Encounter

6 Lore
7 Hooks
8 Lair
10 Co mb at Da sh bo ar d
15 Approach
16 Hydra Attack Pa tte rn
18 Hydra Abilities
19 Lair Abilities
20 Cinematic M om en ts
22 Treasure
St at s
24 Bloodwood Goblin
25 Seedling Hydra
JI L':> Burgeoning Hydra
Blooming Hydra
I

~ \ ~'

~ \ \,~\-
. r
 y

tak e you r
Welcome to Epic Encounters , de'signed to help you
fantasy roleplaying gam es to the nex t level.
unter. tips on making sure
In this booklet. you'll find guidance on running an enco
ensuring that you'll keep your
every turn builds jeopardy and excitement, and for
battle. of course!
players on their toes - if they have any left after this

you've got everything prepared

Before you play. use this handy checklist to ensure
and are ready to go.

guidance. Choose the bits

✓ You've read this boo k Use it for inspiration as well as
you like or use it all - the choice is up to you.

ts and know that

✓ Your players all have their dice and their character shee
something big is coming.

liarised yourself with its

✓ The battle map is laid out. ready for use. and you've fami
en over the course of
different areas and the variety of things that can happ
the conflict.

mber that this is a game.

✓ You're ready to have fun! Above everything else. reme
If you forget certain rules as the Gamemaster (GM)
. don't worry. As long as you
s, you're doing it right. \
and your players are laughing and enjoying yourselve

Before Starting making them suitable for as \

Epic Encounters are divided into three tiers of play,
age Level and the Difficulty
many different player groups as possible. The Dam
r is broken into three Tiers
Class (DC) of each check specified during the encounte
calls for a 'standard DC check',
of Play. shown in the table below. Whenever the text
refer to the appropriate
or specifies that a creature suffers 'standard damage',
r level. and you take standard
box below. For example, if you're playing at the lowe
damage. you suffer d4 points of damage.

For this encounter, we recommend lower tier

players take on the Seedling Hydra
ra (Middle Tier). and higher
(Lower Tier), middle players fight the Burgeoning Hyd
.
tier players combat the Blooming Hydra (Higher Tier)

Tier of Play Difficulty Check Damage Level

Lower (levels 1-4) 12 d4

Middle (levels 5-10) 14 dB

Higher (levels 10+) 18 d10
 The hydra is a bizarre and hideous creature, its origins unclear,
and now your player characters are going to hunt it. What do they
know of it? What have they heard? What dark god crafted such
a monstrosity? How will they confront that thicket of heads -
each moving and darting and seething with hunger? And how,
ultimately, will they kill it? How can one kill a creature whose
heads, even when severed,simply sprout again - flesh moulding
anew, growing and surging from a lumpen body? Below are some
tales of the hydra's nature and origin.All of the following might be
true, or none of it at all. That's for you to decide!
J,,I
\'/ ✓ The hydra's endless regeneration,
✓ A hydra is created from the
nightmares of evil wizards and their implausible fecundity, is
sorcerers; in the void between the deliberate. Whatever cruel deity
planes,the raw stuff of magic is forged them did so with the aim of
shaped and wrought by their terror creating a sentient cancer - a being
into hideous,unstable forms. which never ceases to replicate itself.
Some claim that a single, decapitated
✓ The swamps and forests where hydras hydra head can sprout a new hydra if
make their homes are gradually not properly destroyed.
corrupted by their presence. The
trees rot from the inside out, the earth ✓ Hydras grow a new head each
festers and stinks,animals decompose time they consume a powerful
even as they try to scale trees or drink magic-user. The magical energies
from poisoned rivers. Eventually,the woven around such people, when
hydra must move on, finding new ingested by the hydra, catalyses their
hunting grounds or starve to death in regenerative properties. It is said that
the rancid wilderness it has made. hydras are drawn to magic, that they
can smell it out, capturing the scent
✓ The teeth of a hydra grow in multiple of its use on the stagnant winds that
I layers, one nestled behind the other, like stir in their swamps.
a shark Anew layer sprouts every year
the hydra lives, meaning the oldest ✓ Smaller, less powerful creatures
among the species can have a hundred (especially goblins) often form
layers of errated fangs lining their symbiotic relationships with hydras.
throats. Every bite is a meat grinder. In return for not eating (many) of the
smaller creatures, the goblins bring
food to the hydra,worship it, or channel
magic into it to infuse it with strength.
The player characters have arrived here for a reason. Choose
one of these adventure hooks and weave it into your tale.
The players could arrive by accident, or they could have been V

plotting this moment for years. Choose what works for you!

