Contagion Clasp MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 10 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact
Abilities Proliferate

Key Takeaways

  1. Proliferate ability of Contagion Clasp ensures steady advantage and impacts multiple counter types.
  2. Activating Contagion Clasp can indirectly speed up mana generation for strategic plays.
  3. It balances flexibility with a slightly higher activation cost in MTG counter strategies.

Text of card

When Contagion Clasp enters the battlefield, put a -1/-1 counter on target creature. , : Proliferate. (You choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Contagion Clasp grants incremental value over time through its proliferation ability. It ensures that once counters of any kind are on the battlefield, be they on creatures, players, or permanents, you can steadily increase them, thereby potentially swinging the game in your favor without the need to invest in additional cards.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly a resource accelerant, the proliferate mechanic of Contagion Clasp can be used to add more counters on permanents like mana rocks with charge counters or lands with growth counters, indirectly contributing to resource acceleration by increasing the efficiency of other mana-generating sources.

Instant Speed: Though Contagion Clasp’s ability isn’t at instant speed, its versatility allows for strategic timing. You can activate it during your last opponent’s end step before your turn, ensuring minimal disruption to your mana availably while setting up for a significant impact on your next turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Despite not having a discard requirement, the Contagion Clasp faces other limitations. For those seeking drawbacks, it’s important to note the absence of this specific con.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring two generic mana to play, Contagion Clasp falls into a unique category; nevertheless, its proliferate ability depends on the payment of four mana (two generic and two of any kind), which might not align seamlessly with all deck strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although two mana may seem reasonable, the additional cost to activate its proliferate effect is steep when compared to other cards which can proliferate for less, potentially slowing down your game plan.


Reasons to Include Contagion Clasp in Your Collection

Versatility: Contagion Clasp is a flexible card that can be incorporated into various deck archetypes. Its ability to proliferate allows it to enhance strategies centered around +1/+1 counters, infect counters, or even charge counters on artifacts.

Combo Potential: The card’s proliferate ability has synergy with numerous other cards, making it a linchpin in combos that can rapidly increase the number of counters across your permanents, potentially overwhelming your opponents.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where counter-centric decks prevail, Contagion Clasp becomes an essential tool. It helps to maintain and escalate the pressure on your adversaries, keeping your board state increasingly formidable.


How to beat

Contagion Clasp is a versatile card in MTG, known for its capability to proliferate, thereby enhancing counters on the battlefield. This can prove challenging, especially if the clasp is continuously fueling an opponent’s strategy. To tackle this invasive artifact, one effective method is direct removal – artifact destruction spells are your best bet. Cards like Naturalize or Shatter are efficient, as they can easily dispatch Contagion Clasp before its effects become overwhelming.

Another approach is to minimize the impact of the proliferate ability. This can be achieved by controlling the number of counters present on the board, thus restricting the value your opponent can derive from it. Employing counter spells to prevent it from entering the battlefield in the first place, such as Negate, is also a sound strategy. Finally, tech cards like Phyrexian Revoker can prevent the ability from being activated, nullifying any immediate threat posed by Contagion Clasp.

Defeating a card with the potential to turn the tide of a game requires both foresight and the right cards in your deck. By integrating counter plays and staying ahead of your opponent’s proliferate actions, you’ll maintain control and render Contagion Clasp far less intimidating on the MTG battlefield.


BurnMana Recommendations

With the many facets of Contagion Clasp detailed, it’s clear that this MTG card can be a dynamic addition to your collection. Whether it’s fueling a charge counter deck or enhancing your proliferate strategy, understanding how to integrate this piece effectively can radically influence match outcomes. If you’re keen on optimizing your MTG experience and mastering the art of proliferation, we invite you to delve deeper with us. Let’s explore innovative deck builds, uncover powerful synergies, and elevate your game. Continue your journey in the vast universe of MTG and discover how to best harness the potential of cards like Contagion Clasp.


Cards like Contagion Clasp

Contagion Clasp is a versatile piece in the puzzle of proliferate strategies in Magic: The Gathering. It echoes other proliferate cards like Plaguemaw Beast yet stands out due to its artifact nature and one-time use upon entering the battlefield. Plaguemaw Beast requires a creature to be sacrificed to trigger its ability, requiring a more creature-centric deck, whereas Contagion Clasp can fit into any deck type.

Next, there’s Throne of Geth, another proliferate tool that prefers an artifact-rich environment to maximize its ability. While the Clasp offers utility without additional cost post its initial activation, Throne of Geth demands a steady stream of artifacts to sacrifice for its proliferation, potentially limiting its usability. In contrast, Contagion Clasp’s impact is continual, offering repeat proliferation with enough mana investment.

Evaluating these options, Contagion Clasp holds a unique position for players valuing consistency and flexibility, enhancing various counter-centric strategies across MTG decks without the recurring costs other similar cards impose.

Plaguemaw Beast - MTG Card versions
Throne of Geth - MTG Card versions
Plaguemaw Beast - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)
Throne of Geth - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)

Cards similar to Contagion Clasp by color, type and mana cost

Chaos Orb - MTG Card versions
Winter Orb - MTG Card versions
Ankh of Mishra - MTG Card versions
Amulet of Kroog - MTG Card versions
Nacre Talisman - MTG Card versions
Howling Mine - MTG Card versions
Essence Bottle - MTG Card versions
Emerald Medallion - MTG Card versions
Scrying Glass - MTG Card versions
Cursed Totem - MTG Card versions
Tsabo's Web - MTG Card versions
Millikin - MTG Card versions
Swiftfoot Boots - MTG Card versions
Ark of Blight - MTG Card versions
Surestrike Trident - MTG Card versions
Demon's Horn - MTG Card versions
Energy Chamber - MTG Card versions
Water Gun Balloon Game - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Elsewhere Flask - MTG Card versions
Chaos Orb - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Winter Orb - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Ankh of Mishra - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Amulet of Kroog - Rinascimento (RIN)
Nacre Talisman - Ice Age (ICE)
Howling Mine - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Essence Bottle - Tempest (TMP)
Emerald Medallion - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Scrying Glass - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Cursed Totem - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
Tsabo's Web - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
Millikin - Odyssey (ODY)
Swiftfoot Boots - The Brothers' War Retro Artifacts (BRR)
Ark of Blight - Scourge (SCG)
Surestrike Trident - Darksteel (DST)
Demon's Horn - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Energy Chamber - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Water Gun Balloon Game - Unhinged (UNH)
Angel's Feather - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Elsewhere Flask - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Contagion Clasp MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Scars of Mirrodin, 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 Contagion Clasp and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Contagion Clasp Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 2010-10-01 and 2024-03-08. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 422582003normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
22010-10-01Scars of MirrodinSOM 1442003normalblackAnthony Palumbo
32011-01-01Friday Night Magic 2011F11 102003normalblackFranz Vohwinkel
42011-05-14Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New PhyrexiaTD2 672003normalblackAnthony Palumbo
52019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 15642003normalblackAnthony Palumbo
62020-09-26The ListPLST SOM-1442003normalblackAnthony Palumbo
72021-03-19Time Spiral RemasteredTSR 3911997normalblackAnthony Palumbo
82023-02-03Phyrexia: All Will Be One CommanderONC 1292015normalblackAnthony Palumbo
92024-03-08FalloutPIP 7572015normalblackZuzanna Wużyk
102024-03-08FalloutPIP 2292015normalblackZuzanna Wużyk

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Contagion Clasp has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2011-01-01 Contagion Clasp's first ability is mandatory. If you're the only player who controls a creature, you must target one of them.
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.

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