Summary
With the many competitive formats inMagic: The Gatheringand a catalog of cards that goes back over thirty years, it’s inevitable that some cards are left out here and there, be it because of rotating sets or Wizards of the Coast’s decisions. For example, some cards end up being banned because they are too strong in the current meta in some formats and not others, even if they’re normally available there. The recentDecember 2024MTGBanned and Restricted postmade a lot of changes to Modern, but not to Standard because the format is in a decent spot at the moment. Even with great reprints in the Foundations set, oneMagic: The Gatheringclassic is still missing in Standard - and for good reason.
One of the biggest problems with balancingMagic: The Gatheringformats is that even adding or removing a single card can cause huge splashes in the meta, determining which cards may be good to use and which may not be optimal. This can be especially true for removals, as each deck tends to have at least a few in order to eliminate potential threats to their game plan, and with removals that also deal damage to players, it can be harder still to balance them. This is why Lightning Bolt may never be reprinted in Standard.
Why Magic: The Gathering is Unlikely to Reprint Lightning Bolt in Standard
Lightning Bolt is one of the oldest and most popular cards in the entirety ofMagic: The Gathering, and it’s also one of the most iconic, often seeing play wherever it’s legal. The reason is very simple, and it’s because Lightning Bolt is a very strong card. With a CMC of 1 (specifically, 1 Red mana), it deals three damage to any target. That means that it can damage any Creature or player, and it also works againstMagic: The Gathering’s Planeswalkersor Battles, for example.
Still, Lightning Bolt is very reliable and versatile, and it’s rarely a “dead card,” meaning one of those cards one may draw that are not particularly useful at certain stages of a game. Having Lighting Bolt in Standard, which has happened in the past, can end up determining which Creatures are good to play and which are not, as anything with toughness 3 or less can be removed with just one mana. On top of that, it can also damage players, meaning that one can close out games much faster with four copies of Lightning Bolt, regardless of theMagic: The Gatheringformatit’s available in.
In fact, Lightning Bolt is being played in the newRakdos Delirium MTG deck in Modernto remove small creatures or deal damage to the opponent.
Mark Rosewater May Have Put The Final Nail in Lightning Bolt’s Coffin
Recently,Magic: The Gathering’s own Mark Rosewater commented on his blog regarding Lightning Bolt’s viability in Standard, precisely mentioning how it can be problematic in terms of determining which Creatures are viable in the format due to its low cost and effectiveness at three damage to Creatures or players. Given that Lightning Bolt already proved controversial inMagic: The Gathering’s Standard format, and given that MaRo himself doesn’t seem inclined to bring it back, it’s quite unlikely to return.
The problem is that cards like Lightning Bolt make for a much faster and more aggressive meta, as one has to account both for an efficient removal and the fact that it can be used as “burn,” meaning a card that deals direct damage to players. It’s unclear what2025 will bring toMagic: The Gatheringin terms of new cards, but with a classic like Lightning Bolt not being in Foundations and being discussed as problematic by MaRo, its chances of a Standard reprint are pretty low.
