Savage Species - Multi-headed template - A bit too much?

[Dr TPK]

I was considering making my players face a two-headed pyro gnoll. That would simply mean a gnoll with the multi-headed template (with one additional head).

It all seems clear, but...
"Lernaean Creatures
These multiheaded creatures have bodies that are immune to attack (but see below). The only way to slay a Lernaean creature is to severall its heads. However, each time a head is severed, two new heads spring from the stump in 1d4 rounds. A Lernaean creature may never have more than twice its original number of heads; any heads it gains beyond that number witherand die withina day. To prevent a severed head from growing back into two, at least 5 points of fire or acid damage must be dealt to the stump (AC 19) before the new heads appear. Spells such as disintegrate, finger of death, and slay living kill a Lernaean creature if they succeed. If the spell deals damage on a successful save, that damage is directed against one of the creatures heads."

That seems... A bit excessive... The CR would be 4. In my game, you can't figure out the special weaknesses with a successful knowledge check. That includes something like "Its only weakness is the heads, otherwise it's immune to attacks".

What do you think? Should I just go ahead and put a group of 8th-level characters against it?

[Draco_Lord]

I am not the best at balancing. But I will say this. Chances are at least ONE person at your table has heard of Hercules, and knows how he defeated the Hydra, which this whole this is based on. So, they will probably figure out the weakness pretty quickly.

[Urpriest]

In 3.5, Lernaen Hydras were retconned away, so the same should apply to Lernaen Multiheaded.

[Segev]

In 3.5, Lernaen Hydras were retconned away, so the same should apply to Lernaen Multiheaded.

Eh... that's a misleading statement.

In 3.5, ALL hydras are lernaean. They all grow two heads for each one cut off.

Still, don't use the lernaean version for the multi-headed template here. It's silly, rather than epic. Just go for a two-headed gnoll to begin with.

[Urpriest]

Eh... that's a misleading statement.

In 3.5, ALL hydras are lernaean. They all grow two heads for each one cut off.



And none of them have bodies immune to attack, like 3.0 Lernaen Hydras did.