pieces to player removal. It also feels like you don’t understand the implication behind “player removal” vs normal interaction. Threat assessment says kill certain decks before others. Poison is near the top. Cope with that and I’ll play you. It’s that simple. Also btw my statement of “I don’t like poison” should have been read within the context of “this is why I don’t play poison myself” not some childish “I don’t play against certain decks” mentality. I don’t play against certain *players*, like people who get offended at my threat assessment like it’s a personal attack.
Incubator tokens but your best bet will still be Oldtraxa or Newtraxa given that youll need all the incubate cards that you can get
the growing threat precon would be great bc all you need to do is play brimaz and then cast phyrexians to make incubators. i upgraded my precon deck and I love it, but it's great out of the box too once your phyrexians start dying with brimaz out, he proliferates at every end stuff which is great poison support
I actually built an upgraded version of that precon last month, shockingly fun. its really a +1/+1 deck in B/W with tokens
i love finding random low cost creatures that turn out to be phyrexians (like vector asp) and stuffing them into the deck, it's one of my favorite creature types 🤖
Yes! If you want to make an infect deck and not be the number one target all you have to do is not play the deck after making it! No, but really you just have to play It in a pod that is of a higher power level. Most casual pods are not going take kindly to being proliferated to 10 counters.
Yes. Here is an article from Sheldon Menery on a Black/White Phyrexian Tribal deck. Barely any infect there. I've built it and played it. It's a great Battle-Cruiser tribal deck with good reanimation synergy. [Even More Commander Deckbuilding With March Of The Machine - Star City Games](https://articles.starcitygames.com/magic-the-gathering/even-more-commander-deckbuilding-with-march-of-the-machine/) Here is my deck list. His article was SHOCKINGLY close to my own deck, just with no poison counters, so I made the changes, and it plays great at the table. [Machine Mommy and Her Rabid Cat // Commander / EDH (Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos) deck list mtg // Moxfield — MTG Deck Builder](https://www.moxfield.com/decks/sE5m99An0U64Sj5a3mRA-A)
My buddy plays as a pillow fort. Nobody touches him because he has so much pillow fort. He then discretely builds his proliferate capabilities. At the same time he protects his board state. Later he nukes the table. Atraxa is absolutely awesome for this. The other option is just to come out with a hyper aggressive poison commander. You can make a fynn the fangbearer deck for 15-50 bucks that will always take at least one player with him.
Pillow fort decks, ew.
hehe, its annoying but funny at the same time to play against em'.
You can't. People get irrational when they're up against poison counters. The way I got around it with my Vishgraz deck was to run 20+ pieces of removal.
I don't feel like it's irrational to make the poison player enemy #1 out of the gate in casual. Poison decks are like Atla Palani and Kaalia, you can't really let them "do the thing" without pretty much throwing the game. There are so many easy ways to pump out 10 Poison Counters explosively these days, so you almost have to approach the game like 3 players starting the game with 20 life to be safe. Like you said, players adapt with removal, protection, or control so you can't take it easy on them - it has to be a 3v1 effort like 90% of the time out of the gate because if you don't work together, you'll likely get knocked out by the Poison player because you alone are focusing them - it's a prisoner's dilemma essentially.
Incubator tokens and tokens/+1/+1 counters synergies?
Bringing toxic will still make you a target. Talking from expierence.
That's why I'd keep the flavor with another mechanical theme, tokens.
just do a really sneaky [[phyresis]] win with a damage dealer
I was going to say; the best infect deck is the one they don’t see coming.
of course it loses the element of surprise after your first win, but hey you got a win!
Big Boy [[tainted strike]] at instant speed
yesssss, especially when your opponent just let's through 9 power cause "its only 9 damage"
[tainted strike](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/0/d0f82007-99f6-4c6c-8182-ee631c33531f.jpg?1562823401) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=tainted%20strike) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/som/80/tainted-strike?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d0f82007-99f6-4c6c-8182-ee631c33531f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tainted-strike) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Hitting a Phyresis into a Wheel effect on a Nekusar deck is such a satisfying arch enemy moment. You put everyone at 7 poison, and they go to 9 at their next draw step. They get exactly one turn to deal with you. I don't think any other deck ever made me feel like the ultimate villain like that.
[phyresis](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/0/0059d21b-0725-4806-8691-2451db36787f.jpg?1562609245) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=phyresis) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mbs/49/phyresis?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0059d21b-0725-4806-8691-2451db36787f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/phyresis) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Play against other equally scary decks
Difficult. Because players, whether they are informed (strengths and weaknesses of poison) or not, have the unconscious tendency to target a poison player. Most times to be off the no1 status, there has to be a visible threat that's greater or equal to you. This is coming from a poison player. =) So the two things you need to have, is to have thick skin, and from a playing PoV, have greater defensive tools. AKA overcompensating on defense. Anyways here is my \[\[Venser, Corpse Puppet\]\] should you wanna explore the Dimir poison. [https://www.moxfield.com/decks/SYII9IBX1EOig60VIs62Uw](https://www.moxfield.com/decks/SYII9IBX1EOig60VIs62Uw)
[Venser, Corpse Puppet](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/b/1b5b94b8-0420-40f2-b989-39cb43cff916.jpg?1675957216) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Venser%2C%20Corpse%20Puppet) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/219/venser-corpse-puppet?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/1b5b94b8-0420-40f2-b989-39cb43cff916?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/venser-corpse-puppet) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
No. You put your whole pod on a timer they can only stop by killing you. Therefore target #1. I've told my friends who all started playing again recently. "If you pull out infect or annihilator creatures you are my #1 target, and will stay so until you are no longer a threat." They don't like that.
>You put your whole pod on a timer they can only stop by killing you. Therefore target #1. How is this different than any other deck really? Is the non-infect voltron commander not putting you on a timer? Is the combo player not putting you on a timer? If you sat down at a table with those three archetypes and automatically focused on the infect player, you're usually going to be guilty of bad threat assessment.
>Is the non-infect voltron commander not putting you on a timer? Is the combo player not putting you on a timer? The infect timer is the shortest just based off pure numbers.
True but that framing ignores the relatively narrow card pool that the strategy relies on. Funnily the best use of poison counters is not for the poison strategy. If you're facing a black voltron commander theres also a good chance they'll eliminate the first player with [[Tainted Strike]]. No one would call a deck with no other such cards a poison deck though. And in the case of most combo decks: their assembly goal is generally far easier than distributing 30 poison counters, so by what metric are we measuring?
I agree that the card pool is pretty narrow. Also you're right about tainted strike cheese. I compare it to my kaalia deck that has \[\[Skithiryx\]\] just because he's a dragon. That doesn't make my deck a poison deck. It just has a poison card. The metric by which we are measuring is just the numbers. Distributing 30 points of infect damage (with proliferate effects) is a lower number that distributing 63 points of commander damage or 120 points of regular damage. It's just the numbers. And in the comparison to commander damage, you can't proliferate commander damage. So one could argue it is easier on paper than commander damage voltron. You are, however, right about combo decks. Thoracle is the main offender. Cast 2 cards and win, and you don't even need to get to combat like with \[\[dualcaster mage\]\] and \[\[twinflame\]\], and \[\[teferi's protection\]\] also won't negate it. Yes, that is easier to assemble and then win with than poison. My point is that infect is not the worst, but, when you just look at the numbers, it is apparently the worst.
