Hydran Serpent Template (CR +1)

A hydran serpent is a snake with multiple heads. Cryo- or pyro-hydran serpents also have breath weapons.

Creating a Hydran Serpent

Hydran serpent” is an inherited or acquired template that can be applied to any snake.

Challenge Rating: same as the base creature +1 per head. If it is a cryo- or pyro-hydran serpent, its challenge rating increases by an additional +2.

Type: The creature’s type changes to Magical Beast. Its Hit Dice change to d10s.

Attacks: Hydran serpents gain one additional bite attack per extra head.

Special Qualities: Hydran serpents gain the following special qualities:

Breath Weapon (Ex)

Cryo- or pyro-hydran serpents can breathe a cone of cold or fire from each head. A cryohydran gains the Cold subtype, while a pyrohydran gains the Fire subtype. Cones are 5 ft. + 5 ft. for each size category above Small. Each head may breathe once every 1d4 rounds. Each cone deals 2d6 points of cold or fire damage. A successful Reflex save halves the damage. The save DC is 10 + 1/2 the creatures HD + its Con modifier.

Can’t Be Flanked (Ex)

Because its multiple heads allow it to look in many directions at once, a hydran serpent can’t be flanked.

Fast Healing (Ex)

A hydran serpent heals two points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point.

Sample Hydran Serpent Creature

5-headed Pyro-hydran serpent constrictor snake: CR 9; Medium animal [fire]; HD 3d10+3 (magical beast); hp 25; Init +3; Spd 20, Swim 20, Climb 20; AC:15, flat-footed 12, touch 13; BAB +2; CMB +5; CMD 18; 5 bites +5 melee (1d3+4, Bite); SA: Grab (Ex), Constrict (Ex)

Breath Weapon (Ex): 10 ft. cone of fire from each head, useable every 1d4 rounds. Each cone inflicts 2d6 damage, Reflex DC 12 for half.

SQ: Can’t be flanked, fast healing 3 (Ex), scent (Ex); AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2; Str 17, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2.

Skills: Acrobatics +11, Climb +14, Perception +7, Stealth +10, Swim +11.

Feats: Alertness, Toughness

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