Vastwood Hydra MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Hydra
Power 0
Toughness 0

Key Takeaways

  1. Vastwood Hydra excels in card advantage by multiplying its impact upon death.
  2. It fits well in green strategies, enhancing creature power through counters.
  3. The creature’s interactions with instants add strategic flexibility in gameplay.

Text of card

Vastwood Hydra enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it. When Vastwood Hydra dies, you may distribute a number of +1/+1 counters equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on Vastwood Hydra among any number of creatures you control.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Vastwood Hydra can be a significant source of card advantage depending on the way you utilize its death trigger. When it dies, you’re able to distribute a number of +1/+1 counters equal to the amount it had onto other creatures you control. This essentially transforms the Hydra’s power into staying power on the board, effectively multiplying the impact of your cards in play.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly a resource acceleration tool, Vastwood Hydra synergizes well with strategies that leverage +1/+1 counters to fuel other card abilities or enhance the power of creatures. Coupled with support cards that benefit from counters, it can accelerate your game plan and turn a single investment into a more substantial board presence.

Instant Speed: Although Vastwood Hydra itself isn’t an instant, it interacts favorably with instant speed spells and abilities in the game. In response to its death, you can cast instants that may put additional +1/+1 counters on your creatures or take advantage of the Hydra’s counters spreading to maximize their impact, offering strategic flexibility during your turns or even on your opponent’s turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In certain decks, having to pitch another card to leverage Vastwood Hydra’s abilities could put you at a disadvantage, particularly in fast-paced games where keeping a full grip is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: With a mana cost that demands green exclusively, this limits Vastwood Hydra’s inclusion to green-centric or multicolored decks, potentially ruling it out for those running other colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The hydra’s mana value might be on the higher side when compared to other creatures of similar caliber. This can make it a less than ideal play earlier in the game when efficient mana usage could be the difference between victory and defeat.


Reasons to Include Vastwood Hydra in Your Collection

Versatility: Vastwood Hydra offers a flexible role in any green-based deck, adept at growing itself to become a formidable threat. Its ability to distribute +1/+1 counters upon death ensures its value continues even after leaving the battlefield.

Combo Potential: This creature synergizes well with an array of strategies that capitalize on +1/+1 counters. Pairing it with cards that proliferate or double the number of counters can quickly escalate its power.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-based strategies prevail, Vastwood Hydra can serve as both a resilient threat and a source of board presence, thriving against a wide range of opposing decks.


How to beat

Vastwood Hydra presents quite the challenge on the battlefield, given its capability to distribute +1/+1 counters when it dies. Players facing off against this formidable green creature in Magic the Gathering often find themselves having to strategize carefully. The key is to mitigate the effects of its death trigger, meaning you should aim to neutralize it without destroying it outright. This can be achieved through cards that exile or bounce it back to the owner’s hand, such as Path to Exile or Unsummon.

Timing is also critical when dealing with Vastwood Hydra. Engaging it during your opponent’s end step can prevent them from utilizing those +1/+1 counters in their next turn. Additionally, using counterspells or hand disruption techniques to prevent it from hitting the field in the first place could be highly effective. In multiplayer scenarios, diplomatic plays can ensure that others are aware of the Hydra’s potential and join forces to keep it in check. Above all, constant board awareness and maintaining control over the stack are your best defenses against the might of Vastwood Hydra.


BurnMana Recommendations

The strategic depths of MTG beckon as players navigate a world where every card choice shapes victory. Embracing Vastwood Hydra means mastering the art of counter distribution, a skill that can pivot the tides of battle in your favor. Enhancing your deck’s resilience with this green creature offers a compelling edge. As you refine your strategy and ponder card synergies, consider the vast potential that lies within your collection. We encourage you to join the ranks of MTG enthusiasts in pursuit of deck-building excellence. Dive deeper with us, harness the Hydra’s power, and set the stage for your next triumphant match.


Cards like Vastwood Hydra

Vastwood Hydra offers a unique flexibility as a creature that can adapt to various game situations in Magic: The Gathering. It aligns with other green creatures like Primordial Hydra, both sharing the hydras’ signature ability to enter the battlefield with +1/+1 counters. However, Vastwood Hydra takes the concept further by distributing its counters among other creatures when it dies, potentially strengthening your overall board presence, unlike the Primordial Hydra that simply grows itself.

Another analogous card is Managorger Hydra which also accrues +1/+1 counters, but it does so in reaction to spells being cast rather than controlling its initial size. While Managorger Hydra can snowball quickly in spell-heavy environments, Vastwood Hydra’s death trigger offers a more immediate and guaranteed impact. This can be strategically significant in games where board states are unstable or board wipes are common.

Lastly, Hydras’ Growth, while not a creature, is an enchantment that exponentially grows the number of +1/+1 counters on a creature each turn. This sustained and automatic increase contrasts with Vastwood Hydra’s one-time counter distribution, emphasizing different strategic approaches. Evaluating the strengths of these cards shows the unique role that Vastwood Hydra plays, permitting tactical counterplay and resilience in creature-focused decks within Magic: The Gathering.

Primordial Hydra - MTG Card versions
Managorger Hydra - MTG Card versions
Primordial Hydra - Magic 2012 (M12)
Managorger Hydra - Magic Origins (ORI)

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Vastwood Hydra MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2014 and Commander 2020, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Vastwood Hydra and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Vastwood Hydra Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2013-07-19 and 2020-04-17. Illustrated by Slawomir Maniak.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-07-19Magic 2014M14 1982003normalblackSlawomir Maniak
22020-04-17Commander 2020C20 1942015normalblackSlawomir Maniak

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Vastwood Hydra has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Vastwood Hydra card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2013-07-01 In some unusual cases, Vastwood Hydra will have enough -1/-1 counters put on it to make its toughness 0 or less. If this happens, the ability will still distribute a number of +1/+1 counters equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on Vastwood Hydra before the -1/-1 counters were put on it. For example, if Vastwood Hydra has two +1/+1 counters on it and three -1/-1 counters are put on it, two +1/+1 counters will be distributed.
2013-07-01 The ability that triggers when Vastwood Hydra dies doesn’t target any of the creatures. You can choose to put counters on a creature with protection from green, for example.
2013-07-01 You choose how the counters will be distributed when the ability resolves.

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