---
name: "Black Market Connections"
mana_cost: "{2}{B}"
cmc: 3
type_line: "Enchantment"
colors: ["B"]
color_identity: ["B"]
keywords: ["Hire a Mercenary", "Treasure", "Sell Contraband", "Buy Information"]
set: "LCC"
set_name: "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander"
collector_number: "181"
rarity: "rare"
artist: "Lixin Yin"
oracle_id: "d2664f28-49e1-46f8-a863-b217e961a57c"
canonical_url: "https://avascry.com/printing/black-market-connections-lcc"
legalities:
  commander: "legal"
  standard: "not_legal"
  modern: "legal"
  pioneer: "not_legal"
  legacy: "legal"
  vintage: "legal"
  pauper: "not_legal"
  penny: "legal"
---

# Black Market Connections
- **Mana Cost:** `{2}{B}` (CMC: 3)
- **Type:** Enchantment
- **Keywords:** Hire a Mercenary, Treasure, Sell Contraband, Buy Information

## Oracle Text
At the beginning of your first main phase, choose one or more —
• Sell Contraband — Create a Treasure token. You lose 1 life.
• Buy Information — Draw a card. You lose 2 life.
• Hire a Mercenary — Create a 3/2 colorless Shapeshifter creature token with changeling. You lose 3 life. (It is every creature type.)

## Top 4096-Dim Neural Synergies
1. [Black Market Tycoon](/printing/black-market-tycoon-prm.md) — Creature — Cat Rogue
2. [You've Been Caught Stealing](/printing/youve-been-caught-stealing-clb.md) — Sorcery
3. [Skullport Merchant](/printing/skullport-merchant-afr.md) — Creature — Dwarf Citizen
4. [Contract Killing](/printing/contract-killing-j25.md) — Sorcery
5. [Contract Hero](/printing/contract-hero-msc.md) — Creature — Human Mercenary Hero
6. [Black Market](/printing/black-market-plst.md) — Enchantment

## Printing Details
- **Set:** The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander (LCC) #181
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Artist:** Lixin Yin
- **Total Printings:** 50 across all historical editions

## Format Legalities
Commander: `legal` | Standard: `not_legal` | Modern: `legal` | Pioneer: `not_legal` | Legacy: `legal` | Vintage: `legal` | Pauper: `not_legal` | Penny: `legal`