{"ops":[{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Hylda of the Icy Crown Primer"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Primer updated October 2024. Change Log included at the bottom of this primer.\n\nBracket Description"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"I set this deck as a 2, but honestly there are times it plays like a 3. It's incredibly strong against voltron strategies and has been optimized for tapping quite thoughtfully - it plays like a 3 in games against the right opponent when I'm focused. Other times, I choose to sacrifice 3 lands just to get out Marit Lage and end up with 2 mana available for the rest of the game. And don't get me wrong - Marit Lage is a very strong token, but she's only a single creature and she doesn't even have hexproof. This deck is intentionally restricted away from any infinite combos and can hang with most decks in brackets 2 or 3.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Yeah, it could be meaner."},{"insert":"\nThis is an inherently oppressive deck. The strategies are built around consistently tapping your opponents’ creatures and keeping them tapped the whole game. One thing I kept in mind with this deck is that I did not want to keep my opponents from playing or enjoying the game in more ways than the obvious one (tapping them down). Because of that, I excluded several powerful cards that would be highly synergetic with my current deck list. If you like this build but wanna be even more of a stone cold killer (pun intended), check out the following:\n["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ashnod's Altar"}},{"insert":"] provides an near-infinite combo with Hylda if you have out ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Junk Winder"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kapsho Kitefins"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Court Street Denizen"}},{"insert":"], or ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Opposition"}},{"insert":"]. The only limit is how many creatures your opponents have on the board. You can mass-tap the whole board each turn using no mana from your lands or artifacts. You’ll even get free elementals from the process!"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ghostly Prison"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Propaganda"}},{"insert":"] both tax your opponents for attacking you. These are insanely fun to combo with ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Angel's Trumpet"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mjölnir, Storm Hammer"}},{"insert":"]. You’re basically giving your opponents a choice between attacking each other, or taking non-combat damage on their turn and again on yours. If you’re only playing against one opponent, you’re taxing them like crazy with either mana or damage, their choice."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Winter Orb"}},{"insert":"] - if you haven’t seen this card before, you should go look at it. Also known as one of the saltiest cards in the history of Magic. An artifact-based Hylda deck is basically made for this card. Your opponents can’t do anything except cry."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"General Hylda Strategies"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nHylda's Triggers"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Focus on Tokens"},{"insert":"\nWhile all of Hylda's abilities are useful at different points in any given game, my favorite playstyle emphasizes Hylda's 4/4 token generation with a go-wide strategy. Several cards in the deck loop with Hylda so that her token generation triggers another tap: ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Court Street Denizen"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kapsho Kitefins"}},{"insert":"], and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Junk Winder"}},{"insert":"]. Another benefit to generating tokens is fuel for ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Opposition"}},{"insert":"], which allows you to tap one of your creatures to tap an opponent's creature."},{"attributes":{"color":"#e60000"},"insert":" "},{"insert":"This go-wide strategy relies on Hylda to function, but if you can maintain your board state, your opponents' creatures will be tapped down when you swing with all of your 4/4's.\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Scry Subtheme"},{"insert":"\nThe ability that is relied on and buffed second-most in this deck is scry. I've included cards besides Hylda that allow you to scry: ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Marit Lage's Slumber"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sonic Screwdriver"}},{"insert":"], and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Elvish Mariner"}},{"insert":"]. There are also cards that benefit from scrying. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Elvish Mariner"}},{"insert":"] will loop with Hylda so that I can keep tapping opponents' creatures if I utilize Hylda's scry ability. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Approach of the Second Sun"}},{"insert":"] is an efficient win con in this deck, and the additional cards that allow me to scry help it pop off even quicker. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Eligeth, Crossroads Augur"}},{"insert":"] will turn each scry into a draw, although this does remove the loop from ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Elvish Mariner"}},{"insert":"]. \nThe following cards are not usually included in my deck, but they support the scry subtheme and I would recommend them if you expect to use Hylda's 3rd ability frequently: ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Runic Shot"}},{"insert":"] offers some nice removal; ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Plunge into Winter"}},{"insert":"] is a fun instant that does a tap, scry, and draw all in one; ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tolarian Kraken"}},{"insert":"] provides a loop with Hylda using her scry ability and combos well with ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mind Over Matter"}},{"insert":"].\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Meh... Counters are an option too..."