---
name: "Contagion"
mana_cost: "{3}{B}{B}"
cmc: 5
type_line: "Instant"
colors: ["B"]
color_identity: ["B"]
keywords: []
set: "WC97"
set_name: "World Championship Decks 1997"
collector_number: "js45"
rarity: "uncommon"
artist: "Mike Raabe"
oracle_id: "433e86ce-df04-4182-bb63-ad2607d67dbd"
canonical_url: "https://avascry.com/printing/contagion-wc97"
legalities:
  commander: "legal"
  standard: "not_legal"
  modern: "not_legal"
  pioneer: "not_legal"
  legacy: "legal"
  vintage: "legal"
  pauper: "not_legal"
  penny: "not_legal"
---

# Contagion
- **Mana Cost:** `{3}{B}{B}` (CMC: 5)
- **Type:** Instant

## Oracle Text
You may pay 1 life and exile a black card from your hand rather than pay this spell's mana cost.
Distribute two -2/-1 counters among one or two target creatures.

## Top 4096-Dim Neural Synergies
1. [March of Wretched Sorrow](/printing/march-of-wretched-sorrow-neo.md) — Instant
2. [Fevered Convulsions](/printing/fevered-convulsions-tmp.md) — Enchantment
3. [Instill Infection](/printing/instill-infection-som.md) — Instant
4. [Sickening Shoal](/printing/sickening-shoal-bok.md) — Instant — Arcane
5. [Soul Spike](/printing/soul-spike-csp.md) — Instant
6. [Splendid Agony](/printing/splendid-agony-akr.md) — Instant

## Printing Details
- **Set:** World Championship Decks 1997 (WC97) #js45
- **Rarity:** Uncommon
- **Artist:** Mike Raabe
- **Total Printings:** 11 across all historical editions

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