Monster Dossier

Hydra

Hydra VARIANT HYDRAS Scholars of bestial lore can describe several hydra variations. Though rare, hydras with more than five heads live in very isolated...

Level 6

Traits

nhugebeast

Rules & statistics

Monster Profile

Perception

17

Senses

  • Name
    low-light vision
  • Type
    imprecise
    Name
    scent
    Range
    30

Skills

Athletics
17
Stealth
Std
12
In water
15

Ability Mods

Str
7
Dex
4
Con
5
Int
-3
Wis
2
Cha
-1

Defenses

Ac
23
Saving Throws
Fort
15
Ref
12
Will
10
Hp
  • Hp
    90
    Name
    body
    Abilities
    • hydra regeneration
  • Hp
    15
    Name
    head
    Abilities
    • head regrowth
Immunities
  • area damage
Weaknesses
  • Amount
    5
    Name
    slashing

Speed

Walk
25
Swim
25

Attacks

  • Range
    Melee
    Name
    fangs
    Attack
    16
    Traits
    • reach
    Damage
    2d6+7 piercing
    Types
    • piercing

Abilities

Mid
  • Activity
    Number
    1
    Unit
    reaction
    Name
    Attack of Opportunity
  • Entries
    • A hydra ordinarily has five heads. A creature can attempt to sever one of the hydra's heads by specifically targeting it and dealing damage equal to the head's Hit Points. A head that is not completely severed returns to full Hit Points at the end of any creature's turn.
    • A hydra can regrow a severed head using Hydra Regeneration. A creature can prevent this regrowth by dealing acid or fire damage to the stump, cauterizing it. Single-target acid or fire effects need to be targeted at a specific stump, but effects that deal splash damage or affect areas covering the hydra's whole space cauterize all stumps if they deal acid or fire damage. If the attack that severs a head deals any acid or fire damage, the stump is cauterized instantly. If all five heads are cauterized, the hydra dies.
    Name
    Head Regrowth
  • Entries
    • The hydra has regeneration equal to 3 × the number of heads it has. If a hydra's body is missing any heads and the remaining stumps have not been cauterized, the hydra attempts a 25 Fortitude save after it regains Hit Points from regeneration. On a success, one uncauterized stump regrows two heads; on a critical success, two uncauterized stumps regrow into two heads each. The hydra can never grow more than double the number of heads it ordinarily has. The hydra's regeneration only fully deactivates if all its heads are severed and all stumps are cauterized, at which point it dies.
    Name
    Hydra Regeneration
  • Entries
    • A hydra gains an extra reaction per round for each of its heads beyond the first, which it can use only to make Attacks of Opportunity. It can't use more than 1 reaction on the same triggering action, even if a creature leaves several squares within its reach, and the hydra must use a different head for each Attack of Opportunity it makes. Whenever one of the hydra's heads is severed, the hydra loses 1 of its extra reactions per round.
    Name
    Multiple Opportunities
Bot
  • Activity
    Number
    2
    Unit
    action
    Entries
    • The hydra attacks a single target with its heads, overwhelming its foe with multiple attacks and leaving almost nowhere to dodge. The hydra Strike||Strikes with its fangs. On a successful attack, the hydra deals damage from its fangs Strike to the target, plus an additional 1d6 damage for every head it has beyond the first. Even on a failed attack, the hydra deals the damage from one fangs Strike to the target creature, though it still misses completely on a critical failure. This counts toward the hydra's multiple attack penalty as a number of attacks equal to the number of heads the hydra has.
    Name
    Focused Assault
  • Activity
    Number
    2
    Unit
    action
    Entries
    • The hydra makes a number of Strike||Strikes up to its number of heads, each against a different target. These attacks count toward the hydra's multiple attack penalty, but the multiple attack penalty doesn't increase until after the hydra makes all its attacks.
    Name
    Storm of Jaws

Background

Lore

Hydra

VARIANT HYDRAS

Scholars of bestial lore can describe several hydra variations. Though rare, hydras with more than five heads live in very isolated areas, sometimes guarding incredibly powerful artifacts. Explorers who have visited colder swamps and frozen glaciers tell tales of hydras with blue-tinged scales that are immune to the cold and can exhale clouds of icy death. Similar stories describe fiery hydras that breathe gouts of flame and swim in the molten lava of active volcanoes.

Hydras are multiheaded, foul-tempered serpentine beasts with voracious appetites, widely feared for their regeneration abilities.