},{"insert":"\nI think I'm just more of a go-wide girlie than a go-tall girlie. I do enjoy having ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Solitary Sanctuary"}},{"insert":"] on the board, and the passive buff provides consistent benefit. I lean more into Hylda's counter ability if I have ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Champion's Helm"}},{"insert":"] equipped to her and am trying to make her a threat. If I have ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Angel's Trumpet"}},{"insert":"] on the board, it is better to have fewer, strong creatures than to have a lot of weaker creatures; I'll pump using Hylda's counter ability in that case too. \nI originally had ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Resourceful Defense"}},{"insert":"] included in the deck, but I took it out because I was not getting counters on the board consistently enough. This would be a good option to add back in if you expect to utilize Hylda's 2nd ability, especially since it combos well with ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dark Depths"}},{"insert":"].\n\nWhen to Tap"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Opponents Combat Phase"},{"insert":"\nThe superior time to tap our opponents' creatures is at the beginning of their combat step, before attackers are declared; this is only possible at instant speed or if a card triggers on opponents' combat phases. Tapping during an opponent's combat phase makes the targeted creature ineligible to attack during combat, and this ensures they stay tapped and cannot block through your next combat phase (as long as your opponent does not manually untap them). The best case for a single-tap effect with no added ability is to remove the creature as an attacker and as a blocker. \nSeveral cards trigger an opportunity to tap a creature, including ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Citadel Siege"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Timin, Youthful Geist"}},{"insert":"], and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sentinel of the Eternal Watch"}},{"insert":"]. These are some of my favorite cards because they offer free, perfectly timed taps to trigger Hylda's ability. Activated abilities of creatures that require tapping the creature to activate are limited by summoning sickness, but triggered abilities begin the moment the creature hits the battlefield. Because creatures are affected by summoning sickness, I mostly prefer artifacts to trigger taps at instant speed like ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hylda's Crown of Winter"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Icebind Pillar"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Scepter of Dominance"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Icy Manipulator"}},{"insert":"], and even ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pacification Array"}},{"insert":"]. Still, there are a few creatures who are great options for an activated tap ability. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Law-Rune Enforcer"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rimewind Taskmage"}},{"insert":"] are excellent options because their cheap CMC ensures we can get them out well before our commander in an opening hand (and thus we are less hindered by summoning sickness), and they cost a colorless mana to activate. \nI took this card out of the main deck, but ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sunstrike Legionnaire"}},{"insert":"] can be a fun option because there is potential to use him multiple times in a turn, with no additional cost to activate his ability. I do find his tapping/untapping dynamic difficult to track amongst all the tapping chaos, and the 3 CMC limit on his ability does restrict the functionality. He's worthwhile to consider if you frequently engage in multiplayer games or with opponents who play token decks.\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"On Our Turn"},{"insert":"\nOther options for tap timing are tapping at sorcery speed or tapping during our combat phase. This is a suboptimal option because we cannot restrict our opponents from attacking during their combat. Still, some cards are worthwhile because removing blockers via tapping is quite useful for our own combat. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dreamshackle Geist"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cone of Cold"}},{"insert":"] are both good options because they have the possibility of prolonging a tap effect on our opponents' creatures. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset"}},{"insert":"] offers versatility by allowing us to untap our own artifacts, creatures, and lands in addition to tapping our opponents' creatures. \n["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bond of Discipline"}},{"insert":"] is an OK option because it offers the added benefit of lifegain on our combat phase, even though our opponents' creatures will untap and be able to attack us on their turn. I ended up taking this card out of the main deck in favor of some instants - the lifegain struck fear into my opponents but did not offer a large enough advantage to make up for being targeted afterwards.\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Does it matter? Stun Counters, Baby"},{"insert":"\nEven better than perfectly timing a tap is prolonging a tap for an extra turn. We can do that with any card that distributes stun counters, says 'doesn't untap during its controllers next untap step', or says 'doesn't untap for as long as you control [card name]'. \nI run several cards that put stun counters on creatures, including ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sharae of Numbing Depths"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Lost in the Maze"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Solitary Sanctuary"}},{"insert":"], and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mjölnir, Storm Hammer"}},{"insert":"]. While I don't prioritize stun counter functionality alone, each of these have other added benefits that just make the stun counter a cherry on top. An interesting thing to note about stun counters is that they can be incremented with proliferate, so this functionality becomes more beneficial when playing in a pod who has a proliferate player or highlighting the proliferate mechanic in your own deck."