Infectious Bloodlust

Infectious Bloodlust was released in July 2015 as part of the Magic Origins expansion for the Magic: The Gathering trading card game. The set was designed to explore the backstories of five iconic Planeswalkers, marking the transition of the game's narrative focus toward individual character origins. This card, an enchantment of the Aura subtype, was created to represent the volatile, aggressive nature of red mana, encouraging a fast-paced and high-pressure playstyle characteristic of the color's alignment in the game's color pie.

The card features illustration by Kev Walker, a longtime contributor to the Magic: The Gathering aesthetic. Walker’s depiction captures the frantic energy of the spell, utilizing a visceral visual language to communicate its mechanical effect of boosting a creature's power at the cost of forcing it to attack each turn. Upon its release, it was noted primarily for its utility in limited-format gameplay, where its ability to buff creatures while replacing itself—by searching for copies of the same card from the library—made it a distinct engine for aggressive drafting strategies.