Pointed Discussion

Costs too much to activate

I wish this card had a better effect. The picture looks like it would be a legendary.

Hydras are one of my favorite creature types, and even I don't like this.

It doesn't follow the other hydras with the X in the mana cost motif, its effect makes it hack up a loogie, not lose a head (the +1/+1's are supposed to represent), and its abilities are just plain bad.

Maybe its spit is so very acidic that it destroys the entire head? Um.

Since this hydra has a limit on it's heads and can't regenerate them it's not really got anything going for it. Overcosted too.

Siege-Gang Commander's predecessor in functionality, mana cost, and cost of activated ability.

R&D apparently thought the ideas behind the mechanics and utility of this card were good enough to not scrap, but try again.

What would have made alot more sense is if they did something like this:


Spitting Hydra {X}{X}{R}

Creature - Hydra

Spitting Hydra enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it.

{Tap}: Spitting Hydra deals X damage to target creature or player.

When i look at Spitting Hydra's artwork, i wonder why the ability costs a +1/+1 counter to activate:
In Magic, +1/+1 counters on a hydra usually represent one head each.
So when you activate the ability to allow the hydra to spit, one head apparently dies in the process.
Yet the head on the artwork doesn't look like the 'regurgitated' acid would have corroded its throat.

@scúmbling1: I wouldn't compare Arc Slogger to the hydra, but there are similarities to Siege-Gang Commander.

Spitting Hyra and Siege-Gang Commander both enter as big body for (the latter divided into a 2/2 and three 1/1s) who can deal damage for and at the cost of shrinking the body (removing a counter / saccing a goblin). When they get flickered or bounced, they are set back to their original strenth and their abilities can be used again.

Arc Slogger might have a big body for , but his ability works different: it allows multiple Shocks for a very low amount of mana without decreasing the slogger's strength, but which can only be used several times per game.

So i agree with AmericanVigor - the idea behind this creature was nice, and despite its rather weak execution, it's nice to see Wizards trying to retry this concept on another card (with success, which is worth mentioning as well, since you know this isn't the only concept that got "a second chance" - especially when fixing from the other side of the power level - sometimes it kind of works, but sometimes it still goes wrong even in the second try.

I also prefer Triskelion to this. Having said that, this card has its degree of cool.

It shoots heads at people.
Your arguments against playing it have been invalidated.

I would love to see a functional reprint of this card. But instead have it be a 4/4 for that comes into play with 4 venom counters. to remove one and deal 1 damage to any target. Could call it venom hydra of course!

Thsi is one of the coolest illustrations for all the hydra creatures. I just looks so sleek and actually snake-like!

It lacks an ability:
: Put a +1/+1 counter on Spitting Hydra

Then, it would be perfect!
4/5 for the great art!

Cool art. Lame card.