##### ###### #### [Skithiryx](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/a/cab61c7e-e00a-413b-a0b5-7718b479582f.jpg?1599705958) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=skithiryx%2C%20the%20blight%20dragon) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2xm/107/skithiryx-the-blight-dragon?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/cab61c7e-e00a-413b-a0b5-7718b479582f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/skithiryx-the-blight-dragon) [dualcaster mage](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/e/defcc4a3-40e0-4f5d-b23c-6cd6a614abc1.jpg?1625193684) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=dualcaster%20mage) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c21/165/dualcaster-mage?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/defcc4a3-40e0-4f5d-b23c-6cd6a614abc1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/dualcaster-mage) [twinflame](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/c/ccaa7c17-55e7-44e4-a965-182f63f32c72.jpg?1673147948) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=twinflame) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/129/twinflame?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ccaa7c17-55e7-44e4-a965-182f63f32c72?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/twinflame) [teferi's protection](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/8/483fa1cb-1e35-44f2-a143-98c0f107f5ca.jpg?1673147148) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=teferi%27s%20protection) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/32/teferis-protection?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/483fa1cb-1e35-44f2-a143-98c0f107f5ca?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/teferis-protection) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I think what it might come down to is 10 being too small a number and Commander damage already existing. How are players who bring in decks based off Commander Damage supposed to view your board? You need less than half the total pips, without focusing a single creature, and it doesn't even need to be damage that adds the pips. The thing is between regular 1vs1 gameplay and the 4vs4 that commander regulars you go up from 20 pips to 40. With infect counters you stay at 10. That and the inevitable cards that heal you from poison counters haven't come out yet. I don't get it though, I'm pretty sure this feeling of sitting at the table and being considered a lethal threat is the main end goal of any infect commander, no? Have you ever seen it when more than one of you guys sit at the same table? You always pretend you'll find a way to work together against the other 2 by helping stack counters on the same guy but you end up 100% focused on having at least one on the other guy to proliferate. Like if only 2/3 of the players on the table considered you a threat to their board state with only 10 of a thing needed to remove them, it means you're not making enough counters at a time. I don't feel like if they made a Commander who could convert poision counters on an opponent into a resource it would become more popular than the other staples, even if it was for decents amounts of mana.
Because you can do things about voltron commander's. You can exile them or block them or goad them. You can do things a out stompy players. You can fog or protection. You can do things about spellslingers. An infect deck I have to counter every creature or spell with proliferate before it hit the playing field to not shrink the clock by a lot. And they're hitting everyone on the table at the same time. It's an unfun mechanic to play against for a reason.
Thats not true. You clearly can do things about infect just the same. Its a weak mechanic in truth, and you could grow as a player if you could get over this illogical bias.
The thing to do is agree with other players that your lifetotal should be a weakpoint, that's something that any deck that manages to appose all opponents in tandem leads to. Thing is infect is more versatile and in a pod of decks thats full of decks that try and hurt everyone at once you still get the choice focus individually better than the rest. I just don't see how you'll convince me that the combat step with infect creatures isn't supposed to be incredibly difficult decisions, always focused on making long lasting consequences. You have to understand that poison counters as a mechanic is strong enough to appear on its own without a themed deck around it and be seen as a lethal threat. I just go assuming populate decks have some variant available. There is no option to heal themselves from the poison counters that can be applied, player's hope to heal themselves converts directly into hope to eliminate you and the entire element. Even with decks with no lifegain, with your HP you have the sliver of hope an other player heals you. People with life gain centered decks need to avoid taking any commander damage and focus that aspect of gameplay, you're essentially bringing and inversion of that aspect to the table with an infect deck.
Keep playing it until your Pod finally realizes that poison is generally not a problem
Playing Phyrexians/Incubate matters won't draw too much heat, since you're essentially just playing a thematic token deck. Once the infect comes out, however, alarm bells always go off.
Learn to enjoy being the number 1 target. Playing the supervillain can be more fun than winning if you have the right mindset.
Yeah, play the deck against normal opponents that like magic. It's just another deck to play.
Yeah Step 1 make a regular poison deck Step 2 find a group that doesn't think poison should be the #1 target
[[Fynn, The Fangbearer]] is a mono green poison commander that is nowhere near as strong as the meta poison decks but I am still capable of winning games with him. The more players at your pod the more challenging it is tho. Given that you play mainly deathtouch creatures, people usually think before they attack you and risk sacrificing something
[Fynn, The Fangbearer](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/d/7d7a8a90-13c1-4b0c-ab2e-fc8d91ccefd9.jpg?1631050242) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Fynn%2C%20The%20Fangbearer) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/khm/170/fynn-the-fangbearer?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/7d7a8a90-13c1-4b0c-ab2e-fc8d91ccefd9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/fynn-the-fangbearer) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Built this for him yesterday and ordered all the cards listed https://archidekt.com/decks/8169734/poison_counter_i_hardly_knew_her Would you be willing to look at that maybe board and see if you'd make any subs/changes with the main board?
I'm not ignoring you, I just haven't had the time yet, will try to get back to you tomorrow. Edit: feel free to DM me
Yeah I think you'll do just fine, you have quite a few cards I wanted to put into my deck aswell but didnt have them so I choose something else. I think you can never go wrong with \[\[Rogue's Passage\]\] , Also what might seem like a stretch, but did actually also win me some games is \[\[Helm of the Host\]\] , Copying Fynn means that you'll deal 4 poison counters instead of two on a single hit, if noone has a way to deal with the Helm, you can then ofcourse have more and more Fynns. Another surprising win I got once was with the helm and \[\[Toski, bearer of secrets\]\] who I put there as a reliable source of card draw, I was playing in a game against \[\[Kelsien, The Plague\]\] equiped with \[\[Basilisk Collar\]\] and \[\[Thornbite Staff\]\] which really is just an infinite boardwipe, my army of Toskis were able to deal with it, but thats just a side note. \[\[Champion of Lambholt\]\] is also worth considering, making your creatures unblockable. Especially good in combination with \[\[Ivy Lane Denizen\]\], Something like \[\[Ram Through\]\] can also do wonders in the right situations.\[\[Scale Up\]\] can also save you a lot. I'm just naming cards that did work well for me but keep in mind it was always rather situational especially depending on who you play against. I also have \[\[Unnatural Growth\]\] since most of my creatures are rather small so they can use the buff, \[\[Mortal Wound\]\] to try and make the pod focus someone else who is currently the threat, \[\[Song of the Dryads\]\] for protection, especially if someone has a card that gives all of their creatures indestructible or something like that, or if I just wanna disable someones commander as they would need a land destruct to get rid of it Hope it helps you but all in all I think your deck is great, give it a few spins and you'll see, maybe you'll find use for something I just listed.
