v0.34:Hydra

xTATTEREDx  · +FINE+  · *SUPERIOR*  · ≡EXCEPTIONAL≡  · ☼MASTERWORK☼

Hydra

H
Urist likes hydras for their seven heads.
Biome
Any Land
Attributes
Building destroyer: Level 2
· Megabeast · No Stun · No Pain · No Exert · Fanciful
Tamed Attributes
Pet value	10,000
· Exotic pet · Non-Breeding
Not trainable
Size
Birth:	200,000 cm3
Max:	8,000,000 cm3
Age
Adult at:	Birth
Max age:	Immortal
Butchering returns (Value multiplier ×10)
Food items
Meat	130-459
Fat	49-71
Brain	28-35
Heart	2-4
Lungs	8-10
Intestines	12-16
Liver	4-5
Kidneys	4
Tripe	4-5
Sweetbread	1-2
Eyes	14
Spleen	2
Raw materials
Bones	61-67
Skull	7
Teeth	21
Wikipedia article

v50.14 · v0.47 · v0.34.11 · v0.31 · v0.28 · v0.23 This article is about an older version of DF. More Info · V

A giant dragon-like monster with seven biting heads.

Decapitation: the least efficient way to fight a Hydra, but excellent training for weapon skills.

A hydra is a large, multi-headed megabeast with the ability to destroy buildings. It seems that it neither destroys nor avoids traps, and can be eliminated just by having about 50 stone-fall traps in its way, or one simple cage trap. When a hydra appears, the game pauses just as it does when a forgotten beast appears.

Hydra injuries also heal MUCH faster than all other creatures, but the hydra's regeneration is no match for the damage and blood loss it generally sustains during a fight. However, if a wounded hydra waits a few weeks (possibly one month), it will mostly likely heal all injuries, except for infections. This regeneration does not make the creature regrow lost body parts, unlike in the myth, and there will not be any head multiplication.

Combat

Hydras are dangerous for several reasons including their massive size, inhuman strength and propensity for biting people in half. The main difficulty in killing a hydra lies in its many heads; like the Giant cave spider, Hydras have the annoying habit of protecting their vital bits using walls of redundant flesh, their 6 superfluous necks in this case. This means that there is a very good chance that you'll be impotently hacking away at one head while another shakes you around by the bloody sieve that used to be your torso.

In adventure mode, the best thing to do is to set your combat preferences to "dodge" and attempt to break any bite the Hydra manages to get into you. Keep your back to a wall or tree so that a charging Hydra will get knocked down when you dodge out of the way. Rather than trying to dispatch the 7 heads one after another, stabbing the Hydra's upper body with a pike will bring about its demise much faster. The small contact area and high penetration depth of a pike will easily generate mortal wounds to the lungs, and with luck, can also damage the heart and spine too. Once its breathing is hindered by perforated lungs, the Hydra will suffocate to death in short order.

In fortress mode, hydras are usually more than a match for any dwarf, and the difficulty is compounded by the lack of targeted attacks and limited availability of pikes. They are still quite slow and vulnerable to bleeding however, so attacking en masse with edged weapons can still work if traps are not available. However, as is often the case, the best method to fell this beast is to use a cage trap.

Trivia

The plural of "hydra" is "hydras" according to the raws. However, "hydrae" is the common form and is also widely used. Not that you'd be likely to ever encounter several of them, if any.

