In recent years, hydras have become one of the most iconic creature types at green's disposal. Nearly every set contains one massive hydra amongst the ranks of new cards added to Magic: The Gathering. With the large numbers of hydras stomping and slithering around the game, it's no surprise that they'd make their way into Commander in the form of Hydra-tribal decks.

While hydras haven't received as much tribal support as other trademark Magic tribes, like elves and goblins, there are still numerous cards that any Hydra deck wouldn't want to be without.

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Updated on April 14, 2022, by Paul DiSalvo: As one of the most popular and splashy creature types synonymous with Green mana, it should be no surprise that not only are new hydras regularly added to the game, but cards that synergize with the creature type pop up somewhat regularly as well. Whether a card serves as one of the premier hydras in Magic, increases the size of one's hydras, or even increases the number of hydras a player has at their disposal, these cards are each perfect inclusions to a hydra-tribal Commander deck.

15 Hungering Hydra

Hungering Hydra by Daarken
Hungering Hydra by Daarken

First printed in Core Set 2019, Hungering Hydra is an incredibly solid hydra that sets the bar for what players should expect from creatures of this type. For one Green mana and X, this creature enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it. Hungering Hydra serves as a solid offensive threat that can be difficult for opponents to deal with due to its latter two abilities.

Firstly, Hungering Hydra can only be blocked by one creature at a time, meaning it doesn't run the risk of being removed through the act of multi-blocking. Secondly, whenever Hungering Hydra is dealt damage, as long as it survived said damage, it gains that many +1/+1 counters. This means that if an opponent is unable to answer this hydra quickly, it will progressively blossom into an even more dangerous threat.

14 Voracious Hydra

Voracious Hydra by Wayne Reynolds

Voracious Hydra takes one of the key mechanics found in most hydras and simply does it better than the rest. Across the board, the vast majority of hydras will have an X in their mana cost, entering with an amount of +1/+1 counters equal to X. This allows for the hydras you cast to scale in size alongside the game as it progresses and you gain access to more mana.

Voracious Hydra comes along with the added benefit of a choice. Upon entering the battlefield, its controller has the option of having it fight a creature, making it effectively function as removal, or it can enter with twice the number of +1/+1 counters, making it a flexible hydra that can supply a great deal of value.

13 Evolution Sage

Evolution Sage by Simon Dominic

Proliferate is an inherently powerful ability that, when repeatable, can create terrifying and potent synergies. These can quickly get out of hand as you create massive amounts of additional counters on your permanents.

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Evolution Sage is an elf that causes you to proliferate every time a land enters the battlefield under your control. Seeing that Hydras are creatures whose bodies are primarily made up of +1/+1 counters, Evolution sage allows for its controller to bolster each of their hydras by merely playing lands.

12 Gyre Sage

Gyre Sage by Tyler Jacobson

As we'd mentioned, Hydra decks progressively grow in scale as a game chugs along, allowing for a hydra player to cast larger and larger hydras as a game progresses. Possessing the ability "evolve," Gyre Sage is an elf that receives a +1/+1 counter each time a creature enters the battlefield under your control with either power or toughness greater than the Gyre Sage.

As you'll be playing progressively larger creatures, this will ideally trigger each time you cast a creature. This is important, because of Gyre Sage's second ability, which allows it to tap for an amount of green mana equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on it. Early access to a Gyre Sage ensures that a Hydra deck will possess huge amounts of mana to help cast even larger creatures.

11 Protean Hydra

Protean Hydra by Jim Murray

Perhaps the hydra most reminiscent of the Hydra of Greek myth, Protean Hydra possesses the same flexible X cost as the majority of other hydras, but with another flavorful ability as well. When Protean Hydra would be dealt damage, that damage is prevented, and that many +1/+1 counters are removed from it.

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However, if it survives the encounter, during the next end step, an amount of +1/+1 counters are put on Protean Hydra equal to twice the amount that were removed, effectively regrowing two heads in the place of each that were lost!

10 Somberwald Sage and Rosheen Meanderer

Somberwald Sage by Steve Argyle and Rosheen Meanderer by Aleksi Briclot

Somberwald Sage and Rosheen Meander are two cards that provide very similar utility within a hydra-tribal Commander deck. In order to make Hydras the best they can possibly be, you're going to need a lot of mana, and that's what Somberwald Sage and Rosheen are here to supply.

A three drop and four drop respectively, Somberwald Sage and Rosheen Meanderer each can tap for large amounts of mana, though with some restrictions. Somberwald sage taps for three mana of any color that can only be used to cast creature spells, while Rosheen taps for four colorless mana that can only be used to cast spells with X in their costs. Luckily for Hydra players, plenty of the cards they'll be packing in their decks will be creatures with X in their mana costs, meaning these two creatures will be able to supply tons of mana to help you ramp out enormous Hydras.

9 Animar, Soul of Elements

large mountain creature with waterfalls coming from head
Animar, Soul of Elements by Peter Mohrbacher

An incredibly powerful commander in its own right, the only reason Animar, Soul of Elements, isn't higher on this list is due to the numerous colors in Animar's casting cost meaning that not all hypothetical hydra decks will be able to run Animar. for those that can, however, Animar is a grand slam.

Whenever you cast a creature spell, a +1/+1 counter is put on Animar, allowing it to quickly grow larger. This, however, is not the appeal of Animar. The true might of Animar lies in his ability to reduce the costs of all creatures you cast by the number of +1/+1 counters on him. As cost reduction effectively supplies X costs with additional free mana, when it comes to casting Hydras, with the help of Animar, you'll be casting enormous monsters for very little mana.

