LERNAEAN HYDRA- GIANT
Role: Hero-Killing Monster
PL 12 (140)
STRENGTH 11
STAMINA 12
AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 9
DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4
AWARENESS 1
PRESENCE -3
Skills:
Expertise (Survival) 4 (+5)
Intimidation 12 (+14 Size)
Perception 2 (+3)
Advantages:
Diehard, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Interpose, Power Attack, Takedown 2, Withstand Damage
Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 2 (Low-Light Vision, Acute Scent) [2]
Speed 2 (16 mph) [2]
"Long Neck & Tail" Reach 5 [5]
"Dino-Sized" Growth 10 (Str & Sta +10, +10 Mass, +5 Intimidation, -5 Dodge/Parry, +1 Speed, -10 Stealth) -- (36 feet) (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [21]
Strength-Damage +4 [4]
Protection 2 (Extras: Impervious 13) [15]
"Regrow Heads"
Regeneration 8 (Feats: Regrow Heads) [9]
Immortality 15 (Flaws: Limited- Stumps Being Burned, Limited to Recovery From Slashing Damage) [8]
"Bite Everything Around" Strength-Damage +0 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Burst +2 on 15 Ranks) (Flaws: Limited to When Recovered From Slashing Damage) (15) -- [17]
- AE: "Bite Everything" Strength-Damage +0 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Shapeable +2 on 15 Ranks) (Flaws: Limited to When Recovered From Slashing Damage) (15)
- AE: "Multiple Heads" Strength-Damage +0 (Extras: Multiattack 15) (Flaws: Rank 11-15 Limited to When Recovered From Slashing Damage) (13)
Offense:
Unarmed +9 (+15 Damage, DC 30)
Area Attacks +11 (+11 Damage, DC 26)
Initiative +3
Defenses:
Dodge +8 (DC 18), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness +14 (+7 Impervious), Fortitude +12, Will +7
Complications:
Disabled (Monster)- Hydras cannot speak to humans, nor use their limbs to easily manipulate objects.
Total: Abilities: 18 / Skills: 18--9 / Advantages: 7 / Powers: 84 / Defenses: 22 (140)
-Among the more legendary beasts in Castellia are the mighty Hydras- monstrous, reptilian creatures with dinosaur-like bodies and numerous, serpentine necks. They are infamous for their ability to regenerate heads after they have been decapitated, often sprouting two heads where the stump of one lies. Nearly unkillable, only the greatest of heroes have managed to stop them. Adventurers have both dreams and nightmares of facing such creatures, as defeating even a small specimen is an act of great skill, strength, intelligence and courage, as one must dodge multiple heads, eliminate them, and then burn the stumps so that the creature will eventually become helpless and dead. Typically, adventurers work in pairs (with one wielding a torch), or with a Wizard using Fire Magic- few would ever attempt to destroy one of these creatures in a solitary battle.
-Hydras are distantly related to Dragons, being nowhere near as intelligent, but nearly as large at their maximum. There exist numerous types of Hydra, with the Lernaean possessing the most regenerative might. More basic Hydras lack the longevity, while others possess either tremendous Fire Breath or Ice Breath, or incredibly-potent venom. Both Lernaeans and Basic Hydras may have either ability.
Jab's Notes: The Hydra, like the Minotaur or Medusa, is a solitary creature from Greek Mythology translated into being an entire species in D&D. However, in this gaming world, they occupy a strange role as a Dragon-like threat for the mid-tier fighters, sporting deadly attacks and being very hard to kill. It's basically an unthinking monster who attacks, with Multiple Heads and Regeneration limited to slashing damage (in an era of swords being the primary heroic weapon, that's a big deal). It takes a clever hero to take one out, using either fire or blunt damage.
-The Monster Manual includes SEVERAL different "levels" for the creature, each with a different amount of heads, a different size, and each with the potential for being Lernaean, Cryo or Pyrohydras. This, I guess, varies up the threat a little bit. It gives them a pretty complicated bio, complete with numerous different Challenge Ratings. I decided to make multiple levels of them as well, using my Hydra from Disney's "Hercules" as a beefed-up PL 12 baseline, while adding four variants, a la the Monster Manual.
-The actual Hydra tale varies, but Hercules and his partner Iolaus defeated it, and probably buried the creature with a rock, as the final head was immortal and could not be slain.
