Bracket 3 · Our Helga decklist · Ramp
Our Helga list is Bant big creatures. Every creature spell with mana value 4 or more draws a card, gains a life and grows Helga, and Helga taps for mana equal to her power to cast more of them.
The deck ramps with dorks, plays X-cost Hydras like Hydroid Krasis and Goldvein Hydra off Helga's mana, doubles counters with Branching Evolution and Kalonian Hydra, and closes with trampling giants.
- Strategy
- Ramp
- Bracket
- 3
- Avg. mana value
- 3.49
- Lands
- 36
01The Commander
Helga, Skittish Seer is a three-mana 1/3. Whenever you cast a creature spell with mana value 4 or greater, you draw a card, gain 1 life and put a +1/+1 counter on Helga.
She taps for X mana of one color, where X is her power, but only for creature spells with mana value 4 or greater or with {X} in their cost. Every big creature makes her bigger, which makes more mana for the next one.
Counter doublers grow her fast: Hardened Scales and Kami of Whispered Hopes add one, and Branching Evolution doubles. X spells like Hydroid Krasis and The Goose Mother turn all of that mana into huge creatures.
02How This Deck Wins
- 1
Ramp early
Llanowar Elves, Noble Hierarch, Birds of Paradise and land searches get Helga out on turn two or three.
- 2
Chain big creatures
Every four-drop draws and grows Helga. Beast Whisperer, Chulane, Teller of Tales and Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma keep the chain going.
- 3
Stomp with giants
Kalonian Hydra, Ghalta, Primal Hunger and Surrak and Goreclaw give trample and size, and Garruk's Uprising gives everything trample.
03Deck at a Glance
Bracket 3 · Ramp · 100 cards
Composition
- Commander1
- Creatures37
- Instants & sorceries14
- Artifacts & enchantments11
- Planeswalkers1
- Lands36
- Tokens6
Mana Curve
Color Split
symbols
- White 9%
- Blue 27%
- Green 64%
By the Numbers
Cards by Role
04Big Creatures and X Spells
Each of these triggers Helga and can be paid for with her mana.
Also in this role
05Creature Engines
Draw and ramp off every creature you cast.
Also in this role
06Counter Doublers
Helga gets a counter every big creature. These make it more.
Also in this role
07Ramp
Dorks and land ramp to cast Helga early.
Also in this role
08Interaction and Protection
Bant answers and ways to save your board.
Also in this role
09Combos and Key Interactions
Helga, Skittish Seer + Hydroid Krasis
Helga's mana pays for a huge X, and Krasis triggers Helga, drawing and gaining life on top of its own cards.
Kalonian Hydra + Branching Evolution
Each attack doubles counters on everything, and Branching Evolution doubles that again.
Beast Whisperer + Chulane, Teller of Tales
Every creature spell draws two cards and puts a land onto the battlefield.
10How to Play
Opening hand
Keep hands with two or three lands and a mana dork. Helga on turn two or three, then a four-drop, is the ideal start.
Early gameturns 1-3
Play a dork like Noble Hierarch or Llanowar Elves, then Helga.
Mid gameturns 4-7
Cast creatures with mana value 4 or more to draw and grow Helga. Use her mana for X spells like Goldvein Hydra.
Late gameturn 8+
Cast Hydroid Krasis or Ghalta, Primal Hunger off Helga's mana, attack with trample, and protect the board with Heroic Intervention.
Tips
- Helga's mana works for any creature spell with {X} in its cost, even if X is small.
- Hydroid Krasis and The Goose Mother have X in their cost, so Helga's mana pays for them.
- Counter doublers apply to Helga's own trigger.
- Cast cheap creatures with land mana and save Helga's mana for big ones.
Common mistakes
- Spending Helga's mana on things it can't pay for.
- Casting X spells with a tiny X early.
- Overextending into a wipe without protection.
- Forgetting Helga triggers on cast, so countered creatures still draw.
