Genju of the Falls MTG Card
2005-02-04 - Number 35
2005-08-22 - Number G40
2018-03-16 - Number 59
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
Text of card
: Enchanted Island becomes a 3/2 blue Spirit creature with flying until end of turn. It's still a land. When enchanted Island is put into a graveyard, you may return Genju of the Falls from your graveyard to your hand.
Cards like Genju of the Falls
Genju of the Falls finds its place among the montage of enchantments in MTG that convert lands into creatures. In the vein of the Genju cycle from the Kamigawa block, this card shines with the ability to constantly resurrect after the enchanted land is destroyed, providing long-term value. Taking a look at Coralhelm Guide, both cards give lands a new purpose. However, Genju of the Falls turns a land into a creature with significantly greater power and the capacity for recursion.
Affinity parallels like Wind Zendikon evoke a similar transformation of land into a creature concept, but with a key difference—once the land it inhabits is sent to the graveyard, the enchantment doesn’t return to the hand like Genju does. Another comparable card is Nissa, Who Shakes the World, which also animates lands. Nissa’s ability to upgrade all your forests adds considerable board strength, while Genju of the Falls focuses on repetitive, single-target impact.
Considering the synergy and lasting presence offered, Genju of the Falls stands out as a unique choice for players looking to leverage their lands beyond mana sources in the strategic realm of MTG.
Cards similar to Genju of the Falls by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Genju of the Falls turns any island into a 2/2 flyer, essentially giving you an additional threat without losing a card from your hand. This can pressure your opponent while maintaining parity in card count.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, the ability to reuse Genju of the Falls after the enchanted land is destroyed creates an ongoing source of board presence, allowing you to allocate resources elsewhere.
Instant Speed: The activation of Genju of the Falls can be done at instant speed, providing flexibility in your strategy and the opportunity to surprise opponents during the combat phase or at the end of their turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One limitation of Genju of the Falls is that returning it from the graveyard to your hand mandates bouncing a land you control back to your hand. This can be particularly cumbersome if you’re aiming to maintain a steady board presence and mana availability.
Specific Mana Cost: This spirit attaches only to an Island, which means your deck’s mana base must support blue mana, potentially restricting the range of decks where Genju of the Falls can be effectively incorporated.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cost to activate its creature-transforming ability is not necessarily exorbitant, but it could be deemed high when compared to other auras or creatures that offer similar power levels or additional abilities at a lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Genju of the Falls can transform any island into a formidable creature, making it a suitable addition for blue decks that may lack creature presence or could use the extra defensive options.
Combo Potential: It can serve as a recurring threat in a control-oriented deck or combo off with cards that take advantage of creatures entering or leaving the battlefield.
Meta-Relevance: Given that it’s an enchantment with creature transformation capabilities, it remains relevant in formats where enchantments are hard to remove and creature-based strategies prevail.
How to Beat
Genju of the Falls transforms an ordinary Island into a potentially game-altering threat. As with many cards that animate lands, dealing with the card directly is often the best approach. Enchantment removal spells are your go-to solution, allowing you to effectively handle Genju of the Falls before it can become a recurring issue. With removal spells like Naturalize or Disenchant, which target enchantments specifically, you can remove Genju and prevent its ability from being used again.
Another strategy is to keep Genju of the Falls in check by regulating combat through blockers or spells that can tap or otherwise neutralize the animated land. Counterspells can also be pivotal; countering the initial casting of Genju denies your opponent the opportunity to start the cycle of animation and reanimation. Lastly, playing around with land destruction or bounce spells provides a temporary but effective solution to remove the threat, giving you the upper hand and forcing your opponent to revisit their tactics.
Ultimately, while Genju of the Falls offers a unique advantage by turning a land into a creature, your ability to adapt and utilize a variety of answers will keep you one step ahead, ensuring you maintain control of the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Genju of the Falls MTG card by a specific set like Betrayers of Kamigawa and Salvat 2005, 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 Genju of the Falls and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Genju of the Falls Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2005-02-04 and 2018-03-16. Illustrated by Glen Angus.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2005-02-04 | Betrayers of Kamigawa | BOK | 35 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Glen Angus | |
| 2 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | G40 | 2003 | Normal | White | Glen Angus | |
| 3 | 2018-03-16 | Masters 25 | A25 | 59 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Glen Angus |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Genju of the Falls has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Genju of the Falls card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-08-01 | A noncreature permanent that turns into a creature can attack, and its abilities can be activated, only if its controller has continuously controlled that permanent since the beginning of their most recent turn. It doesn’t matter how long the permanent has been a creature. |
| 2009-10-01 | Activating the ability that turns it into a creature while it’s already a creature will override any effects that set its power and/or toughness to a specific number. However, any effect that raises or lowers power and/or toughness (such as the effect created by Giant Growth, Glorious Anthem, or a +1/+1 counter) will continue to apply. |