Contract from Below

Contract from Below was originally released in the Alpha set of Magic: The Gathering in 1993, designed by Richard Garfield as part of the game's initial launch. It belongs to a cycle of cards inspired by Faustian bargains, featuring dark, high-risk mechanics that allow a player to exchange life and discards for card advantage. The Revised Edition, released in 1994, brought the card to a wider audience with a slightly altered aesthetic, including the iconic, stark illustration by Christopher Rush, who chose a minimalist and ominous visual style to match the card's powerful and forbidden flavor.

Upon its introduction, the card was immediately recognized as one of the most potent and potentially game-breaking artifacts in the game's history. It eventually became so influential that it was restricted or banned in nearly all competitive formats, securing its status as a legendary piece of trading card lore. Collectors value it today not only for its gameplay reputation but as a testament to the game's early, experimental era where the balance of power was still being defined.