Demon Bolt MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Abilities Foretell

Key Takeaways

  1. Demon Bolt’s Foretell ability offers cost-effective future play and can surprise opponents with instant speed removal.
  2. Despite a higher mana cost, Demon Bolt remains attractive for its versatility in red-centric decks.
  3. Using hexproof or counter magic can effectively protect against Demon Bolt, turning the tables on opponents.

Text of card

Demon Bolt deals 4 damage to target creature or planeswalker. Foretell (During your turn, you may pay and exile this card from your hand face down. Cast it on a later turn for its foretell cost.)

"Burn them from the sky." —Varragoth


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Demon Bolt itself does not directly let you draw cards, its Foretell ability offers a strategic layer to your game. By allowing you to set aside the card for a reduced mana cost later, it can open up your hand for other plays, essentially stretching your resources further and maintaining pressure on your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: Demon Bolt may not accelerate resources in the typical sense of mana ramping, but its Foretell mechanic can accelerate your game plan. By exiling it face down for two generic mana, you save on mana cost for a future turn, which can be an indirect way to ramp up your plays by affording more actions or more powerful spells sooner.

Instant Speed: One of the key strengths of Demon Bolt is its ability to be cast at instant speed. This flexibility allows you to adeptly respond to your opponent’s threats on their turn, keeping your own turn free for offensive strategies or further board development. The instant nature of Demon Bolt means that you can effectively surprise an opponent by removing a key creature when they least expect it.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Demon Bolt doesn’t have a discard requirement per se, its foretell mechanic forces you to pay two mana to exile it from your hand, which takes it out of immediate play and could be seen as a short-term resource loss, especially if you’re planning for a tempo play.

Specific Mana Cost: Demon Bolt’s casting cost includes red mana. This requirement means that the card is typically restricted to red or multicolored decks, limiting its versatility in decks that cannot accommodate a red mana base easily.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a standard cost of four mana—three generic and one red—Demon Bolt sits on the higher end of the scale for removal spells, whereas other cards could potentially deliver similar or greater impact at a lower mana cost, affecting the efficiency of your mana utilization throughout the game.


Reasons to Include Demon Bolt in Your Collection

Versatility: Demon Bolt is a flexible inclusion in any red deck, easily slotting into both aggressive Burn strategies and controlling builds that need to manage bigger threats. Its instant speed allows for responsive play or end-of-turn efficiency.

Combo Potential: The foretell mechanic of Demon Bolt allows players to set up their hand for future turns, potentially combining with cards that benefit from casting spells from exile or reducing costs of foretold cards.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creatures often define the board state, having an efficient removal option like Demon Bolt can be critical. It handles a wide range of commonly played creatures, keeping your opponent’s side in check and maintaining tempo.


How to beat

Demon Bolt represents a powerful removal tool within Magic: The Gathering, offering versatility and a cost-effective way to handle threats. To effectively counteract this card, consider using spells and abilities that can save or protect your creatures. One approach is to deploy creatures with hexproof or indestructible attributes, making them resistant to such targeted removal. Dive Down, for instance, is an economical instant that grants a creature hexproof until end of turn, as well as a modest toughness boost which may be just enough to thwart a Demon Bolt.

Employing counter magic is another strategic response. Cards like Negate or Miscast, which are designed to intercept noncreature spells, can be invaluable in shielding your significant threats from being removed by Demon Bolt. Having access to swift and protective responses in your deck will not only counter Demon Bolt but will also enhance your resilience against a variety of other removal spells in the MTG arena. Enhancing your plays with shrewd protective tactics can ensure your key creatures survive to help you prevail in the match.

Mastering the tempo of your plays can create scenarios where casting Demon Bolt might be less advantageous for your opponent. By baiting out early removal or overcommitting to the board, you can navigate around the potential setback of Demon Bolt and maintain the upper hand. Understanding the intricacies of when and how to play your creatures can turn what is otherwise a disadvantage into a well-crafted strategy for victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Deciphering the strategic applications of Demon Bolt can make all the difference in your gameplay. Embracing its foretell mechanic can revolutionize your mid-game maneuvers, leaving your opponent guessing while you prepare for a devastating play. To further enhance your MTG prowess, consider incorporating protect and counter spells that can turn the tide against similar removal tactics. Our collection of guides and discussions delve deeper into optimizing your arsenal with cards like Demon Bolt. Unleash the full potential of your deck and anticipate your adversary’s moves with confidence. Sharpen your skills and dominate the battlefield by learning more with us.