Watch out for
- Removal on Helga.
- Board wipes.
- Counterspells on your big creatures.
- Fliers your ground creatures can't block.
11Bracket and Rule 0
Our list runs no Game Changers.
The deck wins through combat with big creatures and has no two-card infinite combos.
12Full Decklist
Every card in our Helga proxy deck (100 cards). Hover or tap a name to see the card.
Commander
- 1Helga, Skittish SeerGWU
Creatures (37)
- 1Avacyn's PilgrimG
- 1Birds of ParadiseG
- 1Delighted HalflingG
- 1Goldvein HydraXG
- 1Llanowar ElvesG
- 1Noble HierarchG
- 1Fanatic of Rhonas1G
- 1Hydroid KrasisXGU
- 1Kiora's FollowerGU
- 1The Goose MotherXGU
- 1Kami of Whispered Hopes2G
- 1Beast Whisperer2GG
- 1Forgotten Ancient3G
- 1Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma3G
- 1Inga and Esika2GU
- 1Mystic Snake1GUU
- 1Saryth, the Viper's Fang2GG
- 1Shalai, Voice of Plenty3W
- 1Solemn Simulacrum4
- 1Witch Enchanter3W
- 1Zimone, Paradox Sculptor2GU
- 1Chakram Retriever4U
- 1Chulane, Teller of Tales2GWU
- 1Defiler of Vigor3GG
- 1Galadriel, Light of Valinor2GWU
- 1Kalonian Hydra3GG
- 1Mulldrifter4U
- 1Railway Brawler3GG
- 1Silverback Elder2GGG
- 1Thryx, the Sudden Storm3UU
- 1Disciple of Freyalise3GGG
- 1Surrak and Goreclaw4GG
- 1Hullbreaker Horror5UU
- 1Koma, Cosmos Serpent3GGUU
- 1Nulldrifter7
- 1Apex Devastator8GG
- 1Ghalta, Primal Hunger10GG
Planeswalkers (1)
- 1Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner2G/U
Instants (9)
- 1An Offer You Can't RefuseU
- 1Path to ExileW
- 1Shore UpU
- 1Swords to PlowsharesW
- 1CounterspellUU
- 1Heroic Intervention1G
- 1Beast Within2G
- 1Generous Gift2W
- 1Inspiring Call2G
Sorceries (5)
- 1Farseek1G
- 1Nature's Lore1G
- 1Rampant Growth1G
- 1Cultivate2G
- 1Kodama's Reach2G
Artifacts (5)
- 1Sol Ring1
- 1Arcane Signet2
- 1Lightning Greaves2
- 1Swiftfoot Boots2
- 1The Great Henge7GG
Enchantments (6)
- 1Hardened ScalesG
- 1Innkeeper's Talent1G
- 1Branching Evolution2G
- 1Brokers AscendancyGWU
- 1Garruk's Uprising2G
- 1Intruder Alarm2U
Lands (36)
- 1Bountiful Promenade
- 1Breeding Pool
- 1Canopy Vista
- 1Command Tower
- 1Dreamroot Cascade
- 1Exotic Orchard
- 1Flooded Strand
- 7Forest
- 1Glacial Fortress
- 1Hallowed Fountain
- 1Hinterland Harbor
- 5Island
- 5Plains
- 1Prairie Stream
- 1Rejuvenating Springs
- 1Reliquary Tower
- 1Seaside Citadel
- 1Spara's Headquarters
- 1Sunpetal Grove
- 1Temple Garden
- 1Windswept Heath
- 1Yavimaya Coast
Get the deck
Helga Ramp proxy deck
Helga turns big creatures into cards and more mana. Ramp, chain giants, and trample over.
Every card in this guide is shown exactly as it prints in the deck you get, sleeve-ready, with tokens.
Shop the deck · $45Every card named in this guide is in our deck, and every image is our own proxy card, rendered from the art in this deck.