Before we get into cards, some background on Infect in Legacy. The idea behind this deck is that it falls into the macro-archetype of fast tempo-aggro, but rather than filling out the Brainstorm-Ponder-Daze-Force of Will shell with Delver of Secrets, Deathrite Shaman, and removal spells, this deck chooses to put the pedal to the metal by incorporating infect creatures and pump spells. With free Invigorates, free Dazes, free Gitaxian Probes and free Force of Wills, Legacy Infect has possibly more zero-mana spells than any deck in the format (save weird fringe archetypes like Kobolds combo). Infect is theoretically similar to Delver decks in general matchup win percentages, but exchanges a weaker matchup against Delver itself for a higher percentage of nut-draws and overall stronger matchups against combo decks, Elves, and Death and Taxes. The deck also leverages false tempo more effectively than just about any other deck in Legacy, with opponents forced into awkward timing of their removal spells in order to attempt to not get blown out. Infect opens up many opportunities for opponents to make mistakes, but an experienced player with a highly interactive deck should win more than they lose against Infect. In effect, if there were a solution to the Delver matchup, it would be possible for Infect to be the top dog of Legacy, at least until folks caught up with more hate cards. (Think Izzet Staticaster, Grim Lavamancer, etc.)

Now, for players who love to dive deep and find obscure decklists in Legacy, there are rewards in unique sideboard plans, unexpected tech, and possibly even solutions to formerly-unfavorable matchups. For Infect, that solution lies in a humble White splash for a hefty package of removal alongside a few cheap card advantage engines. Tom Ross has played a Savannah to surprise opponents with a Swords to Plowshares or two in specific matchups, but never before has there been this much of a sideboard juke for Infect. Six removal spells, a couple of two-mana card advantage machines, and Monastery Mentor for the full “protect the queen” setup. The maindeck is still fairly stock, but that sideboard is a real head-scratcher. Let’s talk about it:

Mentor Infect ? Legacy | Ben Friedman

• Creatures (12)
• 4 Blighted Agent
• 4 Glistener Elf
• 4 Noble Hierarch

• Instants (22)
• 2 Become Immense
• 2 Berserk
• 2 Flusterstorm
• 4 Brainstorm
• 4 Daze
• 4 Force of Will
• 4 Invigorate

• Sorceries (6)
• 2 Ponder
• 4 Gitaxian Probe

• Enchantments (1)
• 1 Sylvan Library

• Lands (19)
• 1 Pendelhaven
• 1 Tundra
• 2 Savannah
• 3 Tropical Island
• 4 Inkmoth Nexus
• 4 Misty Rainforest
• 4 Windswept Heath

• Sideboad (15)
• 2 Path to Exile
• 4 Swords to Plowshares
• 2 Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy
• 2 Monastery Mentor
• 2 Null Rod
• 2 Surgical Extraction
• 1 Sylvan Library

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A few points before we discuss the possible alternative sideboard plans:

1: No basic lands

As appealing as it is to be resilient to Blood Moon and Wasteland, Infect is already quite fragile against opposing nonbasic land hate. Your best bet in general is to win faster, to counter the Blood Moon, or to play through the Wastelands. This may come back to bite you against Lands, but drawing Forest is fairly demoralizing when you need to cast Swords to Plowshares and Brainstorms early and often against opposing tempo decks.

2: More counterspells, no Blossoming Defense or Vines of Vastwood

There are combo decks out there, lots of them. Flusterstorm is a great answer to opposing Storm decks and opposing high-removal-density decks alike, as it amounts to an essentially uncounterable Spell Pierce against removal. It’s reasonable to add an extra pump spell or two to increase goldfish consistency, but if you want to fight combo decks, your best bet is 10-12 cheap counterspells, which this change does.

3: Four Gitaxian Probes

I’ve seen lists floating around with only three of this card, and it doesn’t make sense. Probe is possibly the most Infect-friendly Blue card in the deck, as it lets you see the coast is clear, adds cards to the graveyard for Delve, and reduces the virtual size of your deck, all in one low-cost package. Then, post-sideboard, it lets you get value with Monastery Mentor. Don’t cut to three Probes!