Variants:
CRYOHYDRA- PL 12 (178): Ice Snare 12 (Accurate 4, Multiattack) [38]
PYROHYDRA- PL 12 (172): Fire Blast 14 (Accurate 4, Multiattack) [32]
VENOMOUS HYDRA- PL 12 (171): "Venom" Weaken Stamina 15 (Progressive +2) [31]
BASIC HYDRA- PL 12 (127): No Immortality, Regeneration 4 [-13]
LERNAEAN HYDRA- HUGE
Role: Hero-Killing Monster
PL 11 (131)
STRENGTH 9
STAMINA 10
AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 9
DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4
AWARENESS 1
PRESENCE -3
Skills:
Expertise (Survival) 4 (+5)
Intimidation 12 (+13 Size)
Perception 2 (+3)
Advantages:
Diehard, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Interpose, Power Attack, Takedown 2, Withstand Damage
Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 2 (Low-Light Vision, Acute Scent) [2]
Speed 2 (16 mph) [2]
"Long Neck & Tail" Reach 5 [5]
"Dino-Sized" Growth 8 (Str & Sta +8, +8 Mass, +4 Intimidation, -4 Dodge/Parry, +1 Speed, -8 Stealth) -- (24 feet) (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [17]
Strength-Damage +4 [4]
Protection 2 (Extras: Impervious 13) [15]
"Regrow Heads"
Regeneration 8 (Feats: Regrow Heads) [9]
Immortality 15 (Flaws: Limited- Stumps Being Burned, Limited to Recovery From Slashing Damage) [8]
"Bite Everything Around" Strength-Damage +0 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Burst +2 on 10 Ranks) (Flaws: Limited to When Recovered From Slashing Damage) (10) -- [12]
- AE: "Bite Everything" Strength-Damage +0 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Shapeable +2 on 10 Ranks) (Flaws: Limited to When Recovered From Slashing Damage) (10)
- AE: "Multiple Heads" Strength-Damage +0 (Extras: Multiattack 13) (Flaws: Ranks 8-13 Limited to When Recovered From Slashing Damage) (10)
Offense:
Unarmed +9 (+13 Damage, DC 30)
Area Attacks +11 (+11 Damage, DC 26)
Initiative +3
Defenses:
Dodge +9 (DC 19), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness +12 (+7 Impervious), Fortitude +11, Will +7
Complications:
Disabled (Monster)- Hydras cannot speak to humans, nor use their limbs to easily manipulate objects.
Total: Abilities: 18 / Skills: 18--9 / Advantages: 7 / Powers: 75 / Defenses: 22 (131)
-Most Hydras encountered are at this level- others are weaker and more easily killed by Dragons or other comparable predators, and are thus more stealthy.
Variants:
CRYOHYDRA- PL 11 (161): Ice Snare 10 (Accurate 4, Multiattack) [30]
PYROHYDRA- PL 11 (157): Fire Blast 12 (Accurate 4, Multiattack) [26]
VENOMOUS HYDRA- PL 11 (158): "Venom" Weaken Stamina 13 (Progressive +2) [27]
BASIC HYDRA- PL 11 (118): No Immortality, Regeneration 4 [-13]
LERNAEAN HYDRA- LARGE
Role: Hero-Killing Monster
PL 10 (125)
STRENGTH 7
STAMINA 8
AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 9
DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4
AWARENESS 1
PRESENCE -3
Skills:
Expertise (Survival) 4 (+5)
Intimidation 12 (+14 Size)
Perception 2 (+3)
Advantages:
Diehard, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Interpose, Power Attack, Takedown 2, Withstand Damage
Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 2 (Low-Light Vision, Acute Scent) [2]
Speed 2 (16 mph) [2]
"Long Neck & Tail" Reach 5 [5]
"Dino-Sized" Growth 6 (Str & Sta +6, +6 Mass, +3 Intimidation, -3 Dodge/Parry, -6 Stealth) -- (18 feet) (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [13]
Strength-Damage +4 [4]
Protection 2 (Extras: Impervious 13) [15]
"Regrow Heads"
Regeneration 8 (Feats: Regrow Heads) [9]
Immortality 15 (Flaws: Limited- Stumps Being Burned, Limited to Recovery From Slashing Damage) [8]
"Bite Everything Around" Strength-Damage +0 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Burst +2 on 9 Ranks) (Flaws: Limited to When Recovered From Slashing Damage) (10) -- [12]
- AE: "Bite Everything" Strength-Damage +0 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Shapeable +2 on 9 Ranks) (Flaws: Limited to When Recovered From Slashing Damage) (10)
- AE: "Multiple Heads" Strength-Damage +0 (Extras: Multiattack 11) (Flaws: Ranks 7-11 Limited to When Recovered From Slashing Damage) (9)
Offense:
Unarmed +9 (+11 Damage, DC 30)
Area Attacks +9 (+9 Damage, DC 24)
Initiative +3
Defenses:
Dodge +9 (DC 19), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness +10 (+7 Impervious), Fortitude +10, Will +6
Complications:
Disabled (Monster)- Hydras cannot speak to humans, nor use their limbs to easily manipulate objects.
