This reprint of the now-rotated Surge is ideally designed to prevent lockout for those heavily relying on the new virus breakers Yusuf/Musaazi. Note that this can put 3 virus counters on to any installed Runner card (not just programs) so even if you lost your virus breaker on the previous turn, you can still contaminate a part of your rig now to be used later (i.e. empty Friday Chip).

Things that Contaminate can do that Surge could not:

• Get a purged/fresh-installed Aumakua/Yusuf/Musaazi going without needing to make a run

• Be able to gain net 5 from a purged/used/fresh-installed Consume without trashing a Corp card

• Get a purged/fresh-installed Datasucker ready without needing to make a centrals run

• Install and mill 2 with Gravedigger without needing to trash an installed Corp card

• Re-supply a used Imp for more trashing

Do note that I keep writing fresh-installed or purged because Contaminate can only vitalize cards with no virus counters on them. If your 3-counter Aumakua is having trouble with an Archer, Contaminate won’t help a bit. In that way, Contaminate can be a bit of a liability when you’re having to hold it in hand until a purge finally comes. It’s a good card in conclusion but virus decks often have many cards that dissuade the corp from purging (i.e. Acacia, Fester, etc). Therefore, if you're using Contaminate, you better have enough virus pressure to actually force the Corp to purge otherwise this could be sitting in your hand for a while. Lastly, don’t run this with Progenitor, just don’t.

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P.S. 1st Trypano, 2nd Contaminate, 3rd Knobkierie run, 4th Hivemind for instant-trashing shenanigans.