Hydra
The hydra is a monster that exists in both SLASH'EM and SpliceHack, but is implemented very differently in both variants.
Contents
SLASH'EM
D hydra 
| |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 32 |
| Attacks |
Bite 2d8, Bite 2d8, Bite 2d8, Bite 2d8, Bite 2d8, Bite 2d8 |
| Base level | 26 |
| Base experience | 1087 |
| Speed | 9 |
| Base AC | -4 |
| Base MR | 20 |
| Alignment | 7 (lawful) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | 1 (Very rare) |
| Genocidable | Yes |
| Weight | 4500 |
| Nutritional value | 500 |
| Size | Gigantic |
| Resistances | poison, petrification |
| Resistances conveyed | poison (100%) |
|
A hydra:
| |
| Reference | SLASH'EM_0.0.7E7F2/monst.c#line2339 |
In SLASH'EM the hydra is one of two non-dragons to use the D glyph, the other being the wyvern. True to its source mythos, it has a large number of bite attacks. It cannot, however, grow new heads when attacked with a sword.
Strategy
These should not pose a problem by the time one encounters them; they are somewhat slow, do only a moderate amount of damage, and have no particular special attacks. They do have a large amount of hit points and a decent AC, though, in addition to resisting stoning.
SpliceHack
In SpliceHack the hydra uses the : glyph and can grow new heads.
Mythos
The hydra is of course the monster from Greek mythology. It's full name being the Lernaean Hydra (Λερναῖα Ὕδρα). It is a large, snake-like monster, with multiple heads, that Heracles fought, which would grow two new heads for every one chopped off.
It may also be a reference to the same monster in Crawl, which also uses the D glyph. It is one of the more notable monsters in Crawl, as it does have the ability to regrow heads, and will do so whenever attacked with a non-flaming edged weapon.
