Bioessence Hydra

Creature — Hydra Mutant

Trample

Bioessence Hydra enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it for each loyalty counter on planeswalkers you control.

Whenever one or more loyalty counters are put on planeswalkers you control, put that many +1/+1 counters on Bioessence Hydra.

Legality

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

Discussion (28)

heinrichgraum on Planeswalkers Perfected

1 year ago

Thank you, Bobshel! I am extremely flattered you are building towards this deck and I sincerely hope you have as much fun playing with it as I do!

To answer your question, I tend to not run cards like Bioessence Hydra which are basically big beatsticks for two reasons:

One: It is a non-legend creature at five mana value, which means it does not turn on my legendary sorceries and is not fetchable by Captain Sisay, which admittedly is kind of a matter of personal preference for this particular deck. And for five mana you could probably find something better like Deepglow Skate or something.

Two: It does not advance the win conditions of this deck. This deck does not win games through combat damaging folks to death, and it rarely if ever has the opportunity to leave creatures tapped. Because of the nature of Superfriends decks and the reputation they have in the community, this deck is always playing defense, and creating many small blockers to save some health and loyalty where you can is the priority. That said, turning the corner and moving on the offense after something like an Ajani Steadfast emblem or resolved Kozilek, Butcher of Truth (which is in there for the shuffle clause because I face fair bit of Mill) is absolutely possible but is very rare and should not be counted on for victory.

All that being said, as you are working on a budget, cards like Bioessence Hydra can be pretty solid placeholders while you expand your collection, and I would by no means write it off as useless for your deck!

Bobshel on Planeswalkers Perfected

1 year ago

Hi heinrichgraum, I absolutely love your deck and currently with my limited income, I am trying to reproduce it. I am just wondering, why you do not include Bioessence Hydra in your deck. Best regards

Mousemke on First Deck

1 year ago

All the forests and islands. My biggest piece of advice for modern is to invest in shock and fetch lands (in this case Breeding Pool and Misty Rainforest). They are going to be on the expensive side. But also long after you tune and re-tune this deck, maybe even tear it apart and build an entirely new deck. All the other cards may be different but you WILL need this same fetch and shock lands. They are the best investment you can make early on and you will feel the deck's consistency grow to reflect the improved mana base.

Next, as wallisface said, push towards 4 of each card. It's not a hard rule but it will improve your deck immensely to focus an a plan instead of many things that may be good together.

Examples:

Bioessence Hydra, but you only have 2 planeswalkers in the deck. You should cut the hydra or focus on planeswalkers and bump to 4 hydras

Blossom Prancer but you only have 5 enchantments

Rootcoil Creeper but only 1 card with flashback

Tasha's Hideous Laughter is the only mill card you have

The deck is a good start but you need to focus it and bring it down to 60 cards

TheOfficialCreator on atraxa super friends

1 year ago

Treasure Cruise --> Swan Song?

Oath of Teferi is also good.

Aminatou, the Fateshifter + Bioessence Hydra + Spark Double makes an infinite trample creature and each piece is good on its own.

What specific problems do you have with your mana base and instants?

TheoryCrafter on Niv-Mizzet is your Superfriend!

2 years ago

Have you considered Aminatou, the Fate Shifter? Her second ability can blink Niv-Mizzet or a Planeswalker.

If at some point you do choose to add a creature I'd recommend Bioessence Hydra as the number of planeswakers entering the battlefield plus all their activated abilities allow it to grow big in a hurry.

Happy Hunting!

BeesGetDegrees on

3 years ago

Removals • Bioessence Hydra - Expensive for the cost and really only can pop if you’re out with a ton of planeswalkers. - Doesn’t truly allow to combo off or put yourself further in a win position • Vryn Wingmare - Just ok. Could levy into stronger creatures. • Martial Coup - An ok board wipe but there’s better ones out there. • Altar of Dementia - Not valid as sacrifice doesn't proc with totem armor • Really Good spread of Lands. Quick pace and some very solid duals that keep up your pace • Dovin Baan - Does not help advance your enchantment Mill objective. • Dovin, Hand of Control - Not great in commander as you have to activate it on your turn • Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner - You’re not hitting with large creatures. Mill is your objective with a subtheme of enchanted/totem creatures • Finest Hour - You’re milling, not attacking. You already should be having fliers anyway.

Suggestions: • Common theme that the deck needs to be built from a behind position. You have an easy commander to keep some BRUTAL pieces alive and well.

• Many of your creatures do not utilize tapping effects (which should be your goal with the commander).

• Will need some life gain enchantments to stay in the game

• No easily combo pieces or blink pieces - Dramatic Reversal - Mindcrank

• Creatures that tap for mana and have totem armor. Easy ramp - Karametra's Acolyte

• Creatures to help Mill or slow down the game - Fleet Swallower - Dreamborn Muse - Silent Arbiter

• More instant or sorcery spells that actually can mill an opponent - Maddening Cacophony

• Creatures that can grow unhindered with totem armor - Scute Mob - Sun Titan - Bishop of Rebirth - Danitha Capashen, Paragon

• Completely missing ramp/ability to draw specific lands - Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre Can always enchant him for free unlimited lands - Cultivate

• Exile graveyard Pieces or different lands - Halimar Depths - Bojuka Bog - Myriad Landscape

• Better enchantments that are not expensive - Mirrormade - Memory Erosion - Patient Rebuilding

• Absolutely need some mana rocks

DawnsRayofLight on Atraxa, legendary Voice,

3 years ago

I've been working on an Atraxa list as well, I can offer some suggestions with my reasoning:

Ashiok, Nightmare Muse: You wouldn't think it, but those tokens exiling cards from the top 2 cards from your opponent's decks and bouncing a permanent while eating a card out of their hand has been strong. I rarely use her Ult but she is great for control.

Teferi, Time Raveler just great for anti control.

Bioessence Hydra: He gets to be a big boy

Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider: A fairly strong surprise beater and and of course synergizes well

Mastermind's Acquisition: probably my favorite card in black right now. It is super useful as a normal tutor but getting something out of your board is powerful. I sometimes put cards in my board that are good with the deck but have been dead draws at time to be able to add more control into the main deck. As well, you can use more situationally useful cards like the uncommon ashiok.

Tamiyo, Collector of Tales: I never use her +1 so she is super dependent on proliferate. However her passive and negative are invaluable, it lets you get spells back to re-use as well as your walkers.

Lithoform Engine is another good card, I see the point of multi turn use of Rings, but being able to duplicate spells is pretty strong.

Kaya the Inexorable: Atraxa tends to die a lot if people know that she shouldn't stick, Kaya helps to keep her coming back without paying the additional cost to recast. Same with Command Beacon, which I am looking to add into mine.

I am personally not a fan of the oaths, they feel dead a lot without the walkers and I prefer to run more control. Here is my list if you want to check it out! it has been pretty strong! it may run a bit slower in terms of getting ultimates to pop but it has been super consistent and very difficult to beat. Atraxa's Best Friends (why can't she be BUWR?). I know my take is different and not for everyone but I hope these suggestions help!

HELLcaster19 on Atraxa super amigos

3 years ago

Blaze666

Neat build!

I think a few noteworthy options to include would be:

Karn's Bastion, Pir, Imaginative Rascal, and Flux Channeler. This way, you have options at hand to proliferate your walkers and reach those ultimates faster, since Doubling Season would be out of reach with a budget build.

If you were to also add in a few more walkers, a wonderful beat stick to think about adding in would be Bioessence Hydra :)