Jagged Lightning MTG Card


Clears multiple threats or opens attack lanes, granting significant board control and card advantage. Instant speed casting offers strategic flexibility, letting players adapt and respond on the opponent’s turn. However, the card’s discard requirement and specific mana cost may limit its integration in some decks.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Choose any two creatures. Jagged Lightning deals 3 damage to each of them. (You can't play Jagged Lightning unless you can choose two creatures to damage.)


Cards like Jagged Lightning

Jagged Lightning is a noteworthy card in Magic: The Gathering, offering a unique combination of damage and distribution. When examining its peers, one cannot help but consider Arc Lightning. Both cards allow for strategic flexibility in damage disbursement, but Jagged Lightning offers a higher output of 2 damage to up to four individual targets. Arc Lightning, while less expensive mana-wise, limits its user to three targets with potential damage divvying.

Another card to look at is Chandra’s Pyrohelix, which like Jagged Lightning, causes direct damage divided as you choose among one or two targets. Albeit Chandra’s Pyrohelix has a lower damage range, what makes it stand out is its low mana cost, enhancing its play speed and utility in the early game stages.

Assessing the card’s ability to cause widespread damage and the strategic advantage it can provide, Jagged Lightning is certainly a card that distinguishes itself within MTG’s burn spells category. Its power to potentially alter the board state dramatically in the mid to late game underlines its value in specific MTG deck builds.

Arc Lightning - MTG Card versions
Chandra's Pyrohelix - MTG Card versions
Arc Lightning - MTG Card versions
Chandra's Pyrohelix - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Jagged Lightning is a game-changer when it comes to distributing damage across multiple targets. Its ability to hit two creatures at once means players can eliminate multiple threats or clear a path for their own attackers, effectively gaining card advantage by dealing with more than one card with a single spell.

Resource Acceleration: While this spell doesn’t directly generate resources, the efficient removal of two creatures can indirectly lead to resource acceleration. By maintaining board control, players can more safely deploy their land drops and creatures without worrying about opposing threats, thereby advancing their game state more rapidly.

Instant Speed: The power of instant speed spells cannot be overstated in MTG, and Jagged Lightning delivers on this front. Being able to cast it during your opponent’s turn provides significant strategic flexibility. You can pass your turn with mana untapped, keeping your opponent guessing, and if they don’t play into your strategy, you can still make a strong move at the end of their turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Jagged Lightning’s gameplay necessitates discarding a card, which can be a setback if your hand is already dwindling in options. This condition could lead to unfavorable trades where you might lose vital cards needed for upcoming turns.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana requirement for Jagged Lightning is fixed at two red and two colorless, which means it’s exclusively viable in red-based or multicolored decks. Players with decks that don’t meet the red mana prerequisite will find this card less than optimal in their strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, Jagged Lightning competes with alternative spells that may present lower-cost solutions or more impactful outcomes. This higher mana investment could slow down your tempo, especially when other players are putting out lower-costing threats or responses faster.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Jagged Lightning serves as a robust option for decks that need to clear multiple creatures at once. Its ability to target two creatures simultaneously makes it a strategic pick for players facing off against token-heavy strategies or those looking to maintain board control.

Combo Potential: This card can pave the way for interesting combinations by reducing battlefield clutter, allowing your payoff creatures or effects to hit the board with less resistance. It partners well with decks that capitalize on damage triggers or spell-slinging synergies.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where aggressive creature strategies predominate, Jagged Lightning can offer a significant advantage. By being able to disrupt early swarm tactics, it helps stabilize the game for control or late-game focused decks, making it a worthy consideration for your sideboard or even main deck configuration.


How to beat

Jagged Lightning is a powerful sorcery that can create a swift shift in momentum by dealing damage across multiple creatures. To effectively navigate against this card, one must consider its cost and timing. With a higher mana cost and being sorcery speed, this allows for a window of strategy. Employing counterspells such as Negate or Essence Scatter can nullify Jagged Lightning before its impact is felt. Alternatively, creature protection spells or indestructible abilities can safeguard your board presence. Intelligent hand disruption, by means of Thoughtseize or Duress, can also preemptively remove threats like Jagged Lightning from an opponent’s hand, undermining their combat strategy.

Understanding the meta and preparing your sideboard with appropriate answers is crucial. Achieving a blend of reactive and proactive cards can make all the difference, ensuring you stay one step ahead. Moreover, the pacing of the game becomes vital. By maintaining a strong pace and applying pressure, you can often force a Jagged Lightning player to use their resources inefficiently or run out of steam entirely. These tactics will empower you to disarm the explosive potential of Jagged Lightning and steer the game to your advantage.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Jagged Lightning MTG card by a specific set like Portal Second Age and Urza's Saga, 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 Jagged Lightning and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Jagged Lightning Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1998-06-24 and 1999-07-01. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11998-06-24Portal Second AgeP02 1061997NormalBlackMichael Weaver
21998-10-12Urza's SagaUSG 2001997NormalBlackMike Raabe
31999-07-01Starter 1999S99 1091997NormalWhiteMichael Weaver

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Jagged Lightning has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal