Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me… but give it enough time, and you might just fool me again.
There are certain cards that seem to catch us off guard every time they appear. At first, it’s just frustrating – but when it keeps happening, we adapt. We refine our decklists, adjust our playstyle, and start including answers to avoid getting punished again.
A classic example is Infiltrate from the first set. Not only is it a stunning piece of art by Elwira Pawlikowska, but for a long time it was also a true powerhouse – equally effective as removal or as a tempo swing. Naturally, it became a staple that every competitive player had to respect and play around.
And the meta responded.
Cards like Watchtower or Hounds of Ondaros emerged as consistent counters. The moment an infiltrated minion lost Stealth, control reverted, completely neutralizing the play. As these answers became more widespread, Infiltrate lost its reliability. It didn’t become weak—but it became risky, and other cards started taking its place in decklists.
So, it slowly disappeared.
But metas don’t stand still—they cycle.
As time passes, decks become more refined, more aggressive, or simply greedier. Players cut “unnecessary” tech cards to optimize their core strategy. Old threats fade from memory—and with them, the respect they once demanded.
This is where the cycle resets.
Because once the counters disappear, the door opens again.
Cards like Infiltrate don’t need to be dominant to be effective—they just need to be unexpected. They return not as staples, but as sleeper cards, quietly slipping back into decklists and exploiting the exact gaps the meta has created.
In a way, this is the natural “(Peasant) revolt” of forgotten cards: they punish optimization, expose complacency, and remind players that the meta is never truly solved.
And if you’re not prepared?
You might lose simply because you stopped respecting it.