✓ The local forest is dying; trees wither.
hunters report tales of a malevolent
creature spreading decay and
disease...someone must venture
into the shadows of those blighted
boughs and drive this darkness out.
✓ A number of local hunters have
disappeared, though children claim
they can still hear their voices -
calling to them, pleading with them
to enter the forest.
✓ The Merchant Guild has offered an
extremely lucrative payout to any
adventurers who can find a path
through the dense forest of the
Deathwood. The main problem is
the hydra living at its center. It loves
people passing through its territory...
the problem is they don't tend to
come out on the other side. Or at
least, not all of them. Bits of them
occasionally turn up in the beaks of
crows and ravens.

✓ Goblins have delivered a threat to ✓ The river, providing the main

a local village: deliver a person for
the hydra to eat, once a week. or it
slaughters the entire population.
The village has been complying and
kidnapping travellers to satiate the
beast's hunger. The hydra has to be
killed, but is the village worth saving?
✓ The hide of the hydra is said to have
source of water for a nearby town,
is suddenly poisonous. What was
once clear, clean, and potable is now
dirtied and deadly. It runs through a
nearby forest....a forest where a hydra
has recently taken up residence.
miraculous properties - perhaps
sufficiently miraculous to prevent the
slow and horrible death of the king.
Someone needs to find a hydra and
kill it first, of course.
 Hidden amongst densely packed trees, scrub, and brush, the
hydra makes its lair in a cave surrounded by a small bog. The
cave stretches back 30 ft., providing shelter from the whims of
the weather and giving the hydra a place in which it can store the
eclectic collection of items it has kept from its many victims. So
close to the hydra's lair, the decay of the forest is more obvious.
Certain trees have already atrophied to the point of collapse, the
ground has liquefied into stinking bog.

/ Snakes, wolves and other creatures - warped by the hydra's

{s;\,d / presence - infest the area. Mud sucks at ankles, making
)~{5? movement difficult. Plants tangle arm s and snare throats. The
·_½ - -J. ~ ._ forest becomes swamp - treacherous, and deadly. Hydras
~ -

r~ use this extensively, and have carefully paced out

. ,.r:f1j' -
J \__ th~ir !air, knowing every inch ~fit
~ . mt1mately. It knows its territory.
- ~ ,....-
able to sense any change in the
surrounding landscape - hear
a threat approaching, the scent
of hazard - long before they
manifest. Facing the hydra is not
simply a matter of dealing with
its series of snapping.
screeching heads ...it
also means dealing
with a land that has
warped around it.

4
~r'f:'.
ThingisYou
Might Find
✓ A rich, red velvet cloak that once
belonged to a duke's son, long
missing; it is ragged, ripped by
hundreds of sharp teeth.
✓ The unhatched eggs of over a dozen
different species of bird, reptile
and other animals; each has been
carefully collected and preserved.
✓ A series of ears - elf, human, dwarf,
gnome - all badly chewed but
recognizable...as though they had
been eaten, digested and then
regurgitated.
✓ The bones of a long dead creature,
bearing horrific mutations and the
peculiar markings of an ancient and
forgotten script.
✓ A spellbook, ragged and torn,
studded with hydra teeth but still,
just readable.
✓ A horse's shaffron, retaining its
sheen, and carefully propped up,
used as a mirror:
q / '
-~-
~iJ~... .
0
' • J , •
Tactics
Possessed of formidable natural weaponry
- claws, teeth and their half-dozen heads
- hydras are amongst the most deadly of
creatures. Such an armoury combined with
their speed and ferocity, makes hydras lethal,
particularly when confronted in their own lair.
The hydra is never entirely still, each head
posing its own lethal threat Magic-users,
rogues and rangers are especially tempting
targets for a hydra, striking at them from
angles they don't anticipate. While they may
appear to be solely bestial, this is not the
case. There is something more than animal
intelligence to the hydra, and as a result, a
their tactics are unusually intelligent.
The moment an enemy begins to anticipate
a hydra's strategy, it changes it If the party
has begun to protect its weaker members,
then the hydra pushes forwards, trying
to scatter its foes and disrupt their new
formation. Hydras are the epitome of
savage animal cunning...and something,
unsettlingly, more.
 The fallowing section gives you a range of different elements you can
introduce into an encounter to make it as memorable as possible. Feel
free to use this as a checklist, referring to it throughout the fight, or just
pick and choose the bits you like the best

, Encounter As
A forest clearing should be an idyllic. even restful place. This is certai
nly not true
I whenever a hydra is in residence. Then, the forest becomes some
thing dangerous,
n with.
I twisted, increasing the dangers the player characters must recko