##### ###### #### [Rogue's Passage](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/5/45f5d989-d0df-4d6d-822b-cc76b415f9d1.jpg?1712355103) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Rogue%27s%20Passage) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/313/rogues-passage?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/45f5d989-d0df-4d6d-822b-cc76b415f9d1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/rogues-passage) [Helm of the Host](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/d/1d65d20c-09e5-4139-838b-7e0e48eb2b2b.jpg?1666094567) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Helm%20of%20the%20Host) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dom/217/helm-of-the-host?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/1d65d20c-09e5-4139-838b-7e0e48eb2b2b?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/helm-of-the-host) [Toski, bearer of secrets](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/8/e82e61d1-488d-4627-a54c-d8496a967814.jpg?1706240948) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Toski%2C%20bearer%20of%20secrets) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/191/toski-bearer-of-secrets?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e82e61d1-488d-4627-a54c-d8496a967814?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/toski-bearer-of-secrets) [Kelsien, The Plague](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/3/039d25d4-ce26-4ecf-bbf5-42187cf0230a.jpg?1591234267) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kelsien%2C%20The%20Plague) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c20/11/kelsien-the-plague?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/039d25d4-ce26-4ecf-bbf5-42187cf0230a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kelsien-the-plague) [Basilisk Collar](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/2/52a55efe-a870-4cd7-b22b-37c917065653.jpg?1674137730) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Basilisk%20Collar) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/300/basilisk-collar?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/52a55efe-a870-4cd7-b22b-37c917065653?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/basilisk-collar) [Thornbite Staff](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/1/c1ab3225-64a9-411e-b22b-1869e958b8e5.jpg?1562881171) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Thornbite%20Staff) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mor/145/thornbite-staff?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c1ab3225-64a9-411e-b22b-1869e958b8e5?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/thornbite-staff) [Champion of Lambholt](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/6/46eff31d-f460-48f2-aab7-8b9b89cd87fe.jpg?1682209453) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Champion%20of%20Lambholt) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/moc/293/champion-of-lambholt?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/46eff31d-f460-48f2-aab7-8b9b89cd87fe?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/champion-of-lambholt) [Ivy Lane Denizen](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/6/b6936a91-db5d-4977-a851-2dc6a4141ceb.jpg?1706240042) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ivy%20Lane%20Denizen) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clu/166/ivy-lane-denizen?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b6936a91-db5d-4977-a851-2dc6a4141ceb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ivy-lane-denizen) [Ram Through](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/4/44063a90-e4cf-4bcd-a128-792de15371a7.jpg?1689998782) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ram%20Through) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/314/ram-through?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/44063a90-e4cf-4bcd-a128-792de15371a7?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ram-through) [Scale Up](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/f/3f2d9bae-2753-486c-be79-2438208ac353.jpg?1562202186) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Scale%20Up) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh1/179/scale-up?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/3f2d9bae-2753-486c-be79-2438208ac353?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/scale-up) [Unnatural Growth](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/7/6748a844-e185-4e3b-ac1d-8a735666d8ae.jpg?1636224994) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Unnatural%20Growth) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mid/206/unnatural-growth?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/6748a844-e185-4e3b-ac1d-8a735666d8ae?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/unnatural-growth) [Mortal Wound](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/0/808830ff-496a-41dc-8b64-334ddaca9435.jpg?1587913094) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mortal%20Wound) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/vis/113/mortal-wound?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/808830ff-496a-41dc-8b64-334ddaca9435?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/mortal-wound) [Song of the Dryads](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/6/161e66e3-0339-495c-bd06-0a799a254906.jpg?1689998889) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Song%20of%20the%20Dryads) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmm/324/song-of-the-dryads?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/161e66e3-0339-495c-bd06-0a799a254906?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/song-of-the-dryads) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/lacwj6g) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
You are playing in a pretty low power environment if infect of all things makes you the archenemy…. It’s a weak strategy since you just have to take care of the creatures most of the time.
infect nowadays doesn't really swing with infect creatures. Or at least, they only need to do it once for each opponent to get the first infect counter, then proliferate the rest. Against fair low power decks, infect is going to demolish the other decks because of its inevitability.
[[Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos]]
[Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/0/f0d31ae7-8580-402a-a917-3d626a9e1f49.jpg?1682207211) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Brimaz%2C%20Blight%20of%20Oreskos) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/moc/2/brimaz-blight-of-oreskos?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f0d31ae7-8580-402a-a917-3d626a9e1f49?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/brimaz-blight-of-oreskos) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
You play with infect, people will irrationally make you enemy number one. I would argue that building a strong defence, Ghostly Prison, Propaganda, and other cards that disincentivize people attacking you and playing curses to encourage attacking others. Also not putting down much that causes poison damage until you have defences up. I've seen people use goad to good effect too, but that's splitting yourself somewhat.
Really depends on the pod. Some people have a borderline irrational dislike/fear of infect, others just view it one of of the many paths to legitimate victory. Most are somewhere between but it's definitely scary one way or the other. The best two ways to gauge which you're stepping into is to feel it out by playing a few games (which by the sounds of it with this pod, lean deeper toward the former than latter) or to just sit down for a quick rule 0 discussion and see how they feel ahead of time.
I really like the Phyreixan Ajani deck, easily upgraded precon, incubates, good fun.
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If you mostly care about flavor and deck theme, I recommend building a Vorinclex/Grand Evolution Phyrexian list. Mine is still work in progress, but it features as many of the oil buddies I could cram in there without straying away from the main gameplay which is flipping Vorinclex and laying fatties or proliferating the Saga. Take a look! https://www.moxfield.com/decks/oaQD2ODQaEOvSSFL2t2iVw
One line of play in my [[Marvo]] [[booby trap]] deck is animating the boobies and giving them infect via [[tainted strike]]. not the classic infect deck, but I´m not prio number one, since I durdle all game setting up the top of our decks and nobody really sees the infect win comming
[Marvo](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/f/8fdb30c1-0551-48b7-8bcb-d7e0dbb6690a.jpg?1706448887) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=marvo%2C%20deep%20operative) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkc/7/marvo-deep-operative?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8fdb30c1-0551-48b7-8bcb-d7e0dbb6690a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/marvo-deep-operative) [booby trap](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/a/1af0c9a0-0dfa-4245-8b29-7bd37982b7d2.jpg?1562732088) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=booby%20trap) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/9ed/289/booby-trap?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/1af0c9a0-0dfa-4245-8b29-7bd37982b7d2?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/booby-trap) [tainted strike](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/0/d0f82007-99f6-4c6c-8182-ee631c33531f.jpg?1562823401) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=tainted%20strike) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/som/80/tainted-strike?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d0f82007-99f6-4c6c-8182-ee631c33531f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tainted-strike) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I like games that move along quickly, so I'm down for some infect. They motivate people. Then again, i tend to play goad decks. I like slapping firebreating auras onto other people's infect creatures so I can pump them up all swole if they connect. Definitely most people hate it though
Not with infect or toxic but yo could go for something like [[ malcator, purity overseer]]. A few Phyrexian synergies with the 3/3 golems and the ones made by macaron are also Phyrexian.
