I don't like either one very much, but I think the Slagwurm is better unless you have a way to deal damage to the Hydra yourself. A 1/1 unblockable for 5 mana is not very exciting.
Both awesome, but very different. It's hard to compare the two since the Slagwurm is just a big beater that's better in combat than most and the Phytohydra is something that needs a combo of some kind to make it really excellent. I'd say the Phytohydra is better just for style.
Hydra for flavor, works with your general better.
And doubling season.
ooohhh...
Although... Primordial hydra might be better than both in a deck like this.
What roll do you want the card to fulfill? A blocker?
If so, keep in mind fliers wreck both.
If you want a force to be reckoned with, then phytohydra gets bigger in a chorus deck.
But, I still think the m12 hydra is better than both, even though it doesn't negate damage it gets HUGE and tramples.
If you are dealing with a meta full of deathtouch (or some other reason you want the damage to not go through) though - I'd say phytohydra.
slagwurm can't beat indestructibles, phyto can.
phytohydra also eats first strike, and deathtouch. Phytohydra is just awseome. Plus I love throwing on the table to block with chord of calling.
ex.
player one attacks me with a Womcoil engine, I drop a phytohydra to block. Thanks for the counters.
I will consider Primordial Hydra.
Phytohydra is a fantastic blocker (at first), a good beater (later on), and really on-theme for the deck. The Slagwurm is better 'out-of-the-box,' but I'd still play the Hydra if you can only fit one in.
Also, I hate to use the "dies to removal" argument, but when it comes to EDH, the measuring stick for a lot of creatures is "does it do anything before it inevitably gets swept by a wrath effect?" Neither of these do. If you want a big fat green fatty with good abilities, why not try Pelakka Wurm?
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For Primordial Hydra, you didn't use it for blocking. Primordial Hydra was a beater and a finisher. You cast it for killing your opponent not for survive. Didn't think it's a autoinclude for you deck. Maybe equipement with a little creature with haste can be more powerfull because you can kill the turn it's come in.
Uh, you realize that the Slagwurm triggers on blocking/being blocked, so it will engulf the creature before any damage is dealt and thus not die, right?
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Agressively costed, doesn't die to black spot removal, and any +1/+1 counters that it gets from Chorus of the Conclave do double or quadruple duty when you activate the colossus' ability.
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Mono-Colored EDH 1 Ulamog 1 ◊ W Avacyn W ◊ U Memnarch U◊ B Endrek B◊ R Urabrask R ◊ G YevaG
Uh, you realize that the Slagwurm triggers on blocking/being blocked, so it will engulf the creature before any damage is dealt and thus not die, right?
Oops I read it to fast. Sorry!
But that didn't change my oppinions I will never pay 5GGfor a 7/7 vanilla blocker who destroy the creature he block and give me the toughness in life. If this creature was a spider with the ability Reach or with hexproof. It's will be very good but 5GG mana for only this... It's a lot of mana.
phytohydra also eats first strike, and deathtouch.
Uhh... so does Slagwurm. Slagwrum also deals with a number of creatures which do things at the end of a combat they participated in, since many of those effects require the creature to survive. Phytohydra would have to be big enough to kill the opposing creature to get the same effect, and Slagwurm gains you life as a bonus.
Also, don't forget to add Infect and Wither to that list... of things Phytohydra and Slagwurm both eat.
The only thing Phytohydra has over Slagwurm is immunity to burn spells.
actually they are both immune to Wither and infect. I don't think I really needed them. They just seem more intimidating then they are. Phytohydra always kind of felt like a pet. Oh well time for them to go.
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And doubling season.
ooohhh...
Although... Primordial hydra might be better than both in a deck like this.
What roll do you want the card to fulfill? A blocker?
If so, keep in mind fliers wreck both.
If you want a force to be reckoned with, then phytohydra gets bigger in a chorus deck.
But, I still think the m12 hydra is better than both, even though it doesn't negate damage it gets HUGE and tramples.
If you are dealing with a meta full of deathtouch (or some other reason you want the damage to not go through) though - I'd say phytohydra.
slagwurm can't beat indestructibles, phyto can.
UWBSharuum the HegemonBWU
UAzami, Lady of ScrollsU
UGMomir Vig, Simic VisionaryGU
GAzusa, Lost but SeekingG
GUEdric, Spymaster of TrestGU
ex.
player one attacks me with a Womcoil engine, I drop a phytohydra to block. Thanks for the counters.
I will consider Primordial Hydra.
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However, +1 to Primordial Hydra. Trample>All of the above.
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For Primordial Hydra, you didn't use it for blocking. Primordial Hydra was a beater and a finisher. You cast it for killing your opponent not for survive. Didn't think it's a autoinclude for you deck. Maybe equipement with a little creature with haste can be more powerfull because you can kill the turn it's come in.
WBGhost Council of OrzhovaBW
GUBThe MimeoplasmBUG
RGWort, the RaidmotherGR
UGRRiku of Two ReflectionsRGU
Casual
WGBJunkStone DeckBGW
BMonoBlack VampireB
Uh, you realize that the Slagwurm triggers on blocking/being blocked, so it will engulf the creature before any damage is dealt and thus not die, right?
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Chameleon Colossus
Agressively costed, doesn't die to black spot removal, and any +1/+1 counters that it gets from Chorus of the Conclave do double or quadruple duty when you activate the colossus' ability.
1 Ulamog 1 ◊ W Avacyn W ◊ U Memnarch U ◊ B Endrek B ◊ R Urabrask R ◊ G Yeva G
Oops I read it to fast. Sorry!
But that didn't change my oppinions I will never pay 5GGfor a 7/7 vanilla blocker who destroy the creature he block and give me the toughness in life. If this creature was a spider with the ability Reach or with hexproof. It's will be very good but 5GG mana for only this... It's a lot of mana.
WBGhost Council of OrzhovaBW
GUBThe MimeoplasmBUG
RGWort, the RaidmotherGR
UGRRiku of Two ReflectionsRGU
Casual
WGBJunkStone DeckBGW
BMonoBlack VampireB
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Also, don't forget to add Infect and Wither to that list... of things Phytohydra and Slagwurm both eat.
The only thing Phytohydra has over Slagwurm is immunity to burn spells.
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