As if this wasn't enough, Animar possesses protection from both black and white, meaning a great deal of removal will simply be rendered useless on Animar!

8 Selvala, Heart of the Wilds

Selvala, Heart of the Wilds by Tyler Jacobson

Though she requires some support in order to get going, Selvala, Heart of the Wilds often functions as a strictly better version of Somberwald Sage and Rosheen Meanderer. For one green mana, Selvala can be tapped to produce an amount of mana of any combination of colors equal to the greatest power among creatures you control.

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Seeing that we're going to be casting giant creatures, Selvala will often be able to create more mana than all of your lands in play combined. As if that weren't strong enough, whenever a creature enters the battlefield, if that creature has the greatest power among all creatures in play, that creature's controller can draw a card. Seeing that you'll be casting increasingly mammoth hydras, you'll nearly always be the only player to benefit from this ability, letting each hydra you cast replace itself in your hand.

7 Unbound Flourishing

Unbound Flourishing by Tomasz Jedruszek

Remember how we'd previously mentioned the power of Voracious Hydra's ability to double the amounts of counters it enters with? The perfect addition to any Hydra deck, Unbound Flourishing is a reasonably costed enchant that doubles the value of X in any permanents you cast with X in their cost.

This takes nearly every Hydra that you have access to and turns them up to eleven, doubling their value and potency. This card was truly designed with Hydra tribal in mind, even containing gorgeous hydra artwork.

6 Branching Evolution

Branching Evolution by Tomasz Jedruszek
Branching Evolution by Tomasz Jedruszek

Branching Evolution is an incredible yet somewhat underrated Enchantment that was printed in Jumpstart. For three mana, Branching Evolution states that if any number of +1/+1 counters would be put on a creature under its owner's control, twice that many counters are put on that creature instead.

Simple yet incredibly effective, within the context of a hydra deck, as hydras are most often composed of +1/+1 counters, Branching Evolution can allow a player's creatures to enter the battlefield twice as large as they would otherwise.

5 Zaxara, The Exemplary

Magic The Gathering Zaxara card art
Zaxara, the Exemplary by Simon Dominic

Printed within Commander 2020, Zaxara, the Exemplary is an incredibly popular option for a hydra-tribal commander. For four mana, this 2/3 Sultai hydra may be tapped to produce two mana of any one color. While this mana ramp is solid in its own right, Zaxara's appeal comes in the form of its triggered ability.

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Whenever Zaxara's controller casts a spell with X in its mana cost, they create a 0/0 hydra token with X +1/+1 counters on it. When paired with a deck filled with hydras, Zaxara allows the majority of creatures within a player's deck to provide twice as much value, making its controller's board state all the more menacing.

4 The Ozolith

The Ozolith by Sam Burley
The Ozolith by Sam Burley

As hydra decks rely heavily on the use of creatures made up of +1/+1 counters, the Ozolith is an excellent addition to any hydra-focused deck. For a single mana of any color, the Ozolith is a legendary artifact that states that whenever a creature under its owner's control dies, if it had counters on it, those counters can be put on the Ozolith.

While the Ozolith itself isn't a creature, at the beginning of combat during its owner's turn, if the Ozolith has any counters on it, those counters may be moved onto a creature under its owner's control. This allows this card to serve as a great safety net, as even if a hydra is removed from play, its counters can be repurposed to make another creature all the scarier.

3 Garruk's Uprising

Garruk's Uprising by Wisnu Tan
Garruk's Uprising by Wisnu Tan

Since its initial printing in Core Set 2021, Garruk's Uprising has become somewhat of a staple for creature-heavy Green decks like hydra-tribal decks and it's not hard to see why. An enchantment for three mana, Garruk's Uprising provides all creatures under its owner's control with trample whilst serving as an excellent card draw engine.

Whenever a creature with a power of four or greater enters the battlefield under its owner's control, that player gets to draw a card. Due to the high-powered nature of hydras, this essentially allows each hydra to replace themselves in their owner's hand when their cast, meaning a hydra player's hand will never run dry. This card even comes with the added luxury of causing its controller to draw a card as soon as it enters the battlefield as long as that player controls a creature with or power four or greater, allowing the card draw ball to start rolling immediately.

2 Gargos, Vicious Watcher


Gargos, Vicious Watcher by Mathias Kollros

As one of the only cards in Magic to directly reference other hydras, Gargos is a perfect example of a hydra tribal staple. An 8/7 for six mana, Gargos reduces the costs of all hydras you cast by four mana, essentially letting them each enter with four additional +1/+1 counters, sort of like the benefit Animar provides.

Additionally, Gargos greatly disincentivizes other players at the commander table from trying to remove your Hydras, as upon a spell or ability targets any of your creatures, Gargos can fight any creature of your choice.

1 Doubling Season

Doubling Season by Richard Wright

Often lauded as one of the strongest green cards in commander, Doubling season possesses numerous elements from other entries on this list and rolls them all into one card. Essentially a strictly better version of Unbound Flourishing, Doubling season doubles the amounts of any type of counters being put on any permanents you control, synergizing phenomenally with nearly all of your Hydras as well as almost every card on this list.

Doubling Season causes proliferate triggers from Evolution Sage to be doubled while doubling the value of cards like Gyre Sage and Animar that put counters onto themselves. If you're currently in the process of building a Hydra Commander deck, or if you're reworking one you've already built, you don't want it to be without a copy of Doubling Season.

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