HYDRAS! The meta is really to just field the hydras and put as many buffs and +1/+1 counters on them. The set-up is a bit slow, but really worth it after you field the hydras!
"roar"
EARLY GAME My early-game strategy is basically to avoid damage and losing my mana-rampers, while building up mana.First, I use my Elvish Mystics, Llanowar Elves, and Karametra's Acolyte early game to ramp up my mana (I use those as blockers as well, if they can). I'll try to get
Quest for the Gemblades
(Using it to put 4 +1/+1 counters on my hydras. 'Insurance', as I colloquially call them for some reason) out early- to early mid-game to buff up my hydras later on. Mana Reflection for my mana ramping.
MID-GAME TO LATE-GAME
Solidarity of Heroes
is a good way for me to really double up my counters, as well as the
Quest for the Gemblades
mentioned earlier. After only blocking and occasionally attacking, I unleash my protean hydras and Kalonian Hydra and Primordial Hydra, and use them as blockers until I see an opening or until they're something like 40/40. I'll put Swiftfoot Boots on my hydras and swing. Since Kalonian Hydra doubles the counters on my creatures when it strikes, it's goes really well with Primordial Hydra and
Solidarity of Heroes
and all I then have to do is wait until it gets enough counters or until I can use the ability of Rogue's Passage.Expect my hydras to be 40/40 with trample in a couple of turns.
Let's say My Primordial Hydra has 7 +1/+1 counters on it and I already have Kalonian Hydra as well. Next turn Primordial Hydra will have 14, and then Kalonian Hydra attacks, making it 28, and then I cast
Solidarity of Heroes
on it making it 56 in only 2 turns and with minimal mana. The biggest I've made my Hydras was with Primordial Hydra. In the end, he became a 6,240/6,240 creature with trample! (Still lost though, due to an alternate win condition.)
MISC Swiftfoot Boots is for protecting my creatures and giving them haste to attack earlier than usual.Garruk Wildspeaker's more for diverting the damage from me and untapping my lands. Not to mention his ultimate, which gives me Overrun on a stick!
