The greatest promise of Core Generation is accessibility. We believe that your budget should never dictate your competitive potential.
The UG Infect deck is a powerful testament to this philosophy. It leverages highly efficient Common and Uncommon creatures and saves the valuable Rare slots for surgical amplification. This profile proves that the format relies on skill and execution, not the secondary market.
This list strictly adheres to the 8-Rare/3-Copy Limit and maintains an exceptionally low acquisition cost by utilizing readily available C/U cards and Basic lands.
CoreGen Decklist: UG Infect
Creatures (17)
3 Glistener Elf [C] - [NPH]
3 Blight Mamba [C] - [SOM]
4 Llanowar Elves [C] - [DOM]
3 Arbor Elf [U] - [AVR]
3 Noble Hierarch [R] - [CON] (Rare Slot)
1 Dryad Arbor [R] - [FUT] (Rare Slot)
Non-Creature Spells (15)
3 Aether Vial [U] - [DST]
3 Mutagenic Growth [C] - [NPH]
3 Vines of Vastwood [C] - [ZEN]
3 Groundswell [C] - [ZEN]
3 Invigorate [R] - [PLS] (Rare Slot)
1 Berserk [R] - [LEA] (Rare Slot)
Lands (22)
19 Forest [C]
4 Island [C]
Total: 60 Cards | Rare/Mythic Total: 8
The highly affordable C/U core provides the deck's speed and consistency. Llanowar Elves (C) is used for acceleration, and Aether Vial (U) offers resilient deployment.
The Rares in this deck are strategically spent on maximizing lethality and non-replaceable utility.
Lethality Package (4 Rares): We maximize consistency with Invigorate (3), and Berserk (1) serves as a surgical, one-of finisher.
Utility & Ramp (4 Rares): Noble Hierarch (3) provides Exalted and acceleration. Dryad Arbor (1) functions as an uncounterable rare threat.
This allocation proves that Core Generation Rares are tools for surgical power, not for foundational necessity.
Favorable Matchups (What We Beat):
Infect is a fast clock. It excels against slow Control strategies and Midrange decks that rely on costly threats.
Unfavorable Matchups (Threats to Watch):
We are vulnerable to decks with a high density of efficient single-target removal. Our defense relies heavily on the Vines of Vastwood protection.
The UG Infect deck stands as the ultimate demonstration of the Core Generation principle.
The CoreGen Principle in Action: The functional core of this deck (all C/U spells and creatures) is extremely inexpensive. By completely avoiding expensive Rare lands, the total cost profile is drastically shifted.
This deck proves that Core Generation is a truly accessible eternal format. The ability to build a highly competitive deck for a fraction of the cost of traditional eternal formats emphasizes that skill in piloting is paramount.
We challenge you to find the most efficient way to spend your 8 Rares.
UG Infect is merely a starting point. The future of this format will be defined by decklists built on intellect, not price.
Read the full rules and start brewing your winning, budget-friendly deck today!