Jagged Lightning
Sorcery
Jagged Lightning deals 3 damage to each of two target creatures.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Portal Second Age
- Price
- $0.28
- EDHREC rank
- #28864
Jagged Lightning splits 3 damage across two creatures for four mana — the rate is fine, but sorcery speed and the floor of needing two targets make it compete poorly against removal that handles one threat cleanly or at instant speed. It sees play in Commander decks that want redundant burn effects, and nowhere else.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
In Commander, Jagged Lightning is a role-player in damage-based removal suites, particularly in red decks that need to kill utility creatures like mana dorks or small blockers while advancing another line — the split-damage clause occasionally doubles as a two-for-one. Legacy and Vintage have access to it but would never run it; the format speed and the existence of far more efficient removal make it unplayable in those contexts. It is not legal in Modern, Pioneer, or Standard, which is where the conversation ends for competitive formats. Oathbreaker follows the Commander logic: fine in a pinch, not a priority.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.28 bulk tier
At $0.28, Jagged Lightning is deep bulk — the kind of card you pull from a box rather than buy. That price reflects its narrow role accurately and is unlikely to move in either direction.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.