This deck is primarily about x-spells, which of course includes hydra.

This deck was built with the 8x8 method, by which I create eight modules with eight cards each. Half the modules are "standard" modules I develop for every deck, and the other half are devoted to themes specific to the deck.

Every deck Commander deck needs ramp, removal, and card draw, as well as some fun cards! Those are the standard module I include in every deck. In the case of this deck, these modules each have there own unique flavor.

  1. Ramp: This suite includes ramp elements that work with the character of this deck and some combo components that are actually a little weak if used just for basic ramp but can result in infinite mana (great for x-spells!) when lined up with their combo companions.
  2. Removal: Nearly all the removal here is an x-spell, which can benefit from Zaxara or scenarios in which you've accumulated infinite mana.
  3. Card Draw: All of these are x-spells, so you can draw your whole deck in the right scenario. As with the removal, some of these effects are tied to creatures, so you're left with a threat after you draw your cards.
  4. Fun: These cards feature synergy or combo pieces that help the deck go off, alternate win conditions, or other fun effects.

Most of these modules are directly related to the x-spell theme of this deck.

  1. Hydra: All of these cards are hydra. Other hydra exist in this deck, but these are the hydra that serve solely as threats with no other major function in the deck.
  2. "Cheat & Life": This module is basically two half-modules. The first half hunts down cards and cheats them into play. The other half provides x-spells that directly hit players' life totals.
  3. Power & Protection: It took some playtesting for me to realize this, but this deck generally wants to win with a couple enormous creatures. As a result anything that takes advantage of giant power numbers is excellent, and you also want to protect your creatures once they've reached a certain size. This module does that.
  4. Atogatog: This module provides cards that help connect the commander to the theme. If all your creatures are atogs, suddenly Atogatog can do its thing. Turntimber Ranger happens to combo with these same cards. Okaun and Krark's Thumb are a fun addition I want in a deck somewhere and can help Atogatog finish the game in the right conditions.
Our group has agreed to use commanders of only mid-power or below, so options like Zaxara are not available. Progenitus would be appropriate, but I liked it more at the helm of my big mana deck; it also makes you a target even though this deck is not designed to get something like Progenitus on the board. I thought Atogatog could be a possibility, as you could use cards like Arcane Adaptation to turn your hydra into atogs and sacrifice them for commander damage. It's a stretch, but it felt a little more unique than using something totally generic like Cromat.

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I busted out this deck in this evening's session, and it was a triumphant failure! I actually drew all the components that made the deck successful in playtests, but I had a terrible matchup against Jeremy's all-in "board-wipe everything all the time" Child of Alara deck. I foolishly overcommitted in the first game, not realizing how all-in his deck was, and lost key pieces early on. I played much more conservatively in the second game and managed to stay in it a lot longer. I committed no more than two nonland permanents to the board at any given time and was fortunate to have mana sinks, so I did not feel likeI was wasting my turns. My big mistake was mindlessly blocking Ryan's Wonder, killing it and giving all his zombies flying for the rest of the game. Once Jeremy was hated out of the game, there wasn't much I could do against Ryan's quickly assembled army of 5/4 flyers.

All in all, this deck is cute, but it feels more like one of the "stunt" decks I made in our early days of commander. It's a one-trick pony, and its trick isn't even that great. Really this needs a better commander more appropriate to its theme in order to function. I'm glad the x-spells have a home, but this is probably my least favorite of the "tribal cycle" I've made.

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97% Casual

Competitive

Date added 2 years
Last updated 2 years
Legality

This deck is Commander / EDH legal.

Rarity (main - side)

19 - 0 Mythic Rares

69 - 0 Rares

7 - 0 Uncommons

1 - 0 Commons

Cards 100
Avg. CMC 3.16
Tokens Hydra 0/0 G, Pest 1/1 BG, Wolf 2/2 G
Folders Retired - Commander Tribal Cycle (Mid-Power)
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