Hydra also counters ping damage from Steel actions and characters, as whittling him down with Grab Your Sword or Smash will just cause your opponent to soak damage with their own characters too
Compare that to popular Elves like Yeva, Nature's Herald (4983), Timberwatch Elf (1689), Ezuri, Renegade Leader (2019), and Edric, Spymaster of Trest (4362)

Analyze the Pollen Antique Collector Arachnus Spinner Barishi Boseiju Reaches Skyward Cathartic Parting Colossal Rattlewurm Deep Reconnaissance Diligent Farmhand Ecological Appreciation Elemental Teachings Elvish Reclaimer Elvish Soultiller Ethereal Elk Everbark Shaman Evolution Charm Fang-Druid Summoner Far Wanderings Finale of Devastation Fork in the Road Gaea's Blessing Garruk's Warsteed Glimpse the Core Invasion of Ikoria Journey for the Elixir Mythos of Brokkos Nature's Rhythm Nissa's Encouragement Nissa's Pilgrimage Path to the Festival Pattern of Rebirth Piper's Melody Primal Command Protean Hulk Realms Uncharted Renewing Touch Repopulate Road // Ruin Roamer's Routine Rooting Kavu Say Its Name Seedguide Ash Serene Remembrance Spineseeker Centipede Spring // Mind The Five Doctors The Hunger Tide Rises The Mending of Dominaria Thornvault Forager Titania's Command Tower Winder Travel Through Caradhras Traverse the Ulvenwald Turn the Earth Verdant Confluence Verdant Crescendo Verdant Succession Veteran Explorer Vigor Viridian Emissary Wirewood Herald Worldspine Wurm Yavimaya Elder You Happen On a Glade

Put that card onto the battlefield, then shuffle the rest into your library
Whats worse about it is that when the equipping creature attacks, it gets to untap a target attacking creature