Dungeons & Dragons 2024 (D&D) Monster/NPC: Thessalhydra
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MME3 237
The thessalhydra is a massive creature with a reptilian body covered in shiny deep green scales and ocher yellow undersides. Trailing from its rear is a 25-foot long tail that ends in sharp pincers. In place of a head is a huge maw crowned by eight 7-foot long serpentine heads.
Monstrous Attacks. The thessalhydra is a voracious carnivore, preying on anything that moves that isn't bigger than itself. Each serpentine head is venomous and is independent of the thessalhydra and can attack on its own. Any creature caught in the thessalhydra's crushing pincer tail will be dragged into its mouth, where it will be torn to pieces by its circular rows of jagged teeth. The thessalhydra's maw can also spit out a gob of its acidic saliva to cover a 10-foot diameter area at a range of 60 feet.
Swamp Dweller. The thessalhydra is fond of dark and damp places such as bayous, jungles, swamps, flooded ruins, and underground rivers. Its lair is usually littered with half-melted scraps of armor, weapons, and other remains. Those that manage to capture young thessalhydras can possibly train them to become loyal guardians.
| MOD | SAVE | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 20 | +5 | +5 |
| DEX | 12 | +1 | +1 |
| CON | 20 | +5 | +5 |
| MOD | SAVE | ||
| INT | 2 | -4 | -4 |
| WIS | 10 | +0 | +0 |
| CHA | 7 | -2 | -2 |
Traits
Hold Breath. The thessalhydra can hold its breath for 1 hour.
Multiple Serpent Heads. The thessalhydra has eight serpent heads. While it has more than one serpent head, the thessalhydra has advantage on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious.
Whenever the thessalhydra takes 10 or more damage in a single turn, one of its serpent heads dies.
At the end of its turn, it grows two serpent heads for each of its serpent heads that died since its last turn, unless it has taken fire or acid damage since its last turn. The thessalhydra regains 10 hit points for each serpent head regrown in this way.
Reactive Heads. For each serpent head the thessalhydra has beyond one, it gets an extra reaction that can be used only for opportunity attacks. The thessalhydra can only use its Serpent Bite attack for these extra opportunity attacks.
Wakeful. While the thessalhydra sleeps, at least one of its heads is awake.
Actions
Multiattack. The thessalhydra makes as many Serpent Bite attacks as it has serpent heads. It then makes two additional attacks: one with its Maw and one with its Tail Pincer.
Serpent Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 ( 1d6 ) piercing damage plus 3 ( 1d6 ) poison damage.
Maw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) piercing damage and if the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or take 17 ( 5d6 ) acid damage. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage.
Tail Pincer. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage and if the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is also grappled (escape DC 17). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the thessalhydra can't use its tail pincer attack on another target.
Spit Acid 9Recharge 5-6). The thessalhydra spits a gob of acid at a point it can see within 60 feet of it. Each creature within 10 feet of that point must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 54 (12d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
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