Are unexpected hydras unbeatable?

[Seeten]

The barbarian, of course, also had an AC of something akin to 6, and got beat up as bad as he dished it out, generally. LOL.

 

[amethal]

Bah, a hydra is nothing vs. my greater-spell-focused phantasmal killer!

Our party disintegrated the last one they met.

 

[KarinsDad]

My Barbarian at level 7 was swinging twice for 1d12 + 20(+12 str,+2 weapon spec, +6 power attack) and more if there was flanking, all additional combat bonuses always turned into power attack. My attack bonus was quite large, hitting AC 15 was certainly a very large likelihood. Anything with 55 hp was gonna die FAST, and I saw things die in the first and second swing often. He was not that much worse at 4 and 5, either.

At level 4, he either was not a Barbarian, or he did not have Weapon Specialization without a house rule.

 

[lukelightning]

Our party disintegrated the last one they met.

I love to make DM's cry like this. "Behold my super killer 9-headed hydra!" *ZAP* "um, behold my 9-headed pile of dust!"

This is assuming, of course, the DM isn't one of those cheating rats who's BBEG's never seem to fail their saves. (note: I am blessed by an awesome DM who would never do this).

 

[Infiniti2000]

I love to make DM's cry like this. "Behold my super killer 9-headed hydra!" *ZAP* "um, behold my 9-headed pile of dust!"

This is assuming, of course, the DM isn't one of those cheating rats who's BBEG's never seem to fail their saves.

A hydra will survive the damage from a disintegration even on a failed save. Of course, if your 11th-level party (minimum) is going after CR8 monsters, you should mop the floor with them. But, the 9-headed beastie will still survive the disintegration (not including other damage of course).

 

[amethal]

A hydra will survive the damage from a disintegration even on a failed save. Of course, if your 11th-level party (minimum) is going after CR8 monsters, you should mop the floor with them. But, the 9-headed beastie will still survive the disintegration (not including other damage of course).

Not much survives 30d6 damage.

It wasn't EL8; it was a 9 headed pyro-hydra with a customised (increased area of effect and potency) breath weapon, which attacked a three character party from ambush.

Anyway, the original poster didn't specify beating the hydra in a fair fight

 

[lukelightning]

This is why my dungeons always have signs up, e.g. Warning: Unexpected Hydras.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Not much survives 30d6 damage.

30d6 on average is only 105hp. A 10-headed pyrohydra has 108hp on average. One would assume that if you modify a CR10 9-headed pyrohydra to fight a 15th-level wizard, you would increase it's hit points somewhat. Either way, the hydra's clearly in way over his heads.

 

[lukelightning]

Wizard casts disintegrate, knocks the hydra down to 3 hitpoints.

Annoying rogue throws a dagger and kills the hydra, then shouts "woo hoo I killed the beast, hooray for me I rule the rest of you losers suck!!!!"

 

[KarinsDad]

This is assuming, of course, the DM isn't one of those cheating rats who's BBEG's never seem to fail their saves.

This is why I roll all attack, damage, and save rolls in front of the group. When I roll 3 20s in a row, they can only accuse me of being a cheating rat who uses weighed dice.