Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance - Drake Hydra (Level 15) Boss Guide

Guide on How to Defeat Hydra in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance (SMT5V)

Hydra is a Canon of Creation and Canon of Vengeance main story boss enemy faced by the Protagonist or Nahobino in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance (SMT 5: Vengeance). The demon is encountered at The Da’at’s Minato Region.

SMT V: Vengeance Bosses List and Guides

How to face Hydra

In order to face the boss in battle, you must start the following quest:

SMT V: Vengeance Main Quests Walkthroughs

Hydra Boss Information

Here is a breakdown of the boss’ stats, strengths and weaknesses, and skills:

Hydra Details

Boss Type	Main Story Boss (Canon of Creation and Canon of Vengeance)
Demon Race	Hydra
Recommended Level	Level 15 or higher.
Recommended Party Members
Turdak	Azumi	Mermaid

Hydra Affinity Strengths and Weaknesses

Physical	Fire	Ice	Electric
–	Null	Weak	–
Force	Light	Dark	Almighty
–	–	–	–

SMT V: Vengeance Hydra Demon Stats and Skills

Hydra Ailment Strengths and Weaknesses

Sleep	Mirage	Poison	Confusion
–	Resist	Null	Resist
Charm	Seal	Mud	Shroud
Resist	Resist	–	–

SMT V: Vengeance Demonic Compendium (Demons List)

Hydra Skills and Effects

Skill	Skill Effect
Frenzy +3	Medium Physical attack to all foes.
Toxic Breath	Medium Dark attack to all foes. Chance of inflicting Poison. (Unique)
Fire Breath +3	Weak 2-5 Fire attacks to random foes.
Pernicious Venom (V)	While in the active party, all allies’ attacks, including Magic, may become Critical hits against foes that have ailments.

(V) = Demon skills exclusive to Vengeance version.

SMT V: Vengeance Demon Skills and Effects

Hydra Boss Setup

Here is a breakdown of the battle preparation against the boss:

Carry recovery items and battle items.

Before facing the boss enemy, pack HP and MP recovery items in case your party runs out of HP and MP during the battle. Ailment recovery items are also mandatory as well as dampener items. You can also carry elemental gems and shard items and buff items if they are available to you.

Max your Magatsuhi Gauge.

Furthermore, ensure that your Magatsuhi gauge is already at or nearing maximum capacity. Having it full or nearly max before battle helps you unleash your offense swiftly.

Attach affinities to Nahobino that nullify Fire and Dark skills.

With the Divine Amalgamation Miracle, Nahobino can rewrite, or implant new elemental strengths derived from obtained demon essences. Add Nahobino affinities that can repel, drain, nullify, or resist Fire and Dark skills. The more affinities addressed, the better.

Pick ally demons that can counter Fire and Dark skills.

If possible, ensure that party members can innately Repel/Drain/Null/Resist Fire and Dark skills. If you can’t, make sure their weaknesses are addressed during battle. An alternative is to use dampener items to cover elemental weaknesses.

Add demons that can use Ice skills.

Similarly, include demons in your active party who can use Ice skills (for Hydra). If they do not have access to those skills, use essence fusion to obtain them from demon essences.

Hydra Boss Strategies

Here is a breakdown of the battle strategies against the boss:

Target the weaknesses immediately to setup debuffs effects quick.

Begin the battle by targeting the weak point of the boss enemy using demon skills or gem/shard items. After all party members have finished, use the remaining moves to cast debuffs first. Repeat the process on your following turn, but this time apply buffs to your party.

Land debuffs to the boss enemy.

Apply debuffs to the boss while saving some MP for recovery skills. Debuffs can take the form of a drop in attack power (Tarunda), defense power (Rakunda), or hit/evasion power (Sukunda). Prioritize landing Sukunda first. Tarunda and Rakunda are next. If you have any remaining turns, apply these debuffs to the same boss again to further reduce their stat value.

These debuffs can be accessed by Nahobino and any demons in your party.

Cast buffs to your party members.

Use buffs on your party members as well. Buffs can take the form of increased attack power (Tarukaja), defense power (Rakukaja), or hit/evasion power (Sukukaja). Prioritize landing Tarukaja first. Sukukaja after that, followed by Rakukaja. If you have some extra moves, deploy these buffs again to boost your party members’ stats even more.

You can additionally use the Charge and Concentrate buffs to increase your damage even more if they are available. Charge and Concentrate gem items are an alternative choice.

These buffs can be accessed by Nahobino and any demons in your party.

Remove negative statuses like ailments and debuffs.

