edh hydras, which commander?
Deck Help forum
Posted on Aug. 11, 2013, 2:21 p.m. by Panda213
So I am putting together an edh Hydra deck and can't decide between Animar, Soul of Elements or Progenitus to be my commander. Progenitus can't be phucked with and opens up every color to me while I think animar's ability fits the whole Hydra tribe better, what'd y'all think?
RedKunoichi says... #3
I would also say animar. he's cheaper and hydras can be expensive so he would help with that.
August 11, 2013 2:32 p.m.
Bobgalarneau says... #4
Yup, animar,soul of elements would be far better than Progenitus . There are other options but you would loose some color and hydra. I use Ulasht, the Hate Seed but i guess it's more of a token deck than an hydra tribal deck.
August 11, 2013 2:33 p.m.
Yea, his ability to add onto the x costs could be big in this deck. Animar it is, thanks! :)
August 11, 2013 2:36 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #6
Lol, how does Animar fit the theme if he's not a hydra and Progenitus is? xD
Do you mean they would have more synergy?
Cause honestly, I would say Rosheen Meanderer has more synergy. :)
August 11, 2013 3:04 p.m.
RedKunoichi says... #7
Animar has the possibility to add more than 4 to that X cost though. And his ability helps during the whole turn where Rosheen's will only occur once. Unless you untap him which red and green dont really do that.
August 11, 2013 3:13 p.m.
I think Animar, Soul of Elements would be a good bet because I can't think of an advantage to having to deal with W and B for hydras. Most of the hydras I can think of are R G. Actually most are just G but some are RG. G adds ramp and trample. R adds haste. U adds counterspells, the simic counter buffing / card advantage / stuff - as well as some non-destroying board wipes.
If it were something else like praetors or titans or superfriends, then I can see Progenitus . But for hydras, the only thing Progenitus has on Animar is the fact that flavor-wise, Progenitus is a hydra.
I did just do a search really quick and you would be missing Phytohydra if you picked Animar. The other thing is that W and B have better board wipes but I am not picturing too many situations where wiping the board would be advantageous for the person at the table who is playing the biggest scariest hydras - lots of big scary hydras.
August 11, 2013 3:26 p.m.
Can some one explain how exactly Animar, Soul of Elements helps with the (x) mana cost hydras usually come with?
August 11, 2013 3:39 p.m.
Not all hydras have X, but you are right - many of them do.
August 11, 2013 3:43 p.m.
The last part of his ability. When he has counters on him he makes things cheaper to play. In the case of hydras with X that basically translates to free +1/+1 counters for something like Primordial Hydra
August 11, 2013 3:43 p.m.
Ok, so after reading linked page, let me see if I get this straight.
I have an Animar, Soul of Elements lets say with six +1/+1 counters on him. Say I cast a Primordial Hydra and pay two green and 6 for the (X) cost, for a total of 8 mana. Then the reduction comes into effect and I have 6 mana free, I can then further add 6 mana to the (X) cost. So the in the end the Primordial Hydra comes with 12 +1/+1 counters.
August 11, 2013 3:57 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #13
When you cast something, you choose the x-value. Then any reduced cost abilities apply.
August 11, 2013 4 p.m.
Thats where it confuses me, if you already choose the (X) value. Then how can you further add more mana into the (X) cost when its already declared?
August 11, 2013 4:17 p.m.
Ranescarper says... #15
Definitely Progenitus. He's a hydra, and he has protection from Freakin' EVERYTHING!
August 11, 2013 4:27 p.m.
Before you pay any mana; x = 0, when you cast a creature (or any spell with X in its casting cost) you declare what x is. It is then on you to fulfill the declared cost of x, animar reduces the total cost of your creatures cost by 1 with however many +1/+1 counters on him so then that means he reduces whatever you declared by 1. Simply put, every +1/+1 on animar is a +1/+1 for the hydras when they are cast... hopefully that made sense :)
August 11, 2013 4:50 p.m.
So I declared 6 lets say, and Animar, Soul of Elements reduces the cost by 6. So now I can pump that extra 6 mana I would have paid into the hydra some more to get an additional 6 +1/+1 counters.
That is what your saying to me Panda213. If that is the case then great, I might make my own hydra EDH sense I hame so much stock in hydras as of now.
August 11, 2013 5:02 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #18
@obitus: No. You declare the X value, then calculate the total casting cost.
TCC = [mana cost OR alternate cost] + [additional/increased costs] - [cost reductions]
You determine the value of X. Then you calculate the TCC. Then you pay it. Let's say you want to cast Protean Hydra . Animar, Soul of Elements has six +1/+1 counters on it and you have seven mana available. You begin casting Protean Hydra and declare X=6. The TCC is then 6G-6=G. You don't get to reassign the X value. You have to declare X=12, then calculate the TCC and pay it.
August 11, 2013 5:12 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #19
The end result is the same, but it's important to know that if you say "X=6," then X=6. It doesn't become "X=6 plus whatever else I want to pay."
August 11, 2013 5:13 p.m.
Say I have a Primordial Hydra in my hand and an Animar, Soul of Elements in play with 4 +1/+1 counters on it and I have 4 untapped Forest . I cast the Hydra and declare its value to be 6, since animation is giving me 4 I need to pay the other two mana to fulfill the tcc of 6
August 11, 2013 5:20 p.m.
@Epochalyptik: Using your example.
I have 7 mana and Animar, Soul of Elements has six +1/+1 counters on it.
[Step 1]: I cast Protean Hydra and declare (X) to be 12.
[Step 2]: TCC = 12G - 6 = 6G
[Step 3]: Pay the mana cost, and let the spell go on the stack.
Correct now?
August 11, 2013 5:21 p.m.
Say I have a Primordial Hydra in my hand and an Animar, Soul of Elements in play with 4 +1/+1 counters on it and I have 4 untapped Forest . I cast the Hydra and declare its value to be 6, since animar is giving me 4 I need to pay the other two mana to fulfill the tcc of 6
August 11, 2013 5:21 p.m.
I see, so I finally got the wording down. Things like this can confuse me easily, so I like to double check to make sure I play it right. I hate playing something wrong. Thanks everyone for the clarification, sorry I had to ask so many times.
August 11, 2013 5:23 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #26
Yes. The X value determines how much you pay, not the other way around.
PotatoPi says... #2
I'd go for animar.
August 11, 2013 2:24 p.m.