Energy Bolt MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Released | 1996-10-08 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Mirage |
| Set code | MIR |
| Number | 263 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Scott Kirschner |
Text of card
Energy Bolt deals X damage to target player, or target player gains X life.
Life and death are two faces of the same coin.
Cards like Energy Bolt
Energy Bolt stands out in the realm of flexible damage or healing spells in MTG. It can be paralleled to cards like Char, which delivers four damage to any target and two to you – a neat package at instant speed. Energy Bolt’s versatility, though, is unmatched because it offers the player a choice between causing harm or restoring life.
Forked Bolt is another card that invites comparison. It allows you to divvy up two damage among one or two targets at sorcery speed, akin to Energy Bolt’s damage-dealing option. However, Energy Bolt’s healing potential gives it a distinct edge in games where life totals are critically low.
Rest for the Weary is on the flip side of Energy Bolt’s coin, solely focusing on the life-gain aspect, offering potentially more immediate life but lacking the adaptability of Energy Bolt’s damage capability. This makes Energy Bolt exceptional for its situational adaptability, allowing players to react tactically to the fluid dynamics of a game.
Comparing Energy Bolt to these MTG cards illustrates its value in a player’s arsenal. Its dual-natured utility can sway the course of a match, showcasing why it’s a card worth considering for any deck that can handle its color requirements.
Cards similar to Energy Bolt by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Energy Bolt card offers the dual flexibility of either dealing damage to creatures or players, or providing the option to gain life instead. This versatility ensures that you can adapt to the current game state, maintaining pressure on your opponent or shoring up your own defenses as necessary.
Resource Acceleration: Energy Bolt can be a game-changer by providing a significant life boost that can potentially prolong your presence in the game, allowing you to draw into more resources and thereby accelerating your overall strategy.
Instant Speed: The ability to cast Energy Bolt at instant speed gives you the tactical advantage of responding to your opponent’s actions on their turn, potentially disrupting their plans and preserving the momentum in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Energy Bolt requires the player to discard a card, which could pose a drawback when your hand is nearly depleted or if the card discarded is crucial for maintaining gameplay strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: To cast Energy Bolt, precise mana colors are needed, which might not seamlessly fit into decks that aren’t aligned with those specific mana colors, potentially hindering its playability across a diverse range of deck types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Energy Bolt delivers a dual option of causing damage or gaining life, its mana cost is on the higher side. This can be challenging, especially early in the game or when compared to other cards with similar effects but lower mana requirements.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Energy Bolt offers a dual-purpose utility, giving players the flexibility to either deal damage to creatures or players, or to gain a life boost, depending on the situation. This makes it a handy card in various deck builds that prioritize adaptability.
Combo Potential: With its ability to scale based on the mana invested, Energy Bolt can be an integral part of combos that capitalize on ramped-up mana production or damage amplification, enabling devastating turns and synergistic plays.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where life totals can swing dramatically or where decisive creature removal is key, Energy Bolt’s scalability makes it a relevant choice, allowing players to respond aptly to shifts in the competitive landscape.
How to beat
The Energy Bolt card presents an interesting challenge in the MTG universe. As a versatile card, it allows players to deal extensive damage or gain a significant boost in life, all determined by the player’s choice and mana investment. While facing Energy Bolt, it’s crucial to play smartly. Maintaining an awareness of your opponent’s mana pool is key as it dictates the potential impact of the card. Having counterspells ready can nullify the threat, and it’s advisable to bait out the use of Energy Bolt before deploying your critical creatures or committing to a strategy that leaves you vulnerable to a sudden life swing.
Strategically, it’s beneficial to keep pressure on opponents who rely on cards like Energy Bolt. Manage your threats in such a way that your opponent cannot easily decide whether to aim for life gain or creature removal. This may force a suboptimal use of the card, reducing its impact on the game. Additionally, cards with damage prevention or hexproof can be pivotal to mitigating the effects of Energy Bolt, catering to a more resilient defense against this dual-purpose spell.
Understanding the intricacies of your deck and having multiple plans can turn the tables on an Energy Bolt user. With thorough preparation and keen gameplay, the formidable Energy Bolt can be defused, maintaining your lead on the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Energy Bolt MTG card by a specific set like Mirage, 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 Energy Bolt and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Energy Bolt has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |