Hero card

Hardened Academic

Creature - Bird Cleric

PayoffThe more of what it needs is on the battlefield, the stronger it gets: the deck has to feed it a lot

Needs: Counter +1/+1, Valiant

Gives: Lifegain, Counter +1/+1, Graveyard

In 1% of today's winning lists

Build a deck with Hardened Academic as the hero

Makes it work

Marauding Mako · Inti, Seneschal of the Sun · Practiced Offense · Scarlet Spider, Kaine · Kivni, Orb Weaver · Scrounging Skyray · Spirit Mascot · Ash, Party Crasher

Benefits from it

Carnage, Crimson Chaos · Cool but Rude · Tersa Lightshatter · Prison Break · Desecrex, Gift of Servitude · Magmakin Artillerist · Generous Revival · Rakdos Joins Up

Winning decks play them together

Bloodghast · Iron-Shield Elf · Moonshadow · Casey Jones, Vigilante · Erode

Use instead if you don't have it

Reluctant Role Model · Dust Animus · Perimeter Enforcer · Prairie Dog · Leonardo, Cutting Edge · Brave Brawler

Winning decks that play it

Mardu Aggro (4)

Cards in the meta that answer it

Requiting Hex (Dimir Aggro) · Burst Lightning (Izzet Elemental) · Countersculpt (Azorius Control) · Get Lost (Azorius Control)