Now this is a lord. It lets you steal games without even attacking and makes your infecting creatures even scarier. 4.5/5
StoicChampion
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(7 votes)
Oh my lord.
SIlverSkyz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
This is messed up, that they would print this.
Sweetnesszero
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
This card is dripping with Awesome sauce, use with Whispersilk Cloak
Bandswithother
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I would sooner throw lightning greaves on him to keep early removal at bay and put whisp cloak on a bigger beat stick. Then again I'd probably be running with counterspells in U/B pro-infect anyway.
DonRoyale
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Singlehandedly what makes infect.dek more than just a cute, causal table afterthought.
Shocks an opponent every time you simply cast an infect spell.
Significantly shortens the clock, and is severely on-curve with Putrefax. Aggressively costed, beautifully designed; gah, I love this.
Sir_Kaeru
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Too bad it doesnt give counters when an Infect enters the battlefield, if it did, Trigon of Infestation and Carrion Call would pwn your oppenent so long this guy is out. could you imagine having more than one out, then casting Ichor Rats?
Mindbend
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(8 votes)
tick tock tick tock , is the sound of the poison clock
if this card is down the chances are you have 2-3 turns to win or kill it
Chrome_Coyote
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Zombie infect lord! He's ugly, but I'm in love with his personality. Plus, he makes me laugh.
Danveldo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I have nightmares about this thing. Now we are going to have B/U control as well as W/U T_T
JaxsonBateman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
What else do you need in a limited environment with infect and plenty of good equipment, even at common rarity?
An infect lord to make them even stronger. =P
Lord_Gravesmythe
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(3 votes)
I'm just glad that poison finally got treated in a meaningful way. I know some people don't like the way the mechanic was handled. I tend to think it's almost overpowered. But now there's enough options to make poison decks at least kitchen-table viable. You have your infinite life engine out with all kinds of damage prevention? No problem. Eat poison and die anyway. And at 3B? Sick.
Sick. Sick. Sick.
I love it!
Tensuillio
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The art is very obviously based on the Skeksis from the movie "The Dark Crystal," which just makes an already amazing card even more incredible in my book.
hugemanatee
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(23 votes)
Britney Spears can suck it. This guy is TOXIC!
Falgorn
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Personally, I wouldn't be surprised to see Infect black-green decks in Standard with this guy around....
Diachronos
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
He even fits into a deck that only uses Grafted Exoskeleton and Tainted Strike.
Let's say you have 4 of these on the field. Attaching Grafted Exoskeleton to a creature would be giving it +6/+6 and Infect, and throwing Tainted Strike on would mean +5/+4 and Infect.
LTJZamboni
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(2 votes)
I like how WotC says they're making vampires the black tribe, then they print more zombies than vampires in this set.
Either way, love this card.
Flavros
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
GET IT GET IT GET IT NOW WHILE YOU STILL CAN.
These guys are already around four dollars most places and they haven't even been released yet, just managed to get a playset for only three dollars each. I have a strong feeling these guys are going to go the way of Vampire Nocturnus.
Gavrilo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This set has some gorgeous lords, for sure. Hell, he's threat on itself.
mrd8888
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Semblance Anvil, Equilibrium, Necropede (and this). Play necropede for free with semblance anvil (with some infect creature imprinted) so your opponent gets a poison counter, pay 1 to return it to its owner's hand, repeat. It's not particularly fast, and I'm sure there's a better card than equilibrium, but I think it works.
signok79
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I just made the g/b infect deck with a full swing of these guys. Added livewire lash with all the pump abilitys of green and a liitle mana ramp I can say infect is going to stick around for awhile.
allmighty_abacus
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(7 votes)
eat it emo vamp lovers! Zombies are the black tribe!
Seasnan
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
hey vamps are only gay in twilight where they "shivers" sparkle now in magic they are what I've always pictured vampires being now u r correct zombies are a better black tribe
flq-vandal
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
does it give a counter when itself enters the battlefield?
Pantheon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
2 copies of Corpse Cur + Throne of Geth + Hand of the Praetors.
Sironos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Never got my nocturnus before he cycled out. This one I have oredered to make sure my infect deck won't be missing its masterpiece. Cannot wait to spred the doom in standard tournaments, proving that infect is superior to all those robots. Now, if only skithiryx would drop a whole lot in price...
Fategus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Wow this guy sells more than alot of mythics including mindslaver. So good
GruesomeGoo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Looks like the Plaguelord is back, and he's ***ed...
Beastlygreen
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Spreading the "love" is funn with this guy! A boost for all other infects, and can infect in other ways? all round great card! Now, add Putrefax into the equation...
lukemol
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
@flq-vandal:
No. Because it's when you cast a creature spell with infect. By the time he's entered the battlefield, he's no longer being cast.