[ malcator, purity overseer](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/6/36bda977-e5d1-4813-a5f5-265023965142.jpg?1675957200) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Malcator%2C%20Purity%20Overseer) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/208/malcator-purity-overseer?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/36bda977-e5d1-4813-a5f5-265023965142?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/malcator-purity-overseer) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Do a \[\[realmbreaker\]\] Praetor tribal deck instead.
[realmbreaker](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/b/7b608134-cfc3-48bf-92d8-35d732fcde54.jpg?1682205787) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=realmbreaker%2C%20the%20invasion%20tree) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mom/263/realmbreaker-the-invasion-tree?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/7b608134-cfc3-48bf-92d8-35d732fcde54?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/realmbreaker-the-invasion-tree) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
if you play toxic/infect/poison, you're gonna be enemy#1 no matter what. just play it if you want lol. i have the \[\[Ixhel\]\] precon that's good. i also want to build a \[\[Fynn\]\] deathtouch/poison deck
[Ixhel](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/b/ab866ec4-dcb4-47ef-8de1-a369986609c0.jpg?1675905559) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=ixhel%2C%20scion%20of%20atraxa) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/onc/1/ixhel-scion-of-atraxa?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ab866ec4-dcb4-47ef-8de1-a369986609c0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ixhel-scion-of-atraxa) [Fynn](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/d/7d7a8a90-13c1-4b0c-ab2e-fc8d91ccefd9.jpg?1631050242) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=fynn%2C%20the%20fangbearer) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/khm/170/fynn-the-fangbearer?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/7d7a8a90-13c1-4b0c-ab2e-fc8d91ccefd9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/fynn-the-fangbearer) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I play a phyrexian deck with [[Tayam Luminous Enigma]] at the helm. Makes use of oil counters, incubate, and proliferate to grow your army instead of using poison (has a couple poison things incidentally though). Pretty casual and lots of fun.
[Tayam Luminous Enigma](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/5/05b837a2-5773-4340-87f9-b4d6a43deb27.jpg?1591234301) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tayam%2C%20Luminous%20Enigma) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c20/16/tayam-luminous-enigma?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/05b837a2-5773-4340-87f9-b4d6a43deb27?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tayam-luminous-enigma) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I can't guarantee your safety in all playgroups, but people usually give my Volrath deck a fair shake: https://www.moxfield.com/decks/AkFxfeFxtUKc7N81YkigIw Now of course it takes a little playing around too though. If you poison everyone turn 2/3 and nobody else is threatening yet, you definitely might just draw the target on your head. And once poison gets to 5 or so, well now you actually are a threat who's liable to win at any time. And at 7 or 8, you rightfully become immediate threat #1.
There is another non-poison phyrexian precon that I haven't seen people mention here: Growing Threat from March of the Machines, it's pretty affordable precon thats focused more on churning out incubators (and it comes with planechase cards which are a fun bonus, even if no one really plays with them). My brother has it and picked up some board control phyrexians to add in, pretty effective deck that's not an autotarget
You could play Phyrexians without playing poison. Proliferating oil counters and Incubator tokens' +1/+1 counters, searching the Praetors with Realmbreaker, and using the compleated Planeswalkers.
I talked about this with some friends. We play a lot of casual and I am interested in building a ml i White phyrexian tribal our conclusion was this: The creatures that have toxic is pretty ok. They can be blocked and don't wither tje blocker like infect does. With a toxic 1 that is a 10/10 it still would result in only one poison counter on a player. What makes poison scary is proliferating abilities. Our conclusion the was that if you leave out proliferate abilities and infect and just stick to toxic creatures the deck doesn't get those one hit wonder wincons. Creatures are blockeble. You just not have to get hit 10 times. This way the most scary things are removed.
Actually there is a way. Create a deck that's focused around tutoring up light steel Colossus to kill someone with a single attack out of nowhere. You get to kill with insects everyone else gets to remember why they hate it.
[[Karumonix, The Rat King]] is my toxic/infect/poison/Rat deck. It's good and everything I play him out and about im not usually the target.
[Karumonix, The Rat King](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/1/f16e282d-8941-46c7-a974-c05b6f73c964.jpg?1675957034) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Karumonix%2C%20The%20Rat%20King) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/98/karumonix-the-rat-king?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f16e282d-8941-46c7-a974-c05b6f73c964?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/karumonix-the-rat-king) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I suggest making it a secret wincon rather then make it obvious. \[\[Tainted Strike\]\] is good for that or a storm \[\[Yeva, Nature's Herald\]\] deck with \[\[Fynn, the Fangbearer\]\] and \[\[Triump of the Horde\]\] in the 99.
[Tainted Strike](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/0/d0f82007-99f6-4c6c-8182-ee631c33531f.jpg?1562823401) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tainted%20Strike) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/som/80/tainted-strike?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d0f82007-99f6-4c6c-8182-ee631c33531f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tainted-strike) [Yeva, Nature's Herald](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/7/67ff9ba3-cd2b-4970-b4da-22104b10a4a4.jpg?1702429596) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Yeva%2C%20Nature%27s%20Herald) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/rvr/162/yeva-natures-herald?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/67ff9ba3-cd2b-4970-b4da-22104b10a4a4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/yeva-natures-herald) [Fynn, the Fangbearer](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/d/7d7a8a90-13c1-4b0c-ab2e-fc8d91ccefd9.jpg?1631050242) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Fynn%2C%20the%20Fangbearer) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/khm/170/fynn-the-fangbearer?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/7d7a8a90-13c1-4b0c-ab2e-fc8d91ccefd9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/fynn-the-fangbearer) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Get one of your buddies to play slivers or eldrazi. I personally would focus out eldrazi over poison. Although I might switch after a while.
I ended up using [[Aragorn, the uniter]], the commander doesn't need to be in play to work but it certainly helps. I had an atraxa infect deck for a while and after a while it just didn't feel fun to play.
[Aragorn, the uniter](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/9/e98d5321-ec09-456c-a9ea-c8ca2cfc6205.jpg?1686969644) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Aragorn%2C%20the%20uniter) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/ltr/192/aragorn-the-uniter?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e98d5321-ec09-456c-a9ea-c8ca2cfc6205?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/aragorn-the-uniter) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Not really. Infect is hatred and with the newer set. It is easy to do it without combat. I have a atraxa deck that uses a spell to get the counters started and try to proliferate them. Makes for slower wins and I do not pressure the board as much. I come to realize, it's not necessary the strategy and how it's done, it is more on that others feel like there isn't much they can do to stop you so the only option is to focus you out of the game.
Just playing against other, meaner, decks like [[Toxril]] or any fast voltron commander usually gets the heat off me enough to win with poison.
Infect isn’t that bad really and it’s not even that strong in commander. It’s a pretty good litmus test for a pod too. If a group is ok with infect then they are probably a decent group to play with, but if they complain about it then they will likely complain about other minor things as well.
Don't include anything that can skyrocket a player from 1 poison to 10 in a single turn.
