Welcome back to Meta Monday! Wait, is it not Monday? I'm adjusting the structure of my weekly meta articles to provide more targeted information on decklists for all of you. While a weekly meta article is valuable, the meta can often become stagnant throughout the season. Although the key decks may shift, there isn’t usually significant movement that changes the game dramatically.
Starting this season, during the first week, we will focus on your day-one climb to infinite decks. Most of these will be relevant to the current meta, of course.
Day 1 Infinite
Reaching Infinite on day one is primarily determined by the number of hours you play rather than your deck choice. Depending on your Matchmaking Rating (MMR) bracket, you will likely encounter a number of bots during the first day. If you maintain at least a 50% win rate and can consistently win against the bots, you should achieve infinite. However, some deck choices are more effective than others when it comes to climbing the ranks.
Play what you know
The first recommendation is to play a deck you are most familiar with. Unlike ladder climbing beyond Infinite, where you can add surprises to your deck or have a little fun (especially if you’re not aiming for an actual ranking), day one climbing is filled with players trying to maximize their cubes. This means understanding your snap and retreat conditions is crucial. Regardless of your deck choice, you need to know when to snap and when to retreat as early as possible in a match. This is why we often see tried-and-true decks like Discard, Destroy, Negative, Clog, and Zoo during the reset. The snap conditions for these decks are well-defined, making it easy to see when to retreat. Additionally, with the introduction of brand new season pass and spotlight cards, the meta can feel a bit unstable, which makes these consistent decks a solid choice regardless of how the meta is shifting.
Destroy
Discard
Discard happens to be one of the current best decks in the format, so you are more likely to run into mirror matches than anything. This version is probably the most common, with bullseye coming a close second. Either way, Discard is a great points deck that has simple snap conditions, which should allow you to climb relatively easily.
Negative
Clog
Zoo
Play the Meta
Another straightforward option is to play the top decks from the current meta. This usually depends on the season pass card and its potential impact on the meta. However, it often takes more than a day for a new best deck to emerge, so you'll still be fine playing the best decks from the current format.
Thanos
Thanos has been a strong contender over the last couple of weeks this season and is expected to remain a solid choice in the next one. Typically, Thanos is effective for climbing ranks because he allows players to switch in tech cards based on the decks they encounter. Additionally, his synergy with Wiccan provides some natural energy efficiency, making him a great option for consistent progression.
However, the snap conditions for Thanos can sometimes be challenging to determine, which may lead some players to hesitate and lose cubes after extended gaming sessions.
Scream
I still believe that Scream is currently the best deck in the format. While Discard might be the most prevalent, I think Scream has the best tools to effectively combat most, if not all, of the decks in the meta. However, this deck often maintains priority a significant amount of the time, making bot games more challenging for maximizing the cube rate.
Bullseye Discard
Discard is likely the biggest threat in the current format and is definitely the most popular choice. I expect to encounter this strategy frequently as I climb the ranks. Additionally, it has straightforward snap conditions, making it an effective deck for consistently gaining cubes. If you have all the necessary cards and have been playing this for the past week, I see no reason to make any changes.
Ongoing
Lastly, a straightforward ongoing deck is likely the best place to incorporate some of the newer cards. In a competitive environment where many decks rely on discard strategies, having a consistent deck that can hold its own against various matchups—while also being able to utilize Luke Cage—is a plus. Furthermore, this deck is probably the most affordable option for many players who may not own some of the latest cards, as it includes solid replacement options for the Series 5 or Season Pass cards.
Low CL No Season Pass
For those players who are mid to low CL or don’t plan on or do not buy the season pass, there are a couple of decks that I would run to get infinite the first day or maybe second day.
Move Bounce
The Shadow King is rarely seen, making Move Bounce a great option against Discard decks since you can consistently achieve higher power. Although this strategy includes four Series 5 cards, they've all been available for a while except for Frigga, who could be replaced with Cosmo or another three-cost tech card. While this may not be optimal, it can still work effectively.
Surtur RS
Even if you didn't get Starbrand, you can still run this list, especially with Goliath coming out, as it naturally includes Enchantress. Of course, if you don't have Surtur or Ares, you can still make the list work by using Shuri or Cull Obsidian instead. There are some straightforward replacements that can make this deck both attainable and powerful.
Pool 2 Zoo
For all my Pool 2 gamers out there, I recommend using this list to maximize your cubes. Playing Zoo is very consistent and features a lot of cheap, high-powered threats that can be surprising—take Elektra, for example. The only real threat to this strategy is Killmonger, but outside of destroy decks, he isn't that common.
Conclusion
Reaching Infinite on day one can be a challenge, but many players manage to do it. Typically, the first couple of days involve a bit of a frenzy as players rush to achieve this rank as quickly as possible. Many opt for decks that are effective against bots or have high cube equity. However, I've always found that using a deck you are most comfortable with is usually the best strategy, even if it's not as well-positioned as it once was. This is mainly because you can snap decisions much earlier when using a familiar deck compared to trying out new ones. What deck are you planning to climb with? Let me know in the comments!
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