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Several cards tap an opponent's creature and say 'doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step'. This is different from a stun counter, since a proliferate ability cannot prolong the tap effect. It is also a slightly weaker debuff than a stun counter: if an opponent would untap their creature BEFORE their next untap step, a stun counter would prevent that while a 'next untap step' card would not. Still, I run several cards with this wording including ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cone of Cold"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tamiyo, the Moon Sage"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Junk Winder"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Frostwalk Bastion"}},{"insert":"], and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dreamshackle Geist"}},{"insert":"]. Any of these cards will take a creature out for at least one of your combat phases and at least one of your opponent's combat phases - more if you time it right."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"The last kind of doesn't-untap phrasing that may be included on a card equates to 'doesn't untap for as long as you control'. ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Time of Ice"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"] is a perfect example of this, where creatures tapped using ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Time of Ice"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"] do not untap for as long as we control ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Time of Ice"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"]. This card is also great because it serves as a board wipe for all those tapped creatures just before the saga is complete and we lose control of the card. "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nSpellslinger vs Perma-Taps"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The two main strategies to play with Hylda are throwing one-off tap spells around (using instants and sorceries) or establishing permanents that can repeat-tap opponents' creatures. This deck list mostly contains permanents that can be activated to tap my opponents' creatures, or permanents that allow me to tap my opponents' creatures on a trigger.\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Spellslinger"},{"insert":"\nThis strategy tends to bode well with a heavy emphasis on draw and Hylda's scry ability. You can consistently get new spells in your hand to tap opponents' creatures. The benefit to this strategy is that you are less susceptible to removal because your opponents must be running counterspells specifically; you can also run more board wipes because you will have fewer permanents. Many of spellslinger tap spells are at instant speed, which allows you to shut your opponents down at the ideal time. \nWhile spellslinger taps are not the primary focus of my deck, I do run several cards that are great for this type of deck: ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Blustersquall"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Githzerai Monk"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cryptic Command"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ensnare"}},{"insert":"], and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cone of Cold"}},{"insert":"].\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Let Permanents do the Tapping"},{"insert":"\nMy preferred strategy is to establish a board presence with permanents that can repeatedly tap my opponents' creatures, either for free or for very little mana. Artifacts, enchantments, creatures, and even planeswalkers are all capable of contributing to this strategy, and I include many of each in the deck. The two abilities that can initiate a tap from these card types are triggered and activated abilities.\nA triggered tap effect will allow us to consistently tap an opponent's creature when a certain condition is met, often for free. Enchantments and creatures are mostly the cards with triggered tap effects. Although, I do have one artifact ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Angel's Trumpet"}},{"insert":"] that allows us to tap opponents' creatures if they did not attack that turn. Some cards trigger during combat phases, such as ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dreamshackle Geist"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Citadel Siege"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Timin, Youthful Geist"}},{"insert":"], and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sentinel of the Eternal Watch"}},{"insert":"]. Other cards trigger from combat damage or attacking, such as ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Frostwalk Bastion"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mjölnir, Storm Hammer"}},{"insert":"]. The ideal situation is a triggered tap effect that interacts with scrying or token generation, as these create a loop with Hylda's abilities. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Elvish Mariner"}},{"insert":"] can create a loop with Hylda's scry ability; ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Court Street Denizen"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kapsho Kitefins"}},{"insert":"], and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Junk Winder"}},{"insert":"] can all create a loop with Hylda's token ability."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"An activated tap effect requires a payment to trigger the ability to tap an opponent's creature. The effect is often at instant-speed, which is great for managing our tap timing. Many artifacts and creatures in this deck boast activated tap effects. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hylda's Crown of Winter"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Icy Manipulator"}},{"insert":"] are excellent options because they only require a colorless mana to activate; ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Icebind Pillar"}},{"insert":"] is also an excellent choice in this deck because almost every land (and many of the mana rocks) is snow. