Initial bosses in JPRG games are usually defeated within a flick of an eye. However, when it comes to Shin Megami Tensei V, the first boss in the game will put you in some very deep waters. This guide will get you up to speed on how to defeat the Hydra Boss in Shin Megami Tensei V.
Shin Megami Tensei V Hydra Boss
Hydra is an eight-headed ferocious-looking snake that you’ll face early on in the game. The battle will take place near the Tokyo Tower. Your battle with Hydra will begin after the appearance of Lucifer. You’ll be warned about this boss by Aogami beforehand.
Even though Hydra is the first boss that you’ll fight during the game, the fight will make your palms sweat. Therefore, make sure that you have you’re A-game up before the battle. And, needless to say, you need to have a fully replenished Magatsuhi prior to the battle.
Hydra’s Weaknesses
Knowing your opponent’s weaknesses is as important as knowing your strengths. And when it comes to Shin Megami Tensei V, you’ll get an extra turn if you hit the boss with its weakness.
First things first, Hydra may look intimidating, but it’s only at level 15. Still, if you’re not anywhere near level 15, the fight will be quite challenging for you.
Other than that, Hydra will succumb to Ice Elemental attacks. At the same time, defending against any kind of fire attack will be a walk in the park for the boss.
Hydra’s Attacks
There’re three attacks that you need to look out for, while fighting Hydra: Frenzy, Toxic Breath, and Fire Breath.
Frenzy is a medium physical attack, and it affects all of your foes. Toxic Breath is a medium-dark attack, and this too affects all of your foes.
Hydra’s Toxic Breath might not be as lethal as my morning breath. It’s still the best attack that the boss has. Therefore, make sure you have your defense up when you see this attack coming.
Lastly, Fire Breath is a weak attack, and it would target some random foes from your army.
How to Defeat Hydra in SMT 5
The very first step towards preparing for the battle is having the right selection of demons. Demons that are best suited for this fight are Lord, Azumi, Aeros, Fortuna, Angel, Apsaras, Tsuchigumo, and Mermaid.
The best strategy for this battle is hitting Hydra with as many Bufu attacks as you can, along with other ice attacks.
Angel would solely be used for healing purposes. However, if there’s a need, you can use it for its Hama attack as well. At the same time, if you want the boss to miss a turn, you can put it to sleep using Angel’s Dormina skill.
You can also lower the enemy’s defense with Lord’s Rakunda skill before attacking the boss with your ice attacks.
Begin with attacking the boss with ice attacks, and don’t use your Magatsuhi in the beginning. However, when you see Hydra gathering the Magatsuhi from the surroundings, it’s about to attack you with one of its best attacks.
Therefore, in your next turn, bring up the guard of all your demons to avoid losing an unnecessary HP. Given that Lord is the best demon you have in your army for this boss keep using Fortuna’s Dia skill to replenish his health if it falls too low.
Moving on towards the last demon on our list, Mermaid. Mermaid is weak to fire attacks; however, her Stormcaller Song can do wonders for you, and she’s the only one with this skill. If you fuse her with Kodama and Preta, she’ll become even more powerful and useful.
As far as the items are concerned, you need to have Chakra Drop and Darkness Dampeners in your inventory before the battle. Chakra Drop will help you replenish your MP, whereas Darkness Dampeners will protect you against Hydra’s dark attacks.
