...Of Hydras and Martial Strikes

[Lycanthromancer]

A single attack (not just a full attack action, but one single attack) by a hydra consists of one bite for every head it has, including attacks of opportunity.

If you were to polymorph a martial adept into a hydra, or a hydra took Martial Study, or you were a psychic warrior with metamorphosis and a few levels in martial adept, or an egoist with a psicrystal with Martial Study that you intended to transform, which would be the best strikes for this?

Crusader's Strike seems like a good one. Heal your whole party at the end of each battle.

Steel Wind and Flashing Sun, for even more attacks.

Foehammer, for ignoring DR and getting up to +24d6 extra damage.

Drain Vitality, to basically eviscerate a foe with Con damage.

Tactical Strike, to move your whole party up to 60 feet, and deal up to +24d6 extra damage.

And those are just the first level strikes. There are more.

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By the way, blame an amalgamation of myself and Snakeman830 for this one.

[Leram]

While the attack entry says that, under combat it says "Hydras can attack with all their heads at no penalty, even if they move or charge during the round. "

Strikes specify single melee attack, the wording under the combat entry heavily implies it doesn't work. Not to mention that the text should trump the table.

Burning blade (and similar bonus damage boosts) would definitely work though.

[Endarire]

"Hey, DM!  I just hit your enemy 12 times with Inferno Bite."
"But you're a cryohydra!"
"Exactly!"

[Havok4]

It would work with time stands still though, which would be awesome. Time stands still, inferno blade, and assassin's stance with Craven assuming a 20th level swordsage is polymorphed. each attack does 2d6+6 base damage 3d6+20 fire and 2d6+20 precision, total 168d6+1104, average 1692, which is easily resistible but still impressive.

[Endarire]

Nagahydra + Time Stands Still + Martial Spirit + Wrathful Healing Weapon.

[Runestar]

Heck, even the humble punishing stance seems to much more threatening in the hands (or is that bites) of a hydra. 

Now, if there is just some way of boosting its fairly crap attack roll...

[Anklebite]

Heck, even the humble punishing stance seems to much more threatening in the hands (or is that bites) of a hydra. 

Now, if there is just some way of boosting its fairly crap attack roll...

wraithestrike?

[Akalsaris]

Heck, even the humble punishing stance seems to much more threatening in the hands (or is that bites) of a hydra. 

Now, if there is just some way of boosting its fairly crap attack roll...

wraithestrike?

Emerald Razor too

[Anklebite]

Heck, even the humble punishing stance seems to much more threatening in the hands (or is that bites) of a hydra. 

Now, if there is just some way of boosting its fairly crap attack roll...

wraithestrike?

Emerald Razor too

only lets you make one attack.

[skydragonknight]

While the attack entry says that, under combat it says "Hydras can attack with all their heads at no penalty, even if they move or charge during the round. "

Strikes specify single melee attack, the wording under the combat entry heavily implies it doesn't work. Not to mention that the text should trump the table.

Burning blade (and similar bonus damage boosts) would definitely work though.

Any charge maneuver. Most/all of them say "As part of this maneuver, you charge the enemy." The hydra text (excluding irrelevant parts) says: "Hydras can attack with all their heads even if they charge during the round."

Leading the Charge stance + War Master's Charge = +70 damage for each head during the charge. Use a boost to get through even more damage.

Edit: The Range of these maneuvers may say "Melee Attack", but there is no line saying "Effect: Melee Attack. So the determination would be based upon the individual maneuver's text.

[PhaedrusXY]

If you were to polymorph a martial adept into a hydra give a hydra martial adept levels.

Aww yeah. My PCs are going to love this. 

[Bozwevial]

If you were to polymorph a martial adept into a hydra give a hydra martial adept levels.

Aww yeah. My PCs are going to love this. 

Isn't Martial Study enough to make our lives miserable?

[Unbeliever]

While the attack entry says that, under combat it says "Hydras can attack with all their heads at no penalty, even if they move or charge during the round. "

Strikes specify single melee attack, the wording under the combat entry heavily implies it doesn't work. Not to mention that the text should trump the table.

Burning blade (and similar bonus damage boosts) would definitely work though.

Any charge maneuver. Most/all of them say "As part of this maneuver, you charge the enemy." The hydra text (excluding irrelevant parts) says: "Hydras can attack with all their heads even if they charge during the round."

Leading the Charge stance + War Master's Charge = +70 damage for each head during the charge. Use a boost to get through even more damage.

Edit: The Range of these maneuvers may say "Melee Attack", but there is no line saying "Effect: Melee Attack. So the determination would be based upon the individual maneuver's text.

Wouldn't that logic imply that anyone w/ pounce would get a full attack w/ these maneuvers?  I seriously doubt anyone will accept that reading. 

[Rebel7284]

Wouldn't that logic imply that anyone w/ pounce would get a full attack w/ these maneuvers?  I seriously doubt anyone will accept that reading. 

I don't see a problem.  A maneuver gives you a charge attack.  If you have feats that modify how you charge, why would you be unable to use them?

[skydragonknight]

Wouldn't that logic imply that anyone w/ pounce would get a full attack w/ these maneuvers?  I seriously doubt anyone will accept that reading. 

Why wouldn't they get a full attack at the end of a charge just because the charge is part off the maneuver? A charge is a charge regardless of source. Whether or not every attack gets the benefit of the maneuver is a separate (and a fair) question. A "fair" reading might only give the benefit to the first attack of a pounce.

Of course, hydras don't have pounce. It's not a "full attack" and I'm not sure if there is even a "first attack" when a hydra attacks while charging.

[PhaedrusXY]

If you were to polymorph a martial adept into a hydra give a hydra martial adept levels.

Aww yeah. My PCs are going to love this. 

Isn't Martial Study enough to make our lives miserable?

Nah. That takes up feat slots that could be spent on Tome Combat feats. 

[Maat_Mons]

If you were to polymorph a martial adept into a hydra give a hydra martial adept levels.

Aww yeah. My PCs are going to love this. 

Isn't Martial Study enough to make our lives miserable?

At least he's not giving it stormguard warrior. 

[Bozwevial]

If you were to polymorph a martial adept into a hydra give a hydra martial adept levels.

Aww yeah. My PCs are going to love this. 

Isn't Martial Study enough to make our lives miserable?

At least he's not giving it stormguard warrior. 

Shhhhhh!

[Ithamar]

In my arena we have a Druid || Warblade that uses Frozen Wildshape (Cryohydra) to great effect when combined lots of those manuevers (not to mention Robilar's Gambit).

If you work it right and manage to get Rapidstrike + Improved Rapidstrike, you'd be that much crazier on a full attack.