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Pojo's Magic The Gathering
Card of the Day

Daily Since November 2001!

Leyline of Lightning
Image from Wizards.com

Leyline of Lighting
Guildpact

Reviewed April 19, 2012

Constructed: 2.75
Casual: 3.00
Limited: 3.13
Multiplayer: 2.40

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst.  3 ... average.  
5 is the highest rating

Click here to see all of our 
Card of the Day Reviews 

BMoor

Leyline of Lightning

The original round of Leylines weren't quite as beloved as the ones from M11. This particular Leyline is sort of a trap for newer players who'll want to use it on all their spells, thus unwittingly pushing their curve back. But take note-- the 1 damage occurs when you cast a spell regardless of whether the spell resolves. This Leyline could thus be useful for a creature-light, burn-heavy deck that's concerned about counterspells but can't adequately benefit from Leyline of Lifeforce. Personally though I think it works best in a Goblin aggro or a Sligh build-- the kind where you don't have anything that costs more than three, and so by turn four you're out of things to spend mana on. Having one or two of these out in a situation could help you get the opponent down, as every Shock becomes a Volcanic Hammer and Searing Blaze now hits the player for 4 instead of 3.

Constructed- 2.75
Causal- 3
Limited- 3.5
Multiplayer- 2.5

David Fanany

Player since 1995

Leyline of Lightning
 
Leyline of Punishment may be stronger, but I sort of like this card's name better: there are fewer cooler-sounding words in English than "Lightning." The original Leylines were somewhat experimental cards, with this one being possibly the most straightforward, and intended as an enabler for the original Bloodthirst cards. Its relatively slow speed means that it's never been a major player in high-level environments, but in a deck that can keep casting spells, it can perform its intended function well enough, and even close a game out under the right circumstances.
 
Constructed: 2/5
Casual: 3/5
Limited: 3/5
Multiplayer: 2/5
Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno

Today's card of the day is Leyline of Lightning which is a four mana Red enchantment that allows you to pay one to deal one damage to target player whenever you cast a spell and can be put into play if it is in your opening hand.  One mana for one damage is fairly mediocre, not horrible, but another card in place of this can likely have more of an impact on the game without keeping additional mana tied up every turn. 
Overall a more flexible burn that can hit more than players or an aggressive creature will generally work better, particularly after the opening hand option of this has passed.
 
For Limited almost any burn can be played, though this only targeting the opponent and not allowing all of your extra mana to be funneled into it weaken it dramatically.  The double Red keeps this from being reliably splashed, barring it being in your opening hand, and the lack of versatility doesn't encourage running additional Red just for it. 
This can safely be passed in Booster unless the pack in Booster is very weak or you are already heavily into a direct damage Red theme.  The same holds true in Sealed and there aren't many combinations that would promote taking this out of the sidedeck.
 
Constructed: 2.0
Casual: 2.0
Limited: 2.0
Multiplayer: 2.0

John
Shultis
Phoenix
Gaming

       Welcome to the Pojo.com card of the day section. Today we look at Leyline of Lightning from Guildpact. Leyline of Lightning is a rare red enchantment that costs two generic and two red mana. Leyline of Lightning says if it was in your opening hand you begin with it in play. Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay one generic mana to have Layline of Lightning deal one damage to target player.

      Any of the Leylines are good, but really only if you are able to properly exploit what they do. For instance, Leyline of Lightning becomes great when combined with zero mana drops, which you could then pay the one mana to deal one damage. Cards such as Memnite, Ornithopter, and Phyrexian Walker are all great zero drop creatures that red will have the capability of pumping up later on. For good old spell slinging though this card is also nice. When used with Lightning Bolt it is two mana for four damage, the equivalent of two Shocks. When used with Shock it is two mana for three damage, the same as an Incinerate.

      The only bad thing about the Leyline of Lightning is that I wish it would have been able to target creatures.
 
Limited: 4/5
Constructed: 4/5
Casual: 4/5
Multiplayer: 3/5


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