Raws

[CREATURE:HYDRA] [DESCRIPTION:A giant dragon-like monster with seven biting heads.] [NAME:hydra:hydras:hydra] [CASTE_NAME:hydra:hydras:hydra] [CREATURE_TILE:'H'][COLOR:4:0:1] [PETVALUE:10000] [PET_EXOTIC] [BIOME:ANY_LAND] [FREQUENCY:5] [FANCIFUL] [MEGABEAST][DIFFICULTY:10] [ATTACK_TRIGGER:80:10000:100000] [SPHERE:MUCK] [SPHERE:REBIRTH] [SPHERE:STRENGTH] [NOFEAR][NOEXERT] [NOSTUN] [NOPAIN] [BUILDINGDESTROYER:2] [LIKES_FIGHTING] [GRASSTRAMPLE:50] [BONECARN] [PREFSTRING:seven heads] [BODY:BASIC_2PARTBODY:7HEADNECKS:BASIC_FRONTLEGS:BASIC_REARLEGS:TAIL:2EYES:NOSE:2LUNGS:HEART:GUTS:ORGANS:THROAT:SPINE:BRAIN:SKULL:3TOES_FQ_REG:3TOES_RQ_REG:MOUTH:TONGUE:GENERIC_TEETH_WITH_FANGS:RIBCAGE] [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_MATERIALS] [REMOVE_MATERIAL:SKIN] [REMOVE_MATERIAL:LEATHER] [REMOVE_MATERIAL:HAIR] [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SCALE:SCALE_TEMPLATE] [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_TISSUES] [REMOVE_TISSUE:SKIN] [REMOVE_TISSUE:HAIR] [USE_TISSUE_TEMPLATE:SCALE:SCALE_TEMPLATE] [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:VERTEBRATE_TISSUE_LAYERS:SCALE:FAT:MUSCLE:BONE:CARTILAGE] [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:CLAW:NAIL_TEMPLATE] [USE_TISSUE_TEMPLATE:CLAW:CLAW_TEMPLATE] [TISSUE_LAYER:BY_CATEGORY:TOE:CLAW:FRONT] [SELECT_TISSUE_LAYER:HEART:BY_CATEGORY:HEART] [TL_MAJOR_ARTERIES] [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:STANDARD_HEAD_POSITIONS] [BODY_DETAIL_PLAN:HUMANOID_RIBCAGE_POSITIONS] [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SINEW:SINEW_TEMPLATE] [TENDONS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:SINEW:1] [LIGAMENTS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:SINEW:1] [HAS_NERVES] [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:BLOOD:BLOOD_TEMPLATE] [BLOOD:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:BLOOD:LIQUID] [CREATURE_CLASS:GENERAL_POISON] [GETS_WOUND_INFECTIONS] [GETS_INFECTIONS_FROM_ROT] [USE_MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:PUS:PUS_TEMPLATE] [PUS:LOCAL_CREATURE_MAT:PUS:LIQUID] [BODY_SIZE:0:0:200000] [BODY_SIZE:20:0:8000000] [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:LENGTH:90:95:98:100:102:105:110] [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:HEIGHT:90:95:98:100:102:105:110] [BODY_APPEARANCE_MODIFIER:BROADNESS:90:95:98:100:102:105:110] [ATTACK:BITE:CHILD_BODYPART_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:HEAD:BY_CATEGORY:TOOTH] [ATTACK_SKILL:BITE] [ATTACK_VERB:bite:bites] [ATTACK_CONTACT_PERC:100] [ATTACK_PENETRATION_PERC:100] [ATTACK_FLAG_EDGE] [ATTACK_PRIORITY:MAIN] [ATTACK_FLAG_CANLATCH] [ATTACK:CLAW:CHILD_TISSUE_LAYER_GROUP:BY_TYPE:STANCE:BY_CATEGORY:ALL:CLAW] [ATTACK_SKILL:GRASP_STRIKE] [ATTACK_VERB:claw:claws] [ATTACK_CONTACT_PERC:100] [ATTACK_PENETRATION_PERC:100] [ATTACK_FLAG_EDGE] [ATTACK_PRIORITY:SECOND] [ALL_ACTIVE] [LAIR:SIMPLE_BURROW:100] [LAIR_HUNTER] [NATURAL_SKILL:BITE:6] [NATURAL_SKILL:GRASP_STRIKE:6] [NATURAL_SKILL:MELEE_COMBAT:6] [NATURAL_SKILL:DODGING:6] [NATURAL_SKILL:SITUATIONAL_AWARENESS:14] [SWIMS_INNATE][SWIM_SPEED:2500] [HOMEOTHERM:10040] [CASTE:FEMALE] [FEMALE] [CASTE:MALE] [MALE] [SELECT_CASTE:ALL] [SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:ALL:SCALE] [TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:GOLD:1:RED:1] [TLCM_NOUN:scales:PLURAL] [SET_TL_GROUP:BY_CATEGORY:EYE:EYE] [TL_COLOR_MODIFIER:BLACK:1] [TLCM_NOUN:eyes:PLURAL] [SELECT_MATERIAL:ALL] [MULTIPLY_VALUE:10] [SELECT_TISSUE_LAYER:ALL] [TL_HEALING_RATE:1]