This does also mean that the creatures don't have to enter the battlefield in order to trigger his effect. Which makes him pretty awesome.
LeafWheels
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
Thank you Wizards for a lovely pre-made GB poison curve: 1: Vector Asp (although he doesn't work with this guy quite right), 2: Your choice 2 mana Infect creature, 3: Cystbearer, 4: Hand of Praetors, and topping off at 5: Putrefax. Add in some Corpse Cur to sideboard against control and some Throne of Geth against agro; slant your mana base towards green, add some basic black removal, a dash of green pump, and you're good to go! :P
fbninja
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A kicked right of replication and this is insane.
EnV
★☆☆☆☆ (1.4/5.0)(5 votes)
The main weakness of Infect creatures is "on the stack" removal. A typical match with my infect against a WBRUG vigilance control aggro.
Me: Turn 1 Vector Asp Opponent: Turn 1 Lightning Bolt MUWAHAHAHA BEATCH Me: Turn 2 Blight Mamba I go hmmmmm. Opponent: Turn 2 Path To Exile he goes das right beatch Me: Turn 3 Even though I play this Cystbearer it will die anyway......I play it Oppenent: Turn 3 plays Kadnazu Blademaster
Eventually I run into a Baneslayer and he gives it protection, then I run into a Progenitus ***
Eh.....Its okay against some decks
This so should have costed 3 the creature can't survive against control, and it has no defenses against burns.......I mean buffing is ok but, on the stack burning...should have costed 3
NARFNra
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Just opened this guy in my first Scars booster pack, along with Vector Asp and Grafted Exoskeleton. I think I know what side I'm on...
iaiji
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(8 votes)
What's that? you've got me tapped down by your tumble magnets and vedalken certarchs? my phyrexian army cannot attack? nonsense! unleash the walking skull with a zombie bird for a tongue!!!!!
TheTellion
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(3 votes)
run 4 of these in a UB Infect/Proliferate deck
Bursama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This makes me feel puking every time I paly against this one.
reanimatesucks
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
would someone like to tell me why this isn't a 5? what could you possibly complain about. you don't even need to attack with this thing
Anubisisking
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This guy should start seeing play...
Demonic_Math_Tutor
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Its a poison lords that sits there and S HITS posion counters onto your opponent even if your creatures are countered. I play two of these in my infect deck and give my opponent 9; i repeat 9 posion counters when i play putrefax
Yozuk
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So I've been playing my Infect deck for some time now. And I have 3 of these guys in the deck. So You would think that I would get this guy? Well You would think that! But truth be told... I Only ever get these guys when the I've either got the game under wraps and no one can do anything about my victory... Or its too late and i'm a goner.. I feel like I'm playing Goblins with Infect... Just you either win quickly or lose because the game is taking too long..
C-Lion
★★☆☆☆ (2.7/5.0)(3 votes)
I'm having an incredibly hard time choosing between this BAMF and Phyrexian Vatmother. They're both great, it's almost a toss-up.
Sswift
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(2 votes)
I don't understand why this card is so highly rated... I attempted to use this in my evasion/buff infect deck and it really just didn't feel that useful. I feel like I'm missing something, since this card is so highly rated and valued too.
First, by the time you hit 4 mana, you've probably already played most of the infect creatures in your hand and the last ability becomes almost worthless, unless you're entirely creature focused. 90% of the infect decks I've seen are focused on evasion/buff and this card really doesn't have much of a place in those decks. +1/+1 is VERY nice, but, again... unless you're focused on mostly creatures, it doesn't help as much as a card that can stick it out in a fight.
Second, this card is way too vulnerable to removal and it's not strong enough to attack (gets dropped by 1drop creatures a majority of the time). I don't mind playing a 1/1 infect and having it blasted away by a lightning bolt. However, if I pay 4 mana, I want something that sticks around (like tangle angler or vatmother), not something that becomes and instant lightning rod or disfigure target (not that it already looks disfigured enough).
In short: I would play Tangle Angler or Vatmother as my 4 drop in a heartbeat over this guy. It's just far too vulnerable to removal and its toughness/abilities aren't that useful late game (unless you manage to get multiples of these... perhaps a clone or that new besieged copy creature?). I would have much preferred to see this guy as a 1/4 or 2/3.
ridiculousricky
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I splash black in my G poison deck just for him and Skittles, the blight dragon
Kryptnyt
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
His pump is kind of like Undead Warchief's but there are far fewer Infect creatures than Zombies. However, you could run both in an infect zombie deck. "Here comes my 10/7 Phyrexian Crusader. It has swampwalk. you have a swamp."