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Law-Rune Enforcer"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rimewind Taskmage"}},{"insert":"] are my two favorite activated tap abilities on creatures because they only cost a colorless mana to activate. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Azorius Guildmage"}},{"insert":"] is very expensive for a tap ability, but it does not require you to tap ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Azorius Guildmage"}},{"insert":"] (so we can use the ability multiple times in a round), and it offers the possibility of countering an opponent's activated ability. Speaking of expensive tap abilities, check out ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Verity Circle"}},{"insert":"]. It is one of my only enchantments that offers an activated tap, but we certainly do not keep it in the deck for that ability: ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Verity Circle"}},{"insert":"] is best for the draw ability. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Opposition"}},{"insert":"] is my other enchantment with an activated ability, and it is considered the golden child of Hylda tap effects. There is no limit to how many times you can activate the ability in a round, and it synergizes well with Hylda's token creation. Planeswalker abilities, like that of ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tamiyo, the Moon Sage"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset"}},{"insert":"], are also activated abilities. However, these are limited because planeswalker abilities can only be activated at sorcery speed."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Vulnerabilities and Suggestions"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Card Vulnerabilities"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The cards that make this deck most vulnerable are spells attempt to remove Hylda, artifacts and enchantments that give opponents significant advantage, creatures who have passive or activated abilities that do not depend on attacking, and cards that have or give hexproof. \n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Protection for Hylda"},{"insert":"\nHylda is going to be a massive target on most tables, and anyone playing her will get an onslaught of removal spells thrown at them. Because of this, I run a healthy catalog of counterspells, hexproof buffs, and Hylda-substitutes. \nCounterspells are particularly effective in a Hylda deck because we should have mana available on our opponent's turn (to activate Hylda's ability and to instant-speed tap during their combat phase). Our bread-and-butter counterspells are going to be ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Stubborn Denial"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"No More Lies"}},{"insert":"]. These are both cheap options, and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Stubborn Denial"}},{"insert":"] is particularly good because we will almost always have a 4/4 out. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Whirlwind Denial"}},{"insert":"] is a bit more expensive at 3 CMC but allows us to also counter an ability. This comes in handy when an activated ability seeks to ruin our board state but can't be countered with a generic counterspell. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cryptic Command"}},{"insert":"] is a more flexible counterspell that can serve as removal or mass-tap in a pinch."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"The second line of defense against haters is giving our creatures hexproof. Hylda gets targeted removal thrown at her the most because opponents (wrongly) assume the deck will fail without her. ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Champion's Helm"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"] is a great card for Hylda because it buffs her commander damage, has a cheap equip cost, and prevents opponents from targeting her. ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Lost in the Maze"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"] provides a permanent condition for hexproofing all of our creatures - we just need to tap them ourselves at instant speed if they're targeted. While I excluded it from my main deck, ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"You See a Guard Approach"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"] is a great addition because we can use it as protection if we need to, but we can also use it as a one-time tap effect if we already have ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Champion's Helm"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"] or ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Lost in the Maze"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"]. ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Clever Concealment"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"] is also excluded from my main deck and is not quite hexproof (it's better) but belongs in this category of protection as an excellent option for the deck."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"People will think a deck based on Hylda requires Hylda to function, so I try to use that to my advantage. I included cards that will benefit from the exact same triggers that Hylda benefits from so that my side of the board is always improved by tapping other people's creatures, whether or not I have my commander. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rhoda, Geist Avenger"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gideon's Avenger"}},{"insert":"] both get bigger as I tap opponents' creatures. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Solitary Sanctuary"}},{"insert":"] can buff any creature I choose on tap triggers. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Verity Circle"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sharae of Numbing Depths"}},{"insert":"] both provide draw, and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Palliation Accord"}},{"insert":"] gives some really nice protection. If my commander is removed to the point that I cannot play her again, I treat ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Willbreaker"}},{"insert":"] as a substitute commander. She completely overrides any ability that benefits from tapping opponents' creatures since the thief ability resolves first, but I've won games with her after opponents hated my commander off the board."