V · T · E Creatures
Races	Dwarf • Elf • Goblin • Human • Kobold Subterranean animal people Amphibian man • Antman • Bat man • Cave fish man • Cave swallow man • Olm man • Reptile man • Rodent man • Serpent man
Birds	Albatross (man, giant) • Barn owl (man, giant) • Bushtit (man, giant) • Cassowary (man, giant) • Cockatiel (man, giant) • Crow (man, giant) • Eagle (man, giant) • Emu (man, giant) • Great horned owl (man, giant) • Grey parrot (man, giant) • Hornbill (man, giant) • Kakapo (man, giant) • Kea (man, giant) • Kestrel (man, giant) • Kiwi (man, giant) • Loon (man, giant) • Lorikeet (man, giant) • Magpie (man, giant) • Masked lovebird (man, giant) • Osprey (man, giant) • Ostrich (man, giant) • Parakeet (man, giant) • Peach-faced lovebird (man, giant) • Penguin (little, emperor, man, giant) • Peregrine falcon (man, giant) • Puffin (man, giant) • Raven (man, giant) • Snowy owl (man, giant) • Sparrow (man, giant) • Swan (man, giant) • White stork (man, giant) • Wren (man, giant)
Bugs	Bark scorpion (man, giant) • Brown recluse spider (man, giant) • Damselfly (man, giant) • Grasshopper (man, giant) • Jumping spider (man, giant) • Louse (man, giant) • Mantis (man, giant) • Moon snail (man, giant) • Mosquito (man, giant) • Moth (man, giant) • Slug (man, giant) • Snail (man, giant) • Thrips (man, giant) • Tick (man, giant)
Desert	Desert tortoise (man, giant) • Gila monster (man, giant) • Leopard gecko (man, giant)
Domestic	Alpaca • Blue peafowl • Cat • Cavy • Chicken • Cow • Dog • Donkey • Duck • Goat • Goose • Guineafowl • Horse • Llama • Mule • Pig • Rabbit • Reindeer • Sheep • Turkey • Water buffalo • Yak
Mountain	Chinchilla (man, giant) • Dark gnome • Hoary marmot • Mountain gnome • Mountain goat • Wolverine (man, giant)
Ocean	Angelshark • Basking shark • Blacktip reef shark • Blue shark • Bluefin tuna • Bluefish • Bull shark • Cod • Coelacanth • Common skate • Conger eel • Crab (man, giant) • Cuttlefish (man, giant) • Elephant seal (man, giant) • Frill shark • Giant grouper • Great barracuda • Great white shark • Halibut • Hammerhead shark • Harp seal (man, giant) • Horseshoe crab (man, giant) • Leopard seal (man, giant) • Longfin mako shark • Manta ray • Marlin • Milkfish • Narwhal (man, giant) • Nautilus (man, giant) • Nurse shark • Ocean sunfish • Octopus (man, giant) • Opah • Orca (man, giant) • Sea lamprey • Shortfin mako shark • Sperm whale (man, giant) • Spiny dogfish • Sponge (man, giant) • Spotted wobbegong • Squid (man, giant) • Stingray • Sturgeon • Swordfish • Tiger shark • Walrus • Whale shark • Whitetip reef shark
River/Lake	Axolotl (man, giant) • Beaver (man, giant) • Carp • Hippo • Leech (man, giant) • Longnose gar • Mink (man, giant) • Otter (river, sea, man, giant) • Pike • Platypus (man, giant) • Pond turtle (man, giant) • Snapping turtle (common, alligator, man, giant) • Tigerfish
