Hippo Hugs! Phelddagrif Edition

Commander / EDH Goodstuff Group Hug GWU (Bant) Lifegain TurboFog

oliveoilonyaasscureshemorrhoid

Land (33)

• 1x Breeding Pool
• 1x Command Tower
• 4x Forest
• 1x Hallowed Fountain
• 6x Island
• 1x Maze of Ith
• 8x Plains
• 1x Prahv, Spires of Order
• 1x Rainbow Vale
• 1x Savannah
• 1x Seaside Citadel
• 1x Temple Garden
• 1x Temple of Enlightenment
• 1x Temple of Mystery
• 1x Temple of Plenty
• 1x Treva's Ruins
• 1x Tropical Island
• 1x Tundra

Other (11)

• 1x Approach of the Second Sun
• 1x Arbiter of Knollridge
• 1x Congregate
• 1x Elite Arcanist
• 1x Noxious Revival
• 1x Pulsemage Advocate
• 1x Sacred Ground
• 1x Skullwinder
• 1x Swans of Bryn Argoll
• 1x Wall of Shards
• 1x Wargate

Nicest control i could find (7)

• 1x Condemn
• 1x Delay
• 1x Dromoka's Command
• 1x Ertai's Meddling
• 1x Oblation
• 1x The Great Aurora
• 1x Worldpurge

Ramp for everyone (13)

• 1x Chromatic Lantern
• 1x Collective Voyage
• 1x Dictate of Karametra
• 1x Ghirapur Orrery
• 1x Heartbeat of Spring
• 1x Keeper of Progenitus
• 1x Magus of the Candelabra
• 1x Oath of Lieges
• 1x Rites of Flourishing
• 1x Spectral Searchlight
• 1x Upwelling
• 1x Veteran Explorer
• 1x Victory Chimes

Fog (12)

• 1x Constant Mists
• 1x Dawn Charm
• 1x Energy Arc
• 1x Ethereal Haze
• 1x Fog
• 1x Holy Day
• 1x Kami of False Hope
• 1x Peace Talks
• 1x Snag
• 1x Spike Weaver
• 1x Spore Frog
• 1x Tangle

Combat control (8)

• 1x Condemn
• 1x Energy Arc
• 1x Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer
• 1x Maze of Ith
• 1x Melira, Sylvok Outcast
• 1x Peacekeeper
• 1x Shieldmage Advocate
• 1x War Tax

Oh sh*t, i'm loosing (1)

• 1x Solitary Confinement

Commander (1)

Draw for everyone (12)

• 1x Anvil of Bogardan
• 1x Dictate of Kruphix
• 1x Flux
• 1x Font of Mythos
• 1x Game Plan
• 1x Ghirapur Orrery
• 1x Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer
• 1x Horn of Greed
• 1x Howling Mine
• 1x Kami of the Crescent Moon
• 1x Minds Aglow
• 1x Walking Archive

Preventing damage (not loss of life) (10)

• 1x Divine Presence
• 1x Dromoka's Command
• 1x Ghosts of the Innocent
• 1x Hidden Retreat
• 1x Honorable Passage
• 1x Martyr's Cause
• 1x Pay No Heed
• 1x Prahv, Spires of Order
• 1x Prismatic Strands
• 1x Shieldmage Advocate

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Maybeboard

Other (15)

• 1x Avacyn, Guardian Angel
• 1x Bramble Sovereign
• 1x Commit / Memory
• 1x Deglamer
• 1x Divine Presence
• 1x Fractured Identity
• 1x Imperial Mask
• 1x Island Sanctuary
• 1x Mystifying Maze
• 1x Noble Benefactor
• 1x Play of the Game
• 1x Safeguard
• 1x Unravel the Aether
• 1x Weird Harvest
• 1x Zndrsplt's Judgment

Removal (2)

• 1x Bring Down
• 1x Out of Bounds

Draw (12)

• 1x Fascination
• 1x Grothama, All-Devouring
• 1x Heartwood Storyteller
• 1x Indentured Djinn
• 1x Jace Beleren
• 1x Kiss of the Amesha
• 1x Otherworld Atlas
• 1x Prosperity
• 1x Selvala, Explorer Returned
• 1x Skyscribing
• 1x Temple Bell
• 1x Vision Skeins