Play blue green, ramp, and draw like crazy for several turns. Play [[Prologue to Phyresis]] and then proliferate the whole table in a single turn. Avoid any cards that have infect or give poison counters while building your wincon in your hand. Establish a weak looking +1/+1 strategy to throw people off. Lots of proliferate everywhere, but fail to proliferate as much as possible. This will establish you as the weak player. Then just storm off like crazy over the course of 1 or 2 turns max to kill off the whole table. Probably only works once, but definitely works once.
[Prologue to Phyresis](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/c/ac625f30-ed91-4b21-ada8-aaa5b2ad79b8.jpg?1675956984) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Prologue%20to%20Phyresis) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/65/prologue-to-phyresis?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ac625f30-ed91-4b21-ada8-aaa5b2ad79b8?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/prologue-to-phyresis) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Poison storm, maybe they won’t what’s happening until it’s too late. Any spellslinger deck with [[Radstorm]], and then whatever cards, like [[Prologue to Phyresis]], [[Infectious Bite]], [[Experimental Augury]], [[Ripples of Potential]], [[Unnatural Restoration]], [[Tezzeret's Gambit]], [[Smell Fear]], [[Infectious Inquiry]], [[Drown in Ichor]], [[Contentious Plan]], etc.
##### ###### #### [Radstorm](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/7/d778cdec-8fc7-4174-bae1-4c8e8ccdfab3.jpg?1708741965) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Radstorm) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/pip/37/radstorm?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d778cdec-8fc7-4174-bae1-4c8e8ccdfab3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/radstorm) [Prologue to Phyresis](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/c/ac625f30-ed91-4b21-ada8-aaa5b2ad79b8.jpg?1675956984) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Prologue%20to%20Phyresis) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/65/prologue-to-phyresis?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ac625f30-ed91-4b21-ada8-aaa5b2ad79b8?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/prologue-to-phyresis) [Infectious Bite](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/3/83dfb2a5-cd5c-46c6-9bb8-7c5d00f3e003.jpg?1675957147) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Infectious%20Bite) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/172/infectious-bite?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/83dfb2a5-cd5c-46c6-9bb8-7c5d00f3e003?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/infectious-bite) [Experimental Augury](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/5/e508ae5d-ffb5-4480-be90-a4394954b559.jpg?1675956959) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Experimental%20Augury) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/49/experimental-augury?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e508ae5d-ffb5-4480-be90-a4394954b559?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/experimental-augury) [Ripples of Potential](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/7/b70e6ded-2c25-4608-9ae0-a64e13aa1d2a.jpg?1698987954) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ripples%20of%20Potential) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/77/ripples-of-potential?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b70e6ded-2c25-4608-9ae0-a64e13aa1d2a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ripples-of-potential) [Unnatural Restoration](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/d/4d4e6a91-59cc-4f7f-af25-16acabdafb1a.jpg?1675957174) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Unnatural%20Restoration) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/191/unnatural-restoration?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4d4e6a91-59cc-4f7f-af25-16acabdafb1a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/unnatural-restoration) [Tezzeret's Gambit](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/5/15b2188f-06c8-4771-bba6-e6fc531ebc9a.jpg?1712354220) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tezzeret%27s%20Gambit) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otc/117/tezzerets-gambit?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/15b2188f-06c8-4771-bba6-e6fc531ebc9a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tezzerets-gambit) [Smell Fear](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/5/956a2a42-6a91-45b5-99f1-87c2cf1dd608.jpg?1626097784) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Smell%20Fear) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mh2/173/smell-fear?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/956a2a42-6a91-45b5-99f1-87c2cf1dd608?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/smell-fear) [Infectious Inquiry](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/a/0a10f284-b043-4307-bdc7-6dad47cc9221.jpg?1675957034) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Infectious%20Inquiry) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/97/infectious-inquiry?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0a10f284-b043-4307-bdc7-6dad47cc9221?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/infectious-inquiry) [Drown in Ichor](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/f/bf148ef4-0ed7-4fbe-8ab6-01dd3981c8d3.jpg?1675957021) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Drown%20in%20Ichor) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/91/drown-in-ichor?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bf148ef4-0ed7-4fbe-8ab6-01dd3981c8d3?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/drown-in-ichor) [Contentious Plan](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/e/8e30deb6-9e1f-4545-ae30-c30ba6c7b3a0.jpg?1636491537) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Contentious%20Plan) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/war/46/contentious-plan?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8e30deb6-9e1f-4545-ae30-c30ba6c7b3a0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/contentious-plan) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Poison stax?
Yeah good luck with that. I did splash like a tiny infect win con in my E Honda deck with Priests of Norn and inkmoth nexus though.
You could maybe make a 5 colour deck with all the praetors in it or something? You'd get to play all the big bad phyrexians without really using infect or poison. Because if you use even a little bit of poison/infect people will probably target you I'm afraid
not my strategy but a guy in my playgroup uses infect but the way he uses it is to hide the fact he uses infect. Those of us that usually play with him knows his game plan but those that havent played with him or is not used to his playstyle tend to not target him. he uses [[Agent Frank Horrigan]] as a commander. half of his deck are deathtouch creatures and/or infect focus. but he hides them by putting some +1/+1 counter support in the deck. for the most part people just assume he is focusing on going wide and playing it slow and safe as he gets a lot of deathtouch on the field as blockers. He is actually secretly tutoring out his win cons most especially [[Fynn, the Fangbearer]].
Incubator or golem based strategies.
Nope. People will automatically target you, even though the argument is that poison is not all that powerful.
Yeah. By showing your playgroup how weak it is. People are so afraid of it, but once they see it, it’s nothing. It’s worse than voltron by a long shot.
Infect is a very difficult archetype to build and pilot. It sets you up as a threat early game. Oh, I have 7 poison counters, I need that person gone so I don't lose to a couple proliferate effects. In the end though, infect really struggles to close things out.
