---
name: "Illness in the Ranks"
mana_cost: "{B}"
cmc: 1
type_line: "Enchantment"
colors: []
color_identity: ["B"]
keywords: []
set: "PIO"
set_name: "Pioneer Masters"
collector_number: "292"
rarity: "uncommon"
artist: "Nils Hamm"
oracle_id: "51abc95c-bd92-46f7-a0a1-6e9f8e0dda87"
canonical_url: "https://avascry.com/printing/illness-in-the-ranks-pio"
legalities:
  commander: "legal"
  standard: "not_legal"
  modern: "legal"
  pioneer: "legal"
  legacy: "legal"
  vintage: "legal"
  pauper: "not_legal"
  penny: "not_legal"
---

# Illness in the Ranks
- **Mana Cost:** `{B}` (CMC: 1)
- **Type:** Enchantment

## Oracle Text
Creature tokens get -1/-1.

## Top 4096-Dim Neural Synergies
1. [Virulent Plague](/printing/virulent-plague-dtk.md) — Enchantment
2. [Infest](/printing/infest-clu.md) — Sorcery
3. [Night of Souls' Betrayal](/printing/night-of-souls-betrayal-ima.md) — Legendary Enchantment
4. [Sick and Tired](/printing/sick-and-tired-ulg.md) — Instant
5. [Hell Swarm](/printing/hell-swarm-leg.md) — Instant
6. [Fungal Infection](/printing/fungal-infection-dom.md) — Instant

## Printing Details
- **Set:** Pioneer Masters (PIO) #292
- **Rarity:** Uncommon
- **Artist:** Nils Hamm
- **Total Printings:** 2 across all historical editions

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

## Official Rulings
- *(2013-01-24)* If an effect creates a creature token that normally has toughness 1, it will enter with toughness 0, be put into its owner's graveyard as a state-based action, and then cease to exist. Any abilities that trigger when a creature enters or dies will trigger.