II I

✓ A Wind in the Willows: The breeze

✓ Acrid Stench: The smell of dying
leaves, rotten trees, and dead animals
makes the entire clearing reek The
player characters are besieged by this
unsavoury odour and must make a
Constitution saving throw at the start
of the encounter. Should they fail, they
are overcome by the rank aroma and
make aJI actions at disadvantage, until
the beginning of their next turn.
✓ Unstable Turf: The ground of the
clearing is not aJways stable, portions
of it have begun to tum into putrid
marsh The GM chooses six points
on the battle map and marks them
with an unstable turf token. If a player
character ends a move action within
5 ft of one of these tokens, they must
make a Dexteritysaving throw or
have one of their feet sucked into the
nascent bog. They may not make any
move action during the next turn as
they extricate themselves.
is surprisingly strong, accentuated by
the constant thrashing of the hydra's
many necks. Making arrows and other
ranged weapons end at the correct
target is made much more difficult as
a result All ranged weapon attacks are
made at disadvantage.
✓ Corruption Everywhere: The
unnaturalness of the hydra, and the
warping effect it has on everything
near it, touches anything and
everything that enters the clearing:
even eating through metal. Whenever
a player character rolls a natural 1
when making a melee weapon attack.
their weapon breaks automatically
and cannot be used again until it is
repaired.
 ✓ The trees form a dense fringe of close-
packed foliage around you.

Using the terrain to your advantage is
always a sm art move. The forest enclave
of the hydra offers a num ber of suc h
opportunitie~ to the canny adventurer;
whether that be scr ub in which a canny
ranger can hide, or hefty trees which a
well-placed blow with an axe can bring
crashing down.
, dar k
✓ The hydra's cave looms before you
and shallow. The area around it is an
ossuary, hundreds of bones collected in
uneven piles - yellowing in the putrid air.
✓ The ground festers, steaming as it
rots
under your feet. Sickly looking flowers
bloom from the diseased ground.

✓ Above you, a network of overhangi

ng
Remember, if the player characters aren't
seeing the opportunities available to branches bends and shakes with the
movements of carrion birds, waiting to
them in the swamp, the hydra certainly
scavenge what they can from
does! The hydra selected this place
your remains.
carefully; it's an animal and dedicated
to surviving. It knows every inch of this
✓ The ground stirs, as though the hydra's
clearing and how to protect itself against
presence was drawing up something
threats when within it This is its home
hideous from beneath the surface to
and it won't abide by any rules of combat, I
\
drag you below.
no matter how violently the fighter and
the paJadin might protest!
✓ A grotesque shape emerges from the
shadowed cave...heads, too many heads
Use the following key descriptors to
open too many mouths and utter a
convey the hydra's lair to your players;
keening shriek
it contains a number of hints about the
environment they 're in and the ways
in which it can be used. Each different,
utilisable element of terrain is given its
own section on the following pages, to
help you keep track of it!

The Birds!
The carrion birds flock to this
area of the forest, waiting
for the hydra's scraps. Alone
among the creature s of the
forest. they seem immune to
the hydra's corruptio n. They
wait and watch above the
fray, their impatien ce for food
sometim es getting the better
of them...some things don't
have to be all that dead for the
ravens to descend, cawing
and tearing with savage
beaks. Whenever a creature
is knocked prone within
10 ft. of the edge of the battle
map, they are immediately
attacked by a murder of
crows. The flock inflicts
standard piercing damage,
before immediately returning
to the trees.
*GM TIP: The hydra knows
that the fiendish birds
overhead attack anything
they deem to be prey, but they
are also not above attacking
the source of their food if they
think they can get away with
it. If the player characte rs
succeed in knocking the
hydra prone, the birds
descend just as joyfully upon
it as they do upon the player
characters. This is a tactic
both sides can use!
~~evarc
•
l
The hydra's prey all end up
as a mas; of~ ~ y-white
bone~ ~uts~ its ca~e.
Thesef ortn a strange kmd
of/fefno/ ;round ~ e cave
entrance, and proYide
excellent c~~ver. !lfambering
overthb if". a
e o' es 11equ1res
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check;
a failure results1ij, standard
piercing dama~e as t~ player
characte r~~ tchJsTue mselves
ont~ s~g ed~
broken fibuJa.
,,,,;,,,-
'Any creature
taking shelter behind the piles
of bones gains +2AC against
any ranged attacks.
*GM TIP: The hydra hides
behind the bones of its
victims wheneve r it has taken
any notable damage, giving
itself time to recover and
making it harder to track.
It tries to draw the player
characte rs towards the
skeletal fence and then flies
up over it.
y
i~= f ft
Dark things stir in the soi /
I
where a hydra lurks, dra I n
up by the toxic corruptio n
that the beast exudes. These
worms streak through
the earth, seeking out the
scent of blood a~ ging
~
thems~ ~eneverthey
find~~ enever a eJayer
cha~acte r or the h~ ra take
more than 8/15/25 claf!lage
in a single hit while stood on
a patch of taintedI earth, the
to the
worms ..... surge
/: beneatt,,•
____ -
surfac~ to _n-yand drag them
down-and suckthem d ry
,
The creature must makecoa
standard DC Dexterity saving-'
throw or be grappled by the
worms beneath. The worms
/4 (J
do standard slashing damag\ .,
for each turn a creature I
remains grappled by them:
escaping requires a standard
DC Strength saving throw.
*GM TIP: Atmospheric, creepy
and also an ideal opportun ity
for player character s to pin
the hydra and really do some
damage, the worms are an
opportunity and a threat - ju&t
like everythin g in the hydra's ,If'/_
lair. The forest is alive. . "'-/
(
/, ,~
\ \ ~ -(
0 "'~~.
~~'I'. '(
\
;0~~J, \
'> Y~~; ~?r.~
Flowers of Disease
The corr1,1ption<V?ii@·o~~es D6 Result
fj~ ~liydr-:a1<ilts'ffi1o~ hings
,,~
-it,i6fc~ -fio
. ~b t ,&01>
-
hideou~ e ~~ ,ers bloom
uces
1-2 Nothing happens.