Total: Abilities: 18 / Skills: 18--9 / Advantages: 7 / Powers: 71 / Defenses: 20 (125)
-Nearly the size of Elephants, one of these is alleged to be the "true size" of the Hydra in many tales of the creature- few have ever seen the larger specimens and lived to tell the tale.
Variants:
CRYOHYDRA- PL 10 (147): Ice Snare 8 (Accurate 4, Multiattack) [22]
PYROHYDRA- PL 10 (145): Fire Blast 10 (Accurate 4, Multiattack) [20]
VENOMOUS HYDRA- PL 10 (146): "Venom" Weaken Stamina 11 (Progressive +2) [21]
BASIC HYDRA- PL 10 (112): No Immortality, Regeneration 4 [-13]
LERNAEAN HYDRA- JUVENILE
Role: Hero-Killing Monster
PL 9 (122)
STRENGTH 6
STAMINA 7
AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 9
DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4
AWARENESS 1
PRESENCE -3
Skills:
Expertise (Survival) 4 (+5)
Intimidation 12 (+11 Size)
Perception 2 (+3)
Advantages:
Diehard, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Interpose, Power Attack, Takedown 2, Withstand Damage
Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 2 (Low-Light Vision, Acute Scent) [2]
Speed 2 (16 mph) [2]
"Long Neck & Tail" Reach 5 [5]
"Dino-Sized" Growth 4 (Str & Sta +4, +4 Mass, +2 Intimidation, -2 Dodge/Parry, -4 Stealth) -- (18 feet) (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [9]
Strength-Damage +3 [3]
Protection 2 (Extras: Impervious 13) [15]
"Regrow Heads"
Regeneration 8 (Feats: Regrow Heads) [9]
Immortality 15 (Flaws: Limited- Stumps Being Burned, Limited to Recovery From Slashing Damage) [8]
"Bite Everything Around" Strength-Damage +0 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Burst +2 on 8 Ranks) (Flaws: Limited to When Recovered From Slashing Damage) (4) -- [12]
- AE: "Bite Everything" Strength-Damage +0 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Shapeable +2 on 8 Ranks) (Flaws: Limited to When Recovered From Slashing Damage) (4)
- AE: "Multiple Heads" Strength-Damage +0 (Extras: Multiattack 11) (Flaws: Limited to When Recovered From Slashing Damage) (6.5)
Offense:
Unarmed +9 (+9 Damage, DC 24)
Area Attacks +8 (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Initiative +3
Defenses:
Dodge +9 (DC 19), Parry +9 (DC 19), Toughness +9 (+7 Impervious), Fortitude +9, Will +6
Complications:
Disabled (Monster)- Hydras cannot speak to humans, nor use their limbs to easily manipulate objects.
Total: Abilities: 22 / Skills: 18--9 / Advantages: 7 / Powers: 66 / Defenses: 18 (122)
-The smallest size of Hydra typically seen, these juveniles are still incredibly dangerous, and can endanger numerous adventurers.
Variants:
CRYOHYDRA- PL 9 (136): Ice Snare 6 (Accurate 4, Multiattack) [14]
PYROHYDRA- PL 9 (136): Fire Blast 8 (Accurate 4, Multiattack) [14]
VENOMOUS HYDRA- PL 9 (128): "Venom" Weaken Stamina 9 (Progressive +2) [6]
BASIC HYDRA- PL 9 (109): No Immortality, Regeneration 4 [-13]