Temperate	Adder (man, giant) • Alligator • Badger (man, giant) • Black bear • Bobcat (man, giant) • Buzzard • Capybara (man, giant) • Coati (man, giant) • Copperhead snake (man, giant) • Cougar • Coyote (man, giant) • Deer • Dingo (man, giant) • Echidna (man, giant) • Fox • Gray langur (man, giant) • Green tree frog (man, giant) • Grizzly bear • Groundhog • Hare (man, giant) • Ibex (man, giant) • Kangaroo (man, giant) • Kingsnake (man, giant) • Koala (man, giant) • Moose (man, giant) • Opossum (man, giant) • Panda (man, giant) • Porcupine (man, giant) • Raccoon • Rattlesnake (man, giant) • Red panda (man, giant) • Rhesus macaque • Skunk (man, giant) • Weasel (man, giant) • Wild boar (man, giant) • Wolf • Wombat (man, giant)
Tropical	Aardvark (man, giant) • Anaconda (man, giant) • Armadillo (man, giant) • Aye-aye (man, giant) • Bilou • Black mamba (man, giant) • Black-crested gibbon • Black-handed gibbon • Bonobo • Bushmaster (man, giant) • Capuchin (man, giant) • Cheetah (giant) • Chimpanzee • Elephant • Gazelle • Giant desert scorpion • Giant tortoise (man, giant) • Giraffe • Gorilla • Gray gibbon • Honey badger • Hyena (man, giant) • Impala (man, giant) • Jackal (man, giant) • Jaguar (giant) • King cobra (man, giant) • Leopard (giant) • Lion (giant) • Lion tamarin (man, giant) • Mandrill • Mongoose (man, giant) • Monitor lizard (man, giant) • Ocelot (man, giant) • One-humped camel • Orangutan • Pangolin (man, giant) • Pileated gibbon • Python (man, giant) • Rhinoceros • Saltwater crocodile • Siamang • Silvery gibbon • Sloth (man, giant) • Sloth bear (man, giant) • Spider monkey (man, giant) • Tapir (man, giant) • Tiger (giant, man) • Two-humped camel • Vulture • Warthog • White-browed gibbon • White-handed gibbon
Tundra	Elk • Lynx (man, giant) • Muskox • Polar bear • Stoat (man, giant)
Subterranean	Amethyst man • Blind cave bear • Blind cave ogre • Blood man • Bugbat • Cave blob • Cave crocodile • Cave dragon • Cave floater • Creeping eye • Crundle • Draltha • Drunian • Elk bird • Fire imp • Fire man • Flesh ball • Floating guts • Gabbro man • Giant bat • Giant cave spider • Giant cave swallow • Giant earthworm • Giant mole • Giant olm • Giant rat • Giant toad • Gorlak • Green devourer • Helmet snake • Hungry head • Iron man • Jabberer • Large rat • Magma crab • Magma man • Manera • Molemarian • Mud man • Naked mole dog • Plump helmet man • Pond grabber • Reacher • Rutherer • Troglodyte • Voracious cave crawler
Mammals	Flying squirrel (man, giant) • Hamster (man, giant) • Hedgehog (man, giant)
Miscellaneous	Beak dog • Blizzard man • Foul blendec • Gremlin • Grimeling • Harpy • Ice wolf • Merperson • Nightwing • Ogre • Sasquatch • Satyr • Sea monster • Sea serpent • Strangler • Troll • Unicorn • Yeti
Semi-Megabeasts	Cyclops • Ettin • Giant • Minotaur
Megabeasts	Bronze colossus • Dragon • Forgotten beast • Hydra • Roc • Titan
Nonexistent	Centaur • Chimera • Griffon