The player character

in t~ ~ ~rpuck. but even takes standard poison
the ~ st cursory,..of glances tells 3-4 damage as they inhale

'
a player, cbaraoter t~ hey are
~ --.. .
unnautral. "f-hett cot~ s~too
the toxic pollen of the
flowers.
bright to be nat~ a scinti1r nt
The player character
purple, like the b~ isilg arou/ ,d
takes standard poison
a ~ n-li~ -: '!l'e nap~o/ damage and are
c~ar~ s~ n m ~ f the S-G poisoned until they make
flowers, hav~ r-wroll on the a successful Constitution
following table.
saving throw.

*GM TIP: The hydra is fully aware of the effects of the flowers and
does its best to force player characters back towards the flowers, or
use its Drag and Drop (see page 18) Hydra Ability to drop a player
character into their midst.
The player characters get to choose how they approach this battle,
but they don't get to do so without some form of response from
their foe! Detqiled below are the frost giant's tactics, based on the
three potential approaches the player characters might take.
If the player characters attempt
a direct assault: The hydra is
certainly not going to allow itself to be
surrounded and quickly dismembered.
As the player characters approach, it
hisses in fury, its teeth bared, and rushes
forward, ready to crush bone and rend
flesh. The hydra keeps moving, trying to
pull the player characters towards it and
into difficult terrain. It keeps its distance,
snapping at the players with its multiple
heads and launching multiple attacks
at a single foe to ensure that player
characters need to be constantly
healing themselves.
*GM TIP: This approach results in the
player characters and the hydra rolling
initiative as usual.
If the player characters attempt a
tactical advance: Sneaking up to the
hydra's lair is extremely difficult. The
beast chose the place for its wide field
of visibility and, as its corruption has
sunk into the land, the earth itself makes
steaJth harder and, potentially, more
dangerous. The excited cawing of the
carrion birds in the trees overhead, the
ground which can be marsh or as solid
as rock from moment to moment...
even the most skilled ranger or agile
rogue may struggle to keep themselves
concealed. All Stealth checks made in the
hydra's lair are made at disadvantage as
a result of the adverse conditions.
*GM TIP: If the player characters are
able to successfully avoid the hydra's
notice, then they earn a surprise round.
If the player characters try to
surround the hydra and kill it at
range: The hydra's first move is to hide.
It takes cover either behind the piles of
bones or within the mouth of the cave.
As soon as the player character's take
a pause in their fusillade it attacks the
nearest of them, swarming forward and
attempting to negate any magic-users
as quickly as it can. It tries to inflict
enough damage on these that they need
to focus on healing, over any offensive
stratagem. Once it has dealt enough
damage to the magic-users to ensure
that they retreat or are unable to hurt
it, it immediately descends upon any
martial player characters and uses its
teeth and claws to deliver a significant
injury before retreating to cover. . '
*GM TIP: The hydra's speed and
cunning should make this an especially
difficult tactic to implement, and the
GM should ensure that the player
characters can't settle into a routine.
The hydra uses its Hydra Abilities
to move the player characters into
positions from which it can attack them
with impunity.
Target: Everyone.
Hydra Behaviour: A furious raised
head, eyes bloodshot and yellowed,
glaring at any who dare enter its lair.

'GM TIP: This abili~ g\ves the hydra the

chance to intimidate the player characters
early. and give if a chance to escape from
any early ranged attacks.

.. .'>. ('~~c/'
Target: Itself.
Cunning, malicious and possessec:Pqf
Hydra Behaviour: Asudden shiver
animal's desire to cling to life1no,;,atte ·
seizes its whole body, it flesh changing
with each paroxysm.
how desperate tfiings mi ht-'s e
hydra is a d~ J· ..&t · ·· · '

' GM TIP: The hydra uses any time it has player chara
gained from the Roar of the Dead to ready
itself for incoming attacks, and to prepare to
use the atta" ,_:;:j:. · -~
-~ .;:•:t' .
take down its first target.

