Rapid Fire MTG Card

Rapid Fire’s instant speed allows for flexible, reactive play and superior board control during games. Though powerful, the card requires discarding as a cost, potentially challenging your hand advantage. Strategically, it offers versatility and combo potential, making it a unique addition to varied decks.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Instant
Released	1994-06-01
Set symbol
Set name	Legends
Set code	LEG
Number	32
Frame	1993
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Justin Hampton

Text of card

Play before defense is chosen. Target creature gains first strike until end of turn. If the creature does not already have rampage, then it also gains rampage: 2 until end of turn.

Cards like Rapid Fire

Rapid Fire is another intriguing piece in Magic: The Gathering’s array of instant spells focused on dealing damage. This card is often mentioned in the same breath as other damage-dealing staples like Lightning Bolt due to its potential to dish out an immediate impact on the battlefield. Although Lightning Bolt offers 3 damage for a single red mana, which is incredibly efficient, Rapid Fire adds versatility by allowing you to choose among multiple targets.

Comparatively, Arc Lightning serves a similar multi-target function, also enabling you to split its damage. The significant difference here lies in the mana cost and damage potential between the two cards. Where Arc Lightning is more expensive with a higher potential damage total, Rapid Fire provides a more nuanced approach to distributing damage efficiently in the heat of battle. Forked Bolt deserves mention as well, being cost-effective and offering the choice of dividing its two damage points between creatures or players.

These comparisons highlight Rapid Fire’s place within MTG’s direct damage cards. Its instant speed and distribution flexibility make it a worthy contender for deck inclusion, especially when players are looking for strategic options to control the board and eliminate key threats.

Cards similar to Rapid Fire by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Rapid Fire provides the potential to eliminate multiple threats at once. Using this card can disrupt your opponent’s board state while keeping yours intact, effectively tilting the balance of resources in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: By dealing with threats as they arrive, Rapid Fire helps maintain your momentum in the match. This kind of tempo gain ensures that you are able to deploy your own threats faster and keep pressure on your opponent, effectively accelerating your resource management and gameplay.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Rapid Fire at instant speed offers flexible and reactive options during the game. It allows players to efficiently manage their mana, making it possible to respond to an opponent’s actions or end-of-turn plays, giving an edge in surprise and strategy.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Players must discard a card in order to activate Rapid Fire’s abilities. This can hinder hand advantage and be cumbersome when your hand is already sparse.

Specific Mana Cost: Rapid Fire demands a distinct set of mana, including red, which can be challenging to produce consistently in multi-colored decks that aren’t heavily red.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana investment for Rapid Fire might be deemed steep compared to other options available that provide similar benefits but at a lower mana expenditure.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Rapid Fire can be seamlessly integrated into a wide array of deck types. As an instant, it provides strategic depth, letting players respond quickly to threats or surprise their opponents during combat.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards that benefit from casting multiple spells in a single turn or that trigger upon dealing damage, Rapid Fire can become a key component in executing powerful, game-winning combos.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment dominated by creature-heavy decks, Rapid Fire offers a substantial advantage by allowing for swift and often unexpected removal of multiple creatures, potentially swinging the game in your favor.

How to beat

Rapid Fire is a potent card known for disrupting the rhythm of a match. Its ability to target multiple creatures makes it a formidable card to face in combat. To effectively tackle this card, strategic planning is essential. Focusing on spells that grant your creatures hexproof or indestructible during a turn can shield them from Rapid Fire’s reach. Cards like Heroic Intervention, which give your creatures both abilities, can be game-changers.

Moreover, deploying creatures with higher toughness than Rapid Fire’s damage output can nullify its effect. Cards like Bigger than Big, for instance, offer creatures that can withstand Rapid Fire’s shots. Playing instant-speed removal spells will also disrupt your opponent’s strategy, eliminating the targeted creature before Rapid Fire resolves. Additionally, countering it with solid counterspell cards before it affects the board could secure your position in the game.

Being prepared for its quick deployment by having the right cards in your deck can mean the difference between victory and defeat when facing Rapid Fire. Counterplay is key, and if you can predict and mitigate its impact, you can keep your strategy on track and maintain the upper hand.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rapid Fire MTG card by a specific set like Legends, 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 Rapid Fire and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Rapid Fire has restrictions

Format	Legality
Oldschool	Legal
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-09-20	If a turn has multiple combat phases, Rapid Fire can only be cast before the beginning of the Declare Blockers Step of the first combat phase in that turn.