monster Hydra
Monster Hydra
The Lernaean Hydra was an ancient nameless serpent-like chthonic water beast that possessed numerous heads and poisonous breath. The Hydra of Lerna was killed by Heracles as one of his twelve Labours. Its lair was the lake of Lerna in the Argolid. Beneath the waters was an entrance to the Underworld, and the Hydra was its guardian.
The Hydra was the offspring of Typhon and Echidna, noisome offspring of the earth goddess, Gaia. It was said to be the sibling of the Nemean Lion, the Chimaera and Cerberus.
Upon reaching the swamp near Lake Lerna, where the Hydra dwelt, Heracles covered his mouth and nose with a cloth to protect himself from the poisonous fumes and fired flaming arrows into its lair, the spring of Amymone, to draw it out. He then confronted it, wielding a harvesting sickle upon cutting off each of its heads he found that two grew back.
Realising that he could not defeat the Hydra in this way, Heracles called on his nephew Iolaus for help. His nephew then came upon the idea (possibly inspired by Athena) of using a burning firebrand to scorch the neck stumps after decapitation, and handed him the blazing brand. Heracles cut off each head and Iolaus burned the open stump leaving the hydra dead; its one immortal head Heracles placed under a great rock, and dipped his arrows in the Hydra’s poisonous blood, and so his second task was complete.
After the Hydra
Heracles later used an arrow dipped in the Hydra’s poison blood to kill the centaur Nessus; and Nessus’s tainted blood applied to the Tunic of Nessus eventually killed Heracles himself.
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.
| Five-Headed Hydra | Six-Headed Hydra | Seven-Headed Hydra | |
| Huge magical beast | Huge magical beast | Huge magical beast | |
| Hit Dice | 5d10+28 (55 hp) | 6d10+33 (66 hp) | 7d10+38 (77 hp) |
| Initiative | +1 | +1 | +1 |
| Speed | 20 ft. (4 squares), Swim 20 ft. | 20 ft. (4 squares), Swim 20 ft. | 20 ft. (4 squares), Swim 20 ft. |
| Armor Class | 15 (-2 size, +1 Dexterity, +6 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 14 | 16 (-2 size, +1 Dexterity, +7 natural), touch 9, flat footed 15 | 17 (-2 size, +1 Dexterity, +8 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 16 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +5/+16 | +6/+17 | +7/+19 |
| Attack | 5 bites +6 melee (1d10+3) | 6 bites +8 melee (1d10+3) | 7 bites +10 melee (1d10+4) |
| Full Attack | 5 bites +6 melee (1d10+3) | 6 bites +8 melee (1d10+3) | 7 bites +10 melee (1d10+4) |
| Space/Reach | 15 ft./10 ft. | 15 ft./10 ft. 1 | 5 ft./10 ft. |
| Special Attacks | – | – | – |
| Special Qualities | Darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 15, Low-Light Vision, Scent | Darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 16, Low-Light Vision, Scent | Darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 17, Low-Light Vision, Scent |
| Saves | Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +3 | Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +4 | Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +4 |
| Abilities | Strength 17, Dexterity 12, Constitution 20, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 10, Charisma 9 | Strength 17, Dexterity 12, Constitution 20, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 10, Charisma 9 | Strength 19, Dexterity 12, Constitution 20, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 10, Charisma 9 |
| Skills | Listen+6, Spot +6, Swim +11 | Listen +6, Spot +7, Swim +11 | Listen +7, Spot +7, Swim +12 |
| Feats | Combat ReflexesB, Iron Will, Toughness | Combat ReflexesB, Iron Will, Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite) | Combat ReflexesB , Iron Will, Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite) |
| Environment | Temperate marshes(Pyro: Warm marshes) (Cryo: Cold marshes) | Temperate marshes (Pyro: Warm marshes) (Cryo: Cold marshes) | Temperate marshes (Pyro: Warm marshes) (Cryo: Cold marshes) |
| Organization | Solitary | Solitary | Solitary |
| Challenge Rating | 4 (normal); 6 (pyro- or cryo-) | 5 (normal); 7 (pyro- or cryo-) | 6 (normal); 8 (pyro- or cryo-) |
| Treasure | 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items | 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items | 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items |
| Alignment | Usually neutral | Usually neutral | Usually neutral |
| Advancement | – | – | – |
| Level Adjustment | – | – | – |
| Eight-Headed Hydra | Nine-Headed Hydra | Ten-Headed Hydra | |
| Huge magical beast | Huge magical beast | Huge magical beast | |
| Hit Dice | 8d10+43 (87 hp) | 9d10+48 (97 hp) | 10d10+53 (108 hp) |
| Initiative | +1 | +1 | +1 |
| Speed | 20 ft. (4 squares), Swim 20 ft. | 20 ft. (4 squares), Swim 20 ft. | 20 ft. (4 squares), Swim 20 ft. |
| Armor Class | 18 (-2 size, +1 Dexterity, +9 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 17 | 19 (-2 size, +1 Dexterity, +10 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 18 | 20 (-2 size, +1 Dexterity, +11 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 19 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +8/+20 | +9/+22 | +10/+23 |
| Attack | 8 bites +11 melee (1d10+4) | 9 bites +13 melee (1d10+5) | 10 bites +14 melee (1d10+5) |
| Full Attack | 8 bites +11 melee (1d10+4) | 9 bites +13 melee (1d10+5) | 10 bites +14 melee (1d10+5) |
| Space/Reach | 15 ft./10 ft. | 15 ft./10 ft. | 15 ft./10 ft. |
| Special Attacks | – | – | – |
