Contagious Vorrac MTG Card


Contagious Vorrac increases board presence by adding +1/+1 counters each turn, synergizing with counter-based strategies. Its static ability offers consistent advantages, much like instant speed interactions impacting the game during upkeep. Demands a discard and specific mana, making it less versatile but engaging for decks where it fits.
Contagious Vorrac - Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Phyrexian Boar Beast
Abilities Proliferate
Released2023-02-03
Set symbol
Set namePhyrexia: All Will Be One
Set codeONE
Power 3
Toughness 3
Number164
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byMaxime Minard

Text of card

When Contagious Vorrac enters the battlefield, look at the top four cards of your library. You may reveal a land card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order. If you didn't put a card into your hand this way, proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.)


Cards like Contagious Vorrac

Contagious Vorrac emerges as a standout creature amidst the realm of proliferate mechanics within Magic: The Gathering. It offers a fresh twist when compared to similar creatures, such as the renowned Thrummingbird. Where Thrummingbird enables the proliferation of all your counters upon dealing combat damage, Contagious Vorrac is more selective, allowing you to proliferate a single kind of counter on any number of target permanents. This unique precision highlights Contagious Vorrac’s tactical edge in decks that focus on enhancing specific counters.

In relation to Plaguemaw Beast, another proliferate creature, Contagious Vorrac boasts a lower mana cost and an absence of any additional cost to trigger its proliferate ability. The Plaguemaw Beast requires creature sacrifice to activate, introducing an extra layer of strategy but at a potential cost to your board presence. However, Contagious Vorrac activates with a simple tap, making it a more straightforward option for any deck aiming to amass particular kinds of counters swiftly.

Overall, while each card possesses its own strategic merits within MTG, Contagious Vorrac’s specialized proliferation capacity and easier activation could certainly make it a preferred choice for players looking to finely tune their counters and maintain board stability.

Thrummingbird - MTG Card versions
Plaguemaw Beast - MTG Card versions
Thrummingbird - MTG Card versions
Plaguemaw Beast - MTG Card versions

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Quirion Druid - MTG Card versions
Uktabi Orangutan - MTG Card versions
Spike Feeder - MTG Card versions
Hungry Hungry Heifer - MTG Card versions
Titania's Chosen - MTG Card versions
Taoist Mystic - MTG Card versions
Femeref Archers - MTG Card versions
Verduran Enchantress - MTG Card versions
Fyndhorn Elder - MTG Card versions
Lydari Druid - MTG Card versions
Steel Leaf Champion - MTG Card versions
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Topiary Stomper - MTG Card versions
Territorial Scythecat - MTG Card versions
Wirewood Savage - MTG Card versions
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Decks using this card

MTG decks using Contagious Vorrac. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Golgari PoisonGolgari Poison StandardGolgari PoisonTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: April 8, 2024
Abzan MidrangeAbzan Midrange GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 13 2024
Five-color MidrangeFive-color Midrange Free formStandard Pauper Tournament Feb 2024

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Contagious Vorrac can potentially increase the number of permanents you control by placing +1/+1 counters on creatures every turn. This uptick not only boosts your creatures’ stats but can also synergize with other effects that get triggered by counters, leading to more strategic depth and advantage on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: With its ability to persistently grow your creatures, this card naturally accelerates your resources on the board. A larger creature can often mean more power in combat or an enhanced ability to utilize certain activated abilities, providing clear and consistent incremental gains.

Instant Speed: The versatility of Contagious Vorrac isn’t at instant speed, but its static ability works as a constant threat, which shares a similar strategic advantage. You can effectively make decisions during your upkeep that will influence the game flow, similar to how instant speed interactions give you the flexibility to adapt and react to the state of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When playing Contagious Vorrac, you must be prepared to let go of a card, potentially stripping you of a valuable asset at a moment when every card in hand could be critical for your game strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Contagious Vorrac demands a precise combination of mana to cast. This specificity can pose a deck-building challenge and restrict the card’s versatility across different deck archetypes that might not run the required colors efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that’s significant for its effects, Contagious Vorrac may compete with other cards in your deck that could be more impactful for the same investment. This can make it a less optimal choice when considering the overall mana curve and cost-to-benefit ratio of your deck’s design.


Reasons to Include Contagious Vorrac in Your Collection

Versatility: Contagious Vorrac can adapt to a variety of decks. Its ability to manipulate +1/+1 counters makes it an ideal fit for decks focusing on counter strategies or those looking to enhance creature performance.

Combo Potential: This card has great synergy with other cards that benefit from or rely on +1/+1 counters. It can be part of an intricate web of interactions, potentially unleashing powerful moves and providing a significant advantage during gameplay.

Meta-Relevance: With frequent shifts in the playing environment, Contagious Vorrac maintains relevance. It fares well against numerous popular deck types, making it a valuable asset in many competitive formats.


How to beat Contagious Vorrac

Overcoming Contagious Vorrac in your MTG matches can be a nuanced challenge. This creature is known for its ability to grow stronger through its proliferation ability whenever you cast a noncreature spell. To effectively counter this card, focus on minimizing the proliferation triggers. One strategy is to limit casting noncreature spells or employ instant-speed removal to deal with the Vorrac before it can benefit from any buffs. It’s also wise to maintain a board presence with creatures that can match or surpass its power, ensuring you have the upper hand in combat.

Another tactic is to use cards that specifically negate or exile creatures regardless of their power or to keep counterspells ready for when your opponent attempts to cast Contagious Vorrac. Strategic use of enchantments or artifacts that stifle or alter your opponent’s ability to cast multiple spells each turn can also be essential. Remember, the key is to intercept Vorrac’s growth or take it off the board swiftly, keeping the match tilted in your favor.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Contagious Vorrac MTG card by a specific set like Phyrexia: All Will Be One, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Contagious Vorrac and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Contagious Vorrac has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Contagious Vorrac card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2023-02-04 An ability that triggers "Whenever you proliferate" triggers even if you chose no permanents or players while doing so.
2023-02-04 If a permanent ever has both +1/+1 counters and -1/-1 counters on it at the same time, they're removed in pairs as a state-based action so that the permanent has only one of those kinds of counters on it.
2023-02-04 If a player or permanent has more than one kind of counter on it, and you choose for it to get additional counters, it must get one of each kind of counter it already has. You can't have it get just one kind of counter it already has and not the others.
2023-02-04 Players can respond to a spell or ability whose effect includes proliferating. Once that spell or ability starts to resolve, however, and its controller chooses which permanents and players will get new counters, it's too late for anyone to respond.
2023-02-04 To proliferate, you can choose any permanent that has a counter, including ones controlled by opponents. You can choose any player who has a counter, including opponents. You can't choose cards in any zone other than the battlefield, even if they have counters on them.
2023-02-04 You don't have to choose every permanent or player that has a counter, only the ones you want to add another counter to. Since "any number" includes zero, you don't have to choose any permanents at all, and you don't have to choose any players at all.