Lightning Coils MTG Card


Lightning Coils can turn creature deaths into a formidable army, providing leverage during gameplay. Vital to certain strategies, yet the card’s prerequisites may complicate its seamless inclusion. Its unique token-generating ability distinguishes it from other artifact strategies, underlining potential game swings.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeArtifact

Text of card

Whenever a nontoken creature you control is put into a graveyard from play, put a charge counter on Lightning Coils. At the beginning of your upkeep, if Lightning Coils has five or more charge counters on it, remove all of them from it and put that many 3/1 red Elemental creature tokens with haste into play. Remove them from the game at end of turn.


Cards like Lightning Coils

In the realm of artifact-based strategies in Magic: The Gathering, Lightning Coils holds a distinctive position. It bears a slight resemblance to other cards with creature-death-triggered effects, such as Genesis Chamber, which creates 1/1 Myr artifact creature tokens when nontoken creatures enter the battlefield. However, Lightning Coils takes a unique approach, delving into a long-term investment strategy by requiring a setup of creatures dying to accumulate charge counters. This ultimately creates a larger, potentially game-ending mass of 3/1 elemental creatures during your next upkeep.

Mirroring its mechanics, we see Pentavus, which manipulates creature tokens in a different fashion. Pentavus focuses on creating and sacrificing artifact creature tokens for flexibility. It doesn’t amplify its effect from death triggers but gives users direct control over the tokens they have. There’s also the impactful Luminous Broodmoth from the Ikoria set, giving creatures an afterlife of sorts with a flying counter, but this recursive boon operates distinctly from Lightning Coil’s explosive one-time burst.

Each card offers a unique angle on leveraging creature dynamics to build a robust board state. Still, Lightning Coils is in a category of its own with its potential for a sudden swing in board presence, aligning with strategies favoring a crescendo of creature-based actions.

Genesis Chamber - MTG Card versions
Pentavus - MTG Card versions
Luminous Broodmoth - MTG Card versions
Genesis Chamber - MTG Card versions
Pentavus - MTG Card versions
Luminous Broodmoth - MTG Card versions

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

Celestial Prism - MTG Card versions
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Ebony Horse - MTG Card versions
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Vedalken Shackles - MTG Card versions
Loxodon Warhammer - MTG Card versions
Sword of Feast and Famine - MTG Card versions
Training Drone - MTG Card versions
Pristine Talisman - MTG Card versions
Celestial Prism - MTG Card versions
Sunglasses of Urza - MTG Card versions
Ebony Horse - MTG Card versions
Runed Arch - MTG Card versions
Bösium Strip - MTG Card versions
Clay Pigeon - MTG Card versions
Ashnod's Altar - MTG Card versions
Jalum Tome - MTG Card versions
Static Orb - MTG Card versions
Patchwork Gnomes - MTG Card versions
The Stasis Coffin - MTG Card versions
Captain's Hook - MTG Card versions
Wall of Spears - MTG Card versions
Spellweaver Helix - MTG Card versions
Scale of Chiss-Goria - MTG Card versions
Vedalken Shackles - MTG Card versions
Loxodon Warhammer - MTG Card versions
Sword of Feast and Famine - MTG Card versions
Training Drone - MTG Card versions
Pristine Talisman - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Lightning Coils is adept at generating a multitude of creature tokens, significantly swinging the board presence in your favor. This can equate to a potent form of card advantage as it allows you to translate a single card into multiple threats, taxing your opponent’s resources.

Resource Acceleration: With Lightning Coils on the field, each creature’s death becomes an investment towards a future burst of creature tokens. This can lead to an explosive turn where the deferred tokens rush the board, potentially turning the tide of the game by amassing a significant force without spending additional mana that turn.

Instant Speed: While Lightning Coils itself does not operate at instant speed, it rewards play with instant speed removal or sacrifice effects. This synergy permits you to maneuver around your opponent’s plays, capitalizing on the untimely demise of your creatures to stockpile charge counters that later translate into a surge of creature tokens on your terms.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: For Lightning Coils to be effective, a specific setup is needed where creatures you control must die. This sets a prerequisite that may not align with your gameplay strategy, hindering its usefulness on the board.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring a precise mana combination, this artifact card demands three generic and one red mana, which may not be readily available in multicolored or non-red centric decks, causing potential delays or even an inability to play the card efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: This card comes with a mana value of four, which is considered high for an artifact that doesn’t immediately impact the game. Players might find that there are other cards at a similar or lower cost that provide a more immediate and tangible benefit to their gameplay, making Lightning Coils a less desirable choice in some scenarios.


Reasons to Include Lightning Coils in Your Collection

Versatility: Lightning Coils is a unique artifact that can seamlessly integrate into various deck archetypes. Its ability to produce creature tokens makes it a fitting addition to strategies that capitalize on creature-based synergies or those that require a board presence to secure victory.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, this card can become a combo enabler. In conjunction with sac outlets or end-of-turn effects, Lightning Coils can generate a surprising number of creature tokens, potentially swinging the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: Against slower, more controlling decks, Lightning Coils can be instrumental in overwhelming opponents. In a meta with creature-centric strategies or where grinding out value is key, the incremental advantage offered by this card’s token-generating ability could prove significant.


How to beat

Lightning Coils is an intriguing artifact in MTG that presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. This card generates a transformation of non-token creatures you control that die into 3/1 red Elemental creature tokens with haste at your next upkeep. The catch here is that you need at least five charge counters on it for the effect to trigger, which accrues every time a nontoken creature you control dies. To effectively counter this strategy, focusing on removal of the artifact itself is paramount. Cards like Abrade or Disenchant, which have artifact destruction baked into their effects, play a critical role in stopping the chain reaction before it starts.

Another tactical approach is to employ the use of graveyard manipulation. By using cards like Tormod’s Crypt or Relic of Progenitus, you can remove the potential creatures from your opponent’s graveyard, preventing the Lightning Coils from ever accruing the necessary counters. Additionally, countering the creature spells your opponent plays to ensure that Lightning Coils doesn’t get the fuel it needs can mitigate the risk as well. Ultimately, understanding when to disrupt your opponent’s setup or remove their key components turns the tide in overcoming the challenge posed by Lightning Coils.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Lightning Coils MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin and Salvat 2005, 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 Coils and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Lightning Coils Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2003-10-02 and 2005-08-22. Illustrated by Brian Snõddy.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12003-10-02MirrodinMRD 1982003NormalBlackBrian Snõddy
22005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL I372003NormalWhiteBrian Snõddy

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Lightning Coils has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal