Yeah it's huge for a small price, but there's just so many feel bad situations that can come up with him.
I feel like this card wanted to use a reverse variant of Judgment's 'Phantom' mechanic.
Tynansdtm
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
That's pretty cool. There are ways of removing the counters on him. But it's worse than regular damage, though it is immune to deathtouch.
lordtian
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(5 votes)
Remember, infect is 10 counters. Sure this guy can get chump blocked to hell, but if he ever gets through thats 7 whole poison counters. In addition, the fact that he's infect makes him a perfect fatty removal mechanism if your in a pinch. Bye bye White, Black, Green titans! With guys like this and phyrexian juggernaut, infect now has another option other than early pump and rush. All in all, I now have midrange strategies other than gigantiform + plague stinger. Maybe canopy cover phyrexian hydra?
Mekh
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(2 votes)
In standard it is pretty meh, but with cards like Quillspike, this could be insane.
FragNutMK1
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Sweet, a remade Johtull Wurm!
Amnatto
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(3 votes)
If this had trample, I'd call it pretty good. As it is... meh.
Kryptnyt
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
a 14/7 for five mana? If they reprint Lightning greaves in the next set then I say YES And they should... the metagame is ripe for some free haste.
Horribly bad. But what should we expect from a Precon Rare... It's sad how "Intro Pack Rare" is almost synonym to "bad Card". I even got my hopes up with the SoM Phyrexian Poison Deck featuring two good rares... Even Trample alone would have made this card ok~good.
Dyrklord
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Personally I would say run this with Whispersilk Cloak. This can be a house and in a U/G infect control deck.
Darksteel Plate won't help him out at all. Indestructibility doesn't stop damage and therefore this creature will still shrink as usual. When he gets to 0 toughness, he'll go straight to the graveyard regardless of indestructibility (which only saves you creatures dying to fatal damage and destroy effects, not from being withered away to nothing).
Gezus82
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(2 votes)
its not bad, 5 mana for something that wins you the game if it gets through. do we notice how infect cards mana cost is always way higher than their power. That drawback saved him a good 3-4 mana added to his cost. overall a good deal
cast berserk on him.. or anything that gives trample and ups it's power.
game over.
HolyOrdersX2
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
People are complaining that it's underwhelming, but if he DID have trample naturally, we'd still have something to complain about. Plus, there is a simple solution. Pop the hydra, next turn, play Overwhelming Stampede on the sucker and watch your opponents squirm, especially if you have any smaller infectors that also get +7+7. Remember, it's ten damage to win no matter what, and this guy alone would do 14 in this instance. For five cmc, you can basically end the game that way. This card is great as is.
Shadoflaam
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Its a bomb in limited, won me 2 games at prerelease. Probably bad in standard, but whatever, it's not hideous. 3.5/5
Everyone hateing on this card hasn't used it. remember, the more powerful a creature, the more epic having infect becomes. 7/7 infect for 5, that's like 8 mana worth, i think that drawback is worth paying in place of 4 mana, and it's green, how hard it is to give it trample?
And in limited or block, just use this guy with Unnatural Predation. After their chump blocking, of course
Richard_Hawk
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
get it to fly or make it unblockable and we'll see who sucks now! amazing as far as cost to power goes. creatures like this are why you need good equipments.
Pauginxz
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Why not just put Bladed Pinions on him.. thats flying and first strike right there.
alblast
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
If you have Leyline of Punishment out, Phyrexian Hydra's ability will be negated.
Rikiaz
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I don't know why Vatmother is rated higher then this.
DeathDark
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Now, I understand what you're thinking. Five for a 7/7 is great. Infect? Even better! But wait...he gives other sources infect to damage him? WHY! would you want him in a deck? He's just waiting to be killed! By his own effect!
gives its blockers infect, very interesting. while it does not have trample and will get chump blocked multiple times, its high p/t will probably cause it to take a creature with it each time. 5 mana is a good price for this guy. just consider him green mass removal.
VitoROCKS03
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I just recently started Magic. Went to the local dealer with a bud who has been playing magic for YEARS. the guy suggested this new deck that came out to me. tried it and got my a$$ kicked. it was the new infect deck that came out. So i went back up to the guy looked at all the infect cards he had on display. Just won my first tournament tonight with it. Lets just say this card plus a few flying enchantments really helped. busted out 4 of them that were in my deck. got 1 to actually stay on the field. this guy laughed at me for having such a weak card. then i paid 5 mana for my Soaring hope that i added to it and he died. yes infect is incurable like aids. once you have it your dead. had some 1/1's and 2/2's on the field before and got him 4/10 poison counters. then he took the lead and kept beating me down. until i got my 4th Hydra out. then that flying perk. he literally did this; Screamed some curse words walked out without his deck. i think he was mad that I a newbie in the game took him out. LOL he was a 8-10 year man. thats what the owner of the store said. -vito
vsasntore
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Pulled two of these in a fat pack; not happy
Amnesigenic
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(5 votes)
Seriously, if you can't figure out how to make this card work, you don't need to play magic. A vanilla 7/7 for 5 is great, just great. Add infect and suddenly it's way too great. So, it's gotta have a drawback. As far as drawbacks go, this isn't so bad. It's easy to burn, yes, and it can be chump blocked, yes. But it alone contributes 3/4 of the damage necessary to win the game. I'm pretty sure every card that goes well with this guy has already been mentioned, distortion strike being my personal favorite. In U/G infect, with a little ramp and a decent hand, you should be able to drop this guy on turn four or five. If you're doing well, he could be out on turn three. Then drop distortion strike and find ANY WAY to give him one more power and that's game. If that's not enough for you, then you can and should end yourself. You are the heart of power creep. Just for comparison, search Gatherer for creatures with 5 converted mana cost and seven power, and see what pops up. Most of them either fall to cheap burn, are multicolor, or have even worse drawbacks, like forcing you to sac lands, cumulative upkeep, or phasing your lands out. My point is, this guy rocks, and while the idea that people really don't see what's awesome herel irks me, it also makes him very, very cheap. A playset will set me back 2 dollars. In fact, I should really be thanking each and every person who hates on the hydra for indirectly contributing to the cheap construction of the deck that will be winning me game day this week. God bless you all, you fools, you tools.
Edit: I just realized, his effect prevents damage done to him. While he does get weaker, he also negates everything dependent on damage. That's lifelink and deathtouch at least, and more that I can't think of at the moment. In a sense, his drawback can even be an advantage, albeit an extremely conditional one.
Nusder
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I´ve 4 x Dolmen Gate in my Infect-Deck and this card makes my deck such better in late game. 4/5
gorgoncube
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This is a wicked card. Don't waste your breath hating it, build around it.
Splashing white? Shelter it, and bash in. Splashing red? Soul's Fire for 7 poison counters to the face. Splashing blue? Distortion Strike, man.
Of course your opponent's gonna block it. As a responsible hydra summoner's, that's where your removals come in. Rarity isn't solely defined by great cards, but by great card interactions.
If you have a Leyline of Punishment out then this cards only down side is gone. It's then a 7/7 infect for 5. Good deal if you ask me.
Macsen
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I love making things fly inappropriately via U/G cheese. I wonder know why more people don't play that color combo. They should start soon, with all the proliferate effects.
Superllama12
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I, personally, lurv this card as a one shot, so many ways to give it trample and reincarnate it, I have won so many games with him, he is sooooooooooooo underrated
Bounce it and replay it or blink it somehow. (If you're playing the Bant colors, use Venser) Give it trample. Give it first strike/double strike. Emerge Unscathed.
What's that? This guy gets chump blocked? Well let's see what Overrun or Garruk Wildspeaker can do for that.
I've had this swinging on fourth turn on several occasions. It owns.
Anubisisking
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Back when he came out, I didn't like him, or see any flavor in him... now I can kind of see flavor, maybe he's so noxious that he instantly corrupts any creatures or spells in the vicinity, making them infectious or something.
My liking of the card has grown though, since New Phyrexia. With Melira printed, this guy can be an almost indestructible death-dealing poisonous threat, almost on par with Blightsteel Colossus, and certainly a lot easier to cast.
Bottom line, this guy could do some SICK things with Melira in a casual infect deck (or maybe even competitive? I dont know.)
TheLionsMane
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(6 votes)
Oddly enough, when combined with Phyrexia's greatest enemy, Melira, Sylvok Outcast, you get an invulnerable Phrexian Kydra.
marwinshieldscale
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
awsome card with many ways to avoid its drawback, hex parasite and melira come to mind
Whatever it is written between the Infect reminder text and the bottom of the card, if it isn't "when this enters you lose the game" it's a good card anyway!
About it's look, it seems like it has a smooth turtle shell, insect legs and hellion heads... Nice mix-up!
hunteroffire9
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I love this card fast to sumon and 2 hit kill
darthmegaman
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
He's broken because of bellowings is still standard. Him + bellowing tanglewurm will help you win all the time.
j_mindfingerpainter
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I was considering running mono-green without poison or mono-green with poison. Then it came to me, in a perfectly non-broken way:
Wish it was {4}{G}{G} 0/0 Infect. This creature enters the battlefield with 3 -1/-1 counters. It gets +2/+2 for each -1/-1 counter on it. If it is dealt damage, treat it as though its source had infect.
MysticSoldier5
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@Anubisisking: Actually, I think the flavor behind Phyrexian Hydra's drawback ability is that injuries inflicted on it cause it to lose some of its heads, making it weaker. Hence, it gets -1/-1 counters. Kinda like how most hydras in Magic have their heads represented as +1/+1 counters.
Whatever's the case flavor-wise, this is an interesting and potentially quite strong card. I ought to give it a try.
GFrogbottom
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
@MechaKraken No, he won't, he will still have the +1/+1 counter, just along with a few -1/-1 counters.
I still think it's a great card and I love the art (Especially foil because it gives the card a 3D look!)!
5/5
FatalEagle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@GFrogbottom Actually, +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters cancel out as a state-based action.
DoragonShinzui
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I honestly would have just preferred something like this: Phyrexian Hydra XGG Creature - Hydra 0/0
CARDNAME comes into play with X +1/+1 counters on it.