Now, as for the specific sideboard choices. To transform into a midrange Bant deck, you have basically three potential card advantage packages. The first is a Stoneforge Mystic package. Instead of Mentors, Jaces, and Null Rods, you’d have Stoneforges, Batterskull, and an Umezawa's Jitte. You could also cut the Sylvan Library for another anti-Storm card, as Null Rod doubles as Storm hate, and you would lose that hate piece with the inclusion of equipment.

The third package, as we see here, is a combination of Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy, Monastery Mentor, and Sylvan Library. Baby Jace is an odd inclusion, one that doesn’t see much play in Legacy, but offers card advantage and an alternative win condition for the supremely low price of two mana. Don’t discount the Emblem, as it can win games that no other effect could win! Against neo-Miracles, a resolved Jace, Vryn's Prodigy on turn two is often a slam-dunk win, for example. Sylvan Library also offers selection and card advantage (and is incidentally also great against slow control decks like neo-Miracles, and Mentor is a one-card army in a deck like Infect. Feel free to mix and match these packages, or come up with other ones. Life from the Loam + Wasteland + Tranquil Thicket, Jace, the Mind Sculptor, True-Name Nemesis, the options are practically endless. Sideboarding with these wacky plans is a bit complicated, to say the least, so do be sure to get a feel for how the deck operates before lobotomizing the deck in order to fit in huge numbers of transformative cards.

Now, as interesting as Landstill Infect, Mentor Infect, or any other crazy transformative concoction may be, there is still room to innovate with good old Delver. While Sultai Delver chooses to gain free win equity via Hymn to Tourach, and Grixis Delver attempts to make Young Pyromancer do work, there is an old spell that synergizes well with many of the things that Delver decks are trying to do, a spell that many newer players won’t even recognize, a spell from a simpler time in Magic. Sinkhole.

Now, Sinkhole is an interesting card, as it’s so much better on the play than on the draw in Legacy, but it can turn many games into a one-sided rout, especially in multiples. It behooves us, then, to tinker with Delver decks and see if Sinkhole isn’t the spell of choice to win games.

Sinkhole Delver ? Legacy | Ben Friedman

• Creatures (12)
• 2 Gurmag Angler
• 2 True-Name Nemesis
• 4 Deathrite Shaman
• 4 Delver of Secrets

• Instants (19)
• 1 Dismember
• 3 Fatal Push
• 3 Stifle
• 4 Brainstorm
• 4 Daze
• 4 Force of Will

• Sorceries (8)
• 4 Ponder
• 4 Sinkhole

• Lands (19)
• 1 Island
• 1 Swamp
• 1 Tropical Island
• 2 Misty Rainforest
• 2 Verdant Catacombs
• 4 Polluted Delta
• 4 Underground Sea
• 4 Wasteland

• Sideboard (15)
• 3 Diabolic Edict
• 3 Surgical Extraction
• 1 Snapcaster Mage
• 2 Flusterstorm
• 3 Marsh Casualties
• 2 Null Rod
• 1 Dismember

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As polarized as cards like Sinkhole and Stifle are, there’s nothing wrong with living dangerously every once in a while in Legacy. Despite fairly weak matchups against the decks where land destruction and Stifles are bad (think Death and Taxes, Elves, Merfolk, etc.) there are free wins out there to be had, and if you’re not going to take them, someone else will! Mentor Infect and Sinkhole Delver are about as free-win-oriented as fair Blue decks can get, so if you like the idea of making your opponent grumble in frustration about your cheesy dumb deck, these are your weapons.

With the announcement of the Team Pro Tour next year, Legacy is going to be a more critical format than ever, and experts in the format will be among the most sought-after players for high-powered teams. If you have ever harbored dreams of beating Reid Duke in a Legacy match in the finals of a Pro Tour, this is the chance to make it happen. There stand to be a number of Team GPs in this next season to give you the chance to leverage Legacy for a chance at the big dance, and we’re going to run down tons of archetypes, innovations, sideboard packages, and matchups in anticipation. Get good, and you’ll be the most desirable teammate in the area. Slack, and you’ll have to sit through Modern Burn mirrors while your teammates have all the fun. The season starts now!