Sneak (6)

• 1x Arcane Artisan
• 1x Braids, Conjurer Adept
• 1x Gate to the AEther
• 1x Hive Mind
• 1x Hypergenesis
• 1x Tempting Wurm

Fog (6)

• 1x AEtherize
• 1x Aetherspouts
• 1x Angus Mackenzie
• 1x Lull
• 1x Respite
• 1x Stonehorn Dignitary

Ramp (6)

• 1x Eladamri's Vineyard
• 1x Magus of the Vineyard
• 1x New Frontiers
• 1x Pir's Whim
• 1x Shizuko, Caller of Autumn
• 1x Victory Chimes

Life (2)

• 1x Beacon of Immortality
• 1x Heroes' Reunion

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Group hug deck, bringing upkeep draw and ramp for everyone; mainly focus around fog effects and saving other players from lethal damage. The foil cards are the highlight of the deck, and any changes to the deck are recorded in the last section.

All suggestions and upvotes are always appreciated!

Win-Cons Show

There's only one win-condition included, I usually don't play to win when I play a group hug deck. That said, consider these win-cons: Aetherflux Reservoir + Soul Conduit/Reverse the Sands, Walking Archive/Energy Vortex + infinite mana, Felidar Sovereign, Biovisionary + Mirrorweave, Azor's Elocutors + Viral Drake/Paradox Haze/Thornbite Staff and Plaguemaw Beast. To stay alive, consider these: Melira, Sylvok Outcast + Phyrexian Unlife, Platinum Emperion, Platinum Angel, Exquisite Archangel, Soul Echo + Eon Hub, Elderscale Wurm.

1. Approach of the Second Sun. With all the upkeep draw for everyone, this should be relatively easy to pull off. If you include it. I prefer to cut any win-cons in group hug deck so I can solely play selflessly.

The Highlights of the Deck (the foil cards) Show

Energy Arc - I'd argue this is the best fog-like spell in the deck. First and foremost, Arc can be used as a fog, but there's other possibilities. Arc can untap number of creatures at instantaneous speed, so it can be political if your ally has an Arcanis or something. Arc can also be a good combat spell as it can untap all of your creatures afterwards, or just after blockers are declared and only untap your blocked creatures.

Ertai's Meddling - The only counterspell I could justify putting in a group hug deck (besides Delay). This counterspell doesn't put the target spell in the graveyard, and lets people have some time to respond to a seemingly end game spell. It's just an insurance plan that gives everyone a much need breather to gather their resources and strategies for a couple more turns.

Flux - What kind of group hug deck would have counterspells and wheels? This one. Flux lets people have some much needed draw and keep their much needed spells in hand. Or nothing happens and they keep their hand cards. It's entirely up to them, and it's important to let them feel in control with this spell.

Oath of Lieges - This spell keeps game healthy and players happy. When someone is behind on lands, this helps them get back in the game and stabilize, all while they thank you in a time of need. Nothing brings people more together like shared trauma.

Rites of Flourishing - Ramp and draw for everyone, what could go wrong? The extra land drop really helps with all the upkeep draw as well. This card can also fuel your secret plan, but again, this deck isn't designed to win. Rites is a tutor worthy card in this deck, it helps bond and fuel like no other.

Shieldmage Advocate - Even the art screams group hug, and portrays exactly what this card is made to do. While saving everyone from lethal damage, you can also made someone else draw in the form of graveyard recursion. It's also important to let players feel in control, so ask around or ask one to see what's the most threatening and the best way of dealing with it. Make them feel smart, and let your actions speak louder than words.

Solitary Confinement - Although this card doesn't fit with the rest of the group hug spells, this fits the deck just as well. The upkeep discard is balanced with all the upkeep draw, and having no damage dealt to your shrouded body is sometimes necessary to save others. This spell is just your body guard that helps you continue transporting resources to allies without detriment.

