Infect
Infect is a keyword ability that was introduced in Scars of Mirrodin.
A creature with infect deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and players in the form of poison counters. If a player has ten or more poison counters, they lose the game. In Two-Headed Giant, it’s fifteen or more.
From the Comprehensive Rules (November 8, 2024—Edge of Eternities)
- 702.90. Infect
- 702.90a Infect is a static ability.
- 702.90b Damage dealt to a player by a source with infect doesn’t cause that player to lose life. Rather, it causes that source’s controller to give the player that many poison counters. See rule 120.3.
- 702.90c Damage dealt to a creature by a source with infect isn’t marked on that creature. Rather, it causes that source’s controller to put that many -1/-1 counters on that creature. See rule 120.3.
- 702.90d If an object changes zones before an effect causes it to deal damage, its last known information is used to determine whether it had infect.
- 702.90e The infect rules function no matter what zone an object with infect deals damage from.
- 702.90f Multiple instances of infect on the same object are redundant.
History
Infect is centered in black and green and there are also some artifacts having the keyword. It combines poisonous and wither abilities. In Mirrodin Besieged the mechanic was expanded to white,[4] and finally spread to red in New Phyrexia.
As with its related mechanic proliferate, infect is Phyrexian in theme. Each creature with infect, and all cards that gave infect and/or positively affected creatures with infect, were printed with the Phyrexian watermark. The mechanic was considered for Phyrexia: All Will Be One, but ultimately dismissed because R&D has soured on environments using -1/-1 counters and because infect is disliked by many.[5]
Infect in practice
Infect is one of the best sources into archetyping poison decks, because not only poisons the player but diminishes the power and toughness of creatures whom dance in combat against it.