| Special Qualities | Darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 18, Low-Light Vision, Scent | Darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 19, Low-Light Vision, Scent | Darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 20, Low-Light Vision, Scent |
| Saves | Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +4 | Fort +11,Ref +7, Will +5 | Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +3 |
| Abilities | Strength 19, Dexterity 12, Constitution 20, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 10, Charisma 9 | Strength 21, Dexterity 12, Constitution 20, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 10, Charisma 9 | Strength 21, Dexterity 12, Constitution 20, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 10, Charisma 9 |
| Skills | Listen +7, Spot +8, Swim +12 | Listen +8, Spot +8, Swim +13 | Listen +8, Spot +9, Swim +13 |
| Feats | Combat ReflexesB , Iron Will, Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite) | Blind-Fight, Combat ReflexesB, Iron Will, Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite) | Blind-Fight, Combat ReflexesB, Iron Will, Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite) |
| Environment | Temperate marshes | Temperate marshes | Temperate marshes |
| Organization | Solitary | Solitary | Solitary |
| Challenge Rating | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Treasure | 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items | 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items | 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items |
| Alignment | Usually neutral | Usually neutral | Usually neutral |
| Advancement | – | – | – |
| Level Adjustment | – | – | – |
| Eleven-Headed Hydra | Twelve-Headed Hydra | ||
| Huge magical beast | Huge magical beast | ||
| Hit Dice | 11d10+58 (118 hp) | 12d10+63 (129 hp) | |
| Initiative | +1 | +1 | |
| Speed | 20 ft. (4 squares), Swim 20 ft. | 20 ft. (4 squares), Swim 20 ft. | |
| Armor Class | 21 (-2 size, +1 Dexterity, +12 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 20 | 22 (-2 size, +1 Dexterity, +13 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 21 | |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +11/+25 | +12/+26 | |
| Attack | 11 bites +16 melee (1d10+6) | 12 bites +17 melee (2d8+6) | |
| Full Attack | 11 bites +16 melee (1d10+6) | 12 bites +17 melee (2d8+6) | |
| Space/Reach | 15 ft./10 ft. | 15 ft./10 ft. | |
| Special Attacks | – | – | |
| Special Qualities | Darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 21, Low-Light Vision, Scent | Darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 22, Low-Light Vision, Scent | |
| Saves | Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +5 | Fort +13, Ref +9, Will +6 | |
| Abilities | Strength 23, Dexterity 12, Constitution 20, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 10, Charisma 9 | Strength 23, Dexterity 12, Constitution 20, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 10, Charisma 9 | |
| Skills | Listen +9, Spot +9, Swim +14 | Listen +9, Spot +10, Swim +14 | |
| Feats | Blind-Fight, Combat ReflexesB, Iron Will, Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite) | Blind-Fight, Combat ReflexesB , Improved Natural Attack (bite), Iron Will, Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite) | |
| Environment | Temperate marshes | Temperate marshes | |
| Organization | Solitary | Solitary | |
| Challenge Rating | 10 | 11 | |
| Treasure | 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items | 1/10 coins; 50% goods; 50% items | |
| Alignment | Usually neutral | Usually neutral | |
| Advancement | – | – | |
| Level Adjustment | – | – |
Combat
Hydras can attack with all their heads at no penalty, even if they move or charge during the 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 sunder attempt with a slashing weapon. (The player should declare where the attack is aimed before making the attack roll.) Making a sunder attempt provokes an attack of opportunity unless the foe has the Improved Sunder 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 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 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 touch attack to hit) before the new heads appear. A 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 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.
Fast Healing (Ex) Each round, a hydra heals damage equal to 10 + the number of its original heads.
Skills Hydras have a +2 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks, thanks to their multiple heads.
A hydra has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
Feats A hydra’s Combat Reflexes feat allows it to use all its heads for attacks of opportunity.
Sources and Edition Notes
D&D 3.5e: The existing multi-head table (five through twelve heads) and its detailed decapitation, regeneration and fast-healing mechanics derive from the D&D 3.5e System Reference Document — Hydra. Those mechanical rules and statistics are Open Game Content under OGL 1.0a. The Greek Lernaean-Hydra legend, its accompanying historical painting and the campaign presentation are separate from this stat block and are not offered as OGL content.
Other editions: This older page does not yet provide separately checked D&D 2024, D&D 2014, or Pathfinder 1e stat blocks. Do not use the head-sundering table as if it were the 2024 edition’s rules. The revised Hydra entry should preserve the existing detailed 3.5e eight-variant table rather than replacing it with a shorter modern version.
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