Pyrohydra's breath weapon?

[Flyspeck23]

Parsing sentences, are we?

As the first sentence in the SRD quote says "jets" (note the plural), and the second sentence says "each jet.....per head" (note the singular), I'd say they meant: "One jet per head, for a total of 6 jets for a 6-headed pyrohydra."

The bit about "All heads breathe once every 1d4 rounds." is in there just to simplify bookkeeping, IMHO. After all, do you really want to roll randomly for each head? ..and then keep track of that? Ouch.

But wouldn't the "per head" part in "Each jet deals 3d6 points of fire damage per head." a little redundant, because each jet is always (by your interpretation) produced by a single head?

 

[Nail]

But wouldn't the "per head" part in "Each jet deals 3d6 points of fire damage per head." a little redundant, because each jet is always (by your interpretation) produced by a single head?

Ah...I see what's tripping you up. The confusion stems from all of the prepositional phrases. The mistake is here:

The "per head" further clarifies "3d6 points", not "Each jet". (Simplify the sentence: "Each....deals....3d6 points....")

 

[Flyspeck23]

Ah...I see what's tripping you up. The confusion stems from all of the prepositional phrases. The mistake is here:

The "per head" further clarifies "3d6 points", not "Each jet". (Simplify the sentence: "Each....deals....3d6 points....")

That's not simplifying, that's getting rid of vital information
In effect, you're repeating the sentence and leave the bit we're arguing about out.

I agree with you: "per head" clarifies "3d6 points". Compare the following:
You either believe the hydra produces one powerful jet with 3d6 points per head - or the hydra can breathe one jet per head which each do 3d6 points. Notice the difference? We're only talking multiple jets (one per head) if "per head" clarifies the "each jet" (and not "3d6 points").

Granted, the wording is far from clear. But my own interpretation brings me closer to the "one powerful jet" camp.

 

[Camarath]

I agree with you: "per head" clarifies "3d6 points". Compare the following:
You either believe the hydra produces one powerful jet with 3d6 points per head - or the hydra can breathe one jet per head which each do 3d6 points. Notice the difference? We're only talking multiple jets (one per head) if "per head" clarifies the "each jet" (and not "3d6 points").

I believe another view point is possible.

I think that the first two sentences in this section are the ones that provide for one jet per head. Sentence one provides for multiple jets because it uses the plural jets not the singular jet and sentence two provides for all heads breathing i.e. producing jets thus one jet per head. I believe the third sentence deals with how much damage each of the jets do. My reading of the third sentence is each jet does 3d6 time the number of heads. That coupled with my interpretation of the first two sentences makes me think that this section may actually provide for a number of jets equal to the number of heads and that each jet does damage equal to 3d6 time the number of heads. So for example a 5-Headed Pyrohydra would have 5 jets and each would do 15d6 damage.

This is probaly far to powerful of an interpretation but I believe it to be closest to what is written in the ability.

 

[Flyspeck23]

I believe another view point is possible.

I think that the first two sentences in this section are the ones that provide for one jet per head. Sentence one provides for multiple jets because it uses the plural jets not the singular jet and sentence two provides for all heads breathing i.e. producing jets thus one jet per head. I believe the third sentence deals with how much damage each of the jets do. My reading of the third sentence is each jet does 3d6 time the number of heads. That coupled with my interpretation of the first two sentences makes me think that this section may actually provide for a number of jets equal to the number of heads and that each jet does damage equal to 3d6 time the number of heads. So for example a 5-Headed Pyrohydra would have 5 jets and each would do 15d6 damage.

This is probaly far to powerful of an interpretation but I believe it to be closest to what is written in the ability.

By the wording of the rules this might really be it. On the other hand the amount of punishing such a pyrohydra can dish out is mindboggling. In effect it would deal 15d6 damage per round (and then some), potentially to every opponent (area and saves not taken into account).
"Run for your lives! It's a pyrohydra! We won't last 20 seconds against that beast!" - "That freakin' DM again; throws a pyrohydra at us, and we aren't even in the epic levels..."

 

[Camarath]

"That freakin' DM again; throws a pyrohydra at us, and we aren't even in the epic levels..."

I know my players would just love it if they were to face a CR 13 creature the potential for 432d6 damage in one round.

 

[Nightfall]

Actually I was thinking of having 7th level wizard cast melf's acid arrows elementally substituted with cold.

 

[Uriel]

So with a 7th level cleric, there's no way the hydra's energy attack can harm you.

Feat
Take That Godboy!(best yelled Anime-Style)

Prereq: Cryo or Pyro Hydra, 5+ Heads. Must have had the spell Resistance (Any version) ruin your day at one point.

Benefit:When faced by a Cleric of at least 7th Level (or a lower level Cleric or Rogue/Bard with the appropriate level Scroll), you may combine your natural Breath Weapons into one massive strike, totalling all damage into one attack.

A little known variant of this spell, entitled Take That!You Tree-Huggin' Hippy! works against Druids...