| “ | Myth unit. Grows heads as it kills enemy soldiers and myth units. | ” |
| —In-game description | ||
The Hydra (plural: Hydrai) is a legendary many-headed reptilian monster. In Age of Mythology, it is a Heroic Age Greek myth unit available to worshipers of Dionysus.
Special ability[]
Polycephaly (Passive): The Hydra gains an extra head based on the total damage dealt, up to a maximum of five heads. Each head adds 100% to its attack.
Further statistics[]
| Myth technologies | |
|---|---|
| Hit points |  Dionysia (+5%) Mythic Age (+20%) Wonder Age (+100%)
|
| Regeneration |  Chthonic Rites (150 hit points per minute)
|
| Attack |  Monstrous Rage (+25%, Hera) Mythic Age (+20%) Wonder Age (+100%)
|
| Movement speed | Wonder Age (+20%)
|
Relics[]
- Pandora's Box: -20% favor cost.
- Pelt of Argus: +6 Line of Sight.
- Scales of a Catoblepas: -15% pierce vulnerability.
- Scales of Echidna: -15% cost except favor.
Tactics[]
Hydras attack by biting at adjacent enemies. Technically, their long necks enable them to attack at very short range, but this rarely makes a difference. While Hydras do not have a special attack, they do gradually increase their attack in proportion to the amount of damage dealt. A Hydra's attack increases with each head it grows. The starting stat for the hack attack is 30 and crush is 15, and it increases to a maximum of 150 and 75 respectively (a Hydra would have to deal 1,600 damage to fully evolve). Animals killed by the Hydra count increase the attack as well, so one tactic is to set a Hydra on a pack of harmless animals in order to gain an undamaged, improved Hydra.
The Hydra's attack also deals crush damage, making it good at destroying buildings. They are powerful in combat as they get even stronger with the number of opponents they kill. They also have a lot of armor and hit points so can last prolonged battles. They are strong against other myth units but like all myth units are countered by heroes.
Changelog[]
Age of Mythology[]
- Hydrai do 20 hack and 10 crush damage per second, have 40% pierce armor, and cost 5 population.
- Hydrai gain no additional hit points or attack in the Mythic Age.
- Hydrai gain a damage bonus by killing units, growing an extra head after killing 3 units and increasing its base damage by 16.67% per unit.
Heads Killing units Attack Damage 1 0 20 hack / 10 crush1 23.3 hack / 11.7 crush2 26.7 hack / 13.3 crush2 3 30 hack / 15 crush4 33.3 hack / 16.7 crush5 36.7 hack / 18.3 crush3 6 40 hack / 20 crush7 43.3 hack / 21.7 crush8 46.7 hack / 23.3 crush4 9 50 hack / 25 crush10 53.3 hack / 26.7 crush11 56.7 hack / 28.3 crush5 12 60 hack / 30 crush
Retold[]
- Hydrai do 30 hack and 15 crush damage per hit. Damage per second remains unchanged at 20 hack and 10 crush.
- Hydrai have 50% pierce armor and cost 4 population.
- Hydrai gain +20% hit points & attack in the Mythic Age. They further gain +100% hit points, +100% attack, and +20% speed in the Wonder Age.
- Hydrai gain a damage bonus by damage dealt, growing an extra head and increasing base damage by 100% per total amount of damage.
- With update 17.27932, the damage needed to grow the second head is increased from 100 to 150, the third head from 400 to 500, the fourth from 800 to 1,250, and the fifth from 1,600 to 2,500.
Mythology[]
| “ | Scientific name -- Hydra lernaea Size -- 20,000+ lbs. Diet -- carnivore, especially cattle and humans Another of the fierce offspring of Echinda[sic] and Typhon, the Hydra was a large serpent with multiple heads and poisonous breath. Killing the Hydra near the city of Lerna in Argolis was the second of Heracles' twelve tasks. Each time he cut off one of the Hydra's heads, however, two more grew back. A nephew helped him by cauterizing each wound as a head was lopped off. The last head was immortal, so Heracles buried it under a large rock. Once the beast's body was dead, Heracles dipped his arrowheads into its blood, giving them extra potency. |
” |
| —In-game help section | ||
Trivia[]
- The Hydra was originally a naval myth unit, but it was split in 2 to create the naval Scylla and the terrestrial Hydra.
- The relation between Hydra and Scylla might be a reference to the uncommon misconception that Sauropods and Plesiosaurs are closely related.
- The Hydra in Age of Mythology seems to be a species of carnivorous sauropod or terrestrial plesiosaur instead of the more classical serpentine depictions/descriptions of the creature. In Retold, its features are made more fantastical.
Gallery[]
A Hydra with the maximum of five heads in Retold
A Hydra in-game
A Hydra with maximum heads
Hydra concept art
3-headed Hydra bored animation
3-headed Hydra walk animation
Pre-released screenshot featuring a Hydra on the right
Hydra with maximum heads attacking a House.
Concept art in an issue of Computer Gaming World magazine
Video[]
HYDRA vs EVERY MYTH UNIT - Age of Mythology
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