Rock Hydra
Collectors' Edition 172 • rare
- Set
- Collectors' Edition
- Collector number
- 172
- Rarity
- Rare
- Mana cost
- X mana red mana red mana
- Type
- Creature
- Colors
- Red
- Artist
- Jeff A. Menges
- Market price
- $8.00
What it does
This creature enters with X +1/+1 counters on it.
For each 1 damage that would be dealt to this creature, if it has a +1/+1 counter on it, remove a +1/+1 counter from it and prevent that 1 damage.
red mana: Prevent the next 1 damage that would be dealt to this creature this turn.
red mana red mana red mana: Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature. Activate only during your upkeep.
Where you can play it
- StandardNot legal
- PioneerNot legal
- ModernNot legal
- LegacyLegal
- VintageLegal
- CommanderLegal
- PauperNot legal
- BrawlNot legal
- HistoricNot legal
- TimelessNot legal
- Penny DreadfulLegal
- OathbreakerLegal
Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC. Card text via Scryfall. Not approved or endorsed by Wizards. As of the last catalogue refresh.
Where to find one
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Where it came from
The Rock Hydra was originally released as part of the Collectors' Edition set in 1995. This set was designed by Wizards of the Coast as a non-tournament-legal reprint collection, intended to provide players and collectors with access to rare and iconic cards from the early days of Magic: The Gathering. The art direction for this piece maintains the aggressive, mythical aesthetic characteristic of the creature's initial debut, utilizing the original illustrations that defined the game's high-fantasy visual identity during its formative years.
The card was received primarily as a collector's curiosity rather than a competitive staple due to its unique border and gold-back status, which distinguished it from standard play cards. Its design serves as a testament to the game's early creature-focused mechanics, where high-cost green creatures often featured variable power and toughness based on mana investment. While it does not hold the same utility in formal deck building as its black-bordered counterparts, it remains a significant touchstone for those documenting the transition of the game into a collectible hobby.
Generated by Pi, the collecto.rs collecting companion
Who's collecting this
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About Rock Hydra
Rock Hydra is a card in the Magic: The Gathering catalog on collecto.rs. Collectors' Edition 172 • rare. Catalog data is sourced from Scryfall. No public cards collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.
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Where does the Rock Hydra catalog entry come from?
The catalog entry for Rock Hydra is sourced from Scryfall. Catalog-level facts stay consistent across every collector; your own data (condition, edition, acquisition notes) is yours.
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