Lightning Greaves MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 35 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact — Equipment
Abilities Equip

Key Takeaways

  1. Haste and shroud from Lightning Greaves catapult creatures into action while shielding from targeted spells.
  2. Equip at instant speed gives flexibility, allowing for strategic surprise and protection during any turn.
  3. Despite its benefits, this equipment’s mana cost and lack of targeting may not suit all strategies.

Text of card

Equipped creature has haste and can't be the target of spells or abilities. Equip (: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery. This card comes into play unattached and stays in play if the creature leaves play.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Lightning Greaves doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, it offers a different form of advantage by enabling your creatures to bypass summoning sickness and become immediate threats. This swift action can often lead to a gain in board presence, making it harder for your opponent to keep up without using additional resources.

Resource Acceleration: Lightning Greaves is recognized for its ability to provide a significant tempo boost. By equipping it, you effectively accelerate your game plan, allowing key creatures to utilize abilities or attack the same turn they’re played, a crucial aspect in resource management and pacing in MTG.

Instant Speed: One of the greatest strengths of Lightning Greaves is that its equip ability can be used at instant speed. This flexibility provides protection from spot removal during your turn or unexpectedly during your opponent’s turn, safeguarding your most valuable creatures and maintaining pressure without missing a beat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Lightning Greaves equips for zero, which bypasses the typical discard penalties associated with powerful artifacts. Nonetheless, it demands a slot in your deck that could be reserved for cards with built-in protection, reducing strategic discard options.

Specific Mana Cost: With an initial cost of two generic mana, Lightning Greaves fits easily into most decks. However, it doesn’t benefit from cost reductions related to color-specific spells or artifacts, a minor downside compared to color-aligned equipment with synergistic discounts.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Whilst two mana is generally affordable, it stands on the higher side for equipment that solely offers haste and shroud. In aggressive strategies, every mana counts, and there could be instances where Lightning Greaves’ cost-contribution balance may not align with your tempo.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Lightning Greaves is a staple in almost any deck requiring swift and protective measures for crucial creatures. Its ability to grant haste and shroud with no mana cost for equipping makes it a versatile choice for both fast-paced aggro and defensive control strategies.

Combo Potential: The card’s immediate protection opens up a multitude of combo possibilities. It pairs seamlessly with commanders and creatures that have powerful enter-the-battlefield effects or abilities that can turn the tide when they’re allowed to activate without delay.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame where removal is rampant, Lightning Greaves shields key creatures from targeted spells. It ensures that the creature-based strategies remain resilient against opposing control decks and spot removal that could otherwise dismantle your game plan.


How to beat

Lightning Greaves is a formidable equipment in Magic: The Gathering, often giving any creature a huge advantage with haste and shroud. Overcoming this powerful artifact requires strategic planning. Artifact removal spells like Disenchant or Naturalize can effectively deal with Lightning Greaves directly, dismantling your opponent’s setup. Another approach is to utilize board wipes which can bypass the shroud since they do not target individual creatures. Cards such as Wrath of God or Damnation clear the board without having to target that hastened creature.

Preemptive actions can also work wonders. Counterspells like Negate or Mana Leak can stop Lightning Greaves from ever hitting the battlefield. On the other side, if creatures are your concern, cards that force a player to sacrifice a creature get around shroud since they do not target. Edict effects such as Diabolic Edict or Liliana of the Veil’s sacrifice ability can be invaluable tools when facing creatures protected by Lightning Greaves.

Ultimately, while Lightning Greaves can seem daunting by granting speed and protection, remember that its strength lies in those it equips. Neutralize that platform, and you can beat this MTG card, maintaining control of the game’s pace and flow.


BurnMana Recommendations

As players who appreciate the dynamic nature of MTG, Lightning Greaves is a key card that not only brings immediate board impact but also ensures valuable creatures stay in play. This artifact excels in a variety of strategies, enhancing both the aggression of combo decks and the defense of control setups. Even though its pros generally outweigh its cons, savvy deck-builders should consider the balance between speed and versatility when integrating it into their arsenals. Expand your collection and explore the myriad of interactions Lightning Greaves offers. Ready to gain an edge in your next duel? Dive deeper with us and discover strategies to optimize your deck’s performance.


Cards like Lightning Greaves

Lightning Greaves is esteemed among equipment cards in Magic: The Gathering for its unique offering of both shroud and haste to a creature. When compared to Swiftfoot Boots, another staple in decks that aim to protect key creatures, we see an intriguing dichotomy. Swiftfoot Boots provides hexproof instead of shroud, allowing the creature’s controller to still target them with beneficial spells, which Lightning Greaves does not permit due to shroud.

Looking at Whispersilk Cloak, another comparable piece of equipment, it renders a creature unblockable in addition to endowing it with shroud. While it ensures protection and evasion, it lacks the haste provided by Lightning Greaves, making the latter more favorable when the speed of deployment is crucial. Then there’s Skullclamp, which serves a vastly different purpose. It increases a creature’s power and draws cards upon the creature’s death, but does not offer the protective elements of Lightning Greaves.

