Pointed Discussion

Cool card. I wish it was white/black instead.

Best two drop instant ever made. I honestly think that the card is better off as a red-white card rather then black-white, if it were black-white it would be about having an opponent lose life or having a creature get -X/-X, or something like that. Red is all about damage, white is all about lifegain, red-white is all about justice, and this card really embodies that.

Best card with a converted mana cost of 2.

Yes, this definitely fits red-white.

Ravnica has always been my favorite set because of cards like these. They took spells of two different colors and mashed them together to create an even better synergistic card that was fun to play with.

An instant classic really. Pun intended ;)

Amazing card. Pity they didn't reprint it in Alara...

Amazing function. Rich flavor. Beautiful art. Perfect flavor text. My guild. Seriously, I don't think there ever was a card that better fit my personal tastes.

Once again, the Ravnica block proves to be home to several cards of supremely elegant design.

I would have died if they named it lightning salve instead.

Put it on an Isochron Scepter if you wanna be cheap.

very good. it's like a bolt where you pay 1 white mana more to gain 3 life... nice addition to any R/W deck.

a give it an A+ 5/5

Lightning Salvo

Welcome back to Modern, old friend.

@Icefang13: There is nothing wrong with lifegain, in fact lifegain is a fairly powerful effect. However, cards that do NOTHING BUT lifegain are terrible. With those what you gain in life you're losing in board position, and it doesn't matter if you have 200 life if your opponent has a completely dominating board position.

I think its funny how players dislike life gain, but making Lightning Bolt more expensive and adding just 3 life makes it more awesome. Doesn't that just not make sense?

(Edit) I ain't quite buying, clearly this card is good, a lot of players use it well, but I would rather play Lightning Bolt because it costs one less, when it comes to removal, 1-2-3 mana is very important.

Of course, Lightning Bolt is considered very powerful, perhaps I need to not compare it to Lightning Bolt and think of it as fairly costed.

If Lightning Bolt didn't exist, I probably have better opinions on this card.

If I had to pick a favorite instant, this would be it.

It's powerful, but not so powerful that anyone would find a fault with it. It's elegantly designed, has great artwork (alone and with its frame), has good flavor, and it's perhaps the most iconic R/W spell ever printed.

It's just so versatile. It can kill creatures, burn planeswalkers, hit an opponent, and even save your life. Whenever I draw one, I know that I'll have a good use for it, and possibly even win the game with it. I've probably won well over a hundred games thanks to lightning helix, if not a thousand.

Though, in truth, I use it more like a 2 mana lightning bolt than anything else. Gaining the 3 life is nice, but my friends usually have to remind me to do so because it's typically a small effect (since few of my friends run aggressive decks). But, every once in a while it's fun to get hit by a lightning bolt, and then hit that player right back with a lightning helix.

Of course, with a balefire Liege on the field, it becomes 6 damage and 6 life for 2 mana, which is even more awesome if you've been holding onto a second one. 12 damage and 12 life for 4 mana? Sometimes I forget just how powerful that is, and how many multiplayer games I've stolen just by doing that.

It's the only spell I run 4 of in my favorite deck, and I love it.

I would be beyond ecstatic if they found a flavour reason to reprint this into Dark Ascension or Avacyn Restored.

It's wonderful that a great card and a mediocre card makes an amazing card.

If Avacyn is like I hope, then they maybe they'll reprint it when she's Restored.

The perfect answer to Phyrexian Crusader.

Wait a minute...

Lightning Bolt: One of the best cards of all time.
Healing Salve: Nothing too special, not terrible but not a good card either.
Lightning Helix: Possibly better than both.

Best 2 mana instant in red or white EVER PRINTED.

Topdeck of the Century.

It definitely falls short of Lightning Bolt, just in see how much competitive play it sees by comparison. Lightning Bolt is played in every format it's legal in (yes even vintage sometimes) while Lightning Helix only really sees modern play.

That one mana is a huge difference and Bolt is just much more powerful and efficient plus it's much easier to splash. Lightning Helix is still an amazing card but it's no Bolt.

Still, the fact that it can be compared to the most powerful and versatile instant ever and almost match that instant just shows how great it is.

I though Sorin's Thirst was good. Being able to snipe 3 toughness creatures, gain 1 extra health, and being able to smack the player, all for the same cmc, this is borderline broken.

This card gives Boros aggro decks some much needed staying power, especially as Boros tends to attack a lot more then defend. Using this to kill a threat and negate the damage that has been done swings so many games in my favor that my playgroup tends to roll their eyes in despair as this hits their favorite creature/planeswalker.
Easiest 5/5 ever

Funny thing is that as an instant this is definately red/white, but as a sorcery it woulds be mono black, like Essence Drain.

Lifelink Bolt.