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Mirrodin, as Phyrexia moves in
What this set is
Scars of Mirrodin returns to the artificial metal plane of Mirrodin, which the Phyrexians have been corrupting from inside. The set splits into two factions with their own mechanics: the Mirrans, who care about artifacts, and the Phyrexians, who use poison.
Infect is the Phyrexian keyword. A creature with infect deals damage to creatures as -1/-1 counters and to players as poison counters, and ten poison counters loses the game. Proliferate, which adds another counter of each kind already there, helps both the poison plan and anything else that uses counters.
Metalcraft is the Mirran side: an ability word that switches on while you control three or more artifacts. Mox Opal is the most famous metalcraft card. The set also printed Wurmcoil Engine, Exsanguinate and the allied-color fastlands, such as Blackcleave Cliffs.
Themes
Every mechanic in Scars of Mirrodin
Infect
Damage to creatures is dealt as -1/-1 counters and damage to players as poison counters. Ten poison counters and a player loses, regardless of life total, so infect races on a separate clock.
Proliferate
Choose any number of permanents and players that have counters, and give each one more counter of each kind already there. Built for poison here, and it later became a staple of counters decks.
Metalcraft
An ability word: the ability works as long as you control three or more artifacts. The Mirran faction's mechanic, and the reason artifact lands and cheap artifacts were premium in draft.
Imprint
Exile a card with the permanent and it uses that card somehow. Back from the original Mirrodin block, on cards like Prototype Portal.
Where You Can Play It
Format legality
Scars of Mirrodin shipped under a single code. It predates Pioneer, so the set is legal in Modern and the eternal formats.
Not Standard-legal. Standard only ever holds the last few years of sets, so everything this old has long since left it. These cards are still playable in Modern, Legacy, Vintage and Commander. Commons from any set are Pauper-legal; that isn't listed per set here.
Limited
The draft format
A two-faction format. Mirran decks play lots of artifacts for metalcraft, Phyrexian decks play infect, and the two plans do not mix well, since poison and normal damage race separate clocks.
Infect
Poison aggro
Infect creatures and pump spells. Ten poison is less than twenty life, so the deck wins quickly when it commits, and badly when it splits damage with normal creatures.
Metalcraft
Artifact synergy
Cheap artifacts and artifact creatures to turn on metalcraft early, with fliers to close. Artifact removal hurts this deck more than any other.
Commanders
The most played commanders from Scars of Mirrodin
The legends this set is best known for. Tap one for its printings and what it costs.
Boosters, precons and singles from Scars of Mirrodin are on TCGplayer.
FAQ
Common questions
What set introduced infect and proliferate?
Scars of Mirrodin, in October 2010. Infect deals damage as -1/-1 counters to creatures and poison counters to players; proliferate adds another counter of each kind already on any permanents and players you choose.
How do poison counters work?
A player with ten or more poison counters loses the game. Poison is tracked separately from life, so an infect deck ignores life gain. In Commander the threshold is still ten.
Is Scars of Mirrodin legal in Pioneer?
No. Pioneer starts at Return to Ravnica (October 2012). Scars of Mirrodin is legal in Modern, Legacy, Vintage and Commander.
All card names, art, and mechanics belong to Wizards of the Coast. Scars of Mirrodin released on Oct 1, 2010; details reflect the set as published. Sources: Wizards of the Coast set pages and release notes, Draftsim, Untapped.gg.
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