Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Swords of Mars: Hydras or the Dragons of Mars

On Mars, the hydra is perhaps the greatest land predator. with a long, sinous four-legged body, 5-12 heads, and a venomous bite and breath, the creature is a deadly foe. But it is also intelligent, hard to kill, and frequently capable of magic.

Armor Class: 2
Hit Dice: 5-12**
Move: 150' (50')
Attacks: One bite per head
Damage: 2d8 per head
No. Appearing: 1-4
Save As: Fighter: level equal to Hit Dice
Morale: 9
Treasure Type: H
Alignment: Chaotic

Martian Hydras have the following special abilities:
  • HEADS: A hydra has one hit die for each head, and always has 8 points per hit die. A hydra will attack with all of its heads each round. For every 8 points of damage a hydra takes, one head will no longer attack. EXAMPLE: If a 7-headed hydra took 18 points of damage, it would only attack with 5 heads in the next round. A hydra saves as a fighter of a level equal to its number of heads.
  • REGENERATION: Hydras will regrow a severed head in 1d6 rounds if the head is not cauterized.
  • TALKING: Martian Hydras are intelligent, and 50% of Hydras can speak Draconian and Common. Talking hydras are also able to use Magic-user/Elf spells as if they were a magic-user with a level equal to their number of hit dice.
  • VENOMOUS BITE: The bite of Martian Hydras is venomous. Those bitten must save vs. poison or die in 1d6 rounds.
  • VENOMOUS BREATH: Martian Hydras may breathe a cloud of venom three times per day in a 40' x 40' x 20' cloud. Those within the cloud take 1d6 damage per hit die of the hydra, half if they save vs. poison.
  • SUBDUAL: Martian Hydras may be subdued as if they were dragons.

3 comments:

  1. Just curious what is your take on the heads thinking/speaking? Do all speak in unison, take turns or are they independent of one another?

    I love the setting you have provided here. Look forward to your posts each time.

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  2. You know, that's not the kind of thing I would think of before making it up on the spot in-game. But pressed for an answer, I would say that they think in unison, but speak out of different heads at different times, sometimes even in the middle of a sentence.

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  3. One of my campaigns had a talking chimera with a different personality for each head, arguing with itself and taking turns doing things like sleeping or eating... bit like a comic Cerberus I once saw, unable to make up its minds which tree to lift its leg against.

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