11lti~ ~r
E...ll,,........:.,.....,;...._........._......,,.:..~

Target: The player character with

the least armour.
Hydra Behaviour: A strangely
human grin spreads, slowly. over
each slavering mouth in turn.

'GM TIP: Lumbering towards its first target.

the hydra aims to do as much damage as
possible -so that the player character needs
to be healed... This way, it hopes to ensure
that the party is always too divided to
concentrate all their attacks on it

Target: Anyone aftproaching the
hydra.
Hydra Behaviour: A savage snarl and
a snap of its tail.
•cM TIP: After delivering brutal damage
to a player character, the hydra now
reposition s, quickly lea ving the combat
area and preparing for its next attack.
Target: The m0st obvious
martial character .
Hydra Behaviour: A sharp howl
of anger.
·cM TIP: This is one of the hydra's most
deadly attacks and it has taken its time to set
it up and make sure when it uses it, it is as
devastatin g as possible.
martial character.
Hydra Behaviour: An almost
seductive turn of the head, half-
conceale d by the branches of trees.
•GM TIP: Tail Lash enables the hydra to both
damage and restrain its enemy. rendering
them susceptible to its next attack.
Target: Itself.
Hydra Behaviour: A grunt of exertion
as corrupt energy suffuses its form.
·GM TIP: Readying itself for the next s tage of
the combat, the hydra sprouts a new head to
make sure it's ready to s laughter a nyone who
comes too close.
 In addition to the abilities listed in the Stats section, the hydra may
use one of the following abilities as an action. Don't overuse these,
as they are very powerful. Use them to keep your players gripped
and to ensure that the combat doesn't just ~ecome a series of rolls.

\ NeckSmash Costume
With a violent sweep of its long, serpentine
necks, the hydra seeks to knock the player
Change
It's hide shifting and changing, both in
characters from their feet Each player
colour and texture, the hydra makes its
character within 10 ft of the hydra must
flesh thick and scaly, impervious to all but
make a standard Strength saving throw
the most ferocious of blows. It adds +2 to
or be knocked prone.
its AC until the start of its next tum.
*GM TIP: The hydra uses this attack to both
keep player characters from getting too *GM TIP: Thickening its hide, making it
close and to bring the carrion birds (see harder to hurt, the hydra uses this ability
The Birds! on page 13) into play, ensuring frequently, especially if it is about to attack a
that the player characters are always under martial player character.
attack from somewhere!

Drag and Drop Taillash
Seizing a player character in one of its
mouths, the hydra lifts the struggling
victim into the air before smashing
them to the earth. The hydra makes a
Bite attack on one player character. If
successful. the hydra has seized its prey;
the player character may make a standard
1 DC Strength saving throw to try and
wrestle free. Should they fail, the hydra
I
lifts them 10 ~ in the air and brings the
player character smashing into the earth.
They suffer double standard bludgeoning
With a brutal twist of its body, the
hydra lashes out at one of the player
characters with its tail. Any player
character targeted with this attack
must succeed on a standard Dexterity
saving throw or suffer double standard
bludgeoning damage. The tail wraps
itself around the player characters body
and holds them in place, restraining
them until they wrestle free - requiring
a standard DC Strength saving throw.
*GM TIP: The hydra comb~nes this ability

'\~1
'>-~ damage from the fall and are left prone.
with its Drag and Drop ability, if it can. Ideally,
it ~eeks to take two opponents out of the
I

'
\-:\<
,
\'

1
i),1 --._,.-, '
~f
:'f, ~GM TIP: This attack gives the hydra a
chanc~ to deliver serious damage to a player
character and begin dividing the party,
allowing it to pick them off individually. It
fi~ht, leaving the party divided and exposed.

W , '--· ~ us~s this attack on armoured characters in

'\v'~ particular. It also aims to drop characters
0

"-
\

/ \ ~': jrito the Flowers of Disease (see page 14) to

\~" ,,1 ~i7)ake its attack that bit more effective.
')\~ \""-'
/ . / _ 1·
(
~ -'
_4'":,f
-. r ~
~ "
- "'I~ , :
VL""··,.___________]J' _____JI ...__._
 The player character s are fighting a hydra in its lair. That's a
very, very dangerou s thing to do. To reflect that, the hydra can
use these specific lair abilities. Each ability can only be used
once per encounter , as they permanen tly reshape the map.