Moleland
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Because Infect wasn't mean/harsh/almost broken enough...
MasterOfEfherium
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(4 votes)
Too Bad This Thing Dies To Removal!
ToidiDiPuts
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I got this guy and Skithiryx in the New Phyrexia sealed deck midnight pre-release.
DiasFlac420
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(6 votes)
2/5. It's cards like this that make Infect such a broken mechanic and a cheap, skill-less way to win. Wither was fine, Infect is just stupid. I wouldn't bother ranting if his last ability was "Whenever a creature with Infect enters the battlefield under your control, target player gets a poison counter," at least letting you breathe easy with a successful counterspell. However, even if you do manage to throw in one of the now-scarce counterspells still legal in standard, it still won't save you from the poison counters. It means a player can sit back, do nothing, just cast spells and slowly build up blockades until the opponent dissolves into a phyrexian mess, and sucks all the balance and fun out of a game.
Please Wizards, PLEASE reprint Leeches and make everyone's day with an "anti-Infect" Planeswalker.
kor6sic6
★★★☆☆ (3.4/5.0)(4 votes)
Fits so well in my infect deck, it ain't even funny. People already hated my infect deck before I added this boy here, this just makes them cringe. And yeah, it's a creature-based deck, not evasion.
mike_stubbs1
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Looks like a Neverwinter Nights Vrock/Hook Horror.
SarpNasty
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@LeafWheels Now they gave you Glistening Elf for your one drop.
Imagine playing this guy on turn 4 and then dropping 4 Glistening Elves on turn 5.
scorpiolegend
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Why is this not legendary?
grandpraetor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
One corpse cur in graveyard and one in your hand with this dude on the board.
Definitively a 5/5 lord.
Silence9
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Some of the sweetest artwork.. It really captures the Infect theme. He should have been Birdman instead of Zombie IMO. Strong black creature. 4.5/5
Averyck
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@MasterOfEtherium
everything dies to removal...that's why we call it removal. it removes things
@DiasFlac420
I fullheartedly agree. This card makes infect stupid broken with no way to counter it but to waste a removal spell, and chances are if they're running a proper black deck they'll just disentomb him or something and he'll be right back on the field.
Squab
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
On of my favorite games, I almost killed someone with infect after enchanting this guy and throwing batterskull on him.
The enchantment was Mind Control. Almost killed an infect deck with infect.
DoragonShinzui
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Oh, yeah, because Infect didn't need to be any more powerful.
Nope, no problems here, this card is just dandy. Perfectly designed, not broken at all. Nope.
Thanatophagous
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.7/5.0)(3 votes)
I don't know what is all the fuss about this guy, I play 4 of him in my infect and the only thing he can do is sit there on the battlefield for 2 seconds like a wet retard on a stormy night flailing a lightening rod around and screaming "Hit me, hit me, please hit me!" until finally my opponent strikes with his removal spell. I really think 4 mana for a removal magnet is a little steep. Yes his abilities are supermegaawesome, but what is that worth if he only sees the day of light for a nanosecond before he gets effed. What is a zombie skull/bird good for if you have to sadly say goodbye before you had the chance to greet him.
tHeMightyyAK123
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
He is the face of your nightmares.You thought you had different nightmares? Think again. Hand of the Praetors gets so much hate from non-poison player that if all the hate were concentrated, it would cause every copy of HotP to ignite, leaving us infect deck players lordless. As it is, bow down to your overlord, who turns glistener elves into ammunition while laughing at all lifegain decks everywhere. Awesome is not enough for the Hand.
Mike-C
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@ Thana: What are you thinking? You don't just toss this bird on the front lines and hide behind him FTW (although you pretty much can sometimes!), you're doing it wrooong! What lord would have your back when you don't have it's? And you're lookin for that kind of love in BLACK of all colors?!? Hahaha imagine that.. You have to protect him ;)
Hahaha @ "It has swamp walk. You have a swamp." Classic!
Arachnos
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Anyone here reminded of Tzeench's Lords of Change looking at this guy?
infernox10
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Perhaps the best thing about him is his ability to give unavoidable poison counters. +1/+1 is a great thing for evasion like Plague Stinger or Ichorclaw Myr for the "should I block it?" clause, Not to mention Putrefax and a hasty Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon. He's an Infect 3/2, which is pretty solid. But, he shines with his ability to allow you to cast your infect creatures, and give poison even if it's countered, destroyed, exiled, what have you, That is what makes this guy so damn powerful.
Skidas
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hello i want to ask , if i have a Hand of the Praetors on the field and then cast unerath and rutern to the battlefield let's say Plague Stinger , that doest trigger the poison ability , does it ? I think no , but for just few weeks in the game ...
