Lightning Reflexes MTG Card
1996-10-08 - Number 186
2023-01-13 - Number 128
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
Text of card
You may choose to play Lightning Reflexes as an instant; if you do, bury it at end of turn. Enchanted creature gets +1/+0 and gains first strike.
"Inhale. Kill. Exhale."
Cards like Lightning Reflexes
Lightning Reflexes stands as an intriguing quicken spell in the world of Magic: The Gathering. This card provides a creature with a swift boost that parallels Auras like Hammerhand. Although both cards grant creatures haste, Lightning Reflexes shines with its added ability to protect your creature by offering hexproof until end of turn. Hammerhand, meanwhile, lacks this protective feature but compensates by imposing a detrimental effect on opponents by preventing one of their creatures from blocking.
Another card worthy of comparison is Rush of Adrenaline. This instant not only bestows a creature with haste like Lightning Reflexes but also increases the creature’s power with a +2 boost. Despite its offensive advantage, Rush of Adrenaline doesn’t shield the creature it enhances. Swiftfoot Boots also shares some similarities, offering both haste and hexproof. However, it’s an Equipment artifact requiring an additional cost to attach to a creature, unlike the ease of casting Lightning Reflexes directly.
Overall, while each of these cards demonstrates unique advantages in providing speed and power, Lightning Reflexes holds a valuable place among them for its dual capacity to enable a hasty attack and preserve a creature’s resilience in Magic: The Gathering’s fast-paced games.
Cards similar to Lightning Reflexes by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Lightning Reflexes shines by giving a creature not only a boost in power but also the invaluable ability to draw a card when it enters the battlefield. This synergistic effect ensures you sustain your grip on the game, replacing itself in your hand, making it a key player in maintaining card flow.
Resource Acceleration: By offering your creatures haste, Lightning Reflexes accelerates the pressure you can apply on your opponent. It enables them to swing the turn they come into play, catching opponents off guard and potentially generating an earlier advantage.
Instant Speed: The flexibility of casting Lightning Reflexes at instant speed is a strategic asset. It allows you to adapt to the flow of the match, potentially turning a defensive stance into an aggressive play when least expected, or saving it to dodge sorcery-speed removal, thereby preserving your resources.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Lightning Reflexes provides a notable boost, it necessitates the discarding of another card. This can strain your hand, especially in situations where card advantage is pivotal to maintain a strong position on the battlefield.
Specific Mana Cost: Costing one red mana, Lightning Reflexes is exclusive to decks that can produce red mana. This specificity can restrict the card’s versatility across various deck archetypes, potentially hindering its inclusion in your strategy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Lightning Reflexes comes with a relatively steep mana cost for its one-time effect – the need to pay two additional generic mana can be onerous. When tempo is crucial, players might find other cards more cost-effective for achieving similar outcomes on the game’s outcome.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Lightning Reflexes can be a game-changer in various deck builds, offering that crucial instant speed response to enhance a creature’s abilities when most needed.
Combo Potential: The instant boost in power and the added advantage of first strike this spell grants could synergize well with strategies aiming to utilize combat tricks or surprise blockers.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment where rapid tempo and combat tricks rule the battlefield, Lightning Reflexes could play an essential role in tipping the scales during crucial moments of play.
How to beat
Lightning Reflexes is a card that can catch players off guard by enhancing a creature’s speed and power. The difference this card makes in combat by providing haste and a power boost could be the edge an opponent needs. However, it’s worth noting that creature removal spells or effects, which haven’t been specific to the timing of the game, can neutralize the threat it poses. Instant-speed removal such as Path to Exile or Doom Blade can effectively deal with the buffed creature before it gets a chance to attack.
Similarly, counter spells remain a reliable strategy to mitigate the impact of Lightning Reflexes. Waiting to utilize a counter until your opponent commits to casting it helps conserve your resources for critical moments. Cards like Counterspell or Mana Leak can ensure this enchantment never hits the battlefield. Moreover, playing around the card also involves anticipating the tempo swing it might give your opponent and maintaining board control to weather any possible onslaught.
In essence, the key to surpassing Lightning Reflexes lies in preemptive action and precise timing, utilizing removal or counter strategies to ensure the card doesn’t change the course of the game. With these tactics, you can keep your opponent’s ambitions in check and secure your path to victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Lightning Reflexes MTG card by a specific set like Mirage and Dominaria Remastered, 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 Reflexes 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
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Printings
The Lightning Reflexes Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1996-10-08 and 2023-01-13. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1996-10-08 | Mirage | MIR | 186 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Tom Kyffin | |
| 2 | 2023-01-13 | Dominaria Remastered | DMR | 128 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Slawomir Maniak |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Lightning Reflexes has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
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.