Nissa, Genesis Mage MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 7 |
| Rarity | Mythic |
| Type | Legendary Planeswalker — Nissa |
| Released | 2017-07-14 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Hour of Devastation |
| Set code | HOU |
| Loyalty | 5 |
| Number | 200 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Chris Rallis |
Text of card
+2: Untap up to two target creatures and up to two target lands. −3: Target creature gets +5/+5 until end of turn. −10: Look at the top ten cards of your library. You may put any number of creature and/or land cards from among them onto the battlefield. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
Cards like Nissa, Genesis Mage
Nissa, Genesis Mage is a formidable presence in Magic: The Gathering, commanding the battlefield with her impressive abilities. She shares the space with other influential planeswalkers like Nissa, Who Shakes the World. Both wield the power of lands, but Genesis Mage specifically focuses on untapping lands and enhancing creatures. Nissa, Who Shakes the World ramps your mana by making your forests produce extra mana, whereas Genesis Mage gives a more versatile approach to resource management.
Exploring further, Nissa, Vital Force bears a resemblance with its ability to animate lands. However, Genesis Mage excels with a powerful ultimate ability that not only draws cards but also revives creatures. Nissa, Vital Force does promise a recurring card advantage with her emblem, but lacks the direct creature revival feature. Garruk, Primal Hunter is another peer, offering the ability to draw cards in proportion to the strength of creatures you control, an advantage in a deck with titanic creatures.
While each planeswalker has its own role in the ecosystem of Magic: The Gathering, Nissa, Genesis Mage stands out with her unique combination of abilities, catering to players who enjoy dictating the pace of the game with calculated land control and creature empowerment.
Cards similar to Nissa, Genesis Mage by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Nissa, Genesis Mage is a powerful planeswalker who excels in generating card advantage. Her ability to untap two lands not only refreshes your mana resources but also potentially allows for additional card draw or casting of spells within the same turn.
Resource Acceleration: The planeswalker’s second ability can create a sudden swell of resources by bringing creatures onto the battlefield. This surge in board presence equates to resource acceleration, enabling a more aggressive stance or defensive fortification to control the game’s pace.
Instant Speed: While Nissa herself does not operate at instant speed, her ultimate ability can have an immediate and substantial impact on the game. Unleashing a torrent of creature powers at a pivotal moment can quickly tip the scales in your favor, especially when timed after an opponent has exhausted their resources.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In situations where hand resources are scarce, having Nissa, Genesis Mage’s abilities hinge on discard mechanics can be a major setback. This kind of play can weaken your grip on the game, especially when you’re strapped for cards and options.
Specific Mana Cost: Tapping into Nissa, Genesis Mage’s full potential means meeting a specific mana cost that is heavily weighed towards Green. This makes Nissa less flexible, as deck construction must cater to a Green-heavy mana base to ensure her summoning and abilities can be utilized effectively.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that requires seven units, including a significant portion of Green, Nissa, Genesis Mage demands a lot from your mana pool. There are alternatives in the same mana range that may offer more impact or versatility on the battlefield, making this card a potentially costly investment.
Reasons to Include Nissa, Genesis Mage in Your Collection
Versatility: Nissa, Genesis Mage is a dynamic planeswalker that enables a variety of strategies. With the ability to untap lands and creatures, it offers massive flexibility for ramp strategies and creature-based tactics alike.
Combo Potential: This planeswalker’s ultimate can set the stage for explosive plays, turning each of your creatures into a threatening force while drawing large quantities of cards. The synergy potential with various permanents that thrive on such effects is immense.
Meta-Relevance: In a game state that values the acceleration of resources and board presence, Nissa, Genesis Mage provides both. Its inclusion in your deck ensures you remain competitive in a fluctuating meta, particularly if creature and land strategies are dominant.
How to beat
Nissa, Genesis Mage is a towering figure in the pantheon of planeswalkers with her ability to untap lands and generate hordes of creatures. Confronting this mighty card means targeting her before these advantages can accumulate. Pressure is key; presenting a clock through aggressive creatures can limit the time Nissa has to command the battlefield. Counterspells like Negate or Essence Scatter are essential, as they can prevent Nissa from entering the fray in the first place.
Removal spells are your next best friend. Don’t let Nissa’s loyalty counters rise, or she’ll overwhelm you with an unending stream of elemental might. Direct damage spells that can target planeswalkers, such as Lightning Strike, or board wipes like Doomskar, can mitigate the threat if she does make an appearance. It comes down to maintaining board control and being preemptive. Keep the pressure steady and your answers ready, and the Genesis Mage will be just another footnote in your climb to victory.
Understanding these tactics will prepare you for the formidable challenge that is Nissa, Genesis Mage. Implement disruption strategies effectively and you can mitigate her game-changing presence, keeping your path to triumph clear amidst the rich strategies of Magic: The Gathering.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Nissa, Genesis Mage MTG card by a specific set like Hour of Devastation, 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 Nissa, Genesis Mage and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Nissa, Genesis Mage has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Nissa, Genesis Mage card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-07-14 | While resolving Nissa’s last ability, all creatures and lands put onto the battlefield this way enter at the same time. If any have triggered abilities that trigger on something else entering the battlefield, they’ll see each other. |
| 2017-07-14 | You can activate Nissa’s first ability with fewer than four targets. For example, you could target one creature and two lands, or no creatures and two lands. You could even choose no targets at all. |