Deck Name: Swift Sickness v2

Format: Legacy
Deck Type: Mechanic-Based Aggro Combo
Deck Theme: Infect Burst Damage with Pump Spells and Protection
Colors: Green-Blue (Simic)

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Description

"Swift Sickness v2" is a Legacy infect aggro-combo deck that weaponizes the Infect mechanic to achieve lightning-fast kills. Instead of dealing 20 damage, it aims for just 10 poison counters, often delivered in a single explosive combat phase.

The deck leverages low-cost Infect creatures such as Glistener Elf, Blighted Agent, and Ichorclaw Myr and supercharges them with a combination of free or efficient pump spells like Invigorate, Mutagenic Growth, Groundswell, and Berserk. Protection and tempo tools like Veil of Summer, Daze, and Flusterstorm ensure that your path to victory is as clean as it is brutal.

This is not a deck for long games or cautious play — it's a scalpel designed to kill before your opponent fully understands what’s happening.

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How to Play

Early Game
Play a 1-drop infect creature like Glistener Elf if available.
Back it up with Vines of Vastwood, Veil of Summer, or Flusterstorm to keep it safe.
Use Brainstorm, Slip Through Space, and fetchlands to optimize your hand.

Mid Game
Aim for a one-shot kill with a pumped infect creature.
Use Invigorate, Groundswell, Scale Up, and Berserk for burst damage.
Push through blockers with Distortion Strike or Slip Through Space.

Late Game (rare)
Recover from removal with a second infect threat.
Use Crop Rotation to find Pendelhaven for combat tricks or tech utility.
Keep your opponent off-balance with tempo counters until a clean window opens.

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Ideal Opening Hand

A strong hand includes:
1–2 lands (at least one green)
One infect creature
One or two pump spells
One piece of protection or interaction (Vines, Veil, Flusterstorm, or Daze)

Mulligan if:
You have no infect creature
You have only pump/protection with no lands
You rely on slow or tapped mana (which this deck doesn't play)

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How the Mechanic Works

Infect deals damage to players as poison counters. Only 10 are needed to win.
This deck uses cheap creatures with Infect and combines them with pump spells to deliver lethal poison in one swing.

The strategy:
Deploy an infect creature early.
Stack +X/+X effects and evasion spells.
End the game with Berserk, often on turn 2 or 3.
Use tempo and protection to keep your line clear.

This approach blends the all-in explosiveness of combo with the linear aggression of aggro — but all driven by Infect as the core mechanic.

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Sideboard Strategy

Vs Control:
Veil of Summer, Flusterstorm, and Dispel protect against removal and counters.
Pithing Needle shuts down Wasteland, Narset, or Planeswalkers.

Vs Combo:
Bring in Flusterstorm, Veil, Dispel to stop fast kill combos.
Tormod’s Crypt is key against graveyard strategies like Reanimator and Doomsday.

Vs Aggro:
Submerge removes large green threats for zero mana.
Fading Hope adds tempo and bounce value.
Spellskite protects your infect threats against burn or removal.

Vs Artifacts/Enchantments:
Force of Vigor clears out Chalice of the Void, Leyline of Sanctity, and more.
Pithing Needle stops activated abilities from combo artifacts or enchantments.

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Skill Level and Playability

"Swift Sickness v2" is ideal for players who enjoy explosive, high-risk gameplay with a heavy emphasis on sequencing, bluffing, and precise timing. Every card counts, every land drop matters, and one wrong decision can cost you the game — or win it.

Difficulty Level: Advanced
Playstyle: Aggro-Combo with tempo interaction
Best For: 1v1 high-power Legacy metas, tempo-heavy environments, players who love short games with big decisions

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Competitive Profile and Ratings

Power Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4.5/5)
Kills on turn 2–3 consistently with high-impact spells. One threat can end the game.

Speed: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
Most wins occur by turn 3. Can explode from nowhere if opponents tap out.

Resilience: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5)
Soft to multiple removals or counterspells, but has redundancy and protection.

Complexity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
High sequencing skill and precision needed. One misplay can be fatal or brilliant.

Best Format Fit:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Legacy 1v1 Competitive
⭐⭐☆☆☆ Multiplayer (Infect doesn't scale well in pods)
⭐⭐⭐☆☆ High-power Casual

Mechanic-Based vs Control Ratio:
70% Mechanic-Based / 30% Tempo-Control
The deck relies primarily on Infect mechanics and pump sequencing, but includes tempo and disruption elements to force its win through interaction.

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Quote:
“I don’t need to deal 20 damage. I just need to hit you right — once.”

Last Update: 18/07/2025