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Lightning Storm

{1}{R}{R}

Instant

CSPColdsnap#89uncommon
Foil
Border
black
Frame
2003
Pull rate
about 1 per booster–1 in 978
Illustrator
Luca Zontini
Found in
Coldsnap MTGO Redemption Foil · Coldsnap MTGO Redemption · Coldsnap Booster Pack
Printings2CombosIn 32
CommanderLegalModernLegalStandardNot legal
Format legality
AlchemyNot legal
BrawlNot legal
CommanderLegal
Competitive BrawlNot legal
DuelLegal
Future StandardNot legal
GladiatorNot legal
HistoricNot legal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
Old SchoolNot legal
PauperNot legal
Pauper CommanderNot legal
PennyNot legal
PioneerNot legal
PreDHLegal
PremodernNot legal
StandardNot legal
Standard BrawlNot legal
TimelessNot legal
Tiny LeadersLegal
VintageLegal
Lightning Storm deals X damage to any target, where X is 3 plus the number of charge counters on Lightning Storm. Discard a land card: Put two charge counters on Lightning Storm. You may choose a new target for it. Any player may activate this ability but only if Lightning Storm is on the stack.

Plays as: Burn · Planeswalker Removal · Damage Win

Market · per finishspark updated 5h ago · prices as of 2026-07-12
Nonfoil+0.0%
$0.28
$0.12 low$0.11 gap
Foil+0.0%
$2.35
$1.90 low-$0.10 gap
Cheapest playable copy$0.30· across 2 printings

Rulings

5 · latest Jul 15, 2006 · one tap opens all
  • WotCJul 15, 2006

    After an instance of Lightning Storm’s activated ability resolves, the active player (not Lightning Storm’s controller) receives priority.

  • WotCJul 15, 2006

    Lightning Storm has an activated ability that can be activated only while the spell is on the stack. Any player may activate that ability. When the ability is activated, it goes on the stack on top of Lightning Storm. When the ability resolves, the Lightning Storm spell is affected.

  • WotCJul 15, 2006

    When Lightning Storm leaves the stack, its charge counters go away.

  • WotCJul 15, 2006

    When Lightning Storm’s activated ability resolves, if there are no other legal targets to choose for the Lightning Storm spell, you must leave the target the same, even if it’s now an illegal target.

  • WotCJul 15, 2006

    When you cast Lightning Storm, you immediately have a chance to activate its ability since you’ll have priority. If you don’t, and all other players pass, the spell will resolve. You won’t receive priority again — and thus won’t get another chance to activate its ability — unless someone else activates Lightning Storm’s activated ability, casts some other spell, or activates some other ability.