Half-dragon hydra

[frankthedm]

Figure flyby attack is limited to one bite per pass, which means it won't be dishing out *that* much hurt?

Not for a hydra...

Hydras can attack with all their heads at no penalty, even if they move or charge during the round.

 

[Lord Zardoz]

Assuming you go with the literal interpretation of the rules and allow the Hydra to use a Flyby Attack with each head, you ought to kick up the CR alot more than what the basic template calls for. The Hydra multi-attack while moving is not such a big deal on land, it just denies the players the use of a Full Attack in melee. But if the creature is flying, then it becomes a hit and run monster that completely negates melee, and AoO.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[frankthedm]

Assuming you go with the literal interpretation of the rules and allow the Hydra to use a Flyby Attack with each head, you ought to kick up the CR alot more than what the basic template calls for. The Hydra multi-attack while moving is not such a big deal on land, it just denies the players the use of a Full Attack in melee. But if the creature is flying, then it becomes a hit and run monster that completely negates melee, and AoO.

END COMMUNICATION

And hit and run makes the Hydra's regen and regrow much, much worse.

 

[Zelc]

Yes, that is a very important question.

Red-cryo or White-pyro is cheating.

Blue-Pyro is pretty cruel if the party only has Core atatck spells.

Green or black means the ONLY way to sear the stumps is with the Dracohyra's weakness.

Oh come on, it has nothing on the Half-Red Dragon Half-Blue Dragon Half-Green Dragon Half-White Dragon Bat Swarm .

Got sonic damage?

 

[blargney the second]

After the template, the dracohydra's going to have Attack: 5 bites +10 (2d6+7) that it can use on a Flyby.

Party composition (all 6th level):
Human hexblade/knight - has natural 10' reach, can enlarge person 1/day, focused largely on debuffs.
Elf rogue/fighter - TWF, double scimitar, SA, passable with a bow.
Xeph swordsage/fighter - amazing mobility, dishes out quite a bit of damage in melee and short range, has reach weapon.

There are also a couple of NPCs on the ship that will assist them in various ways, most notably a warforged artificer that they depetrified in Tamoachan and a gnome druid that heals them with a wand. There are a couple of decent archer NPCs as well.
-blarg

 

[Lord Zardoz]

After the template, the dracohydra's going to have Attack: 5 bites +10 (2d6+7) that it can use on a Flyby.

Party composition (all 6th level):
Human hexblade/knight - has natural 10' reach, can enlarge person 1/day, focused largely on debuffs.
Elf rogue/fighter - TWF, double scimitar, SA, passable with a bow.
Xeph swordsage/fighter - amazing mobility, dishes out quite a bit of damage in melee and short range, has reach weapon.

If you push the encounter as hard as you can, you have a TPK, I think. Assuming AC's around 20, the Hydra can essentially kill one PC every 2 rounds. The Hexblade/Knight and swordsage / Ftr might do ok if they ready an action to sunder a head on each flyby, but I have my doubts. The Swordsage's awesome melee abilities will not really count for much if you spam the flyby attack. Your Rog/Ftr will probably do OK with his bow, but the fast healing will eclipse that damage, especially if you purposfully fall back and heal when you start to take serious damage.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[blargney the second]

Their ACs are generally pretty decent for their level: hexblade is 24, rogue is 19, and swordsage is 12. I think you're right about the TPK though, because the best Con in the group is 13...

I've applied the non-elite array to drop Str & Dex by 2 and raise Int and Wis by 2. It's now: AC 18, hp 65, 5 bites +9 (2d6+6). It's also got Int 6, which means it's certainly smart enough to use a good tactic like this.
-blarg

 

[Artoomis]

Players will ALWAYS surprise you at how well they do.

Plus, Fly-By attack is not the same as Spring Attack - the critter STILL provokes an AoO - if you can reach it.

Of course, it is also limited by its low mobility, too. It does have low mobility. right? Improved Speed does not up a ability class, does it?

Be sure to use the flying rules properly - I am not even sure it will be able to attack every round - it might only be able to wheel around and set up for an attack that comes every other round, making it easier for the players to maybe heal a little or try to adjust positioning or something between attacks.

"Average" flight means 40' flight (double land speed per Half-Dragon template) improved by Improved Speed to ?? (I do not have a reference for that).

Anyway, it takes 20' of its movement rate to turn 180 degrees, and I would think it would want to fly past its enemies a fair distance before turning around, meaning probably 1 attack every other round.

Also keep in mind it won't be going up and down much (too costly on movement), so likely will make straight runs using Fly-by attack to gain five bites at a 10' reach. (I hope the PCs have reach weapons.) Its attacks will be very predictable, making readied actions much more effective than they are normally.

This will frustrate the players for sure (that's a GOOD thing!), but it is up to them to figure out good tactics to defeat it. There are lots of ways.

After they beat it, and I have no doubt they will, they will be justifiably proud of themselves for winning a tough fight.

Given this Hydra's mobility, the players would be well-advised to focus on killing the body rather than severing heads, but it is up to them to figure this out.

 

[blargney the second]

Two of the characters have reach capabilities, so it won't be avoiding AoOs completely. Heck, the hexblade can even get 25' reach if he uses his longspear and enlarge person with his Inhuman Reach.

Improved Speed bumps its flight speed by 20' and all other speeds by 10'. Its maneuverability is still only average, so it will be doing looping flybys, and just healing up between passes. Since it's got Swim 30', I'm debating having it do a loop under the ship's hull at some point just for fun. I think it might do a diving charge at some point if things are looking too easy for the PCs.
-blarg

 

[blargney the second]

That was a fun and very tough fight. The swordsage died from wounds caused by excessive bravery and atrocious rolls. The hydra ended up being decapitated by the hexblade/knight buffed to the gills by the artificer NPC they had depetrified in Tamoachan. When enlarged he had 15' natural reach which was enough to avoid the AoOs he would have provoked from sundering.