Tunneling Geopede MTG Card


Tunneling Geopede - Battle for Zendikar
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Insect
Abilities Landfall
Released2015-10-02
Set symbol
Set nameBattle for Zendikar
Set codeBFZ
Power 3
Toughness 2
Number158
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byTomasz Jedruszek

Key Takeaways

  1. Leverages landfall for consistent damage, applying pressure without drawing extra cards.
  2. Combines well with instant speed land plays and resource acceleration to outpace opponents.
  3. Though mana-specific, it adds versatility and combo potential to red or land-based decks.

Text of card

Landfall — Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, Tunneling Geopede deals 1 damage to each opponent.

As Ulamog's brood reduces the earth to dust, geopedes burst from their tunnels in search of solid ground.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Even though Tunneling Geopede doesn’t directly allow you to draw additional cards, it can contribute to card advantage by pressuring your opponent to use their resources inefficiently. Its landfall ability can repeatedly deal damage to an opponent or planeswalker which can force them to respond, potentially trading one of your lands for a more valuable card from the opponent.

Resource Acceleration: Tunneling Geopede synergizes well with cards that permit playing additional lands each turn or fetch lands from the deck. This can create a form of indirect resource acceleration by amplifying the effects of landfall-triggering events, which not only advances your board state but also depletes your opponent’s life total simultaneously.

Instant Speed: While Tunneling Geopede itself isn’t an instant, it benefits greatly from land plays at instant speed. Cards that allow you to put lands onto the battlefield during your opponent’s turns can unexpectedly trigger Tunneling Geopede’s landfall ability, taking opponents by surprise and securing an advantage during times when they might be unprepared to deal with sudden life loss or threat escalation.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Tunneling Geopede has no upfront discard requirements, making it a more straightforward play in landfall-focused decks. This detail may seem minor, but it ensures that you maintain card advantage while pressuring opponents with its ability.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both red and colorless mana, Tunneling Geopede’s casting cost could restrict its integration exclusively to red or red-centric decks, potentially limiting its versatility in multi-color strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including two generic and one red, it might not be as mana-efficient as other creatures in its category. Players often weigh the cost against the immediate impact on the game, and in some cases, there may be options that offer more aggressive stats or additional abilities for the same or lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Tunneling Geopede presents flexibility in deck-building, anchoring itself in strategies that capitalize on landfall. It easily slots into red-based aggro or land-centric decks, turning each land drop into potential damage against opponents.

Combo Potential: With every land entering the battlefield, Tunneling Geopede offers incremental damage, which can accumulate quickly in combination with cards that allow multiple land plays per turn or fetch additional lands from the deck.

Meta-Relevance: In a game heavily influenced by land mechanics and where land drops are consistent, Tunneling Geopede becomes a persistent threat. It can turn the tide in a metagame ripe with decks that look to exploit landfall triggers or ones that seek consistent value over time.


How to Beat Tunneling Geopede

Tunneling Geopede is a notable creature in Magic: The Gathering known for its ability to chip away at an opponent’s life total whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control. This persistent damage can add up quickly, especially in landfall-centric decks designed to put numerous lands into play. To effectively counteract this threat, consider utilizing removal spells that can dispatch the Geopede before it affects the board state. Instant speed removal like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can be particularly valuable as they allow you to respond directly to the Geopede’s trigger, preserving your life total.

Another strategy involves limiting landfall triggers by using cards that restrict land plays or by employing graveyard disruption against decks that aim to recycle lands from the graveyard to the battlefield. Tactically, it’s also wise to prioritize threats; while the Geopede can be menacing, assess whether it’s the key enabler in your opponent’s strategy or just a component of a larger scheme. By focusing on the pivotal elements of your opponent’s game plan, you can better allocate your resources and navigate to a win.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into MTG’s intriguing world where Tunneling Geopede carves a path through the competition. Maximizing its potential in landfall decks isn’t just about playing lands; it’s about crafting strategies that tilt the balance in your favor turn after turn. If you appreciate the finesse of incremental damage and the thrill of deck synergy, don’t miss out on incorporating this card into your collection. Enhancing your gameplay and outmaneuvering opponents requires insight—a journey we’re excited to guide you through. Continue exploring with us, and let’s unearth the tactics that will shape your next victory. Learn more and transform your deck into an unstoppable force.


