Do hydras make all their attack of opportunities? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Do hydras make all their attack of opportunities? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
magent_mx
03-02-08, 05:40 PM THey have combat reflexes does it count for all of them
runestar
03-02-08, 08:04 PM ??? Wasn't that always the case?
zeratulcraft
03-02-08, 08:53 PM A hydra makes as many AoO's as their Dex mod +1, but their AoO's use all their heads. That's why you shouldn't provoke a hydra.
Slagger the Chuul
03-03-08, 09:54 AM A hydra makes as many AoO's as their Dex mod +1, but their AoO's use all their heads. That's why you shouldn't provoke a hydra.

The line that is thought to grant this ability currently reads:

"A hydra’s Combat Reflexes feat allows it to use all its heads for attacks of opportunity."

Unfortunately, the Combat Reflexes feat doesn't do anything like what the line suggests it does, and the line itself doesn't make clear what it means. If you're prepared to take a wild guess, it could mean any one of the following:

The hydra doesn't lose the ability to make a normal attack of opportunity when a head is severed, because it can use any head to make an attack.
The hydra can make multiple attacks (one per head) when an opponent provokes a single attack of opportunity.
The hydra can make make one attack of opportunity for each head.

The only way this line for the hydra makes sense is if the original writer was using a version of the Combat Reflexes feat that worked differently. The people making the game are using rules that are still in development, so an ability designed around a particular feat may become invalid because the final version is changed before printing begins.

For example, if the Combat Reflexes feat originally allowed extra attacks of opportunity based on the number of limbs or attacks the creature had (instead of basing it on Dexterity), the hydra's description would make perfect sense.
zeratulcraft
03-03-08, 10:31 PM I figure it's just the same thing as a hydra being able to use all of its heads as a standard action. They're all independent enough to be able to strike simultaneously.
Slagger the Chuul
03-04-08, 03:59 AM I figure it's just the same thing as a hydra being able to use all of its heads as a standard action. They're all independent enough to be able to strike simultaneously.

Either of the other interpretations is equally valid. Sure, you can figure it one way, but consider what that actually looks like in battle. Can you imagine up to twelve heads latching onto a single creature in a split-second during the middle of combat? I can, and it looks ridiculous.

Personally, I favour giving it one attack of opportunity per head. Whenever a creature leaves itself open, there's likely to be a head free to bite it. It looks right as an idea, doesn't screw over the players with mass amounts of extra damage, and saves the DM from rolling the equivalent of another full round of hydra attacks in the middle of someone else's action.
zeratulcraft
03-04-08, 04:21 AM Either of the other interpretations is equally valid. Sure, you can figure it one way, but consider what that actually looks like in battle. Can you imagine up to twelve heads latching onto a single creature in a split-second during the middle of combat? I can, and it looks ridiculous.

Personally, I favour giving it one attack of opportunity per head. Whenever a creature leaves itself open, there's likely to be a head free to bite it. It looks right as an idea, doesn't screw over the players with mass amounts of extra damage, and saves the DM from rolling the equivalent of another full round of hydra attacks in the middle of someone else's action.

Hmm, yeah I see what you mean, that is an awfully silly image. Guess it's all open to interpretation, really. One attack, multiattack, DM call.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
magent_mx 03-02-08, 05:40 PM	THey have combat reflexes does it count for all of them
runestar 03-02-08, 08:04 PM	??? Wasn't that always the case?
zeratulcraft 03-02-08, 08:53 PM	A hydra makes as many AoO's as their Dex mod +1, but their AoO's use all their heads. That's why you shouldn't provoke a hydra.
Slagger the Chuul 03-03-08, 09:54 AM	A hydra makes as many AoO's as their Dex mod +1, but their AoO's use all their heads. That's why you shouldn't provoke a hydra. The line that is thought to grant this ability currently reads: "A hydra’s Combat Reflexes feat allows it to use all its heads for attacks of opportunity." Unfortunately, the Combat Reflexes feat doesn't do anything like what the line suggests it does, and the line itself doesn't make clear what it means. If you're prepared to take a wild guess, it could mean any one of the following: The hydra doesn't lose the ability to make a normal attack of opportunity when a head is severed, because it can use any head to make an attack. The hydra can make multiple attacks (one per head) when an opponent provokes a single attack of opportunity. The hydra can make make one attack of opportunity for each head. The only way this line for the hydra makes sense is if the original writer was using a version of the Combat Reflexes feat that worked differently. The people making the game are using rules that are still in development, so an ability designed around a particular feat may become invalid because the final version is changed before printing begins. For example, if the Combat Reflexes feat originally allowed extra attacks of opportunity based on the number of limbs or attacks the creature had (instead of basing it on Dexterity), the hydra's description would make perfect sense.
zeratulcraft 03-03-08, 10:31 PM	I figure it's just the same thing as a hydra being able to use all of its heads as a standard action. They're all independent enough to be able to strike simultaneously.
Slagger the Chuul 03-04-08, 03:59 AM	I figure it's just the same thing as a hydra being able to use all of its heads as a standard action. They're all independent enough to be able to strike simultaneously. Either of the other interpretations is equally valid. Sure, you can figure it one way, but consider what that actually looks like in battle. Can you imagine up to twelve heads latching onto a single creature in a split-second during the middle of combat? I can, and it looks ridiculous. Personally, I favour giving it one attack of opportunity per head. Whenever a creature leaves itself open, there's likely to be a head free to bite it. It looks right as an idea, doesn't screw over the players with mass amounts of extra damage, and saves the DM from rolling the equivalent of another full round of hydra attacks in the middle of someone else's action.
zeratulcraft 03-04-08, 04:21 AM	Either of the other interpretations is equally valid. Sure, you can figure it one way, but consider what that actually looks like in battle. Can you imagine up to twelve heads latching onto a single creature in a split-second during the middle of combat? I can, and it looks ridiculous. Personally, I favour giving it one attack of opportunity per head. Whenever a creature leaves itself open, there's likely to be a head free to bite it. It looks right as an idea, doesn't screw over the players with mass amounts of extra damage, and saves the DM from rolling the equivalent of another full round of hydra attacks in the middle of someone else's action. Hmm, yeah I see what you mean, that is an awfully silly image. Guess it's all open to interpretation, really. One attack, multiattack, DM call.