Lifegainwithbite
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Infect already had no real weaknesses... then they gave it this. Really? REALLY?
Comments (69)
Shocks an opponent every time you simply cast an infect spell.
Significantly shortens the clock, and is severely on-curve with Putrefax. Aggressively costed, beautifully designed; gah, I love this.
if this card is down the chances are you have 2-3 turns to win or kill it
An infect lord to make them even stronger. =P
Sick. Sick. Sick.
I love it!
Let's say you have 4 of these on the field. Attaching Grafted Exoskeleton to a creature would be giving it +6/+6 and Infect, and throwing Tainted Strike on would mean +5/+4 and Infect.
Either way, love this card.
These guys are already around four dollars most places and they haven't even been released yet, just managed to get a playset for only three dollars each. I have a strong feeling these guys are going to go the way of Vampire Nocturnus.
No. Because it's when you cast a creature spell with infect. By the time he's entered the battlefield, he's no longer being cast.
This does also mean that the creatures don't have to enter the battlefield in order to trigger his effect. Which makes him pretty awesome.
Me: Turn 1 Vector Asp
Opponent: Turn 1 Lightning Bolt MUWAHAHAHA BEATCH
Me: Turn 2 Blight Mamba I go hmmmmm.
Opponent: Turn 2 Path To Exile he goes das right beatch
Me: Turn 3 Even though I play this Cystbearer it will die anyway......I play it
Oppenent: Turn 3 plays Kadnazu Blademaster
Eventually I run into a Baneslayer and he gives it protection, then I run into a Progenitus ***
Eh.....Its okay against some decks
This so should have costed 3 the creature can't survive against control, and it has no defenses against burns.......I mean buffing is ok but, on the stack burning...should have costed 3
First, by the time you hit 4 mana, you've probably already played most of the infect creatures in your hand and the last ability becomes almost worthless, unless you're entirely creature focused. 90% of the infect decks I've seen are focused on evasion/buff and this card really doesn't have much of a place in those decks. +1/+1 is VERY nice, but, again... unless you're focused on mostly creatures, it doesn't help as much as a card that can stick it out in a fight.
Second, this card is way too vulnerable to removal and it's not strong enough to attack (gets dropped by 1drop creatures a majority of the time). I don't mind playing a 1/1 infect and having it blasted away by a lightning bolt. However, if I pay 4 mana, I want something that sticks around (like tangle angler or vatmother), not something that becomes and instant lightning rod or disfigure target (not that it already looks disfigured enough).
In short: I would play Tangle Angler or Vatmother as my 4 drop in a heartbeat over this guy. It's just far too vulnerable to removal and its toughness/abilities aren't that useful late game (unless you manage to get multiples of these... perhaps a clone or that new besieged copy creature?). I would have much preferred to see this guy as a 1/4 or 2/3.
However, you could run both in an infect zombie deck. "Here comes my 10/7 Phyrexian Crusader. It has swampwalk. you have a swamp."
Please Wizards, PLEASE reprint Leeches and make everyone's day with an "anti-Infect" Planeswalker.
Now they gave you Glistening Elf for your one drop.
Imagine playing this guy on turn 4 and then dropping 4 Glistening Elves on turn 5.
Definitively a 5/5 lord.
everything dies to removal...that's why we call it removal. it removes things
@DiasFlac420
I fullheartedly agree. This card makes infect stupid broken with no way to counter it but to waste a removal spell, and chances are if they're running a proper black deck they'll just disentomb him or something and he'll be right back on the field.
The enchantment was Mind Control. Almost killed an infect deck with infect.
Nope, no problems here, this card is just dandy. Perfectly designed, not broken at all. Nope.
What is a zombie skull/bird good for if you have to sadly say goodbye before you had the chance to greet him.
Hahaha @ "It has swamp walk. You have a swamp." Classic!
+1/+1 is a great thing for evasion like Plague Stinger or Ichorclaw Myr for the "should I block it?" clause,
Not to mention Putrefax and a hasty Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon.
He's an Infect 3/2, which is pretty solid.
But, he shines with his ability to allow you to cast your infect creatures, and give poison even if it's countered, destroyed, exiled, what have you,
That is what makes this guy so damn powerful.
Hand of the Praetors on the field and then cast unerath and rutern to the battlefield let's say Plague Stinger , that doest trigger the poison ability , does it ? I think no , but for just few weeks in the game ...
And the argument dies to removal can be applied to all creatures. Even Avacyn, Angel of Hope and Emrakul, The Aeons Torn die to the right sort of removal (mass removal like Day of Judgment for Emrakul, exile or Tragic Slip for Avacyn in case people were wondering).
4.5/5
To me, it looks more like a painting by Hieronimus Bosch.