Cards like Tunneling Geopede

Tunneling Geopede offers a unique approach to dealing damage in the landscape of landfall cards within Magic: The Gathering. It stands shoulder to shoulder with cards like Akoum Hellkite, which also rewards players for playing lands with damage to opponents. Tunneling Geopede takes a direct and consistent approach, pinging each opponent for damage with each land, whereas Akoum Hellkite provides a heftier punch but requires an additional mana investment for every land played.

Embodiment of Fury is another card with a land-related trigger, transforming lands into potent attackers. Compared to Tunneling Geopede, Embodiment of Fury focuses more on amplifying your board presence with 3/3 creatures rather than immediate damage output. Furthermore, Steppe Lynx shares the landfall mechanic but with a different strategy; it gets a temporary boost in strength, making it a formidable early-game aggressor that contrasts with how Tunneling Geopede applies steady damage over time.

Analyzing these cards highlights Tunneling Geopede’s niche. While not as explosive as some alternatives, it provides consistent, unavoidable damage that can whittle down opponents’ life totals in a way that complements various landfall strategies across the realm of this iconic card game.

Akoum Hellkite - MTG Card versions
Embodiment of Fury - MTG Card versions
Steppe Lynx - MTG Card versions
Akoum Hellkite - Battle for Zendikar (BFZ)
Embodiment of Fury - Oath of the Gatewatch (OGW)
Steppe Lynx - Zendikar (ZEN)

Cards similar to Tunneling Geopede by color, type and mana cost

Dwarven Warriors - MTG Card versions
Raging Bull - MTG Card versions
Wall of Lava - MTG Card versions
Brassclaw Orcs - MTG Card versions
Imperial Recruiter - MTG Card versions
Uthden Troll - MTG Card versions
Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - MTG Card versions
Goblin Rabblemaster - MTG Card versions
Nosy Goblin - MTG Card versions
Goblin Sky Raider - MTG Card versions
Cosmic Larva - MTG Card versions
Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - MTG Card versions
Ghost-Lit Raider - MTG Card versions
Goblin Chariot - MTG Card versions
Balduvian Barbarians - MTG Card versions
Basalt Gargoyle - MTG Card versions
Orcish Artillery - MTG Card versions
Stinkdrinker Daredevil - MTG Card versions
Blind-Spot Giant - MTG Card versions
Mudbutton Torchrunner - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Warriors - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Raging Bull - Legends (LEG)
Wall of Lava - Ice Age (ICE)
Brassclaw Orcs - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Imperial Recruiter - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Uthden Troll - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos (PAFR)
Goblin Rabblemaster - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Nosy Goblin - Onslaught (ONS)
Goblin Sky Raider - Onslaught (ONS)
Cosmic Larva - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Ghost-Lit Raider - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Goblin Chariot - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Balduvian Barbarians - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Basalt Gargoyle - Time Spiral (TSP)
Orcish Artillery - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Stinkdrinker Daredevil - Lorwyn (LRW)
Blind-Spot Giant - Lorwyn (LRW)
Mudbutton Torchrunner - Duel Decks: Elves vs. Goblins (DD1)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tunneling Geopede MTG card by a specific set like Battle for Zendikar, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Tunneling Geopede and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tunneling Geopede has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Tunneling Geopede card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2015-08-25 A landfall ability triggers whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control for any reason. It triggers whenever you play a land, as well as whenever a spell or ability puts a land onto the battlefield under your control.
2015-08-25 If the ability has an additional or replacement effect that depends on the land having a certain basic land type, the ability will check that land’s type as the ability resolves. If, at that time, the land that entered the battlefield is no longer on the battlefield, use its types when it left the battlefield to determine what happens.
2015-08-25 When a land enters the battlefield under your control, each landfall ability of the permanents you control will trigger. You can put them on the stack in any order. The last ability you put on the stack will be the first one to resolve.

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