~ J>fthe ---e Heads

~r
With a shriek that pierces the
somnolent forest air, the hydra, as an
action, calls upon a host of Bloodwood
i'fian WO...
Ingesting a huge swirl of the energy of
corruption, the hydra is able to regrow
Goblins to aid in its fight...
an extra head. At the end of a turn on
which this ability is used, the hydra
✓ Lower Tier: 1d6
regrows one additional head in addition
✓ Middle Tier: 1d8
to those regrown as part of the Multiple
✓ Higher Tier: 1d10
Heads ability.

Stats for Bloodwood Goblins can be

found on page 24.

Eorceof. Vines suddenly sprout from the earth,

COrruption tangling the player characters, restraining

The pollution in the ground explodes
into the air in a fug of noxious gas. As an
action, the hydra can lash its tail at the
ground, rather than at a player character.
This unJeashes a 10 ft diameter cloud
of poisonous gas, represented by the
supplied token, centring within 10 ft.
of the hydra, Any player character
who moves onto,_pr through a location
containing the poisonous gas token
suffers standard poison damage and the
poisoned condition.
them and making movement impossible.
The hydra may, as an action channel
\
its powers of corruption into the earth,
binding a player character of its choice
within 20 ft of the hydra. The player
character suffers the grappled condition
for the next turn, if they fail a standard DC
Dexterity saving throw.
 LO

Every grea t battl e has awe-inspiring mom ents, thos e which

leave witn esse s astou nded . Try using these in your enco unte r
to surp rise, shock, and ente rtain your players. We've included
a prop osed poin t during the enco unte r at which it migh t be
useful to deploy thes e cinematic mom ents.

'! Rip it Up
Two of its heads descen d upon a single player character, seizing limbs
in each mouth ,
I the hydra attem pts to tear the unfort unate victim in half!

ter.
WHAT: As an action, the hydra makes a Multiattack agains t a single player charac
vely grappl ed
If two or more of the Bite attack s are succes sful, the hydra has effecti
, makin g a
the target player charac ter. The player charac ter can attem pt to escape
ter's taking
standa rd DC Streng th saving throw. A failure results in the player charac
as the hydra
doubl e standa rd slashi ng damag e and suffering the grappl ed condition
turn, they
attem pts to rip them in two. At the start of the player charac ter's next
e in the
are releas ed from the hydra's reeking maws if the hydra took 25+ damag
If not, they can
preced ing turn, as one of the heads grippi ng the victim is destro yed.
ous damag e
make a final Streng th saving throw. If they fail, the hydra delivers enorm
a Death saving
to the target, reduci ng them to O hit points, and forcing them to make
throw.
( I ,, player
• I WHEN: This is the hydra's last big gambl e, an attem pt to take out a single
It waits until it
' j charac ter with the most vicious and damag ing attack it can manag e.
can see a player charac ter is seriou sly injure d and then target s them.
?/;/~

l
1

Jllt~?f:ad
Funnelling air into its lungs, the hydra
makes the air and earth shake with the
force and ferocity of its roar.
WHAT: Once per encounter, as an
action, the hydra can make the Roar of
the Dead. Each player charac ter must
succee d on a standa rd DC Wisdom
saving throw or becom e frightened
until the start of their next turn.
WHEN: The hydra often begins the
comba t with this, letting its enemi es
know that it intend s to savou r eating
their flesh from broken bones.
V
The la st
Stana-
Spitted with arrow s and spears,
slashe d with sword s and pulver ised
with maces, the hydra is near death. It
retrea ts toward s its cave, roaring, and
prepar es to make its final stand.
WHAT: The hydra bellows in agony, its
many mouth s split open. teeth painte d
black with its own blood. When the
hydra reache s O hit points, it makes one
final Multiattack agains t every player
charac ter within 10 ft. before it finally
succu mbs to its wound s.
WHEN: At the very end of the fight, the
hydra is near death and begins its
death throes.
 The hydra's cave isn't filled with treasure , but certain
objects and items can be found amidst the detritus
and the scraps of rotting flesh - not to mention the
bones which litter the floor.

Lower Tier: Middle Tier: Higher Tier:

✓ 1000gp. ✓ 2000gp. ✓ S000gp.
✓ 1 magic item of the ✓ 2 magic items of ✓ 3 magic items of
GM's choice. the GM's choice. the GM's choice.

);
j l
~ 1
 •
~

? \ \ .:.,;
\ \.{ .~~
r._!¼). • ,
f ~~
li , .