In summation, Lightning Greaves holds a distinct position for its abilities to instantly shield a creature from all targeting and propel it into combat without delay, a synergy unmatched by similar gear in MTG’s vast armory.

Swiftfoot Boots - MTG Card versions
Whispersilk Cloak - MTG Card versions
Skullclamp - MTG Card versions
Swiftfoot Boots - Magic 2012 (M12)
Whispersilk Cloak - Darksteel (DST)
Skullclamp - Darksteel (DST)

Cards similar to Lightning Greaves by color, type and mana cost

Chaos Orb - MTG Card versions
Winter Orb - MTG Card versions
Amulet of Kroog - MTG Card versions
Nacre Talisman - MTG Card versions
Howling Mine - MTG Card versions
Essence Bottle - MTG Card versions
Emerald Medallion - MTG Card versions
Scrying Glass - MTG Card versions
Cursed Totem - MTG Card versions
Tsabo's Web - MTG Card versions
Millikin - MTG Card versions
Ark of Blight - MTG Card versions
Surestrike Trident - MTG Card versions
Energy Chamber - MTG Card versions
Water Gun Balloon Game - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Demon's Horn - MTG Card versions
Elsewhere Flask - MTG Card versions
Steel Overseer - MTG Card versions
Wurm's Tooth - MTG Card versions
Chaos Orb - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Winter Orb - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Amulet of Kroog - Rinascimento (RIN)
Nacre Talisman - Ice Age (ICE)
Howling Mine - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Essence Bottle - Tempest (TMP)
Emerald Medallion - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Scrying Glass - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Cursed Totem - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
Tsabo's Web - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
Millikin - Odyssey (ODY)
Ark of Blight - Scourge (SCG)
Surestrike Trident - Darksteel (DST)
Energy Chamber - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Water Gun Balloon Game - Unhinged (UNH)
Angel's Feather - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Demon's Horn - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Elsewhere Flask - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Steel Overseer - Magic 2011 (M11)
Wurm's Tooth - Magic 2011 (M11)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Lightning Greaves MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic Online Promos, 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 Greaves and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Lightning Greaves Magic the Gathering card was released in 29 different sets between 2003-10-02 and 2024-03-08. Illustrated by 10 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 361942003normalblackMichael Komarck
22002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 828062015normalblackMark Zug
32003-10-02MirrodinMRD 1992003normalblackJeremy Jarvis
42005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL L22003normalwhiteJeremy Jarvis
52009-01-01Friday Night Magic 2009F09 82003normalblackMichael Komarck
62010-03-19Duel Decks: Phyrexia vs. the CoalitionDDE 192003normalblackJeremy Jarvis
72010-06-18ArchenemyARC 1102003normalblackJeremy Jarvis
82010-11-08Magic Online Theme DecksTD0 A1152003normalblackJeremy Jarvis
92011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 2532003normalblackJeremy Jarvis
102015-11-13Commander 2015C15 2572015normalblackJeremy Jarvis
112015-11-18Legendary Cube Prize PackPZ1 1232015normalblackJeremy Jarvis
122016-09-30Kaladesh InventionsMPS 142015normalblackSlawomir Maniak
132016-11-11Commander 2016C16 2602015normalblackJeremy Jarvis
142017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 2202015normalblackJeremy Jarvis
152017-08-25Commander 2017C17 2152015normalblackJeremy Jarvis
162018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 1962015normalblackJeremy Jarvis
172019-08-23Commander 2019C19 2172015normalblackMichael Komarck
182019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 16002015normalblackMichael Komarck
192019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 992015normalblackRudy Siswanto
202019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 14932015normalborderlessDani Pendergast
212020-04-17Commander 2020C20 2452015normalblackMichael Komarck
222020-08-07Double Masters2XM 3602015normalborderlessMark Zug
232020-08-07Double Masters2XM 2672015normalblackJeremy Jarvis
242020-09-26The ListPLST 2XM-2672015normalblackJeremy Jarvis
252020-09-26The ListPLST C19-2172015normalblackMichael Komarck
262021-07-23Forgotten Realms CommanderAFC 3312015normalblackJeremy Jarvis
272022-04-29New Capenna CommanderNCC 3712015normalblackJeremy Jarvis
282022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 8642015normalblackJeremy Jarvis
292023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 2812015normalblackIgnis Bruno
302023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 3982015normalblackMichael Komarck
312023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 8342015normalblackKieran Yanner
322023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 2432015normalblackKieran Yanner
332023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 1142015normalborderlessChris Seaman
342024-03-08FalloutPIP 7612015normalblackUriah Voth
352024-03-08FalloutPIP 2332015normalblackUriah Voth

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Lightning Greaves has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2020-08-07 If a creature enters the battlefield under your control and gains haste, but then loses it before attacking, it won't be able to attack that turn. This means that you can't use one Lightning Greaves to allow two new creatures to attack in the same turn.
2020-08-07 You can't simply unequip Equipment from a creature. If Lightning Greaves is attached to the only creature you control, you won't be able to attach other equipment to it (or target it with anything else) until you have another creature onto which you can move Lightning Greaves.

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