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Removing Threats"},{"insert":"\nThis deck includes several targeted removal spells to deal with artifacts, enchantments, and creatures that have threatening triggered, passive, or activated abilities. We must use these removals wisely and assess threats with care. Remember, a 50/50 Beast Token will never be a threat to Hylda, but an enchantment that gives our opponent's board hexproof is an emergency-level threat. Anything that shuts down Hylda or allows opponents to grow faster than we can tap should be dealt with. We have a few types of targeted removal: temporary combat removal, permanent combat removal, creature removal, and artifact/enchantment removal.\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"Most cards in this deck are tap effects, which will temporarily remove a creature from combat situations. These cards are typically an instant spell, sorcery spell, triggered ability, or activated ability. The majority of creatures that belong to our opponents will be handled with this form of removal. It is particularly effective against creatures that rely on attacking or doing combat damage for a special effect to take place. Beware of creatures who have abilities that require the owner to tap the creature - our opponent can do this at instant speed to keep us from earning our tap trigger on Hylda."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"Some creatures are just too powerful in combat to risk a turn where they are not tapped down, and we must permanently remove them from combat. There are two cards that will guarantee a creature will never be declared as an attacker: ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Curse of Chains"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"] and ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Winter's Rest"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"]. ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Curse of Chains"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"] is the more powerful of the two because the creature will re-tap each turn, providing a trigger for Hylda's ability. However, for mana dorks or creatures with a powerful activated ability requiring a tap, it is best to never allow these to untap. ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Winter's Rest"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"] ensures a tap ability can never be activated and counts as a snow permanent for ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Marit Lage's Slumber"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"]. "},{"insert":"This type of removal is also ideal to use against our opponents' commanders, ensuring they cannot be brought back from the command zone un-hindered."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Hylda wants opponents to have creatures on the board so that she can tap them. However, some creatures are not meant to do combat damage and instead wreak havoc with their abilities. Tapping a creature is useless if they have a passive ability that deals non-combat damage to us each end-step. These creatures need to be removed from the board, not just tapped. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"On Thin Ice"}},{"insert":"] is a personal favorite of mine in this deck because it gets around indestructible, and it also counts as a snow permanent for ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Marit Lage's Slumber"}},{"insert":"]. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Runic Shot"}},{"insert":"] can target any tapped creature and even provides an opportunity to scry. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mouth of Ronom"}},{"insert":"] is a great little snow land that can take out a creature with toughness 4 or less (or serve as a combat trick to help take out a larger creature). I generally reserve ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Stroke of Midnight"}},{"insert":"] for non-creature removal, but it can also be used for creature removal in a pinch."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The permanents that have the highest possibility of ruining Hylda's board state are artifacts and enchantments. In individual cases of a threatening artifact or enchantment, use targeted permanent removal to avoid affecting our side of the board, since this deck also runs a lot of artifacts and enchantments. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Stroke of Midnight"}},{"insert":"] should be able to handle most problematic permanents. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dismantling Wave"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Return to Dust"}},{"insert":"] are going to be able to take care of several artifacts or enchantments at once."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Removing Hexproof"},{"insert":"\nThere is also the niche, but terrifying, possibility of our opponents giving their permanents hexproof or shroud. We won't be able to utilize any of the deck's advantage (besides Marit Lage, potentially) unless we can target creatures to tap them. If there is a permanent that gives our opponent this protection, we can remove that permanent using any removal outlined above. If this is not possible and we must live with hexproof or shroud staying on the board, we can utilize ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Arcane Lighthouse"}},{"insert":"] or ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Detection Tower"}},{"insert":"] to remove it on a turn-by-turn basis.