" .
:,,.;_ -
'

,.
l4
Challenge
1.ll i
(56XP)
Blooclwood
Goblin
Small hum anoi d (goblin). neutral evil

AC: 15 (leat her arm our, shield) STR: 8 (-1)

IHit Poin ts: 7 (2d6) DEX: 14 (+2)
CON: 10 (+O)
Speed: 30 ft. INT:10 (+O)
Sens es: Darkvision 60 ft., WIS: 8 (-1)
Passive Perc eptio n 9 CHA: 8 (-1)
t \• lll'i--1 ~ ~~- - -r41P', Lan guag es: Common , Goblin
Skills: Stealth +6

Special Abilities
Nimble Esca pe
as a
Onc e per turn , the goblin can dise ngag e or hide
bonu s actio n

A ct io ns
Scimitar
~~ rf, ~~ ~- -- Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reac h 5 ft..
one targe t. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slash ing dam age

Short Bow
Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, rang e
80/3 20 ft., one targe t. .
Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing dam age

To repr esen t the Bloo dwo od Goblin mini ons the

hydr a calls upon , you can use the toke ns supp lied
h
in the box. or alter nate ly use the mini atur es whic
l com e as part of this Epic Enc oun ters siste r-set
Village ofthe Gob lin Chie f
Seedling
~vil
!~~~o
AC: 15 (natural armor) STR: 20 (+5)
I Hit Points: 172 (15d12+75) DEX: 12 (+1)
CON:20 (+5)
Speed: 30 ft. walk, 30 ft. swim
INT:2 (-4)
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft..
WIS: 10 (+O)
Passive Perception 16
CHA:7(-2)
Language s: -
Skills: Perception +6

Special Abilities
Hold Breath
The hydra can hold its breath for 1 hour

Multiple Heads
The hydra begins the encounter with five heads. For
every 25 or more damage the hydra takes in a single
turn. one of its heads dies. At the end of its turn. unless it
took fire damage in the preceding turn, the hydra grows T,>2'1'1',.11\

two heads for each head it lost in the preceding turn,

regaining 10 hit points for each head grown in this way.

While it has two or more heads, the hydra makes saving

throws against blinded, charmed. deafened, frightened,
stunned and knocked unconsciou s at advantage. If the
hydra at any point has no heads, it dies

Reactive Heads Wakeful

For each head the hydra has beyond While the hydra sleeps, at least one of
one, it gets an extra reaction that can its heads is awake
be used only for opportunit y attacks

Acti ons Bite

Multiattack
The hydra makes a Bite attack for each Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit. reach
head it currently has 10 ft.. one target.
Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) piercing damage
 •
B eorung
Huge nydra, chaotic evil

AC: 20 (natural armour) STR: 22 (+6)

I Hit Points: 207 (18d12 +90) DEX: 12 (+1)
CON: 20 (+5)
Speed: 30 ft. walk. 30 ft. swim INT: 2 (-4)
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., WIS: 10 (+0)
Passive Perception 16 CHA: 7 (-2)
Languages: -
Skills: Perception +6

,. Actions
Multiattack
The hydra makes a Bite attack for each head it
currently has

. ~ \'t ·\\ Bite

~ -"i \ \
Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
l~ \' , Hit: 38 (6d10 + 5) piercing damage
-'-~ ' ~-[\,

~
L ,

I
~ ~ · -, - .
~'/ ..~ ~
1'
~ ~~:- -~"'.'.:.____
~ . ... ,1
1.,
 21

Special Abilities
Hold Breath
The hydra can hold its breath for 1 hour

Multiple Heads
every 25 or more
The hydra begins the encounter with five heads. For
s dies. At the end
damage the hydra takes in a single turn, one of its head
g turn, the hydra
of its turn, unless it took fire damage in the precedin
g turn, regaining
grows two heads for each head it lost in the precedin
10 hit points for each head grown in this way.

g throws
While it has two or more heads, the hydra makes savin
ned and knocked
against blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened , stun
no heads, it dies
unconscious at advantage. If the hydra at any point has

Reactive Hea ds
For each head the hydra has beyond one, it gets an extra
ks
reaction that can be used only for opportunity attac

Wakeful
e
While the hydra sleeps, at least one of its heads is awak
0

Blooming
Hydra
Gargantuan hydra, chaotic evil

AC: 24 (natural armour) STR: 25 (+7)

I Hit Points: 241 (21d12 +105) DEX:12(+1)
CON: 20(+5)
Speed: 30 ft. walk, 30 ft. swim INT: 2 (-4 )
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., WIS: (+l)
12
Passive Perception 17 CHA: 7(-2)
Langua ges: -
Skills: Perception +7 Saving Throws:
I STR +11. CON +9

Actions
Multiattack
The hydra makes a Bite attack for each head it
currently has

Bite
Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft.. one target.
Hit: 49 (8d10 +5) piercing damage

Legendary Actions
The hydra can take three Legendary Actions. choosing
from the options below. Only one Legendary Action
can be used at a time, and only at the end of
another creature's turn. Spent Legendary Actions are
regained at the start of each turn.