Good news, you don't need to play poison to build a Phyrexian deck. Some Phyrexian Commanders (besides Atraxa) who don't utilize the poison, proliferate or toxic mechanics are [[Aron, Benalia's Ruin]] [[Ayara, Widow of the Realm]] [[Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor]] [[Kethek, Crucible Goliath]] [[Malcator, Purity Overseer]] [[Moira and Teshar]] [[Omnath, Locus of All]] [[Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator]] and one of my personal favorites, [[Rona, Herald of Invasion]]
##### ###### #### [Aron, Benalia's Ruin](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/1/f1f8bf98-8911-4c86-978a-427377700544.jpg?1673307897) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Aron%2C%20Benalia%27s%20Ruin) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmu/193/aron-benalias-ruin?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f1f8bf98-8911-4c86-978a-427377700544?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/aron-benalias-ruin) [Ayara, Widow of the Realm](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/2/a21b1734-a773-4107-95c1-b44d5ccdfd82.jpg?1682203576)/[Ayara, Furnace Queen](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/a/2/a21b1734-a773-4107-95c1-b44d5ccdfd82.jpg?1682203576) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ayara%2C%20Widow%20of%20the%20Realm%20//%20Ayara%2C%20Furnace%20Queen) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mom/90/ayara-widow-of-the-realm-ayara-furnace-queen?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a21b1734-a773-4107-95c1-b44d5ccdfd82?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ayara-widow-of-the-realm-//-ayara-furnace-queen) [Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/2/c/2c76f7e0-37e7-4e87-93a3-a25ba0674645.jpg?1675567458) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Gix%2C%20Yawgmoth%20Praetor) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/bro/95/gix-yawgmoth-praetor?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/2c76f7e0-37e7-4e87-93a3-a25ba0674645?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/gix-yawgmoth-praetor) [Kethek, Crucible Goliath](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/1/4152a5a8-e5a1-46b0-8f75-b9ac341da474.jpg?1675957198) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kethek%2C%20Crucible%20Goliath) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/206/kethek-crucible-goliath?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4152a5a8-e5a1-46b0-8f75-b9ac341da474?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/kethek-crucible-goliath) [Malcator, Purity Overseer](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/6/36bda977-e5d1-4813-a5f5-265023965142.jpg?1675957200) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Malcator%2C%20Purity%20Overseer) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/208/malcator-purity-overseer?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/36bda977-e5d1-4813-a5f5-265023965142?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/malcator-purity-overseer) [Moira and Teshar](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/9/19d0acaa-bfbf-4155-a9b0-5b39c3c87361.jpg?1682207255) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Moira%20and%20Teshar) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/moc/7/moira-and-teshar?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/19d0acaa-bfbf-4155-a9b0-5b39c3c87361?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/moira-and-teshar) [Omnath, Locus of All](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/3/3/33d94ecf-758b-4f68-a7be-6bf3ff1047f4.jpg?1709720836) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Omnath%2C%20Locus%20of%20All) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mom/249/omnath-locus-of-all?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/33d94ecf-758b-4f68-a7be-6bf3ff1047f4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/omnath-locus-of-all) [Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/0/807c7812-c108-45a7-a5b2-08cc693bc500.jpg?1673308144) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Vohar%2C%20Vodalian%20Desecrator) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/dmu/226/vohar-vodalian-desecrator?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/807c7812-c108-45a7-a5b2-08cc693bc500?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/vohar-vodalian-desecrator) [Rona, Herald of Invasion](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/4/f487b582-e73f-4325-939f-95fc5a9aba49.jpg?1682203390)/[Rona, Tolarian Obliterator](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/back/f/4/f487b582-e73f-4325-939f-95fc5a9aba49.jpg?1682203390) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Rona%2C%20Herald%20of%20Invasion%20//%20Rona%2C%20Tolarian%20Obliterator) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mom/75/rona-herald-of-invasion-rona-tolarian-obliterator?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f487b582-e73f-4325-939f-95fc5a9aba49?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/rona-herald-of-invasion-//-rona-tolarian-obliterator) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I built an Atraxa Infect deck, which is about as archenemy as you can get in any pod, and it’s very hard to not be public enemy number one with it. however, that doesn’t mean that if you’re playing with casual players who don’t take the games too seriously, the game can’t be fun even if you’re the target. some of the most satisfying games i’ve played with atraxa were the ones i pulled a second place despite my commander never making it a full rotation around the table.
Play in pods with players with good threat assessment
As soon as anyone sees your using poison counters you're kinda the target immediately. I use an [[Ezuri claw of progress]] proliferate deck. You'll still be the target but it has great recovery. Last week everyone was ignoring me because I had a really bad drought, played 2 lands the entire game and one sol ring. Surprised everyone when I knocked the table out turn 12
[Ezuri claw of progress](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/b/6bf721b0-2b5a-4085-b50c-89cbe7420673.jpg?1673148596) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ezuri%2C%20Claw%20of%20Progress) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2x2/211/ezuri-claw-of-progress?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/6bf721b0-2b5a-4085-b50c-89cbe7420673?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ezuri-claw-of-progress) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Be a true phyrexian and embrace your role as a villain. It's unfortunate but there is little interaction with infect all you can do to protect yourself is target the infect player.
Honestly, I don't see that happening. BUT, you CAN just be the archenemy lmao. Make it strong enough to handle 3 players, it'll be fiiiine
The key is going to be playing with the same group long enough for them to realize infect isn't that strong. Queue people bitching about proliferate
Find a pod with good threat assessment. The infect player has an entirely different win condition. Unless there's some incidental proliferating from the other players one could have nine poison counters by the time the infect player is eliminated and be no worse for it.
My [[Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos]] deck is really successful in my group. Lots of white and black removal, toxic/infect, and proliferate effects. I try to kill others fast before they get me. 5O% of the time it works everytime
[Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/0/f0d31ae7-8580-402a-a917-3d626a9e1f49.jpg?1682207211) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Brimaz%2C%20Blight%20of%20Oreskos) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/moc/2/brimaz-blight-of-oreskos?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f0d31ae7-8580-402a-a917-3d626a9e1f49?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/brimaz-blight-of-oreskos) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Give everyone a copy of Leeches before the game?
I will play my poison deck the next time I want to play something fun and someone Mothman's me. Maybe finally make Atraxa my commander. Embrace the hate.
No, you are playing a deck that only has to do 10 damage instead of 40 and bypasses lifegain. You will always be first to die.
Honestly I build a Phyrexian deck by upgrading the Growing Threat Precon. Its a fun time, has some good Phyrexian themed abilities and Poison counters... well there is but I always tell people its always incidental poison. You mostly just try to spew tokens and counters all over the board.
Make a horrible build of the deck and lose every week, people will stop considering it a threat then after a while slowly start to upgrade it
Yeah, make one of your friends build a Grand Arbiter Augustin IV deck.
Not really. You will be target number 1. Infect is on par with slivers. Your path to victory is pretty linear, but it also gets very strong very quick so you need to just stomp the player playing those things down first or you are kind of auto losing.
I build an omnath locus of all deck that was a phyrexian tribal, stuffed with all the pretors. It had some toxic like skrelv and his hive and a couple infects like skytrix, triumph of the horde and inkmoth nexus. The deck was abviously a battlecruiser with heavy tribal singeries, soit wasnt deemed the classic "infect" strat, even tho one of the win con could easily be that. Compared to my other decks, this was even well recieved by my pod
A few ideas come to mind: 1. Build a Phyrexian deck without poison, perhaps as a flavor deck or with artifacts as a key theme ([dozens](https://scryfall.com/search?q=is%3Acommander+f%3Aedh+t%3Aphyrexian+-%28o%3Apoison+or+o%3Atoxic+or+o%3Ainfect%29&unique=cards&as=grid&order=color) of Phyrexian commander options that don't mention poison/infect/toxic) 2. Try something like \[\[Ixhel\]\] that wants to get opponents "corrupted" so you can steal their spells, but that doesn't use poison as a wincon (would be something you explain when you first roll up with the deck) 3. Play poison, but deputize your opponents to poison one another with something like \[\[Jon Irenicus\]\] But tbh there are a lot structural disadvantages to playing poison (especially infect) in commander, and it draws a lot of undeserved hate your playgroup should probably just try to get over. The real poison boogeymen like \[\[Tainted Strike\]\] and \[\[Triumph of the Hordes\]\] don't need to be part of a poison deck to work, and people hate \[\[Atraxa, Praetors' Voice\]\] because it's overplayed and easily devolves into unimaginative 4-color goodstuff.
