Leyline of Lightning MTG Card
2006-02-03 - Number 68
2023-09-08 - Number 45
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Enchantment |
Key Takeaways
- Accelerates resource advantage with on-field presence from game start, giving players an early strategic edge.
- Provides flexible instant-speed interaction, adding pressure and disrupting opponent strategies during their turn.
- Requires careful management due to specific mana costs and the need to optimize synergy with other cards.
Text of card
If Leyline of Lightning is in your opening hand, you may begin the game with it in play. Whenever you play a spell, you may pay . If you do, Leyline of Lightning deals 1 damage to target player.
Where storm and spellcraft converge.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: With the ability to ping any target whenever you cast another spell, Leyline of Lightning enables you to potentially whittle down opposing creatures or even direct damage to your opponent. Over time, this incremental advantage can add up, disrupting your enemy’s strategy and paving the way for a victorious outcome.
Resource Acceleration: Should Leyline of Lightning be in your opening hand, you have the unique opportunity to begin the game with it on the battlefield. This powerful headstart allows you to harness its abilities right from the get-go, possibly accelerating your game plan ahead of your opponent’s.
Instant Speed: The flexibility of activating Leyline of Lightning’s ability at instant speed is an asset in any match. It gives you the freedom to cast spells on your turn while retaining the potential to impact the board during your opponent’s turn, keeping them constantly on their toes and pressuring their resources.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: With no discard mechanics, Leyline of Lightning puts no direct strain on your card resources, but it’s relevant to be mindful of the cards that synergize with it to optimize its potential on the board.
Specific Mana Cost: The activation cost of Leyline of Lightning needs one red mana, which means it fits best in red or multicolored decks that can reliably produce red mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While its initial cost can be circumvented if it starts in your opening hand, the cost to trigger its effect is steep for repeatable usage throughout the game, compared with other options that might provide more consistent results.
Reasons to Include Leyline of Lightning in Your Collection
Versatility: Leyline of Lightning adds a unique dynamic to various deck types, offering a way to use unspent mana to deal extra damage. This can be a game-changer in decks that frequently have mana to spare.
Combo Potential: This card works fantastically with strategies focusing on casting numerous spells, allowing you to tack on additional damage with each cast. Pair it with cards that untap lands or provide extra mana for a powerful synergy.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where games may drag and boards become locked, Leyline of Lightning provides a consistent damage source that can break stalemates and finish off opponents.
How to Beat
Leyline of Lightning is a unique enchantment in Magic: The Gathering that offers instantaneous damage boosts to creatures as spells are cast. Much like other Leylines, it can start the game on the battlefield if it’s in your opening hand, offering a significant early advantage. Nonetheless, there are strategies to counteract the benefits Leyline of Lightning brings to the table.
To begin, consider cards that prevent abilities from triggering, such as Suppression Field or Torpor Orb, which will stifle the Leyline’s ability to deal extra damage. Alternatively, diving into the realm of counterplay spells, Counterspell or Negate can prevent Leyline of Lightning from ever hitting the battlefield. If the Leyline is already in play, enchantment removal like Disenchant or Naturalize will be your best tools, efficiently removing it from the game and disabling its lightning-fast damage increments.
A strategic approach that encompasses preventative measures as well as direct responses to enchantments will enhance your game. By keeping these tactics in mind, facing off against a player utilizing Leyline of Lightning becomes a more manageable challenge.
Cards like Leyline of Lightning
Leyline of Lightning stands out within the enchantment autocard pool of Magic: The Gathering, with its ability to deal extra damage to opposing creatures or players whenever you play a spell. This card shares some similarities with cards such as Guttersnipe, which also delivers damage to each opponent whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell. Unlike Leyline of Lightning, Guttersnipe doesn’t provide the flexibility to start in play if it’s in your opening hand, but it compensates with consistent damage without additional mana investment.
Electrostatic Field is another relative, dealing damage to each opponent with each cast, much like Leyline of Lightning. However, it does so in a creature form which can block and attack, providing different types of utility. Thermostat instead offers a one-time damage boost with each instant or sorcery, requiring strategically timed plays for maximum impact. While it costs less mana, Leyline of Lightning’s potential for ongoing damage and its unique leyline advantage make it an intriguing choice for players looking to capitalize on casting numerous spells.
Overall, Leyline of Lightning holds its place in Magic: The Gathering, offering a powerful option for spell-heavy decks that aim to burn out opponents quickly and efficiently.
Cards similar to Leyline of Lightning by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Leyline of Lightning MTG card by a specific set like Guildpact and Wilds of Eldraine: Enchanting Tales, 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 Leyline of Lightning and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See Magic products
Printings
The Leyline of Lightning Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2006-02-03 and 2023-09-08. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2006-02-03 | Guildpact | GPT | 68 | 2003 | normal | black | Paolo Parente | |
| 2 | 2023-09-08 | Wilds of Eldraine: Enchanting Tales | WOT | 45 | 2015 | normal | borderless | Sam Chivers |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Leyline of Lightning has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Leyline of Lightning card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2006-02-01 | If you cast a creature with bloodthirst while Leyline of Lightning is on the battlefield, you may use the Leyline’s ability to deal damage to an opponent. If you do, that damage is dealt before the creature spell resolves, and the creature will enter the battlefield with counters from its bloodthirst ability. |
| 2006-02-01 | You may pay the only once per spell. |
| 2016-06-08 | A player’s “opening hand” is the hand of cards the player has after all players have taken mulligans and “scryed” if applicable. If players have any cards in hand that allow actions to be taken with them from a player’s opening hand, the starting player takes all such actions first in any order, followed by each other player in turn order. Then the first turn begins. |
