Plated Geopede MTG Card

Plated Geopede can turn land plays into significant threats, emphasizing the value of each land drop. Restricted to land-centric strategies, its need for repeated landfalls may limit hand flexibility. In competitive play, its speed and synergy make it a potent force when unchecked.

Zendikar (ZEN)
2009-10-02 - Number 141

Plated Geopede - Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth (DDI)

Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth (DDI)
2012-03-30 - Number 45

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number ZEN-141

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Insect
Abilities	First strike,Landfall
Power	1
Toughness	1

Text of card

First strike Landfall — Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, Plated Geopede gets +2/+2 until end of turn.

"Kor armorers buy the scales and claws. Elf oracles buy the rest." —Nablus, North Hada trapper

Cards like Plated Geopede

Plated Geopede is an intriguing creature in the MTG world, known for its Landfall ability that gives it +2/+2 until end of turn whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control. This ability is reminiscent of other Landfall creatures like Steppe Lynx, yet the Geopede stands out with its inherent trample, allowing excess damage to spill over to the opponent even when blocked. Steppe Lynx, in comparison, lacks trample and has a lower base power and toughness.

Comparing it to other red creatures, Akoum Hellkite also harnesses Landfall, dealing damage directly to any target when a land enters. The Hellkite, though higher in power and with a flyer advantage, comes at a steeper mana cost than Plated Geopede, making the Geopede a quicker offensive option in the early game. Embodiment of Fury, another Landfall creature, turns lands into 3/3 creatures which can be advantageous in a land-centric deck, yet this effect is not immediate additional damage potential as provided by the Geopede’s Landfall triggered power boost.

When evaluating these comparisons, Plated Geopede showcases its strength as a cost-effective creature that can quickly escalate in power in the right deck, marking its spot as a competitive choice among MTG Landfall creatures.

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

Goblin Elite Infantry - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Plated Geopede itself does not directly grant card advantage, its synergy with landfall mechanics can keep opponents on their toes, effectively stretching the value of land cards you play beyond their basic resource production.

Resource Acceleration: Plated Geopede’s power grows with each land played, turning it into a formidable creature quickly. This means that normal actions such as playing a land not only progress your mana base but also enhance your board presence, serving as indirect resource acceleration.

Instant Speed: The immediate impact Plated Geopede has when a land enters the battlefield can be likened to instant speed effects. Though it’s not an instant itself, the threat of a sudden power increase can alter how opponents play, similar to how they would need to carefully consider instant speed spells during their turns.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Plated Geopede thrives in landfall-centric strategies, its reliance on a continuous influx of land cards to trigger its ability can force players to prioritize land draws or effects at the cost of other valuable resources. This can lead to situations where maintaining the desired field presence results in an empty hand, leaving you vulnerable to your opponent’s strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: Plated Geopede requires a red mana to cast, which pigeonholes it into red or multicolored decks. This specificity can hamper deck diversity and creativity as integrating it into non-red strategies involves additional color fixing, potentially slowing down the deck’s overall pace and efficiency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although the mana cost of two, including one red, seems moderate for a 1/1 creature, the true potential of Plated Geopede is only unlocked with landfall, demanding more investment in land drops or effects to activate. When compared to other two-cost creatures in the game, some may offer immediate benefits or higher base stats without the conditional triggers, making them potentially more attractive options for certain deck builds.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Plated Geopede shines in an array of deck builds, particularly landfall-focused ones where its power can swiftly escalate with each land played. It’s a fit for aggressive strategies demanding quick and scalable threats.

Combo Potential: This creature synergizes well with cards that allow multiple land drops per turn, or fetch lands, to maximize its landfall trigger, making it a key component in explosive turn sequences.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta filled with creature-based combat, Plated Geopede can be an underestimated threat. As decks aim to stabilize the board, this creature can quickly turn the tide and close games with its land-triggered growth.

How to beat

Plated Geopede is one of those aggressive creatures in Magic: The Gathering that can quickly spiral out of control if not checked early. Often found in landfall decks, this insect can shoot up in power every time a land hits the battlefield, making it a significant threat. Given its natural synergy with fetch lands, which can trigger its landfall ability twice in a single turn, players facing a Plated Geopede must prioritize removal to keep it from overrunning the game.

To counter this threat, efficient removal spells are your best bet. Instant-speed spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can disrupt your opponent’s tempo by removing Plated Geopede before it gets boosted. Moreover, employing creatures with deathtouch or setting up defensive measures with high-toughness blockers can dissuade opponents from attacking. It’s essential to manage your resources wisely and keep removal options open, as Plated Geopede can become a recurring problem with cards that return lands from the graveyard to the battlefield.

Effectively dealing with Plated Geopede means acting swiftly and decisively, ensuring that this creature doesn’t gain the momentum it needs to carry your opponent to victory.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Plated Geopede MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar and Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth, 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 Plated Geopede and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Plated Geopede Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2009-10-02 and 2012-03-30. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2009-10-02	Zendikar	ZEN	141	2003	Normal	Black	Eric Deschamps
2	2012-03-30	Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth	DDI	45	2003	Normal	Black	Johann Bodin
3	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	ZEN-141	2003	Normal	Black	Eric Deschamps

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Plated Geopede has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2009-10-01	The 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 (such as Rampant Growth) causes you to put a land onto the battlefield under your control. It will even trigger when a spell or ability causes another player to put a land onto the battlefield under your control (as can happen with Yavimaya Dryad’s ability, for example).
2009-10-01	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 that resolves.