Attacking a Hydra's Heads

[Hypersmurf]

Not 3.0e Learnean hydras. It was impossible to harm the body of a Learnean hydra. . . .

Then fireball is a waste of time until you've got some stumps to fry...

-Hyp.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I didn't get that from the MM. Check the FAQ, didn't see any mention there. What's the basis for not dealing any damage to the body? {Not challenging you, but would like to be ready if/when my players challenge me }

"Excess damage is wasted".

If the head can be severed by a slashing attack dealing ten damage, and you deal fifteen damage, the hydra doesn't take fifteen damage. It specifically notes that anything above ten is wasted.

So there's no direct connection between damage dealt to a head and damage dealt to the body.

If you deal less than ten slashing damage to a head - say seven damage twice in a row - the head is not severed. It makes no sense that in this case, the hydra would take fourteen damage, but the more powerful blow would only deal it ten... so again, logically, there is no connection between damage to the head and damage to the body.

Non-slashing damage to a head is pointless.

-Hyp.