Do Hydras Lay Eggs?

[Erik Mona]

Do hydras lay eggs? If so, can someone point me to an official reference that says so? I've looked and looked, and I can't find a reference.

Thanks!

--Erik Mona
Editor-in-Chief
Dragon & Dungeon

 

[BOZ]

i don't see why not.

did they ever have an Ecology Of... article?

 

[Mark CMG]

I see no reference to eggs (or live birth) in any of the editions. Maybe in a mag article or supplement but not in a core book. Being reptilian (assumably), I'd go with eggs rather than live birth.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

My wife now wants a hydra egg.

As far as the original myths go, I thought the hydra was entirely serpentine and sort of birthed whole-cloth from the mother of monsters. I've never even considered "little hydras" in-game before. I always just sort of figured they were placed there fully grown by some sort of evil diety.

--fje

 

[der_kluge]

I would think so. Aren't they a subrace of dragon? Do they have a dragon subtype? (is there a dragon subtype?)

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

There's a whole Dragon TYPE ... it's Dungeons and Dragons, after all.

But Hydras are Magical Beasts. Pretty much similar only in that they're reptilian in general structure. Quadrupedal, scaled, long carnivore head(s).

--fje

 

[Sejs]

They're reptilian. I'd assume eggs.

 

[demiurge1138]

Well, a lot of snakes do give birth to live young... but I like the image of a clutch of hydra eggs.

And why aren't they dragons, anyway?

Demiurge out.

 

[James Jacobs]

Well, a lot of snakes do give birth to live young... but I like the image of a clutch of hydra eggs.

And why aren't they dragons, anyway?

Demiurge out.

I assume hydras aren't dragons for the same reason a war troll isn't a giant and a roper isn't an aberration and a derro isn't a humanoid (therefore... tough luck for those adventures that want to feature derro liches).

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I assume hydras aren't dragons for the same reason a war troll isn't a giant and a roper isn't an aberration and a derro isn't a humanoid (therefore... tough luck for those adventures that want to feature derro liches).

If ever there was a reason for Rule Zero, derro liches are it.

(Of course, when it comes to a Dungeon magazine featuring derro liches, I guess said adventure would need to be accompanied by a quasi-lich template or something.)