Pyrohydra
Pyrohydra
Hydra, U Huge Beast
Legendary Monster, XP 16000
Level 16 (+7)
"Sara! Take the right one! No, the other right! No, not that right! The right, right, right one! Oh, fine! Just pick one and don’t let it kill you!"
——Golnine, Dwarven Cleric
The Pyrohydra is a variant of the traditional Hydra monster, about 20 feet in length and weighing several tons. It has a red-brown, reptilian body with a heavy tail that it uses to batter enemies. This is only a secondary ability when compared to its primary attack method. A Pyrohydra has at least 6, angry, snapping, fire-breathing heads crudely resembling that of a dragon. Every time a head is lopped off, two more will spring up in its place. As the beast is capable of breathing fire from each mouth it possesses, combating one of these monsters without a solid strategy almost always results in the death of the adventurers who challenged it. Their bodies are extraordinarily resilient, and unless a method is devised for preventing the regrowth of the heads, the beast will bite and burn its victims to death with its relentless, surging, serpentine maws.
Awareness
37
Senses
Darkvision, Scent
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Initiative 18/1d4
|
|
Morale
3
|
Defenses
AC
21/26
Touch
18
Fort
22
Reflex
22
Will
18
Resistances:
Vulnerabilities:
Defensive Actions
Regrow Heads
One round after a head has been reduced to 0 hitpoints, two heads regrow in its place at full hitpoints. This ability may be overcome it 22 or more points of Cold Damage is dealt to the severed neck before regrowth can occur. (Legendary)
Body Regeneration
As long as at least one head is remaining, the body has Regeneration (100). (Legendary)
Attributes / Saving Throws
STR
24 / 36
DEX
12 / 24
CON
20 / 32
INT
2 / 8
WIS
10 / 16
CHA
9 / 15
Saving Throw Modifiers:
Actions
Movement Modes
Shift 5ft / 2
Skirmish 25ft / 3
Sprint 50ft / 3
Swim 25ft / 3
At-Will
+16 vs AC (Crit 12%/21)
Bite
2d10+10 damage (ArN 4)
REC 4, Reach 10ft
+16 vs AC (Crit 7%/14)
Tail Swipe
2d10+20 damage (ArN 3)
REC 5, Reach 10ft
+16 vs AC (Crit 7%/14)
Claw
2d8+10 damage (ArN 2)
REC 3, Reach 5ft
2d10+10 damage
Grapple +22
Special Actions
+14 vs Fortitude
Corrosive Smoke
Body Actions
On each turn, roll 1d8 to determine the actions available to the Pyrohydra.
Any result:
♦ Basic Attack: Make a Tail Swipe or Claw attack. (Basic)
3 or more, choose one of the following:
♦ Lashing Tail [REC 6]: Make an Tail Swipe attack on up to 3 continuous creatures within reach. On a hit, deal +2d10 damage and targets of Large size or smaller are knocked Prone (Advanced)
♦ Flurry of Claws: Make a Claw attack. On a hit, deal +4d8 damage. (Advanced)
6 or more:
♦ Trample [REC 6]: The Pyrohydra moves up to it sprint speed, Trampling all creatures in its path. Make an attack on all creatures whose space the Pyrohydra moves through, +14 vs Reflex. On a hit, targets suffer 7d6+30 Bludgeoning damage. (Legendary)
Head Actions
On each turn, roll 1d8 to determine the actions available to the Pyrohydra.
Any Result:
♦ Basic Attack: Make a bite attack with each head. (Basic)
3 or more, choose one of the following:
♦ Flaming Bolt [REC 4]: Target one creature within 100ft per head, +14 vs Reflex. On a hit, the target suffers 7d8+7 Fire damage. Additionally, the target suffers a cumulative ongoing 5 Fire damage per hit [SE, ST 4d10 vs DEX] (this is a cumulative effect based on the number of bolts a target is hit with, instead of seperate ongoing effects). (Advanced)
♦ Ferocious Bites [REC 4]: Make one bite attack per target (up to the number of heads). For each head attacking a target after the first, gain a +1 bonus to the attack roll and deal +2d10 damage. Additionally, targets are Hobbled (5) per hit [SE, ST 4d10 vs CON] (Hobbled damage is cumulative based on the number of hits, instead of separate hobbled effects). (Advanced)
6 or more:
♦ Fiery Breath [REC 5, Limit 1 per 2 actions]: Targets all creatures in a 30ft cone, +14 vs Reflex. On a hit, targets suffer 3d6 Fire damage per head (half damage on a miss). (Legendary)
Overland Movement
25 mi/day
Qualities
- Double Initiative: The Pyrohydra has two initiatives, one for its heads and one for its body. The body takes actions to move and make most physical attacks (Claws, Tail Swipes, and Trampling) while the head uses makes Bites, shoots Flaming Bolts, and controls the Pyrohydra's Breath weapon.
- Many Headed: A Pyrohydra has many heads, usually between 6 and 12 (2 per PC for appropriate challenge). When the Pyrohydra takes actions with its heads, it takes attacks and deals damage based on the number of remaining and active heads. When a head is subject to a Save Ends effect, it may save on its initiative instead of acting.
- Multi-targeting and Multiple Hitpoint Pools: The body and each head can be targeted separately for attacks and effects, each having its own hitpoints and tracking damage separately. When a head is reduced to 0 hitpoints, it is removed from its body (decapitated) or sloughed off of the hydra (as a lizard loses its tail). Likewise, if a head is ever rendered useless (petrified, killed, etc), it is sloughed off. If the neck is not cauterized by Cold Damage within 1 round of the heads removal, two heads regrow in its place (see Regrow Heads). When the body is reduced to 0 hitpoints, it is rendered helpless until it Regenerates at the end of the round (see Regenerate Body). If the Pyrohydra has not heads and the body is reduced to 0 hitpoints, the hydra dies. Delay, Daze or Stun effects apply to the body only (i.e. if a head is targeted by one such effect, it is transferred to the body).
- Legendary Creature: The Pyrohydra gains a +1 racial bonus to Morale and a +5 racial bonus to all Saving Throws. Also, the Pyrohydra does not lose the ability to use its "Automatic Actions" unless it is killed or rendered Unconscious.
- Keen Senses: The Pyrohydra gains a +10 racial bonus to Sensory Skills and Awareness due to its many heads. (inc)
- Animal Instincts: Animals do not suffer penalties to their Initiative Score, Awareness, or Sensory Skills due to their low intelligence. (inc)
- Natural Armor: AC +3/+8, Ref +1 (inc)
Skills: Rank 2 Balance [+6], Rank 2 Search [+2], Rank 4 Swim [+13], Rank 4 Listen [+18], Rank 7 Spot [+24], Rank 6 Scent [+22], Rank 3 Hunting [A: +6/L&T: +4], Rank 3 Survival [A: +8/L&T: +4]
Feats: Sup. Initiative [3], Great Weapon Spec. (Bite) [3], Weapon Versatility (Natural Weapons), Imp. Weapon Focus (Bite) [2]
Philosophies: Rank 1 Mental, Rank 7 Physical
Combat Training: Melee 4, Ranged 4, Parry 1, Fort 2, Reflex 4, Will 1
Wits: {{{Wits}}}, Brawn: {{{Brawn}}}
Equipment: None
Social
Languages: None
Composure: 9
Charm
-
Coercion
-
Deception
-
Manipulation
-
Persuasion
-
Aloofness
-2
Bravery
+2
Intuition
-2
Tolerance
0
Suspicion
-2
Prejudices:
Motives: