Lightning Bolt
Unlimited Edition 162 • common
- Set
- Unlimited Edition
- Collector number
- 162
- Rarity
- Common
- Mana cost
- red mana
- Type
- Instant
- Colors
- Red
- Artist
- Christopher Rush
- Market price
- $23.58
What it does
Lightning Bolt deals 3 damage to any target.
Where you can play it
- StandardNot legal
- PioneerNot legal
- ModernLegal
- LegacyLegal
- VintageLegal
- CommanderLegal
- PauperLegal
- BrawlLegal
- HistoricBanned
- TimelessLegal
- Penny DreadfulNot legal
- OathbreakerLegal
Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC. Card text via Scryfall. Not approved or endorsed by Wizards. As of the last catalogue refresh.
Where to find one
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Where it came from
Lightning Bolt was first released in 1993 as part of the Alpha set, quickly becoming a foundational staple of Magic: The Gathering. The Unlimited Edition followed shortly after in 1993 as the second base set, featuring identical artwork by Christopher Rush. Rush’s design, depicting a searing strike of red magical energy, established the visual language for red spells in the game, emphasizing raw, immediate power that defined the color's identity for decades.
The card was designed by Richard Garfield to represent the most efficient direct damage spell in the game, costing only a single red mana to deal three damage. This efficiency made it a centerpiece of competitive play from the outset. Its inclusion in the Unlimited Edition was critical for expanding the player base, as it offered a white-bordered, slightly more accessible version of the original design, cementing its status as an iconic piece of gaming history.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
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About Lightning Bolt
Lightning Bolt is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Unlimited Edition 162 • common. Catalog data is sourced from Scryfall. No public cards collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.
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