Spectral Searchlight - How many times have you need just one more mana? Of course this could be used as a regular mana rock when you genuinely need it, but giving someone else an extra mana source for a turn can go a long way. This card further strengthens bonds while also ensuring a much needed contingency plan; relying on each other is what this deck is made for.

The Great Aurora - This deck doesn't like removal spells that make cards go to the graveyard. This deck's removal package makes cards go back into libraries or go into suspension, where the targets are simply delayed and doesn't detriment it's owner if he or she doesn't have any graveyard recursion. This board wipe ensures a more healthy game, and can sometimes win versus token decks as they can over draw. Worldpurge is similar but doesn't directly answer the threats already on the board.

Budget Section Show

THIS IS OUTDATED

If you're building a similar deck, here's some less expensive options (each one should be below the $2 threshold). However, I couldn't find similar cards for the following: Solitary Confinement, Melira, Sylvok Outcast, Peacekeeper, Wargate, Wall of Shards, Rainbow Vale, Dromoka's Command, The Great Aurora.

• Kami of the Crescent Moon/ Well of Ideas/ Malignant Growth v Font of Mythos/ Howling Mine/ Rites of Flourishing
• Storm Cauldron v Rites of Flourishing
• Knight-Captain of Eos v Spike Weaver
• Commander's Sphere v Chromatic Lantern
• Exquisite Archangel/ Elderscale Wurm (over $2, but not too much) v Angel's Grace/ Phyrexian Unlife
• Dispatch/ Condemn v Path to Exile
• Library of Leng v Reliquary Tower
• Commencement of Festivities v Tangle
• Stuffy Doll v Swans of Bryn Argoll

Updates Show

6-25-18

+Victory Chimes +Divine Presence +Game Plan +Minds Aglow +Skullwinder; -Mnemonic Nexus -Energy Storm -Pariah -Soul Echo -Glacial Chasm. I took out some protection cards, as I'm not playing to win.

12-24-17

+Energy Arc; -Spore Flower. Better fog.

+Kami of the Crescent Moon; -Path to Exile. Path is not too nice of a removal card as it doesn't match the rest of my removal package that simply delays the spell with suspend or returning to library.

11/12/17

+Sacred Ground; -Gift of Immortality. Anti-land destruction in exchange for a combo. Immortality combo'd with kami of the false hope and Spore Frog, resulting in no combat damage each turn. Group hug isn't about combo or shutting down combat strategies, but about saving people from those combat strategies.

+Keeper of Progenitus; -Phyrexian Unlife. Unlife used to combo with Melira, Sylvok Outcast, but I'm taking out the combos. Plus I've been wanting to find space for ramp for every player.

+Island; -Soldevi Sentry. Sentry was originally in the deck because I liked Questing Phelddagrif and the commander's draw ability, and Sentry provided that with instead of . I figured I should either add redundancy if I liked that ability so much or I cut it.

+Anvil of Bogardan; -Reliquary Tower. Everyone has no max hand size now, not just me.

11/10/17

+2 Island +1 Forest +1 Plains; -Lull -Respite -Angelsong -Moment's Peace. Needed more lands, less fog effects.

+Maze of Ith; -Island. Better than an Island.

+Hallowed Fountain +Breeding Pool +Temple Garden +Savannah +Tropical Island +Tundra +Temple of Enlightenment +Temple of Plenty +Temple of Mystery; -3 Plains -3 Forest -Island. Lands swaps.

+Noxious Revival; -Reclaim. Arguably better recursion. Revival can also target cards from other graveyards, so it can stop a game-winning reanimate spell, or can be used to politik if someone else has a much needed board wipe.

+Worldpurge; -Noble Benefactor. Even if Benefactor is helping everyone, it usually only fuels decks with infinite combo strategies. I think speeding up the game with ramp is chaotic enough. Furthermore, Worldpurge can save the day and isn't too detrimental to players with no graveyard recursion.

9/15/17

+Heartbeat of Spring; -Grand Abolisher. Abolisher is too mean for a group hug deck.

Date added	7 years
Last updated	5 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	1 - 0 Mythic Rares 52 - 0 Rares 19 - 0 Uncommons 10 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.96
Tokens	1/1 G Creature Hippo
Folders	-my shit