Hasn't been mentioned by anyone here (because nobody's generally bright enough to think about these things) but this can also be played defensively to prevent dying.
Cast it on an opponent's creature so to receive poison counters instead of losing the game.
Posted By:
Kragash
(9/5/2011 8:15:52 AM)
Don't you know the saying... the more you perfect STRIKE MR. ANDO STRIKE!
Posted By:
Kryptnyt
(5/16/2011 3:57:31 PM)
Assault Strobe, Tainted Strike, Vampire's Bite, Goblin.
Posted By:
jerkoid
(6/8/2011 12:09:04 AM)
Call me crazy but I don't think giving any creature Infect, alone, for {B}, or any color(less) for that matter, at instant speed is balanced. It's fantastically cheap with a horrifically powerful ability. What's next? 1 drop instant cards that give a creature Annihilate? Infect cards had to be built around to be effective. This card disregards that crucial part and lets any deck that splashes black infect. As if Vampires wasn't deadly enough, just a few counters from Blade of the Bloodchief and this is GG.
Posted By:
mattblack04
(10/1/2011 9:21:24 PM)
I always imagine this card as inducing vomiting in your own creature.
Posted By:
TherealphatMatt
(10/23/2011 9:15:11 PM)
And so I learned to never leave a creature unblocked if my opponent has even one free Swamp... Sigh...
Posted By:
Totema
(1/19/2012 10:43:47 PM)
5/5 For EDH
It's cute that everyone has their own 1st turn win "combos" with this card, but they really do this thing no justice. A lot of black decks in EDH love to use this card as their 99th. As some random trick that nullifies anyone who is running Serra Ascendant and friends, it just makes surprise kills way too easy.
Howl From Beyond
Hatred
... etc.
Played in my Toshiro Umezawa deck. (because let's face it, a real ninja poisons people)
Posted By:
0pp0
(6/7/2012 9:42:20 AM)
Using this on cards like Immolating Souleater that you pay your life to pump it to 9 power if they dont block then hit for the win!
Posted By:
Charles_Prefect
(9/4/2012 12:41:21 PM)
I love this so much with trample, although it isn't too good of a card by itself.
4/5
Posted By:
Infernaldarkness
(11/26/2012 1:26:25 PM)
TURN ONE KILL WITH SEVEN CARDS:
Swamp, Black Lotus
Crack the Lotus for a Seething Song. (5 mana)
Play Thundermaw Hellkite. (5/5 flying)
Pay 4 life for a pair of Mutagenic Growths. (+4/+4, 9/9)
Drop Tainted Strike. (10/9 infect)
Swing.
Posted By:
FlingIt
(10/15/2013 7:32:05 PM)