Beacon Bolt MTG Card


Exploits graveyard instant and sorcery cards for increased damage, providing a tactical edge. Its Jump-Start feature offers a valuable repeat play, enhancing resource acceleration. Instant-speed abilities can be strategically used during your main phase for creature removal.
Beacon Bolt - Guilds of Ravnica
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery
Abilities Jump-start
Released2018-10-05
Set symbol
Set nameGuilds of Ravnica
Set codeGRN
Number154
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byTitus Lunter

Text of card

Beacon Bolt deals damage to target creature equal to the total number of instant and sorcery cards you own in exile and in your graveyard. Jump-start (You may cast this card from your graveyard by discarding a card in addition to paying its other costs. Then exile this card.)


Cards like Beacon Bolt

Beacon Bolt stands out within Magic: The Gathering’s array of spell cards. Its closest counterparts are other “Jump-Start” cards like Radical Idea, which shares the same ability to be reused from the graveyard. Beacon Bolt, however, has the added benefit of dealing damage, while Radical Idea mainly serves for card drawing.

Another comparable card is Chemister’s Insight, which also possesses the “Jump-Start” mechanic. Although Chemister’s Insight grants more card draws, Beacon Bolt’s additional capacity to inflict significant damage gives it the edge in games where offensive actions impact the result.

A final similar card to consider is Risk Factor. Risk Factor possesses a different recurring mechanic with “Jump-Start”, but its function is twofold, enabling card draw or direct damage depending on game flow, similar to Beacon Bolt’s capabilities. However, Beacon Bolt’s added ability to use graveyard casting offers a unique dimension of play and strategic advantages.

Taking into account the potential for damage and utility, Beacon Bolt is considered highly valuable for any deck leveraging the unique blend of this card’s qualities in Magic: The Gathering. Its flexible effect and reusability make it a prominent choice compared to its counterparts.

Radical Idea - MTG Card versions
Chemister's Insight - MTG Card versions
Risk Factor - MTG Card versions
Radical Idea - MTG Card versions
Chemister's Insight - MTG Card versions
Risk Factor - MTG Card versions

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Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Izzet DrakeIzzet Drake PioneerIzzet DrakePioneer League 2023-12-30
Izzet DrakesIzzet Drakes PioneerIzzet Drake#30 Last Chance Qualifier: Pioneer

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Beacon Bolt Mtg Card presents a unique attribute by which it uses the number of instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard as fuel to increase its damage, this could potentially swing the game in your favor by utilizing the cards in the graveyard thus offering card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Having the ability to cast from the graveyard by means of Jump-Start, Beacon Bolt can serve as a recurring source of damage that accelerates your gameplay strategy, requiring resources (one in blue or red mana, and discarding a card) that you might otherwise have considered spent.

Instant Speed: Though Beacon Bolt is a sorcery and not quite as flexible as an instant, the ability to use it during your main phase to remove a potentially dangerous creature or deal damage to your opponent can be a major tactical advantage during a match. Its Jump-Start ability also factors into tactical play, allowing for strategic discards to increase your sorcery and instant count in the graveyard, thus augmenting Beacon Bolt’s effect.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of Beacon Bolt is its ‘jump-start’ mechanic, which forces you to discard a card to recast it from your graveyard. While giving the card a potential second use, it can also lead to a significant disadvantage if your hand is running low.

Specific Mana Cost: Beacon Bolt has a specific mana cost, needing both blue and red mana. This implies that its integration is restricted to decks supporting these colors, potentially limiting flexibility in deck construction and strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Beacon Bolt’s casting cost is relatively high, at three mana, including one of each blue and red. While its power to deal damage equal to the number of instants and sorcery cards you own in exile and in your graveyard can be substantial, it does come at a cost. In a game where efficiency is key, there are alternatives that can offer similar or more utility at a lower mana cost.


Reasons to Include Beacon Bolt in Your Collection

Versatility: Beacon Bolt may find a spot in various decks with a focus on instants and sorceries. Its adaptability is rooted in its utility as both a removal and a potential finisher. A well-timed Beacon Bolt can take out key opposing creatures while its jump-start mechanic keeps your options open round after round.

Combo Potential: Decks capitalizing on spellslinging or graveyard strategies may utilize Beacon Bolt to great effect. As the card counts instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard and in exile, it can grow in strength over time, synergizing with decks that are stocked with these types of cards.

Meta-Relevance: If the meta game leans toward creature-heavy strategies, Beacon Bolt might be a valuable inclusion. Its scalability and potential for repeat usage make it a potent tool against a vast array of creatures, potentially shifting the tide of a game in your favor.


How to beat

Beacon Bolt is a notable spell in the Magic: The Gathering game catalog. It marks itself as a key component to strategies revolving around the graveyard given its jumping power with Jump-start and the ability to deal damage equal to the number of instant and sorcery spells you’ve played.

Graveyard disruption effects can be a highly effective strategy against Beacon Bolt. One notable card is Silent Gravestone. It stops cards in graveyards from being targeted, essentially negating a portion of Beacon Bolt’s power by limiting its damage potential. It’s worth noting, though, that Silent Gravestone doesn’t prevent casting of spells with Jump-start; it effectively diminishes their impact.

The likes of Surgical Extraction could also be deployed, to extract all duplicates of Beacon Bolt from the game, instantly making it a much less potent threat. Alternatively, focusing on reducing the number of instant and sorcery cards in the opponent’s graveyard will directly influence the strength of their Beacon Bolt.

To summarize, combatting Beacon Bolt necessitates thoughtful, strategic play around graveyard disruption and card extraction, minimizing its damaging impact and undermining its Jump-start appeal.


BurnMana Recommendations

For adept players of MTG, Beacon Bolt offers a strategic edge, particularly in spell-heavy decks. Its ability to deal damage proportionate to the number of instants and sorceries in your graveyard makes it a force to be reckoned with. Utilizing Beacon Bolt effectively can drastically shape the flow of the game, clearing the path towards victory. Leveraging its Jump-Start feature for repeated use further deepens your strategic options. For those who aim to optimize their gameplay and gain an advantage over their opponents, incorporating Beacon Bolt into your repertoire could prove to be a game-changer. Join us to delve deeper and unlock the full potential of your MTG experience.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Beacon Bolt MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica, 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 Beacon Bolt and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Beacon Bolt has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2018-10-05 A spell cast using jump-start will always be exiled afterward, whether it resolves, it’s countered, or it leaves the stack in some other way.
2018-10-05 Beacon Bolt is still on the stack while you count your instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard and in exile. It doesn’t count itself.
2018-10-05 If a card with jump-start is put into your graveyard during your turn, you’ll be able to cast it right away if it’s legal to do so, before an opponent can take any actions.
2018-10-05 If an effect allows you to pay an alternative cost rather than a spell’s mana cost, you may pay that alternative cost when you jump-start a spell. You’ll still discard a card as an additional cost to cast it.
2018-10-05 If any exiled cards you own are face down, they have no characteristics. If they’re normally instants or sorceries, they won’t be counted.
2018-10-05 You must still follow any timing restrictions and permissions, including those based on the card’s type. For instance, you can cast a sorcery using jump-start only when you could normally cast a sorcery.