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.
Posted By:
DiasFlac420
(5/8/2011 4:28:13 PM)
Infect already had no real weaknesses... then they gave it this. Really? REALLY?
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).
Posted By:
Lifegainwithbite
(1/12/2013 5:59:59 AM)
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!
Posted By:
Lord_Gravesmythe
(9/26/2010 12:07:26 AM)
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... (see all)
Posted By:
Sswift
(2/25/2011 11:47:51 PM)
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.
Posted By:
DonRoyale
(9/23/2010 11:20:45 PM)
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
Posted By:
EnV
(11/12/2010 12:48:50 PM)
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.
Posted By:
DoragonShinzui
(3/14/2012 8:16:36 AM)
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.
Posted By:
Thanatophagous
(3/14/2012 3:52:35 PM)
Too Bad This Thing Dies To Removal!
Posted By:
MasterOfEfherium
(4/24/2011 4:34:44 PM)
This is messed up, that they would print this.
Posted By:
SIlverSkyz
(9/23/2010 5:34:22 PM)