Lightning Berserker MTG Card


Lightning Berserker’s Dash ability allows for repeated plays, providing resilience against board wipes. Its Firebreathing ability ensures flexibility in mana expenditure, allowing for adaptable threats. Instant speed play enhances tactical advantage, making the Berserker a versatile combatant.
Lightning Berserker - Dragons of Tarkir
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Human Berserker
Abilities Dash
Released2015-03-27
Set symbol
Set nameDragons of Tarkir
Set codeDTK
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number146
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byJoseph Meehan

Text of card

: Lightning Berserker gets +1/+0 until end of turn. Dash (You may cast this spell for its dash cost. If you do, it gains haste, and it's returned from the battlefield to its owner's hand at the beginning of the next end step.)


Cards like Lightning Berserker

Lightning Berserker is a distinctive player in the red creature deck of Magic: The Gathering. Its most direct comparison is with Firebrand Archer, a creature that deals damage each time a noncreature spell is cast. While Firebrand Archer can steadily chip away at an opponent’s life total, Lightning Berserker offers a unique flexibility. It can be played early and powered up via its Firebreathing ability to potentially deliver a massive burst of damage later on.

Another comparable card is Raging Goblin, which provides immediate impact with haste, allowing for a swift attack as soon as it hits the battlefield. Unlike Raging Goblin, Lightning Berserker’s strength lies in the late game, where it can turn surplus mana into considerable damage. Monastery Swiftspear also emerges as a hasty competitor but gains prowess, which rewards players for casting noncreature spells. Conversely, Lightning Berserker relies solely on a mana investment to enhance its punch.

Ultimately, each of these cards provides value in different phases of the game. In the dynamic landscape of Magic: The Gathering, Lightning Berserker finds its niche by offering a single-card threat that can scale in power and impact throughout the match.

Firebrand Archer - MTG Card versions
Raging Goblin - MTG Card versions
Monastery Swiftspear - MTG Card versions
Firebrand Archer - MTG Card versions
Raging Goblin - MTG Card versions
Monastery Swiftspear - MTG Card versions

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Although Lightning Berserker doesn’t let you draw cards outright, its Dash ability means you can play it multiple times from your hand, effectively dodging removal and wraths that would otherwise leave you with a smaller hand or battlefield presence.

Resource Acceleration: Without the need of committing to a full mana investment at once, Lightning Berserker can be paced according to your available resources each turn. Its Firebreathing ability allows you to invest any amount of extra mana to increase its power, making it a flexible threat that can adapt to the fluctuating state of your mana pool.

Instant Speed: The Dash mechanic inherent to Lightning Berserker allows you to cast it at instant speed, providing a surprise blocker or an end-of-turn threat. This capability gives the player the upper hand by keeping mana open for other instant speed interactions and then using it to deploy a threat if no immediate action is required.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Lightning Berserker requires you to discard the card to return it from the battlefield to your hand, which could reduce your hand advantage especially if you’re already behind on card resources.

Specific Mana Cost: The ability of Lightning Berserker to pump its power relies exclusively on red mana, which can restrict its inclusion only to red-centric or two-color decks with a strong red mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When you harness Lightning Berserker’s ability to increase its power, the total mana cost can quickly escalate, often resulting in an inefficient trade-off between mana spent and damage output compared to other available creatures or burn spells within the same mana range.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Lightning Berserker offers flexible mana investment, allowing players to pump it with any amount of red mana for a potentially game-ending attack. This makes it adaptable for various stages of the game and an excellent addition to red aggro or burn decks.

Combo Potential: With its ability to grow in power instantly, Lightning Berserker can synergize with cards that reward you for having a high-power creature or serve as an unexpected finisher when combined with spells that double damage or grant additional combat phases.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where swift and decisive action is rewarded, having a creature that can hit hard without significant set-up can be a game-changer. Its Dash ability also makes it a resilient play against control decks, ensuring your investment isn’t wasted on a creature that might never get to swing.


How to beat

Handling the Lightning Berserker in MTG can be a tricky affair due to its flexibility on the battlefield. As a creature that can both enter the battlefield and scale its power at a moments notice for just a single red mana makes it a threat that can rapidly spiral out of control. Simplicity is key in preempting the Lightning Berserker’s fiery onslaught. Utilizing early game removal spells like Shock or Fatal Push can stifle its impact before it becomes a menace. It’s also beneficial to limit the red mana available to your opponent, as the Berserker’s strength lies in the investment of that mana. Cards that counter creatures or spells, such as Essence Scatter or Negate, when used judiciously, can prevent this creature from taking over the game. Remaining vigilant and managing your resources efficiently to respond to the Berserker’s potential attacks will ensure victory remains within reach.

Understanding the Berserker’s Dash ability is paramount—playing around this mechanic can save crucial life points. Efficient blockers with high toughness can deter Lightning Berserker from attacking or limit the damage it can deal. Above all, maintaining board control and eliminating the threat before it can be amplified with additional mana are fundamental strategies in securing a win against this deceptively simple but potent card.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Lightning Berserker MTG card by a specific set like Dragons of Tarkir, 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 Lightning Berserker and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Lightning Berserker has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2015-02-25 If a creature enters the battlefield as a copy of or becomes a copy of a creature whose dash cost was paid, the copy won’t have haste and won’t be returned to its owner’s hand.
2015-02-25 If you choose to pay the dash cost rather than the mana cost, you’re still casting the spell. It goes on the stack and can be responded to and countered. You can cast a creature spell for its dash cost only when you otherwise could cast that creature spell. Most of the time, this means during your main phase when the stack is empty.
2015-02-25 If you pay the dash cost to cast a creature spell, that card will be returned to its owner’s hand only if it’s still on the battlefield when its triggered ability resolves. If it dies or goes to another zone before then, it will stay where it is.
2015-02-25 You don’t have to attack with the creature with dash unless another ability says you do.