Costum e Change
The hydra uses the Costume Change Hydra Ability

Multiattack
(costs two Legendary Actions )
The hydra makes a Multiatta ck

Neck Smash
(costs two Legenda ry Actions)
The hydra uses the Neck Smash Hydra Ability
 29

Special Abilities
Lege ndar y Resistance (3/D ay)
inste ad
If the hydr a fails a savin g throw, it can choo se to succ eed

Hold Breath
The hydr a can hold its brea th for 1 hour

Mult iple Heads

every 25 or more
The hydra begin s the enco unte r with five head s. For
s dies. At the end
dam age the hydr a takes in a single turn, one of its head
turn, the hydr a
of its turn, unles s it took fire dama ge in the prece ding
turn, regai ning
grow s two head s for each head it lost in the prece ding
10 hit poin ts for each head grow n in this way.

g throw s
While it has two or more heads, the hydra make s savin
ed and knoc ked
again st blinded, charm ed, deafe ned, frightened , stunn
has no head s, it dies
unco nscio us at adva ntage. If the hydra at any point

Reactive Heads
react ion that
For each head the hydr a has beyo nd one, it gets an extra
can be used only for oppo rtuni ty attac ks

Wakeful
e
Wrule the hydr a sleep s, at least one of its head s is awak

)
-

I ·pIC
, I i/;;,

I
Game Design Writer Art Graphic Design
Mat Hart Richard August Doug Telford &Layout
Cristina Ruiz Michael Ruocco
Game Editing Cristina Ruiz
Development Nicholas Johnson Sculpting
Richard August Matthew Elliott Ben Charles Playtesting
Russ Charles Dominic Westerland
Project Samantha Layton
Tom Lishman
Management
Holly Woolford
Matthew Elliott
~ ..
C,
~
fl,_.' .
_lt I

Steamforged G am es H
Develop ment Production Human Resour ces
Co-Fou nders
Richard August Ben Clapper ton Gareth Reid
Rich Loxam (CEO)
Mat Hart (CCO) Steve Margets on Matthew Elliott
Fraser Mcfetrid ge Nicolas Lu Operat ions & Fulfilm ent
Jamie Perkins Mike Appleto n
Executive Chairman
Simon Spalding Finance &IT Alex Black
Sculpting & Art John Higham David Fear '~
Non-Executive Directo r Ben Charles Vanessa O"Brien
Adam King
Judy Guan
Alex Hobbs
✓-~ ,
Ron As hitiani Russ Charles
Ian Livingstone CBE Tom Lishman John Hockey
Doug Telford Marketing & Community Lee Hughes
Investment Director Holly Woolford Manage ment Richard Jenning s
Rob Jones Derek Baker
Graphic Design & Layout Sean Dooley Licensi ng & Comme rcial
Design & Product Owners Abigail Thornto n Jamie Giblin Emma Be nfield
Alex Hall Cristina Ruiz Chynna-Blue Haycastle Toby Davies
Sherwin Matthew s Charlott e Cloud Firoz Rana
 32.
Licensinq t
J{greemen
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TNOTICE
. ht 2000. Wizards of the
15. COPYRIGH. ense v 1.0a Copy• ig
Game Lie
· d of
Open c
CoasL LL -1 Copyright 2016. W1zarChs.
Document ~- I Jerem ys Craw ford. ns

f~
Wyatt. Robe rtJ.
rem Referencethors Mike Mea rte Jame shend.
mes ·and Steve Town
CoasL Inc.: A~hompson. P~tSi
Perkm1s.bR; :ci R Cordeallj ;Yh ~.5Gary Gygax
Schwa · . inal maten
based onon g

d Dave Arneson. mfor ged Gam es Ltd.

right E" 2020 Stea hall be repro duce d
an book seans. or
elect ronicany
Encounters: CdoNp~ part of this

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!' ~t~d ·eval ;~';;;
:;;~~ical.
0%pyinhg~:Ce~~~mp~;
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writt en
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inform a_tion me
rem 0

permission.
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PRODUCT IDENTITY
re desig nate
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Licence Version ✓
The follow ;gt/~~~(etof the Op~~eG~':,1;ditions set
:;:;,k:
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to. refe
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registere a~es and des1g~s {team forge
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business ~ae associated w1t\n cludi ng
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 Village of the Goblin Chief

Beware the giggling goblins and their cruel knives.

Hidd en in their treeto p village, they plot their raids
and feast on whate ver they can steal -or kidnap. But
goblin malice is not the only threa t in these parts. Far
benea th the branc hes, the groun d has begu n to rot,
pollu ting the soil and spoiling harvests.
And the goblins know why.
ste am forg ed .co m
 1 Hydra Counter

12 Bloodwood Goblins
Tokens

Hydra

6 Unstable Sturf
Tokens

Copyright CJ 2020 Steamforged Games Ltd. All Rights Reserved