Infect
What would this do? This would have made for an insane beater for Phyrexian. It takes around 5 mana to become even remotely cost effective, but once it did, boom. In addition, it plays around with Phyrexia's favorite mechanic, Proliferate. Even if you kept the damage=permanent loss mechanic, it'd still be an effective but balanced Phyrexian beatstick.
Some elves will get him out fast. Then Giant Growth and Infiltrate. =)
MisterFolgers
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think maybe something like: "{2}{G}{G}: Remove a -1/-1 counter from Phyrexian Hydra" might make this card more appealing to people. Maybe its too much to ask for. Idk, I don't balance cards for a living. It's like a pricey regenerate which green has quite a rep for, and it would add some more cool flavor because.. don't hydras regenerate their heads when you cut them off? I like the card as it is. Throw a perk like that in there and I'd love it.
Comments (66)
Yeah it's huge for a small price, but there's just so many feel bad situations that can come up with him.
I feel like this card wanted to use a reverse variant of Judgment's 'Phantom' mechanic.
And they should... the metagame is ripe for some free haste.
It's sad how "Intro Pack Rare" is almost synonym to "bad Card". I even got my hopes up with the SoM Phyrexian Poison Deck featuring two good rares...
Even Trample alone would have made this card ok~good.
do we notice how infect cards mana cost is always way higher than their power. That drawback saved him a good 3-4 mana added to his cost. overall a good deal
game over.
And in limited or block, just use this guy with Unnatural Predation. After their chump blocking, of course
Precisely.
Mimic Vat
-vito
Just for comparison, search Gatherer for creatures with 5 converted mana cost and seven power, and see what pops up. Most of them either fall to cheap burn, are multicolor, or have even worse drawbacks, like forcing you to sac lands, cumulative upkeep, or phasing your lands out. My point is, this guy rocks, and while the idea that people really don't see what's awesome herel irks me, it also makes him very, very cheap. A playset will set me back 2 dollars. In fact, I should really be thanking each and every person who hates on the hydra for indirectly contributing to the cheap construction of the deck that will be winning me game day this week. God bless you all, you fools, you tools.
Edit: I just realized, his effect prevents damage done to him. While he does get weaker, he also negates everything dependent on damage. That's lifelink and deathtouch at least, and more that I can't think of at the moment. In a sense, his drawback can even be an advantage, albeit an extremely conditional one.
Splashing white? Shelter it, and bash in.
Splashing red? Soul's Fire for 7 poison counters to the face.
Splashing blue? Distortion Strike, man.
Of course your opponent's gonna block it. As a responsible hydra summoner's, that's where your removals come in. Rarity isn't solely defined by great cards, but by great card interactions.
4/5
EDIT: This just broke in half with Melira, Sylvok Outcast
4.5/5
Oh, and also, Melira.
Seriously, when this thing hits, it PUNISHES.
I've had this swinging on fourth turn on several occasions. It owns.
My liking of the card has grown though, since New Phyrexia. With Melira printed, this guy can be an almost indestructible death-dealing poisonous threat, almost on par with Blightsteel Colossus, and certainly a lot easier to cast.
Bottom line, this guy could do some SICK things with Melira in a casual infect deck (or maybe even competitive? I dont know.)
Whatever it is written between the Infect reminder text and the bottom of the card, if it isn't "when this enters you lose the game" it's a good card anyway!
About it's look, it seems like it has a smooth turtle shell, insect legs and hellion heads... Nice mix-up!
T1: Forest, Llanowar Elves
T2: Forest, Melira, Sylvok Outcast, Llanowar Elves again
T3: Forest, this
If you don't win on your forth turn if you play that, that is a tragedy.
You can see what I decided to play.
Losing, 3 life left, terrible board position, this is my only creature, opponent has 0 poison (yep, wasn't going my way)
Next turn draw into an Unnatural Predation, already having a Mighty Leap in my hand. 10/10 infected flying mofo.
Oh right, and that was my first game of magic. Ever.
Whatever's the case flavor-wise, this is an interesting and potentially quite strong card. I ought to give it a try.
I still think it's a great card and I love the art (Especially foil because it gives the card a 3D
look!)!
5/5
Actually, +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters cancel out as a state-based action.
Phyrexian Hydra XGG
Creature - Hydra 0/0
CARDNAME comes into play with X +1/+1 counters on it.
Infect
What would this do? This would have made for an insane beater for Phyrexian. It takes around 5 mana to become even remotely cost effective, but once it did, boom. In addition, it plays around with Phyrexia's favorite mechanic, Proliferate. Even if you kept the damage=permanent loss mechanic, it'd still be an effective but balanced Phyrexian beatstick.
Baru, Fist of Krosa
Rancor
That is all
Then Giant Growth and Infiltrate. =)
"{2}{G}{G}: Remove a -1/-1 counter from Phyrexian Hydra"
might make this card more appealing to people. Maybe its too much to ask for. Idk, I don't balance cards for a living. It's like a pricey regenerate which green has quite a rep for, and it would add some more cool flavor because.. don't hydras regenerate their heads when you cut them off? I like the card as it is. Throw a perk like that in there and I'd love it.