\n\nStrategy Vulnerabilities"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The strategies that can shut this deck down are go-wide (too many creatures for us to tap) or creature-light (not enough fuel for our triggers). There are two general board wipes to deal with either of these states: ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Evacuation"}},{"insert":" ] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dismantling Wave"}},{"insert":"]. \nGo-wide strategies often rely on token generation, so ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Evacuation"}},{"insert":"] will eliminate any tokens that have spiraled out of control. Returning creatures to the hand, rather than destroying them, ensures our opponent can re-cast at a reasonable pace and we will have creatures to tap. Something to note here is that there are other ways to deal with Go-Wide in this deck: ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Time of Ice"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sunblast Angel"}},{"insert":"] both remove tapped creatures. If we can cast ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Blustersquall"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Githzerai Monk"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cryptic Command"}},{"insert":"], or ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cone of Cold"}},{"insert":"] with a dice roll of 10+ just before ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Time of Ice"}},{"insert":"] or ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sunblast Angel"}},{"insert":"], then we are looking at a perfectly tailored creature board wipe. "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Since non-combat damage and creature-light decks often rely on artifacts and enchantments, the cycling version of ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dismantling Wave"}},{"insert":"] should temporarily shut down that strategy. It also cannot be countered because we are not casting it."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n\nWin Conditions"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"1. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Approach of the Second Sun"}},{"insert":"]"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"This win condition is difficult to pull off without Hylda but incredibly straightforward with her. All we have to do after playing AotSS the first time is trigger Hylda twice with her scry ability and put all cards we scry at the bottom of our library. We will have blown through the top 6 cards of our library. Our next turn, we will draw ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Approach of the Second Sun"}},{"insert":"] and have our mana free to re-play it. \nThere are a few other cards that allow us to scry - ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Marit Lage's Slumber"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sonic Screwdriver"}},{"insert":"], and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Elvish Mariner"}},{"insert":"] - but they are not as fast as Hylda. It is best for us to have at least 9 mana available when we play AotSS for the first time because the card costs 7 and we'll want to trigger Hylda twice in the same round.\n\n2. Marit Lage "},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"We can get the beautiful Marit Lage token with the ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dark Depths"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thespian's Stage"}},{"insert":"] combo or with ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Marit Lage's Slumber"}},{"insert":"]. \nIf we have ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dark Depths"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thespian's Stage"}},{"insert":"] on the board, we can utilize the ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thespian's Stage"}},{"insert":"] ability to copy ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dark Depths"}},{"insert":"]. The legendary rule triggers, and we can choose to sacrifice the original ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dark Depths"}},{"insert":"]. Since the copy did not enter the battlefield, it does not have any counters. The copy is immediately sacrificed to create a Marit Lage token. This land combo is emphasized in the deck with several tutors. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Search for Glory"}},{"insert":"] can fetch ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dark Depths"}},{"insert":"], or we can fetch any other snow, legendary, or saga in a pinch; ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Expedition Map"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tolaria West"}},{"insert":"], and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Urza's Cave"}},{"insert":"] can fetch both ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dark Depths"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thespian's Stage"}},{"insert":"]."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Marit Lage's Slumber"}},{"insert":"] is a much slower play to get a Marit Lage token. Having 10 snow permanents is a difficult feat, especially if we are playing an aggressive opponent. The added ability to scry whenever we drop a snow land (or any other snow permanent) makes this card worthwhile to me. Because we want as many snow lands as possible, I was very picky about the utility lands I included in the decklist. If it is not a snow land, it adds essential functionality to our cause (like removing hexproof). Since we are mostly running basic lands, ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Arcum's Astrolabe"}},{"insert":"] comes in handy early-game (and the 1-cost draw 1 is a great added benefit). A few cards were included in place of other options, specifically because they are snow permanents: ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Winter's Rest"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"On Thin Ice"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Squall Drifter"}},{"insert":"], and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Replicating Ring"}},{"insert":"]. Other cards are great additions to the tap side of this deck, and it's just a happy coincidence that they are also snow permanents: ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Icebind Pillar"}},{"insert":"] and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Frostwalk Bastion"}},{"insert":"]."