Cards like Demon Bolt

Demon Bolt is a uniquely positioned removal spell in the realm of MTG that stands out for its foretell ability. This spell can be compared to other popular removal spells like Lightning Strike, which also deals 3 damage to any target, but lacks the foretell feature. Foretell allows a player to exile Demon Bolt from their hand face down at a lesser cost for a later turn, offering strategic depth and surprise factor.

Another similar card, Shock, delivers an instant punch with 2 damage to any target, but Demon Bolt eclipses it in power, though at a higher mana cost. Additionally, Demon Bolt’s strength is akin to that of Lava Coil, which deals 4 damage to a creature and exiles it if it would die. However, Lava Coil can’t be foretold for future turns nor can it target players, which makes Demon Bolt a versatile choice for players valuing flexibility and foresight.

To sum up, when dissecting the dynamics and utility of various removal spells, Demon Bolt offers an advantageous blend of immediate and deferred gameplay strategies, placing it as a favored choice among MTG players seeking to control the battlefield effectively.

Lightning Strike - MTG Card versions
Shock - MTG Card versions
Lava Coil - MTG Card versions
Lightning Strike - Theros (THS)
Shock - Stronghold (STH)
Lava Coil - Guilds of Ravnica (GRN)

Cards similar to Demon Bolt by color, type and mana cost

Solfatara - MTG Card versions
Trumpet Blast - MTG Card versions
Urza's Rage - MTG Card versions
Turf Wound - MTG Card versions
Char - MTG Card versions
Chaos Warp - MTG Card versions
Merchant of the Vale // Haggle - MTG Card versions
Seething Song - MTG Card versions
Unforge - MTG Card versions
Aura Barbs - MTG Card versions
Path of Anger's Flame - MTG Card versions
Smash - MTG Card versions
Fiery Temper - MTG Card versions
Orcish Cannonade - MTG Card versions
Chaos Wrap - MTG Card versions
Fatal Frenzy - MTG Card versions
Seismic Strike - MTG Card versions
Staggershock - MTG Card versions
Flames of the Blood Hand - MTG Card versions
Rally the Forces - MTG Card versions
Solfatara - Visions (VIS)
Trumpet Blast - Masters 25 (A25)
Urza's Rage - Strixhaven Mystical Archive (STA)
Turf Wound - Invasion (INV)
Char - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Chaos Warp - Fallout (PIP)
Merchant of the Vale // Haggle - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Seething Song - Mirrodin (MRD)
Unforge - Darksteel (DST)
Aura Barbs - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Path of Anger's Flame - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Smash - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Fiery Temper - Jumpstart: Historic Horizons (J21)
Orcish Cannonade - Time Spiral (TSP)
Chaos Wrap - Happy Holidays (HHO)
Fatal Frenzy - Planar Chaos (PLC)
Seismic Strike - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)
Staggershock - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Flames of the Blood Hand - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)
Rally the Forces - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Demon Bolt MTG card by a specific set like Kaldheim and 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 Demon Bolt and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Demon Bolt Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-02-05 and 2022-06-10. Illustrated by Campbell White.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-02-05KaldheimKHM 1292015normalblackCampbell White
22022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 7872015normalblackCampbell White

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Demon Bolt has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-02-05 Because exiling a card with foretell from your hand is a special action, you can do so any time you have priority during your turn, including in response to spells and abilities. Once you announce you're taking the action, no other player can respond by trying to remove the card from your hand.
2021-02-05 Casting a foretold card from exile follows the timing rules for that card. If you foretell an instant card, you can cast it as soon as the next player's turn. In most cases, if you foretell a card that isn't an instant (or doesn't have flash), you'll have to wait until your next turn to cast it.
2021-02-05 If you're casting a foretold card from exile for its foretell cost, you can't choose to cast it for any other alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs, such as kicker costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, those must be paid to cast the spell.

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