Genestealer Locus MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Tyranid Human
Abilities Neurotraumal Rod
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Provides card advantage and strategic depth by generating extra hand options and maintaining player momentum.
  2. Enables faster deployment of creatures/spells and can unexpectedly swing the game’s dynamic with instant speed.
  3. Demanding mana requirements and potential for resource loss call for careful deck integration and strategy.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Genestealer Locus MTG card by a specific set like Warhammer 40,000 Commander and Warhammer 40,000 Commander, 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 Genestealer Locus and other MTG cards:

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Text of card

Neurotraumal Rod — Whenever a creature attacks you, it gets -1/-0 until end of turn. Whenever a creature attacks one of your opponents, it gets +0/+1 until end of turn.

Harrowing visions, paralyzing pain, and terrifying brain spasms await those who challenge the cult.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Genestealer Locus card provides a significant edge by potentially generating a stream of additional cards. This allows players to maintain hand superiority, fueling strategies and ensuring a steady flow of options throughout the match.

Resource Acceleration: By facilitating the deployment of other creatures or spells sooner than expected, Genestealer Locus can accelerate your resources. This can lead to a tempo boost, putting pressure on the opponent and tipping the scales in your favor.

Instant Speed: The ability to play the Genestealer Locus at instant speed offers tactical flexibility. Players can react on the fly to evolving board states, making it a formidable card that keeps opponents guessing and can swing the momentum of the game when leveraged at precisely the right moment.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To activate crucial abilities, Genestealer Locus demands the sacrifice of card advantage by requiring a discard, potentially setting you back in the long game if you’re unable to recover the lost resources.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting prerequisites include a strict combination of mana types, making it a challenging fit for multi-colored decks that might struggle with mana consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that demands a significant investment, there are alternative creatures or spells in the same cost bracket that may provide a more immediate impact on the board state or overall game strategy.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Genestealer Locus is versatile in its ability to amplify both aggressive and control strategies in your deck. Its adaptability allows it to be a strong addition across various archetypes.

Combo Potential: This card’s synergistic nature enables it to combine well with abilities that benefit from creature type alignments or on-card synergies that thrive on having numerous creatures on the board.

Meta-Relevance: Given its compatibility with current widely-used strategies, Genestealer Locus can be a significant asset against popular decks in the game, offering an edge in competitive play.


How to beat

Overcoming the Genestealer Locus card in Magic: The Gathering requires strategic play and knowledge of its potential influence on the game. This card’s ability to boost other creatures can turn the tide of battle, making it a priority target. To dismantle its effectiveness, it’s essential to limit creature counts on your opponent’s side of the battlefield. Removal spells are highly effective here, especially those that can bypass indestructibility to handle any creatures that have been significantly buffed.

Additionally, employing countermeasures against creature-based strategies can derail the Genestealer Locus’ impact. Engaging cards that prevent creature abilities from activating or that keep creatures tapped down can restrict its ability to congregate a forceful presence on the board. Board wipes can also reset the board, negating the accumulated advantages. Hence, versatility in your deck to cope with such threats will enhance your resilience against the Genestealer Locus and similar cards that thrive on synergy and incremental power gain.

In essence, timely removal, strategic counters, and battlefield control are the cornerstones of mitigating the influence of the Genestealer Locus and maintaining dominance in your matches.


Cards like Genestealer Locus

Genestealer Locus enters the arena of Magic: The Gathering as a unique fixture among creature cards. With a particular focus on enabling and supporting strategies centered around the Genestealer theme, it stands parallel to cards like Adaptive Automaton and Metallic Mimic. Both are known for their ability to bolster other creatures of a chosen type. However, Genestealer Locus’s distinction lies in its potential synergy with the Genestealer group, often leveraging the quantity of such creatures in play for more formidable effects.

Examining further, Door of Destinies echoes a resemblance in empowering creatures of a specific kind, amplifying the threat of each Genestealer as the game progresses. Yet, unlike Genestealer Locus which acts proactively by offering immediate support to its kin, Door of Destinies requires a buildup over time, rewarding the consistency of casting creatures of that chosen type.

Ultimately, Genestealer Locus might not possess the universality of Adaptive Automaton or the cumulative power boost of Door of Destinies, but it serves as a key piece in decks crafted with a Genestealer focus, offering immediate augmentation to the tribe and enhancing the deck’s cohesive play style.

Adaptive Automaton - MTG Card versions
Metallic Mimic - MTG Card versions
Door of Destinies - MTG Card versions
Adaptive Automaton - MTG Card versions
Metallic Mimic - MTG Card versions
Door of Destinies - MTG Card versions

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Phantasmal Forces - MTG Card versions
Wall of Vapor - MTG Card versions
Tradewind Rider - MTG Card versions
Archivist - MTG Card versions
Thieving Magpie - MTG Card versions
Inga Rune-Eyes - MTG Card versions
Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - MTG Card versions
Laboratory Drudge - MTG Card versions
Johnny, Combo Player - MTG Card versions
Dream Prowler - MTG Card versions
Clone - MTG Card versions
Cytoplast Manipulator - MTG Card versions
Crookclaw Transmuter - MTG Card versions
Turtleshell Changeling - MTG Card versions
Glen Elendra Archmage - MTG Card versions
Fatestitcher - MTG Card versions
Argent Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Lumengrid Drake - MTG Card versions
Vedalken Infuser - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Dragon - MTG Card versions

Printings

The Genestealer Locus Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2022-10-07 and 2022-10-07. Illustrated by Diego Gisbert.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 21★2015NormalBlackDiego Gisbert
22022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 212015NormalBlackDiego Gisbert

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Genestealer Locus has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal