Multiple heads and Saves

[orion90000]

A point of ambiguity that has risen up: A sorcerer casts glitterdust on a hydra which failed its saving throw and is henceforth blinded. Should each head have received an individual saving throw? It seemed kinda cheesy to have all the heads go blind. But since it's a Will save and not a Reflex save would this imply that a hydra has a central intelligence or would each head have separate control?

How about an ettin?

 

[Aran Thule]

I would say it effects all the heads, after all they are the same creature.
When cast on a human its effecting multiple eyes anyway.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

By RAW, it just gets one save as near as I can tell. And I think your "because it's a Will, not a Ref save" is an OK rationale for it. And likewise for the ettin, or any other multi-headed monster vs glitterdust. On the other hand, that spell is so powerful that I would certainly consider giving allowing each head a separate save.

Another related question springs to mind, though: the hydra is a huge creature, so what happens if the glitterdust only catches part of the creature's occupied squares in its AoE? Is only a fraction of the heads affected; or are all the heads affected because it's a single creature with a single will save?

 

[Runestar]

Do you let the hydra make multiple will saves when hit with a deep slumber spell?

 

[Dandu]

Also: Would an invisible Large giant who was only partially affected by Glitterdust only have part of his body marked?

 

[Vegepygmy]

By the RAW, it doesn't matter how many heads a creature has, it's still just one creature.

But I think it would be perfectly reasonable to rule the other way.