The boss enemy will cast skills that will inflict negative statuses to your party. Make it a priority to cure party members afflicted with ailments such as poison.

Let the boss consume their Magatsuhi gauge.

While setting up debuffs and buffs, the boss enemy will gradually build up their Magatsuhi gauge. Once full, they will use their Magatsuhi gauge to prepare for their strongest attack the following turn.

Block the strongest attack of the boss.

Use a Dark and Fire dampener items to nullify its strongest skills, Toxic Breath and Fire Breath, while other party members recast their debuffs/buffs. Start with Dark dampener first. Then, Fire dampener on the next usage of boss’s Magatsuhi skill.

If you don’t have dampener items, party members that can Repel/Drain/Null the boss’s moves can be left open to apply buffs/debuffs while others remain guarded.

Activate Magatsuhi quickly skill to setup your offense.

If you successfully block a boss skill, you will regain your turn immediately. Before using your own Magatsuhi skill, such as Omagatoki: Critical, double-check that your debuffs and buffs are still active.

On Nahobino’s turn, activate a Magatsuhi skill to give you up to 8 moves against the boss.

Target and eliminate Hydra using Ice skills.

Finish off Hydra as quickly as you can because it has the capacity to slow and disrupt your party’s battle flow, especially when under poison effects.

Hydra is weak to Ice skills, and the damage will be increased if the party is boosted with Tarukaja, Charge, and other damage-increasing skills.

Use Physical or other elemental skills against Hydra except Fire.

Except for Fire, Hydra is not resistant to Physical or other elemental skills. Take advantage of these damage types to reduce the boss’s HP especially when a Magatsuhi skill is active. When you’re not putting up debuffs or buffs, use Nahobino’s Aramasa skill on the boss continuously.

Keep weakened allies sustained in battle.

Use healing and recovery skills to keep the party’s HP and SP levels sufficient, as well as statues secure. Especially when other party members are being overpowered by opponent damage and status effects. If you’ve run out of MP, use items instead.

Other Boss Guides

Canon of Vengeance Bosses

Minato Region - Vengeance Route Main Story Bosses

Beast Glasya-Labolas (Level 8)	Drake Hydra (Level 15)
Qadistu Naamah (Level 18)	Fallen Eligor (Level 20)
Lady Nuwa (Serpentine) (Level 22)	-

Shinagawa Region - Vengeance Route Main Story Bosses

Naamah and Beast Glasya-Labolas (Level 22)

Vile Lahmu (Level 24)

Other Vengeance Route Main Story Bosses

Qaditsu Eisheth Zenunim (Level 28)	Human Yuzuru Atsuta and Holy Hayataro (Level 38)
Deity Khonsu (Level 46)	Meta Shohei Yakumo and Lady Nuwa (Level 49)
Qaditsu Agrat bat Mahlat (Level 50)	Qaditsu Lilith (Level 52)
Herald Abdiel (Level 58)	Deity Odin and Deity Zeus (Level 72)
Tyrant Beelzebub (Level 72)	Herald Metatron (Level 79
Fallen Abdiel and Human Ichiro Dazai (Level 80)	Tiamat (Level 83)
Tehom (Law Route) (Level 84)	Herald Mastema (Chaos Route) (Level 84)
Matter Lucifer (Level 85)	-

Canon of Creation Bosses

Minato Region Main Story Bosses

Drake Hydra (Level 15)	Fallen Eligor (Level 20)
Lady Nuwa (Serpentine) (Level 22)	-

Minato Region Optional Bosses

Vile Pazuzu (Level 16)	Yoma Apsaras (Level 16)
Femme Leanan Sidhe (Level 17)	Brute Oni (Level 17)
Megami Anahita (Level 18)	Brute Shiki-Ouji (Level 19)
Dragon Xuanwu / Genbu (Level 23)	Avian Jatayu (Level 25)
Holy Baihu / Byakko (Level 43)	Avian Zhuque / Suzaku (Level 43)
Kishin Koumokuten Part 1 (Level 44)	Dragon Qing Long / Seiryu (Level 45)
Kunitsu Ouyamatsumi / Oyamatsumi (Level 48)	Drake Seth (Level 62)
Deity Khonsu (Level 64)	Kishin Koumokuten Part 2 (Level 65)
Dragon Huang Long / Kohryu (Level 70)	Fury Zaou-Gongen (Level 75)

Shinagawa Region Main Story Bosses

Shinagawa Region Optional Bosses

Chiyoda Region Main Story Bosses

Chiyoda Region Optional Bosses

Taito Region Main Story Bosses

Taito Region Optional Bosses

DLC Optional Bosses

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Recommended Article List

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