Thesis
Hail Hydra is a Modern Hydra deck. Specifically:
Hydra: The gameplan revolves around playing big -cost hydras. Synergy includes increasing +1/+1 counters. First few turns revolve around mana ramp.
Modern: I'm trying to optimize to keep up with Modern mainstays such as Burn. That means gunning for turn 3 or 4 wins.
Recent Updates
- I've splashed White now for consistent removal in Path to Exile. Updated the deck list and areas for improvement. I even get board wipes in my sideboard thanks to White.
- I'm looking into Unbound Flourishing. Can technically count as ramp (can cast big hydras earlier), while at the same time could make certain hydras viable (e.g. Neverwinter Hydra).
Areas of Improvement
I'd still very much like to optimize for Modern, using competitive Modern as a benchmark. In its current form, I see success in my playgroup, but I lose a lot to bots running Burn. I myself know of some weak spots, feedback greatly appreciated:
- More non-basic lands. "Make your lands work for you". I feel like I haven't unlocked that mantra's full potential yet. Castle Garenbrig, maybe? The thing, though, is that I have a lot of 5 drops (Kalonian Hydra, Prophet of Kruphix), and it doesn't get any better if I get 6 mana instead with Castle Garenbrig.
- Turn 4 kills are doable (turn 3 kills with nut draws), but are definitely not as consistent as something like Burn. Sliding to turn 5 or 6 before stomping is a common occurrence.
- Weak in interaction. I've splashed into Bant to get consistent Path to Exile at least, but the key issue here with GU is that Blue wants to keep lands open (for counterspells/interaction), Green wants to tap out completely for efficient ramp. White interaction at least, I can do during main phase, so no need to keep lands open end of turn.
- After updates, I feel like I'm weaker against Burn than before. It's probably all the fetch and shock lands that deal damage to myself and make it easier for me to melt turn 3. I'm looking into life sources such as Hydroid Krasis, Unflinching Courage, and Shadowspear.
- I'm trying to work in Amulet of Vigor + Simic Growth Chamber plus a "play additional lands" effect for explosive mana. Pretty hard to balance Amulet of Vigor synergies without turning this deck into yet another Amulet Titan deck.
Mana Ramp
First few turns revolve around mana ramp. Individually without synergies, each of the following cards can stand alone as mana ramp. However, a lot of synergies are important to explode to ~6 mana by turn 3, which is typical for a Modern green deck such as Amulet of Vigor + Lotus Bloom + Primeval Titan.
Arbor Elf normally untaps a Forest, representing just 1 extra mana. However, if it untaps an enchanted Forest, it represents a x2 effect for Utopia Sprawl: an enchanted Forest tapping for can now be tapped twice for .
Stacking additional Utopia Sprawls on a single enchanted Forest compounds this synergy even further, as does stacking additional Arbor Elfs.
Lotus Cobra floats 1 mana of any color on landfall. Emergent Sequence represents 1 extra landfall outside of your land drop per turn. Misty Rainforest is a simple fetchland, representing 2 landfalls for your land drop per turn.
Stacking additional Lotus Cobras compounds this synergy even further.
Freed from the Real is a 2-of that enables an infinite mana engine with previous synergies:
- Enchant Forest with Utopia Sprawl, choosing .
- Enchant Arbor Elf with Freed from the Real.
- Tap enchanted Forest for .
- Untap enchanted Forest with Arbor Elf.
- Untap enchanted Arbor Elf with Freed from the Real, paying .
- Go back to Step 3. Each cycle floats a , allowing you an infinite source of as early as turn 2.
Freed from the Real can also work off Emergent Sequence, banking on the fact that Emergent Sequence turns your land into an enchantable creature:
- Cast Emergent Sequence to tutor a Forest.
- Enchant Forest with Utopia Sprawl, choosing .
- Enchant Forest with Freed from the Real. It's a creature, so Freed from the Real can enchant it directly!
- Tap enchanted Forest for .
- Untap enchanted Forest with Freed from the Real, paying .
- Go back to Step 3. Each cycle floats a , allowing you an infinite source of as early as turn 3.
In either case, sinking infinite mana into a Mistcutter Hydra can end the game right there, with an uncounterable hasted 1000/1000 creature coming at your opponent.
Another useful note: an additional Utopia Sprawl can be used to to float an additional per cycle, allowing infinite .
Prophet of Kruphix is more of a mid-game ramp (around turn 3 and beyond), once you've already ramped quite a bit with the previous synergies. Simply put, it allows your board state to work for you on your opponent's turn as well.
For example, you can pay for a 4/4 Primordial Hydra on your turn, untap during your opponent's turn, then pay another for a 4/4 Primordial Hydra on your opponent's turn (possible with Prophet of Kruphix giving flash). Both hydras then come in at 8/8 each on your next turn, ready to swing.
For best effect, cast your flashed hydras on your opponent's end step. This has a few benefits:
- Your opponent can't react immediately with removals (they might only have sorceries, or they might have already used up their mana).
- You can reserve your mana for your own removals/hate until your opponent's main phases are over.
- Your upkeep is soon after, allowing hydra effects to grow (e.g. Primordial Hydra and Hydra's Growth). Ready for you to swing as well (summoning sickness will run out).
Big Hydras
After a successful mana ramp, the gameplan is to convert surplus mana into big -cost hydras. There are a few good win combos in this deck:
Star synergy of this deck. Kalonian Hydra's doubling effect affects all creatures, making him the perfect companion to each other hydra in the deck.
Thanks to this doubling effect and Mistcutter Hydra's haste, this synergy is a potential turn 4 kill:
- Ramp to 6 spendable mana by turn 3.
- Cast Kalonian Hydra on turn 3.
- Pay for a 6/6 Mistcutter Hydra on turn 4 (your 6 spendable + a land drop).
- Attack with both hydras. The doubling trigger activates: 4/4 Kalonian Hydra + 6/6 Mistcutter Hydra turns into 8/8 + 12/12. That's 20 life on turn 4.
If your opponent has good blockers, Kalonian Hydra's trample makes sure at least a good bulk of the damage connects. Turn 5 lets you clean up, with yet another doubling trigger.
Lightning Greaves is a really good addition if you get it out by the time you cast Kalonian Hydra (which is usually in games with less optimal draws, since you'd usually spend the 2 mana on ramp instead). Haste gives you an immediate swing, and in turn an immediate doubling effect.
Primordial Hydra loses out to Kalonian Hydra + Mistcutter Hydra
on tempo, but is still a great stand-alone hydra because it doubles on your upkeep without you having to do anything.
Consider flashing with Prophet of Kruphix to make it less prone to removal until its first doubling effect, or equipping with Lightning Greaves to protect it and deal an extra swing with haste.
to stack a doubling effect on any of your existing hydras is a no-brainer. Mistcutter Hydra in particular is a great target: it has great qualities in haste, can't be countered, and protection from blue, but it has no innate mechanic for growing.
Primordial Hydra gets overkill damage much sooner thanks to the magic of exponential growth. You're looking at a potential 32/32 by turn 5.
Hydra's Growth synergizes with lands tutored by Emergent Sequence as well, since they are also based on +1/+1 counters, like hydras. Can be useful in a pinch.
In games with less optimal draws, Hydra's Growth, Emergent Sequence, and Kalonian Hydra give you nice fixed-cost options to still secure the win.
This is your mana sink if the game drags on, as well as a potential card fixer early on.
Gretchen Titchwillow gives you card draw if you're in a tight spot (sub-optimal ramp or no hydras in hand). It's also a great way to convert Freed from the Real's infinite mana engine into a win when you don't have the right cards in hand.
