hydra

[Azilrro]

ok im planing an encounter against a hydra, the porblem is that the party is only lvl 2 and im afraid it might be tough for them, so should i wait for them to get to lvl3 or uleash the multiheaded terror now?

i might also add that two of my players are relatively new(been playing for less than a year) the other two are completly new (next sesion will be their third) just puting this out there beacause their lack of experience might influence your feedback
thanks

[lord of rabbits]

you could have them see a group of warriors try to fight it and die so they go a quest to gain more power to defeat it.

[Charon's Little Helper]

If you're worried - just drop it down to 3 heads - reducing attacks/nat armor etc in the reverse of when heads are added.

[Errant Mercenary]

Perhaps have someone with them who sunders the heads, then dies, to show them how it is done? Hopefully not the dying part too.

[Dave Justus]

If one of your PCs is a shield champion brawler they should be good to go. Those guys specialize in hydra killing.

[DM_Blake]

A good group of level one warriors with no adventuring class levels could kill a hydra fairly easily, probably with no casualties, if they have ranged weapons. It has a speed of only 20 feet so they can stay away from it and, when they're far enough away (more than 40') they can take shots at it and eventually kill it. If they can hit it often enough that their damage overcomes its Fast Healing.

Hydras are only dangerous in enclosed spaces. Or when fools rush in with swords.

That said, this is a fairly inexperienced group so maybe they won't know that.

That said, a CR 4 encounter should not be too bad for 2nd level characters. Not even an epic encounter, just a hard one. Hopefully they don't all rush in with swords; that will lead to PC deaths. But given a balanced party of 4 2nd level characters with some ranged attacks, some spells, and maybe one guy to keep the hydra busy and one healer to keep him alive, this is a winnable encounter even if they don't kill it at range with bows.

[Mathius]

If the hydra gets a full attack it is very likely to down 2nd level character even if it is a tank. On the other hand it only has +3 will save. Color spray combined with CdG will end this one real fast.

A second level party might need a little warning in order to defeat a hydra but there are many ways 2nd level party can take this guy down.

It only has +6 to hit so a prepared tank can deal with him for long time.
Full plate + large shield + dex is AC 22. If the tank fights defensively that will mean an 18 needed to hit.

It speed allows kiting.

It is only animal intelligent so you can lure it into a trap.

Its AC is low enough that a party of bruisers may be able to overwhelm it.

[kestral287]

I'd base the decision on party makeup.

What I'd do to Fighter/Monk/Rogue/Blaster Sorcerer is very different from what I'd do to Barbarian/Oracle/Wizard/Magus. So, what's your party using?

[Azilrro]

DM_Blake wrote:

A good group of level one warriors with no adventuring class levels could kill a hydra fairly easily, probably with no casualties, if they have ranged weapons. It has a speed of only 20 feet so they can stay away from it and, when they're far enough away (more than 40') they can take shots at it and eventually kill it. If they can hit it often enough that their damage overcomes its Fast Healing.

Hydras are only dangerous in enclosed spaces. Or when fools rush in with swords.

That said, this is a fairly inexperienced group so maybe they won't know that.

That said, a CR 4 encounter should not be too bad for 2nd level characters. Not even an epic encounter, just a hard one. Hopefully they don't all rush in with swords; that will lead to PC deaths. But given a balanced party of 4 2nd level characters with some ranged attacks, some spells, and maybe one guy to keep the hydra busy and one healer to keep him alive, this is a winnable encounter even if they don't kill it at range with bows.

well the encounter would be in what once was a kobold warren and the party composition isnt exactly optimal(fighter,mounted paladin,rogue and bard)it could be an interesting fight but 5 attacks + pounce could end up being a really deadly encounter

[kestral287]

Yeah. Knock it down to three or four heads. That should be good.

[Lamontius]

(hail hydra)

[Mathius]

When I design encounters I wan the boss to be able to to down the tank with 1 full attack. Anything less then that and it it not enough of a threat to them. They almost always are successful in preventing the full attack from happening but the that expenditure often lets the caster get off a spell or two before dieing.

[Ms. Pleiades]

Dave Justus wrote:

If one of your PCs is a shield champion brawler they should be good to go. Those guys specialize in hydra killing.

I understood that reference.

[MrCharisma]

Ms. Pleiades wrote:

Dave Justus wrote:

If one of your PCs is a shield champion brawler they should be good to go. Those guys specialize in hydra killing.

I understood that reference.

I understood it as soon as you said that =P

Edit: Oh BAM with the double joke ... didn't even notice that one! ... Nice! (I'm on the ball today)

[MrCharisma]

Mathius wrote:

It is only animal intelligent so you can lure it into a trap.

I like this idea. The encounter doesn't have to be about killing it, just neutralising the threat. Maybe chase/lure it out to sea, or back into the mountains or whatever.

[Matthew Downie]

A hydra is as dangerous as the GM wants it to be. If it pounce-ambushes out of a lake, focuses all its attacks on one PC, then swims away to fast heal back to full, they're very hard to beat for low-level groups. One that chases them at 20 foot speed while they hit it with ranged attacks is likely to be less of a problem.

Or you could use one of these:

One-headed Hydra (CR 1)
AC 11, touch 9, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex, +2 natural, –2 size)
HP 7 (1d10+2); fast healing 5
Speed 20 ft., swim 20 ft. Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Melee 1 bites +2 (1d8+3)
Pounce