View source for SRD:Five-Headed Hydra

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=Five-Headed Hydra=

{{3.5e Monster Classic
|style=
|monster= 
|size=Huge |type=Magical Beast 
|hd=5d10+28  |hp=55  
|init=+1 
|speed=20 ft. (4 squares), swim 20 ft. 
|ac=15 (–2 size, +1 [[SRD:Dexterity|Dex]], +6 natural)  |touch=9 |flat=14 
|bab=+5 |grapple=+16 
|at=5 bites +6 melee (1d10+3) 
|full_at=5 bites +6 melee (1d10+3) 
|space=15 ft. |reach=10 ft. 
|sa=— 
|sq=[[SRD:Darkvision|Darkvision]] 60 ft., [[SRD:Fast Healing|fast healing]] 15, [[SRD:Low-Light Vision|low-light vision]], [[SRD:Scent|scent]] 
|fort=+9 |ref=+5 |will=+3 
|str=17 |dex=12 |con=20 |int=2 |wis=10 |cha=9
|skills=[[SRD:Listen Skill|Listen]] +6, [[SRD:Spot Skill|Spot]] +6, [[SRD:Swim Skill|Swim]] +11 
|feats=[[SRD:Combat Reflexes|Combat Reflexes]]{{B}}, [[SRD:Iron Will|Iron Will]], [[SRD:Toughness|Toughness]] 
|env=Temperate marshes<BR>(Pyro: Warm marshes)<BR>(Cryo: Cold marshes) 
|org=Solitary 
|cralt=[[Challenge Rating::4]] (normal);  <BR>[[Challenge Rating::6]] (pyro- or cryo-) 
|treas=1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items 
|align=[[SRD:Neutral|Usually neutral]] 
|adv=— 
|la=— 
}}
Hydras are reptile-like monsters with multiple heads. A hydra is gray-brown to dark brown, with a light yellow or tan underbelly. The eyes are amber and the teeth are yellow-white. It is about 20 feet long and weighs about 4,000 pounds. Hydras do not speak.

===Combat===

Hydras can attack with all their heads at no penalty, even if they move or [[SRD:Charge|charge]] during the [[SRD:Round|round]].

A hydra can be killed either by severing all its heads or by slaying its body. To sever a head, an opponent must make a successful [[SRD:Sunder|sunder]] attempt with a [[SRD:Slashing Weapon|slashing weapon]]. (The player should declare where the attack is aimed before making the [[SRD:Attack Roll|attack roll]].) Making a sunder attempt provokes an [[SRD:Attacks of Opportunity|attack of opportunity]] unless the foe has the [[SRD:Improved Sunder|Improved Sunder]] [[SRD:Feats|feat]]. An opponent can strike at a hydra’s heads from any position in which he could strike at the hydra itself, because the hydra’s head writhe and whip about in combat. An opponent can ready an action to attempt to sunder a hydra’s head when the creature bites at him. Each of a hydra’s heads has [[SRD:Hit Points|hit points]] equal to the creature’s full normal hit point total, divided by its original number of heads. Losing a head deals damage to the body equal to half the head’s full normal [[SRD:Hit Points|hit points]]. A natural reflex seals the neck shut to prevent further blood loss. A hydra can no longer attack with a severed head but takes no other penalties.

Each time a head is severed, two new heads spring from the stump in 1d4 rounds. A hydra can never have more than twice its original number of heads at any one time, and any extra heads it gains beyond its original number wither and die within a day. To prevent a severed head from growing back into two heads, at least 5 points of fire or acid damage must be dealt to the stump (a [[SRD:Touch Attack|touch attack]] to hit) before the new heads appear. A [[SRD:Flaming|flaming]] weapon (or similar effect) deals its energy damage to the stump in the same blow in which a head is severed. Fire or acid damage from an area effect may burn multiple stumps in addition to dealing damage to the hydra’s body. A hydra does not die from losing its heads until all its heads have been cut off and the stumps seared by fire or acid.  

A hydra’s body can be slain just like any other creature’s, but hydras possess [[SRD:Fast Healing|fast healing]] (see below) and are difficult to defeat in this fashion. Any attack that is not (or cannot be) an attempt to sunder a head affects the body.

Targeted magical effects cannot sever a hydra’s heads (and thus must be directed at the body) unless they deal slashing damage and could be used to make sunder attempts.

'''[[SRD:Fast Healing|Fast Healing]] {{Ex}}:''' Each [[SRD:Round|round]], a hydra heals damage equal to 10 + the number of its original heads.  

'''[[SRD:Skills (Creature Statistic)|Skills:]]''' Hydras have a +2 racial bonus on [[SRD:Listen Skill|Listen]] and [[SRD:Spot Skill|Spot]] checks, thanks to their multiple heads.

A hydra has a +8 racial bonus on any [[SRD:Swim Skill|Swim]] check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a [[SRD:Swim Skill|Swim]] check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

'''[[SRD:Feats (Creature Statistic)|Feats:]]''' A hydra’s [[SRD:Combat Reflexes|Combat Reflexes]] [[SRD:Feats|feat]] allows it to use all its heads for [[SRD:Attacks of Opportunity|attacks of opportunity]].

===PYROHYDRA===
Huge [[SRD:Magical Beast Type|Magical Beast]] ({{Property Link|Subtype|SRD:Fire Subtype|Fire}})

These reddish hydras can breathe jets of fire 10 feet high, 10 feet wide, and 20 feet long. All heads breathe once every 1d4 rounds. Each jet deals 3d6 points of fire damage per head. A successful [[SRD:Saving Throw|Reflex save]] halves the damage. The save [[SRD:DC|DC]] is 10 + 1/2 hydra’s original number of heads + hydra’s [[SRD:Constitution|Con]] modifier.

Fire attacks cannot prevent a pyrohydra’s stump from growing new heads (since a pyrohydra has immunity to fire), but 5 points of cold damage does.

===CRYOHYDRA===
Huge [[SRD:Magical Beast Type|Magical Beast]] ({{Property Link|Subtype|SRD:Cold Subtype|Cold}})

These purplish hydras can breathe jets of frost 10 feet high, 10 feet wide, and 20 feet long. All heads breathe once every 1d4 rounds. Each jet deals 3d6 points of cold damage per head. A successful [[SRD:Saving Throw|Reflex save]] halves the damage. The save [[SRD:DC|DC]] is 10 + 1/2 hydra’s original number of heads + hydra’s [[SRD:Constitution|Con]] modifier.

Cold attacks cannot prevent a cryohydra’s stump from growing new heads (since a cryohydra has immunity to cold), but 5 points of fire damage does.

'''See Wikipedia Entry:''' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lernaean_Hydra Lernaean Hydra]


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{{SRD Creature Breadcrumb}}
{{OGL Bottom|part of the Revised (v.3.5) System Reference Document|SRD}}
[[Category:SRD]]
[[Category:OGL]]
[[Category:Monster]]
Alignment	Usually neutral +
Challenge Rating	4 + and 6 +
Environment	Temperate marshes (Pyro: Warm marshes) (Cryo: Cold marshes) +
Level Adjustment	— +
Size	Huge +
Subtype	Fire + and Cold +
Title	Five-Headed Hydra +
Type	Magical Beast +