Hydra Tactics

[Storyteller01]

One of our players is looking to go hunting a hydra. I looked at it's stats and notices many similarities to the croc and giant croc. Same size (for the giant croc anyway), same environ, swim speeds for movement, and it's actually smarter! Not by much, but still...

What's to keep a hydra from hunting in a similar fashion, say keeping its main body underwater while it's heads ambush? It won't get the +10 cover for hiding underwater, but it'll get some bonus. It doesn't have improved grapple, but with that many attacks it could easily compensate for it. Reach also works to its advantage. Then, like the croc, it could drag it into the water for drowning/ripping. It might not be bright enough to stay in the water, but that's for the players to figure out...

Anything I may have missed?

 

[Teflon Billy]

Smart, I like it

 

[Richards]

Also, bear in mind that even with all the heads, it's still (presumably) only got one set of lungs, so it should be able to hold all of its heads but one underwater for an indefinite amount of time. That gives it two options while hunting like a crocodile: keep all of its heads just under the water's surface, leaving only the eyes above (and get the Spot bonus), or submerge all of its heads but one, losing the Spot bonus, but giving its prey one hell of a surprise when all of these other heads pop up once it attacks. (I imagine that would be quite a surprise even to somebody that had spotted the sole head half under the water before the attack.)

Johnathan

 

[Storyteller01]

Also, bear in mind that even with all the heads, it's still (presumably) only got one set of lungs, so it should be able to hold all of its heads but one underwater for an indefinite amount of time. That gives it two options while hunting like a crocodile: keep all of its heads just under the water's surface, leaving only the eyes above (and get the Spot bonus), or submerge all of its heads but one, losing the Spot bonus, but giving its prey one hell of a surprise when all of these other heads pop up once it attacks. (I imagine that would be quite a surprise even to somebody that had spotted the sole head half under the water before the attack.)

Johnathan

The single head also gives the Scent advantage. Possibly use both? Keep one up until they smell prey, then go to the 'hide all but the eyes' tactic?

 

[kigmatzomat]

What's to keep a hydra from hunting in a similar fashion, say keeping its main body underwater while it's heads ambush? It won't get the +10 cover for hiding underwater, but it'll get some bonus. It doesn't have improved grapple, but with that many attacks it could easily compensate for it. Reach also works to its advantage. Then, like the croc, it could drag it into the water for drowning/ripping. It might not be bright enough to stay in the water, but that's for the players to figure out...

Hydras love fighting boats. Assuming the channel is deep enough, they can swim beneath it and then "surround" the boat with their heads. If things get bad they can always consider capsizing it with the bulk of their bodies. Bridges can be used for the same effect.

Consider using a cryohydra of the same CR. Then use the ice breath to kill & freeze the water around prey. Anyone with evasion who's save resulted in no damage landed on top of the ice. I gave the victims penalties equal to being hit by a tanglefoot bag. My house rule was that to use escape artist to wiggle free or a strength check to break the ice required beating a DC equal to the half the cold damage done by the cone (befores save). If they sundered the ice it had 1hp/2 damage dealt and hardness 1. Needless to say, the cryohydra tended to overlap jets of cold to make the ice as thick as possible.


Pyrohydras will use a similar stunt; setting fires in the swamp to drive prey into the streams where they can be attacked at leisure.



Lernian hydras have a particuarly nasty trick: self mutilation. The thing is, when one head gets the idea, the others will ensure it is followed through, even to the originator so I tended to use it only when the lernian hydra was facing a foe that had mauled it pretty bad the first time around.

 

[Mark CMG]

My first kill in RHoD was

Spoiler

with a hydra submerged in a swampy stream near a slippery bridge. Floated over near the bridge, even though the party had seen it was in the area, then popped up

and tore an overly-courageous halfling limb from limb in a thrice.

Mincemeat.

 

[pawsplay]

I sent a hydra against the party that basically bowled over the boat, then starting snapping at the prone characters. However, the party played it very smart, and all took cover behind the fighter. With some rather savage damage dealing, they were able to take it down without severing heads.

 

[frankthedm]

What's to keep a hydra from hunting in a similar fashion, say keeping its main body underwater while it's heads ambush? It won't get the +10 cover for hiding underwater, but it'll get some bonus. It doesn't have improved grapple, but with that many attacks it could easily compensate for it. Reach also works to its advantage. Then, like the croc, it could drag it into the water for drowning/ripping.

Anything I may have missed?

Depending on how you read the Snatch feat it could be great for a hydra. If you read "The creature can choose to start a grapple when it hits with a claw or bite attack, as though it had the improved grab special attack." as seperate from the following sentence, "If the creature gets a hold on a creature three or more sizes smaller, it squeezes each round for automatic bite or claw damage", that means snatch could work on anything smaller than the hydra, but would be even worse on those small size or smaller.

Snatch [General]
Prerequisite
Size Huge or larger.
Benefits: The creature can choose to start a grapple when it hits with a claw or bite attack, as though it had the improved grab special attack. If the creature gets a hold on a creature three or more sizes smaller, it squeezes each round for automatic bite or claw damage. A snatched opponent held in the creature’s mouth is not allowed a Reflex save against the creature’s breath weapon, if it has one.

The creature can drop a creature it has snatched as a free action or use a standard action to fling it aside. A flung creature travels 1d6 × 10 feet, and takes 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet traveled. If the creature flings a snatched opponent while flying, the opponent takes this amount or falling damage, whichever is greater.