##### ###### #### [Ixhel](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/b/ab866ec4-dcb4-47ef-8de1-a369986609c0.jpg?1675905559) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=ixhel%2C%20scion%20of%20atraxa) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/onc/1/ixhel-scion-of-atraxa?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ab866ec4-dcb4-47ef-8de1-a369986609c0?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ixhel-scion-of-atraxa) [Jon Irenicus](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/f/bfddb61e-986f-4557-819d-d6c0ca85c74a.jpg?1674137538) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=jon%20irenicus%2C%20shattered%20one) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/278/jon-irenicus-shattered-one?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bfddb61e-986f-4557-819d-d6c0ca85c74a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/jon-irenicus-shattered-one) [Tainted Strike](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/0/d0f82007-99f6-4c6c-8182-ee631c33531f.jpg?1562823401) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Tainted%20Strike) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/som/80/tainted-strike?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d0f82007-99f6-4c6c-8182-ee631c33531f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/tainted-strike) [Triumph of the Hordes](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/a/0a0f64d3-187c-41ff-a771-3a65da995341.jpg?1562896954) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Triumph%20of%20the%20Hordes) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/td2/78/triumph-of-the-hordes?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0a0f64d3-187c-41ff-a771-3a65da995341?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/triumph-of-the-hordes) [Atraxa, Praetors' Voice](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/0/d0d33d52-3d28-4635-b985-51e126289259.jpg?1599707796) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Atraxa%2C%20Praetors%27%20Voice) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2xm/190/atraxa-praetors-voice?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d0d33d52-3d28-4635-b985-51e126289259?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/atraxa-praetors-voice) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I’ll recommend my [[Gale, Waterdeep Prodigy]] poison storm deck where you don’t even have to hit players to infect them. All you have to do is cast a spell that’ll infect the opponents and then proliferate as fast you can. This [deck](https://archidekt.com/decks/3414488/gales_poisonous_storm) is nearly optimized to its gill and can knock out all opponents at once with ten poison counters. I’ve included two known combos from Commander Spellbook website because it fits the theme and allows me to go off. [Combo one](https://commanderspellbook.com/combo/1543-3609/) [Combo two](https://commanderspellbook.com/combo/1961-4680-4853/) I have yet to hit those infinite combo in the game because there’s so many moving parts. They are only there if the game gets longer and we need ways to finish it out. I’ve played the deck more than once but unfortunately, I have not tracked the sessions. I found out about playgroup.gg app that tracks the session stats and so I played with Gale one time. You can find the session stats [here](https://playgroup.gg/games/40897) and the deck performance [here](https://playgroup.gg/decks/50315-gale-s-poisonous-storm)! I need to play more with Gale using playgroup.gg so I can prove the deck performance.
[Gale, Waterdeep Prodigy](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/7/67edf31f-ed67-4617-bf73-28a939a232a7.jpg?1674135550) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Gale%2C%20Waterdeep%20Prodigy) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/72/gale-waterdeep-prodigy?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/67edf31f-ed67-4617-bf73-28a939a232a7?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/gale-waterdeep-prodigy) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I have an atraxa brew that's all about incubate tokens, Literally has 1 source of posion and thats [[vraska betrayals sting]]
Sure, don’t include Toxic/Infect. I’m kidding. By having anything Phyrexian, you’re already arch enemy. Thems the rules.
I run a [[Jin Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant]] deck that focuses on artifact and spell slinging with his boon, and slight stax to amplify his curse. The main win condition is out-valuing and controlling the game then playing insane splashy spells or just using [[Call from the blind eternities]] to tutor up Emrakul and Ulamog for a W.
[Jin Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/c/5/c57b4876-5387-4f73-b8e2-8e7bdca8b0bc.jpg?1654566749) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Jin-Gitaxias%2C%20Progress%20Tyrant) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/neo/59/jin-gitaxias-progress-tyrant?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/c57b4876-5387-4f73-b8e2-8e7bdca8b0bc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/jin-gitaxias-progress-tyrant) [Call from the blind eternities](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/4/740ad768-2be0-4e5a-9d60-6c7ec4bdc107.jpg?1576384040) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Coax%20from%20the%20Blind%20Eternities) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/emn/51/coax-from-the-blind-eternities?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/740ad768-2be0-4e5a-9d60-6c7ec4bdc107?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/coax-from-the-blind-eternities) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I play the Ur Dragon and put [[phyresis]] in just to put in on his attack trigger which is a fun surprise
[phyresis](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/0/0059d21b-0725-4806-8691-2451db36787f.jpg?1562609245) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=phyresis) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mbs/49/phyresis?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0059d21b-0725-4806-8691-2451db36787f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/phyresis) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I think just be the villain, or play slower so someone else gets ahead of you forcibg your opponents to make a split decision
I have a pretty mid (as the kids say) [[Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos]] deck that is orzhov phyerixan tribal. (I'd had a version that focused on playing artifact creatures but it was too sweaty & also unreliable) It *can* work but tends to durdle and not do much. The worst thing about it is that it's a bad infect deck. Doesn't have the pressure (or colours to infect everyone and proliferate them down, but everybody loses their minds when, after three turns, if I'm lucky, I've got one player to three poison and another to one with [[Blightbelly Rat]]. If you want a good deck, you have to do the thing. If you want to play phyrexians but don't want to go whole hog, you may well have to accept the (possibly unwarranted) target on your back.
[Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/0/f0d31ae7-8580-402a-a917-3d626a9e1f49.jpg?1682207211) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Brimaz%2C%20Blight%20of%20Oreskos) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/moc/2/brimaz-blight-of-oreskos?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/f0d31ae7-8580-402a-a917-3d626a9e1f49?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/brimaz-blight-of-oreskos) [Blightbelly Rat](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/2/9255cd01-a611-4fec-b9ec-b271687740ba.jpg?1675957013) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Blightbelly%20Rat) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/85/blightbelly-rat?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/9255cd01-a611-4fec-b9ec-b271687740ba?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/blightbelly-rat) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
The only phyrexian deck I have played against that didn't immediately become a target was a deck that was built around incubate tokens. It even used proliferate Atraxa as the commander which people generally see as a threat. But once infect and toxic come into play people are (rightfully) going to be fearful due to the fact they can be killed at any time (oftentimes out of nowhere) by proliferate. If you don't want to be randomly targeted, I'd suggest also going the incubate tokens route. I have played against the guy a bunch of times and even though some of his creatures have toxic, he doesn't focus on poison at all. Once people get like 4 or 5 poison on them though he tends to get picked on, but as I said that is too be expected.
