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::'''''"[[Project Hydra]]"''' was the codename for the [[Diablo III]] project and team before the announcement at [[WWI 2008]].''

It's interesting to contemplate what the [[Hydra Rune|Hydra (multi-strike) rune]] would do have done to Hydra. More than 3 heads per cast? Plus, Greek Mythology fans could geek out. Especially if they named their character [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lernaean_Hydra Learnean].   ==Skill Rank Table==* '''Rank 1[[File:''' Hydra deals 6Runes-hydra-10 damage per attackall.Only Rank 1 is currently knownjpg|thumb|center|400px|[[Hydra]] with [[Runestones]]. ]]

* ==Development==[[Glass Cannon]]File: Increases damage done by spells and increases armorHydra1.* [[Intimidation]]: Increases damage done and reduces vendor costsjpg|thumb|350px|Hydra in action.* [[Quickening]]: Increases spell casting speedUn-runed.* [[Beast Hunter]]: Damage bonus against beastsOctober 2010.* [[Demonsbane]]: Damage bonus against Demons.* '''Hydra''' was first shown at [[Just...Stay...Dead!BlizzCon 2009]]: Damage bonus against undead.* , where it was on the [[Power SurgeConjuring Skill Tree]]: Increase critical strike damageat Tier IV.* [[Penetrating Spells]]: Reduces Unfortunately, it was too high level to select in the resistances of your target to your spells by 20%gameplay demo.

Depending on rune socketing, Hydra At [[BlizzCon 2010]] it was shown in the gameplay panel and also benefits from in the following traitsPvP Arena. [[Flux]] discussed its viability:[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/hands-on-from-blizzcon-mega-pvp-arena-report/]

* <blockquote>''You could only have one Hydra active at a time, and it had a slow firing rate. Like [[Black IceMeteor]]: Frozen targets take 25% more , it was useful to stick these out there to let them ping away, hoping the damage from all sourceswould add up over time. They were very commonly used near the end of rounds, when one or two characters were chasing one on the other team.* [[Temporal Flux]]: Enemies that have been hit by your Arcane spells are slowed down by 25% for 3 secondsMost Wizards would cast Hydras in the path of the fleeing enemy, knowing they’d get in a shot or two and help finish them off.</blockquote>

==Runestone Effects==Skill tiers were removed for the [[File:Runes-hydra-all.jpg|thumb|400px|[[HydraJuly 2011 Press Event]] with [[Runestones]].]][[Jay Wilson]] provided a whole new insight into the changes made , allowing skills to [[Runestones]] with a short quote unlock steadily from Gamescomlevels 1 to 30. Consequently, in August 2010. [http://diablo.incgamersall skill levels were adjusted and Hydra became a level 19 skill.com/blog/comments/jay-wilson-interview-g4tv/]

::'''Jay Wilson: '''One of my favorites is on the [[Wizard]]. She has a ===Beta==={{Beta skill called [[Hydra]], which is largely the same as it was in Diablo 2. Fiery (dragon) heads that shoot fireballs. Depending on which rune the Wizard sockets in that skill, the dragon heads change elements, and it’s a major change. Their entire appearance is altered. They can become poison heads, which shoot bolts of poison that leave pools of acid on the ground. There are lightning heads that shoot [[Chain Lightning]]. Cold heads that shoot [[Frost Bolts]] that slow enemies. Another rune makes for a bigger fire attack, where the head just breaths a cone of flame.notes}}

Jay did not list what all five runes did in Hydraremained at level 19 when the beta started. With the Patch 13 changes, it was classified as an Arcane skill and his explanation left fans confusedmoved to level 20. Where were For March's [[Beta Patch 14]], Hydra was moved to level 21 and nerfed just a bit. Also, the three elemental damage types coming from? Nothing like that seemed category "Arcane" was renamed to fit with the previous rune functions"Force".

This mystery was cleared up a few days later with new info ===Previous Versions===See the [[BashiokWizard skill archive]] provided to for more details on previous versions of Hydra and other Wizard skills.<br> Or see [[FluxHydra (BlizzCon 2008)]], webmaster for the original version of fansite [[Diiithis skill.net]]. [http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/more-changes-to-runestones/]

He explained that the Hydra runes provide: ===In Other Games===* Extra damage The hydra spell was originally seen in [[Diablo I]], then called {{iw|D1_Spellbooks#Guardian Guardian}}. The principle was that three heads were summoned from the form of firewallsground, shooting firebolts at enemies for a limited time.* Multistrike (rapid fire)* And the 3 elemental propertiesThey are more fun to cast than efficient at killing anything with.

Extra In [[Diablo II]], they were turned into flaming heads, and got the name {{iw|Hydra Hydra}}. While not dealing damage and multishot to anyone near the flames, their firebolts are consistent with previously known rune functions. One of more use, especially if concentrating the elementals comes from the wildcard runefire on single targets at a time, and the other comes from what used to be the Energy rune. That rune now functions as a second wildcard in most alternating skills, since changes to while waiting for the [[resourcescooldown]] made the mana-saving property obsolete. (Plus it just wasn't cool enough, in most instances.)

Hydra can be seen in action on video here:* [[Gameplay: Blizzcon 2010]] (in the [[Arena]])* [[Skill Animations Videos#Wizard Video|Video: August 2011 Wizard Skill Animations]] You can find pictures in the Diablo 3 III screenshot and picture gallery:* [http://wwwdiablo.diiiincgamers.netcom/gallery/ Diablo 3 III screenshots and pictures]* [http://wwwdiablo.diiiincgamers.netcom/gallery/showgallerysearch.php?keywords=Hydra&cat=all&si=Hydra '''Hydra-''' specific gallery contents] 

* [http://wwwdiablo.diiiincgamers.netcom/blog/comments/full-wizard-skill-trees/ BlizzCon 2009 Full Wizard Skill Trees]* {{iw|D1_Spellbooks[http://diablo.incgamers.com/blog/comments/hands-on-from-blizzcon-mega-pvp-arena-report/ BlizzCon 2010 PvP Hands-on Report]* [http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7960229#Guardian Diablo I Guardian spell}}post7960229 Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report] — IncGamers 1st Aug 2011* {{iw|Sorceress_Fire_Spells[http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8007624#Hydra post8007624 Silva's Wizard Runestone Effects] — IncGamers 5th Sep 2011* [http://us.battle.net/d3/en/class/wizard/active/ Wizard Active Skills] — Blizzard's Official Diablo II Hydra spell}}III Site

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