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"3. Go Wide Army "},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Going wide with 4/4 elementals works well here - especially after a mass-tap like ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Blustersquall"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Githzerai Monk"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cryptic Command"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ensnare"}},{"insert":"] or ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cone of Cold"}},{"insert":"]. However, this strategy generally relies on your commander. Cards that buff with counters like ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Solitary Sanctuary"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gideon's Avenger"}},{"insert":"], and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rhoda, Geist Avenger"}},{"insert":"] can help create a threatening combat presence on your board, even without your commander. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mjölnir, Storm Hammer"}},{"insert":"] will provide some assistance dealing damage to our opponents across the board as we try to take them out by attacking during combat.\n\n\nChange Log"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"11/7/24 "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Replaced "},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Winter's Rest"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"] with ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Split Up"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"]. While WR is a good option for permanent tapping and providing a snow permanent to buff ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Marit Lage's Slumber"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"], WR ultimately does not provide recursive tapping for Hylda to capitalize on. ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Sunblast Angel"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"] is one of the most useful cards in this deck, and ["},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":{"card-link":"Split Up"}},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"] is just an improved reprint for our purposes. Once the Duskmourn set was released, this was an easy swap to make."},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#ffffff"},"insert":"12/3/24"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Replaced ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sonic Screwdriver"}},{"insert":"] with ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Brave the Sands"}},{"insert":"]. BtS was in my very first iteration of this deck, but I ended up taking it out because it was not directly related to tapping. However, several of my creatures can tap themselves to tap an opponent's creature, so having ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Brave the Sands"}},{"insert":"] out means I can attack with my creatures on my turn and also tap them on my opponent's turn. Since the strategy of this deck is to tap opposing creatures to get through in combat, I typically have only a few creatures out at a time. Being able to double block with my 4/4s does a lot to buff my board against go-wide strategies. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sonic Screwdriver"}},{"insert":"] is a really fun mana rock, but I've never used any of the supplementary abilities, so it was next on the chopping block.\n2/4/25"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Replaced ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tolaria West"}},{"insert":"] with a basic snow island. I put in this non-basic to function as a tutor for ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dark Depths"}},{"insert":"] or ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thespian's Stage"}},{"insert":"]. However, I already have 3 cards that tutor those lands: ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Expedition Map"}},{"insert":"], ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Urza's Cave"}},{"insert":"], and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Search for Glory"}},{"insert":"]. Each of those tutors can pivot to searching for many other cards if I’m not angling for Marit Lage, and ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Urza's Cave"}},{"insert":"] is perfectly good to just play as a land. However, ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tolaria West"}},{"insert":"] comes in tapped, and that’s a huge disadvantage in a deck where I can squeeze more value out of my commander with every single mana I have, every single turn.\n3/1/25"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Replaced ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Lost in the Maze"}},{"insert":"] with a basic snow plains. While ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Lost in the Maze"}},{"insert":"] does both protection and tapping creatures, it does each of them inefficiently. Before this swap, I only ran 35 mana-producing lands, which is quite low for a deck that needs a lot of mana for its triggers. This swap should help even out my mana pips, reduce the likelihood of me drawing a dead card, and increase the likelihood of drawing enough lands.\nReplaced ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Champion's Helm"}},{"insert":"] with ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hydroelectric Specimen // Hydroelectric Laboratory"}},{"insert":"]. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Champion's Helm"}},{"insert":"] is a great card to give Hylda hexproof, but the +2/+2 buff doesn't do much since we aren't attacking with her. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hydroelectric Specimen // Hydroelectric Laboratory"}},{"insert":"] will protect against most of the removal spells that ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Champion's Helm"}},{"insert":"] is meant to deal with, but (more importantly) it can also be played as a land. The first iteration of this deck was just way too short on lands.\n8/8/25"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Replaced ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Return to Dust"}},{"insert":"] with ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Witch Enchanter // Witch-Blessed Meadow"}},{"insert":"]. This is a bit of a downgrade in terms of removal alone, but there are some upsides to the swap. ["},{"insert":{"card-link":"Witch Enchanter // Witch-Blessed Meadow"}},{"insert":"] sits on the board as a 2/2, which means she can block on our opponent's turn. Since the effect is ETB, we won't be bothered if we lose the creature to chump blocking. Most importantly, we will be up to 38 mana-producing lands after this swap.\n"}]}