Face the Hydra
Face the Hydra is a challenge deck used at the Theros Game Day. It's also the name of the third quest of the Hero's Path.
Description
The hydra challenge deck contains 60-cards (19 Heads and 41 Sorcery cards). The deck contains only 15 unique cards, which are not legal in regular Magic. Some of the Heads have the supertype elite. When playing against this deck the player may use his Hero cards. The Hydra follows a predetermined sequence of casting cards from its shuffled deck and blasting the player for damage. The goal is to eliminate all of the Hydra heads before it eats you. When you cut one head down, sometimes more grow back. If you win against the challenge deck, you win a third Hero card. The Face the Hydra Challenge Deck is available as a saleable product for $11.99.
Decklist
Creatures (19)
12 Hydra Head
Rules
- Each player starts at 20 life.
- If teams are facing the Hydra, it is recommended to use a shared team turn (like what's used in an Archenemy game) with up to four players per team. In this way, the players attack the Hydra together.
- All players can start the Challenge with up to two Hero Cards on the battlefield.
- All cards in the Hydra Deck, including Heads on the battlefield are colorless and have a converted mana cost of 0.
- Up to four of the 19 Heads start on the battlefield based on difficulty
- The player(s) always take the first turn (and don't draw on their first turn).
- The Hydra deck has a a predetermined order.
- The Hydra "casts" the top card of its library each turn, as described in the rules
- During its end step, each untapped head deals 1 damage to each player. Each Elite head deals an additional 1 damage to each player.
- Heads and sorceries cast by the Hydra work like any other spell and can be countered.
- Prevention effects (such as one the Hero Card The Protector creates) still work, but since Heads (and the Hydra itself) have no color, effects that prevent damage from a color (e.g., a green source) won't do anything.
- Damage dealt by the Hydra is dealt all at once. Although the Hydra never attacks, you this damage is considered to be combat damage for cards such as Fog.
- Players attack the heads directly with creatures.
- When a head dies, the Hydra reveals the top two cards of his or her library. Any Heads come into play; any Sorceries go to the graveyard.
- Players can't gain control of any Heads.
- If a Head would go to any zone other than the Hydra's graveyard, it's put into the Hydra's graveyard instead.
- The Hydra's ability to "grow new heads" is a triggered ability.
- For gaming purposes, growing new heads isn't regeneration.
- The Hydra plays on even if its library is empty.
- The player(s) win when no heads remain on the battlefield.
