The Basics of Hydra
The Basics of Hydra are quite simple once you play and learn what all the different heads do so today we will jump into the basics of Hydra and try to help you understand where you are going wrong. Don’t get me wrong it is one of the hardest things in the game and it took Content Creators a while to figure it out but now we have we can share our knowledge!
Where to start?
It’s crucial to recognize that the Hydra Clan Boss becomes accessible to players relatively early in the game. Nevertheless, the mere availability of the boss doesn’t imply that your account is prepared to tackle the associated challenges. Unless you possess an account geared for “end-game” content, it is recommended to start from the lower levels and progress gradually. Start with the easier stages to acquaint yourself with Hydra’s mechanics and identify the champions best suited for the task.
What Speed and Stats do you need?
Determining the speed, accuracy, and resistance is fortunately straightforward with the help of HellHades.com’s Stages Tool. Each difficulty requires different stats. Keep in mind that the affinities of the heads change depending on the rotation.
For example, in Normal Hydra, the fastest head has a speed of 210. Therefore, your champions should have a speed of 211 or higher. The highest resistance required is 140, which means your accuracy should be at least 215 to land debuffs (165 as shown in yellow, plus 50 if the Head of Suffering is present). The highest accuracy needed is 250, so if you want to prevent your buffs from being stolen by the Head of Mischief, your champions should have 355 resistance. Therefore, we build “Mischief Tanks/Targets” – only one champion needs to have such high resistance. Alternatively, you can try to apply Decreased Accuracy debuffs to all heads, reducing the resistance requirements for your team.
Who are the MVP’s of Hydra?
Ultimately, your goal is to cover all bases and have champions who can fulfil multiple roles. But we have these 3 champions who if you have will make your lives so much easier and you’ll be slaying Hydra heads in no time!
Uugo: She brings Block Buffs debuffs, Decrease DEF, Leech, cleanses, heals, and even has a conditional revive. All these buffs and debuffs are essential for Hydra because they are sneaking and steal buffs and spread them amongst each other. Uugo is a BEAST!
Krisk the Ageless: His AoE A1 applies Decrease SPD buffs, and his A2 enhances survivability with Ally Protection buffs and Continuous Heal buffs on himself. His A3 brings Provoke to handle the Head of Decay, along with Increase DEF on himself and Increase SPD on all allies. Krisk also has a chance to apply Decrease DEF and Decrease ATK debuffs to attackers when hit. His self-buffing abilities make him an excellent choice as a mischief target. Krisk has always been a major champion and on top of most players’ wishlists and once again he doesn’t disappoint!
Nekmo Thaar: Like Krisk, Nekmo applies Decrease SPD debuffs and Increase SPD buffs. Having both in one kit is incredibly helpful. He also delivers AoE attacks with Decrease ATK and Leech debuffs. His passive skill, which fills his Turn Meter by 5% whenever a debuff on an enemy is removed, transferred, or expires, helps keep him in action.
Important skills to Bring
Hydra demands a diverse set of skills from your champions. Increase Speed, Turn Meter manipulation, and debuffs like Decrease SPD can assist in meeting speed requirements or enable your champions to take multiple turns per round. To enhance damage output, consider utilizing debuffs such as Decrease DEF, Weaken, and Hex. HP Burn proves effective at lower Hydra difficulty levels and is especially valuable in countering the Poison Cloud from the Head of Blight if your team lacks Block Buffs. Provoke emerges as a crucial tool for managing the Head of Decay. To endure potent attacks, deploy debuffs like Decrease ATK, Shields, Increase DEF, along with buffs like Revive on Death and Strengthen. Healing, Cleansing, and Reviving abilities are indispensable across all difficulty levels. Additionally, ensure your lineup includes champions capable of inflicting substantial damage, with a focus on those wielding skills based on the enemy’s maximum HP, such as Husk and Royal Guard, to excel in this challenging encounter.
Strategies to Beating Hydra
There are two main strategies:
(1) Focus on lower difficulty levels of Hydra and only combat four heads, hoping the others don’t appear.
(2) Prepare to deal with all six heads.
The first strategy can work in the early stages, but it heavily relies on RNG. If an unprepared head emerges, you’ll likely need to restart and hope for better luck next time. This strategy is not recommended because it’s one of the main reasons players complain about Hydra: excessive RNG. However, if you plan for all six heads to appear, you can avoid the RNG frustration. This doesn’t mean you have to follow every rule, such as having a Mischief Target or a Provoker for the Head of Decay. You can get creative and indirectly address these challenges. For example, your team might comprise Uugo for Block Buffs along with a champion who extends debuffs. Alternatively, if you lack a proper way to handle the Head of Torment, such as Perfect Veil or Inquisitor Shamel, you can focus on burning it to death using HP Burn and employ a cleanser to deal with fears as they arise. Look closely at the champion kits commonly used in Hydra comps by others, and you’ll see that a strong skill set is key.
What teams are you using? What is your number one tip for someone tackling Hydra for the first time? Leave a comment down below, we love hearing from you!