Javelin of Lightning MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Artifact — Equipment |
| Abilities | Equip, Flash |
| Released | 2022-06-10 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate |
| Set code | CLB |
| Number | 185 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | James Paick |
Key Takeaways
- Offers instant-speed flexibility, allowing for surprise plays and efficient threat response during any turn.
- Demands card sacrifice and specific mana, which may limit its use to certain deck types or strategies.
- Despite competition from similar spells, it retains value through versatility in multi-color decks.
Text of card
Flash When Javelin of Lightning enters the battlefield, attach it to target creature you control. As long as it's your turn, equipped creature gets +2/+0 and has first strike. Equip (: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Javelin of Lightning offers strategic utility, allowing players to potentially eliminate a key creature from the opposition, thus maintaining or tipping the balance of card advantage in their favor.
Resource Acceleration: While not providing direct mana acceleration, the efficiency of Javelin of Lightning can free up resources. This enables players to utilize their mana effectively, by dealing with threats for a low investment.
Instant Speed: The ability to cast Javelin of Lightning at instant speed provides immense flexibility. Players can respond to threats or plays during the opponent’s turn, maintaining the element of surprise and adapting to the current state of the match with precision.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Javelin of Lightning requires you to discard another card when you cast it. This can pose quite the setback, especially if your hand is already running low on valuable cards or if maintaining card advantage is crucial to your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: With its mana cost demanding a specific combination of colors, the Javelin of Lightning may not seamlessly fit into every deck. This requirement could restrict its inclusion exclusively to Mono-Red or Red-centric decks, thus narrowing its versatility across various archetypes.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its removal capabilities, this card comes with a relatively steep mana cost. In the current meta, there are numerous other options that can deliver similar or better damage output at a lower mana investment, making the Javelin of Lightning a less economical choice for efficient deck building.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Javelin of Lightning serves as an adaptable tool in various MTG decks, providing a swift response to threats or finishing off weakened opponents. Its ability to be slotted into both aggressive and controlling strategies makes it a valuable addition.
Combo Potential: This card works well with mechanics that benefit from instant spells, potentially enabling synergies with cards that care about instant cast or spell copying effects for that extra kick in your gameplay.
Meta-Relevance: Given its capacity to disrupt early-game creatures or disrupt combo pieces, Javelin of Lightning is particularly useful in a meta where quick interactions are crucial. It can hold its ground against faster decks and snipe key creatures to disrupt your opponent’s strategy.
How to beat
Javelin of Lightning is a unique instant in the world of Magic: The Gathering that offers a distinct approach to tactical removal. Similar to Lightning Bolt, Javelin of Lightning can deal direct damage, but it diverges with its limited target range, confined to creatures with flying. Cards like Plummet or Crushing Canopy also embody the characteristic of targeting only flying creatures, but they have different costs and can’t hit players or planeswalkers, which shapes their strategic use differently in your deck.
Strategically, overcoming Javelin of Lightning can be done by utilizing creatures that either doesn’t have flying or possess hexproof or shroud, making them impervious to targeted spells. Incorporating creatures with resilience to red spells, such as those with protection from red, can nullify Javelin’s effect. Additionally, leveraging instant-speed spells that can counteract direct damage spells, like Counterspell or Negate, can effectively neutralize the threat posed by Javelin of Lightning, maintaining your creatures’ presence on the battlefield and preserving your life total.
Overall, Javelin of Lightning presents a challenge to decks relying on creatures with flying, but with the right tactics and cards that circumvent its conditions, this challenge can be effectively mitigated, allowing you to maintain control of the game.
Cards like Javelin of Lightning
Javelin of Lightning is an intriguing option among direct damage spells in Magic: The Gathering. Its appeal lies in its versatility, similar to other classic instants like Shock, which also deals 2 damage to any target. However, Javelin of Lightning distinguishes itself with its ability to be cast using mana from any color, giving it a unique edge in multicolored decks.
Lightning Strike is another card worthy of comparison. Although it demands strictly red mana, it deals 3 damage instead, offering a higher impact in terms of damage output. Then we have Chandra’s Pyrohelix, which shares the 2 damage allocation feature but splits it between two targets, potentially providing more board control.
Assessing these variations, Javelin of Lightning stands out for its color flexibility, which can be pivotal in decks that run a tight mana base or less red mana sources. While it might deal less damage than some other options, this trade-off can be valuable in a well-rounded MTG strategy, particularly in formats where mana consistency is key.
Cards similar to Javelin of Lightning by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Javelin of Lightning MTG card by a specific set like Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate, 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 Javelin of Lightning and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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 Javelin of Lightning has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Javelin of Lightning card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2022-06-10 | Attaching an Equipment with its enters-the-battlefield triggered ability isn't the same as using its equip ability. You don't pay mana for the attachment, and the timing restrictions for equip abilities don't apply. |
| 2022-06-10 | If the target creature becomes an illegal target, the Equipment remains on the battlefield unattached. |
| 2022-06-10 | Javelin of Lightning doesn't enter the battlefield attached to a creature. Instead, the Equipment enters the battlefield and then a triggered ability attaches it to a creature. You may cast Javelin of Lightning even if you don't control any creatures. |
Guide to Flash card ability
Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.