D&D 4E Why I hate the Hydra: —and other dumbed down 4E monsters—

[Grazzt]

Monster stats don't even do that much now anyways, as the bonuses are based on a formula.

Yeppers. Except for a couple of things that they influence (like skills, initiative, Perception, and hit points), you could almost roll them back to pre-3.x days where they didnt even have ability scores.

 

[Surgoshan]

I remember a very memorable 2e fight against a five-headed hydra. Two third level fighters, third level bard, second/fourth level mage/thief, and a second/third level mage/cleric. The fighters (specialized) went up and walloped the big snakey bastard. The bard unleashed a magic missile. The two mage/others tried some ineffectual spells with saving throws. The hydra bit a fighter. A fighter walloped it. The bard unleashed another magic missile. The hydra was dead.

The hydra at its most basic was always just a big bag of hitpoints. Calm yerself.

 

[Felon]

On a similar tangent, I notice they completely stripped away any of the raskshasa's vulnerability to blessed weapons, and instead threw in some fluff text about the rakshasa reforming months or years later unless killed with a special blessed weapon.

Which I guess I kinda like, since it gives you that "bad penny" villain who you keep thinking is dead once and for all.

 

[Tenebras]

Wrong wrong WRONG!

Monsters are nothing more than big bags of XP. The bag itself is made of HPs. Once you chop through all those pesky hit points you get to the warm and gooey XP center.

This is, of course, an easy mistake to make.

 

[Grazzt]

Wrong wrong WRONG!

Monsters are nothing more than big bags of XP. The bag itself is made of HPs. Once you chop through all those pesky hit points you get to the warm and gooey XP center.

This is, of course, an easy mistake to make.

All these years and I guess I've been looking at 'em wrong.

 

[Rechan]

and instead threw in some fluff text about the rakshasa reforming months or years later unless killed with a special blessed weapon.

That actually popped up first in Eberron stuff.

You know, it's funny how things persist. For instance, the "Blessed Crossbow Bolt" business? No where in mythology. It actually came from an episode of "Kolchek, the Nighthunter" because Kolchek shot a Rakshasa with a crossbow.

Which I guess I kinda like, since it gives you that "bad penny" villain who you keep thinking is dead once and for all.

If you want to be extra sneaky, add a little more complexity to it. Have each Rakshasa associated with a "Line", and each "Line" has a specific way to kill it which you must research or cajole out of other sources. For instance, one might require "A knife dipped in a widow's tears" "A rock pulled from a churchyard", "Show reflection in a mirror kissed by a virgin", etc. Once they're tagged with their weakness, all damage is final.

 

[Grazzt]

If you want to be extra sneaky, add a little more complexity to it. Have each Rakshasa associated with a "Line", and each "Line" has a specific way to kill it which you must research or cajole out of other sources. For instance, one might require "A knife dipped in a widow's tears" "A rock pulled from a churchyard", etc.

Slick idea, Rechan.

 

[Blackeagle]

I can't believe nobody's posted a link to the definitive hyra fight yet.

 

[I'm A Banana]

The 4e MM makes so many horrible horrible decisions in the name of "playability" that it actually makes 4e almost unplayable for me.

...almost.

 

[frankthedm]

The 4e MM makes so many horrible horrible decisions in the name of "playability" that it actually makes 4e almost unplayable for me.

...almost.

Well, I hear the leaked version is not the final version, so there is a ray of hope.

2) The hydra was a much more complicated monster but they cut the complex ability as they thought most people wouldn't appreciate the complexity. I'm hoping wotc will post the stats for what they cut at some point.

You'll see them when the next edition roles around, 4dvanced Dungeons and Dragons.