Protean Hydra

Combos Browse all Suggest

Legality

Format Legality
1v1 Commander Legal
Archenemy Legal
Block Constructed Legal
Canadian Highlander Legal
Casual Legal
Commander / EDH Legal
Commander: Rule 0 Legal
Custom Legal
Duel Commander Legal
Highlander Legal
Legacy Legal
Leviathan Legal
Limited Legal
Modern Legal
Oathbreaker Legal
Planechase Legal
Quest Magic Legal
Tiny Leaders Legal
Vanguard Legal
Vintage Legal

Protean Hydra

Creature — Hydra

Protean Hydra enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it.

If damage would be dealt to Protean Hydra, prevent that damage and remove that many +1/+1 counters from it.

Whenever a +1/+1 counter is removed from Protean Hydra, put two +1/+1 counters on it at the beginning of the next end step.

Rhadamanthus on Un-set cards dealing 1/2 damage …

9 months ago

In regular Magic, any effect that might result in a fractional result will specifically tell you which way to round, so there's no default rule for it.

In Un-Magic, you're encouraged to be a little creative with interpretations where the rules aren't clear and you're able to come up with something fun that makes sense and is agreeable to each player. The fractions in Unhinged were meant to just interact with life totals and P/T, and other things weren't strictly defined. For Protean Hydra, maybe you could turn one of the +1/+1 counters into a +1/+0 or +0/+1 counter. For Mindcrank, maybe one of the cards could be simultaneously in the graveyard and the library until it moves somewhere else (like on Yet Another Aether Vortex or Masterful Ninja).

Or, to keep it simple, you could just come to an agreement with the other players on a fixed rounding convention for Saute when dealing with odd interactions like this.

SteelSentry on Un-set cards dealing 1/2 damage …

9 months ago

If I use a card like Saute targeting a planeswalker or battle, or a creature like Protean Hydra, does it remove half a counter from them, or is there a rule I'm not sure of that rounds the damage in one direction for the replacement effects? I'm aware that in most cases it won't matter, but there's fringe interactions that I will need to know since most people don't have decks that deal with damage in increments of 1/2.

Somewhat related, if an effect turns the damage dealt into mill (like Mindcrank), would the opponent mill 3 or 4 cards if hit with Saute?

Max_Hammer on

1 year ago

Huh, it broke, eh? Oh well, here's the list again, not hidden. (I usually accordion lists, so they don't take up three acres in comment space)

P.S. I swear I'm not being paid by Big Elementalist.

Max_Hammer on

1 year ago

You also said you think you might need more ramp, right? Well, I counted eighteen ramp spells. Unless you play test it and you think it needs more, then it probably doesn't. Although, I think you need some more hydras.

Fortunately, I also found some hydras for you!

Stealthy hydras here Show

carpecanum on KABLAMza and his big scary boys

1 year ago

Something like Skanos Dragonheart gets a temporary boost that becomes a permanent boost to that Ambitious Dragonborn.

Scepter of Celebration, Sylvan Offering and other token producers would give you more creatures to take advantage of your cards that put counters on everything like Master Chef (and Loyal Guardian and Cathars' Crusade which i see in the maybe board).

I always like Hungering Hydra and Protean Hydra if you have something that pays for the X cost like Hamza (I have a Rosheen Meanderer and Animar, Soul of Elements)

thefiresoflurve on Thousands of health? Not a problem

1 year ago

Capricopian -> Protean Hydra? Both enter as 4 mana 3/3s, and while

1) Protean Hydra doesn't interact with Genesis Hydra very well 2) Protean Hydra doesn't have inherent Trample Buuuut

Protean Hydra can get hella huge super quick. :D (Also people can't bribe it)

Steelbane Hydra is also great for repeated artifact/enchantment removal in creature form (albeit a bit expensive).

if you end up adding Aggravated Assault, you should also consider Bear Umbra and Savage Ventmaw, since those are good value cards in and of themselves that will also win games on the spot with an Aggravated Assault out.

TetrAggressive on Zaxara, Nightmare Hydra

3 years ago

Hey I also recently built a Zaxara deck. I'm opting not to run the infinite mana enchantments so my deck differs from yours in power level but I still have a couple suggestions you might like:

  • Ertai's Meddling not only is it on theme but in a pinch (in a scenario where your opponent could easily pay the mana, or maybe you only have 3 mana leftover after a turn) you can use it as a hard counter even if the suspend counters aren't that high. Any other X spell counter in that scenario would be dead so I think it's a solid include (it's also hilarious to suspend someone's spell for like 10 turns).

  • On the topic of counterspells, Mana Drain and Plasm Capture are very on theme for gorging a huge amount of mana off someone else to not only offset tempo but also funnel it into an even bigger X-spell/hydra. Drain is pricey for sure so Spell Swindle could be another option as it accomplished the same thing.

  • Since you're running Protean Hydra I cannot recommend Retribution of the Ancients enough. This card has been an all-star in my deck on its own with by turning all your hydras into removal, but with Protean Hydra specifically it can be used to abuse the second clause of its ability, netting massive amounts of counters alongside the removal. Say for instance you have some leftover mana and an 8/8 Protean Hydra, as long as there is any valid target on the board, right before EoT you can remove all but one counter to hit the creature with -X/-X and then add twice that many back growing the hydra. It's very powerful.

  • Wilderness Reclamation is a worse Seedborn Muse but does allow you to do one trick that can be pretty powerful. Once the trigger to untap your lands at endstep goes on the stack you can float all your mana, then also use all the mana that just untapped and sink it into a big instant speed X spell which can catch people off-guard. This also works well with flash-enablers like Alchemist's Refuge and/or Winding Canyons which I also recommend.

Lastly here's some cards I'd look into that are pretty self-explanatory: Hadana's Climb  Flip, Greater Good and Mana Reflection.

If you want to check out my list it's here: X Spell Tribal?

Good luck in your games with it!

HydraOoze on Hydra hell

3 years ago

Primordial Hydra and Protean Hydra are some really fun options. Also Vigor and Reyhan, Last of the Abzan are good utility cards in this type of deck.

Load more