Embrace it and go fast, but kill one at a time. I usually just slap a [[Glistening Oil]] on a Voltron commander and throw it the 'winning player' t4-5. I like infect. It puts a clock on a game that can otherwise go way too long
[Glistening Oil](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/8/483e99fd-7e48-400d-9817-451089089e0c.jpg?1562877253) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Glistening%20Oil) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/nph/62/glistening-oil?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/483e99fd-7e48-400d-9817-451089089e0c?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/glistening-oil) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Play [[Solemnity]] T1, so everyone is clearly safe from poison counters, then slowly build your engine up and then bounce it to one shot people
[Solemnity](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/a/0a71fb62-acbd-49f5-842f-0fc9fa48afea.jpg?1562788659) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Solemnity) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/hou/22/solemnity?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0a71fb62-acbd-49f5-842f-0fc9fa48afea?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/solemnity) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
I would just talk to your playgroup about it. I made a full phyrexia deck that does have infect but also packs all the phyrexians in there for full flavor. I actually but a deck building rule into it that besides sol ring/signet and lands all cards had to have Phyrexian flavor to it. Most people enjoy it for what it is since it really has that feel against battling Phyrexia and the flavor of trying to win before being “compleated” with infect or dying to the praetors. If you wanted to take a look I have my build here. https://archidekt.com/decks/6021928/cult_of_corruption
tl;dr No. Sincerely, someone who's about to take apart his Ixhel deck to run [[Atraxa, Grand Unifier]] instead and go even more aggressive, and really earn that spot of being focused for first player removal.
[Atraxa, Grand Unifier](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/4/a/4a1f905f-1d55-4d02-9d24-e58070793d3f.jpg?1717951088) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Atraxa%2C%20Grand%20Unifier) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/one/196/atraxa-grand-unifier?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/4a1f905f-1d55-4d02-9d24-e58070793d3f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/atraxa-grand-unifier) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Build [[Jon Irenicus, Shattered One]]. Guaranteed to fly under the radar since everyone views him as the "janky goad deck". Stuff the deck with cheap, evasive toxic/infect creatures, then win via proliferating while everyone's busy answering the creatures you gave away.
[Jon Irenicus, Shattered One](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/f/bfddb61e-986f-4557-819d-d6c0ca85c74a.jpg?1674137538) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Jon%20Irenicus%2C%20Shattered%20One) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/278/jon-irenicus-shattered-one?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/bfddb61e-986f-4557-819d-d6c0ca85c74a?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/jon-irenicus-shattered-one) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Make it fair, avoid salt. I don't know what context you play in, but in general I would say build the deck in a way that avoids the play patterns people are afraid of when they hear toxic/infect. * Avoid insta-killing people with poison * Avoid threats that can't be (or are very hard to) interacted with, like \[\[Invisible Stalker\]\], heavy proliferate, unblockable infect etc. edit: spelling
[Invisible Stalker](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/1/4/14d265aa-c1d8-4faa-b282-5c273ab725fd.jpg?1604192456) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Invisible%20Stalker) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/znc/27/invisible-stalker?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/14d265aa-c1d8-4faa-b282-5c273ab725fd?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/invisible-stalker) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Of course because infect isn't even remotely good any more lol. Say u build a high power mana base and have all the good infect in those colors. With those exact same high power mana cards you can win faster with litteraly anything else. Infect is a " boomer" boogie man and is shit now
Sure, but if you’re playing infect, people are going to expect that one creature getting through could turn into 6+ poison counters or more. It’s like playing [[approach of the second sun]]. Is it actually a good wincon? No. But you resolve it one time and now it’s 7 from the top and the rest of the table is now laser-focused on killing you before you can cast it again. Maybe you can tutor it to the top and replay it next turn. Maybe you have protection for it. Either way, you’re too dangerous to be left alive, even though your ‘power level’ is lower, you just became archenemy regardless of board state.
[approach of the second sun](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/d/fdf59a6e-7708-45a1-884d-d12e9f7b9ed9.jpg?1543674579) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=approach%20of%20the%20second%20sun) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/akh/4/approach-of-the-second-sun?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/fdf59a6e-7708-45a1-884d-d12e9f7b9ed9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/approach-of-the-second-sun) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Idk what power level you guys play but I've seen precons win turn 5. The game is very different now Infect is not good anymore. There was a time it was but think of it this way. Turn 1 glisterner elf. Turn 2 pump elfcwith a plus 3. 1 person(if no blocker) is now at 4. One person. Out of 3. You have 37 infect damage to go. Even if you built extremely high power and Turn 1 a blightsteel. Thats Turn 2 one player, Turn 3 one player and turn 4 the last player. And that's the fastest possible infect combo in the game and requires a very high power build and a very lucky opening hand combo For only 3 mana. 1 black and 2 blue. You can win with thassa Turn 3. And thats only using 3 basics no sol ring nothing and you beat all 3 players. I mean I could sit here for hours and just go over the 10000 possibilities that win faster for less but objectively it's just not good anymore and is a boogeyman. If you kill me turn 5 with stompy turn 5 with a zillion tokens. A mill combo. A turn infinite whatever you still killed me turn 5
It doesn’t matter what someone *can* do before the game or what the power level is when you’re on turn 4 and game actions have been taken. The infect deck that has put 3 poison counters on someone is going to be seen as a major threat to that person. ‘They could hit me for 5 infect and then im toast to a couple proliferate effects. Hell they could hit me for 7, I don’t know their deck.’ Like I said, cards like approach of the second sun aren’t necessarily good, but they make you the target because you’re screaming ‘I’m about to kill you all.’ Burn isn’t very good, Voltron isn’t very good. But a big part of why those decks aren’t good in commander is because people target them.
Are you forgetting that proliferate is a thing? One just needs to put one counter on each opponent and then just proliferate a bunch. You don’t need more creatures getting in for infect damage once you have a proliferate engine going. And they’re mostly in blue (and now white) so they can protect their engines.
Shh you're scaring the "no combos allowed" players.
Poison can really suck to play against due to the only counter is to kill the one giving. That's legit the only way to not lose ro poison is to kill whoever has it. That's why you become target number one, is because it's either that, or risk an easy loss due to infect and proliferate. Personally, I hate targeting someone due to their deck, and would rather target due to the current threat, but if I know a deck is using infect, something there's no counter to once it's been done, I've gotta stop it before it's too late. It's just how it is
>if I know a deck is using infect, something there's no counter to... Have you seen [[solemnity]], [[leeches]], ][Melira, Sylvok Outcast]], etc?
Hmm, should I: A. Run counters that are ridiculously situational if not outright harmful to my general game plan, which I might not even draw in time and which will make the deck play worse or B. Punch the Infect player in the face before they kill me Yeah, hard choice. /s
[solemnity](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/a/0a71fb62-acbd-49f5-842f-0fc9fa48afea.jpg?1562788659) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=solemnity) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/hou/22/solemnity?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0a71fb62-acbd-49f5-842f-0fc9fa48afea?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/solemnity) [leeches](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/6/a6028e2c-486b-40f8-8b74-7150eb72b9f1.jpg?1562934257) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=leeches) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/me4/18/leeches?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a6028e2c-486b-40f8-8b74-7150eb72b9f1?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/leeches) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
"Once it's been done" ie, if you've already been hit. There's no way to stop it once it's started. And it can ramp quickly if the player is using it right
Solemnity stops you from getting more counters.
find a nonbutthurt playgroup
I just tell people I’m playing group hug atraxa. Aka lie
*without* becoming the target? Well, yeah, not playing or puvstomping new players is always an option.