Golden Hydra

Suikoden boss enemy
Golden Hydra
黄金竜, Ougonryū
{{{size}}}
Details
Area Floating Garden
Type Boss enemy

The Golden Hydra (黄金竜, Ougonryū) is an enemy which appears in Suikoden. It is the final boss of the game, and the transformed form of Barbarosa Rugner.

It is advisable to take out the leftmost head first as it has the ability to revive the other heads once they are destroyed. Following that, take out the right head, which uses powerful magic against your party and then turn your attention to the center head. Be careful when attempting unite spells as together the three heads cover four elements, leaving many wide-ranged unite spells ineffective. Wind and Holy magic are the only elements that none of the heads are resilient to.

The right head boasts the highest STR in the game, with 520, and the left head holds the highest MAG in the game, with 420. All three heads boast high MAG stats, however so a player having trouble should consider leaving characters with low MAG stats behind. The right head also drops the most potch in the game, 200,000, not that the player can spend it after the battle.

Winning the battle is simply a matter of keeping the party's health topped up while focusing attacks on one head at a time, rather than trying to evenly wear down all three together. As soon as the first head falls, the pressure will alleviate, and the other two heads will prove easier to defeat in turn.

Information

In the final battle of the Gate Rune War, the Scarlet Moon Emperor Barbarosa, with the help of the Dragon King Sword, which had the Sovereign Rune embedded in its hilt, turned into a three headed Golden Hydra. Each of the heads held a fire, lightning and wind weakness, respectively, but also held resistances to many forms of magic.

It could best be described as a very powerful and formidable enemy, and very difficult to beat, even with the best selection of warriors in the Toran Liberation Army.

Data

Stats
LV
75
HP
10000
STR
520
DEX
105
CON
55
SPD
75
MAG
370
LCK
80
Elemental Resistances
Fire
Weak
Water
Resists
Earth
Normal
Lightning
Resists
Wind
Normal
Holy
Normal
Location and Loot
Area Floating Garden
Potch (Bribe) 200000 potch (Can't bribe)
Items This enemy does not drop any items.
Stats
LV
75
HP
10000
STR
510
DEX
105
CON
55
SPD
75
MAG
380
LCK
80
Elemental Resistances
Fire
Resists
Water
Normal
Earth
Resists
Lightning
Weak
Wind
Normal
Holy
Normal
Location and Loot
Area Floating Garden
Potch (Bribe) 0 potch (Can't bribe)
Items This enemy does not drop any items.
Stats
LV
75
HP
10000
STR
490
DEX
105
CON
55
SPD
75
MAG
420
LCK
80
Elemental Resistances
Fire
Normal
Water
Resists
Earth
Normal
Lightning
Resists
Wind
Weak
Holy
Normal
Location and Loot
Area Floating Garden
Potch (Bribe) 0 potch (Can't bribe)
Items This enemy does not drop any items.


Etymology

Gold refers to Barbarosa's title of the Golden Emperor. In Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra was a chthonic water beast that possessed many heads and for each head cut off it grew two more. It was killed by Heracles as part of his Twelve Labors.

Meanwhile, the use of りゅう as the word for dragon in the Golden Hydra's Japanese name seemingly reflects that the dragon is styled after Chinese rather than European dragons.

Trivia

  • Even though it is the final boss, the heads of the Golden Hydra do not have the highest HP of all of Suikoden's enemies. The Shell Venus has even more HP (15,000).
  • The Golden Hydra has the highest level and potch reward of any enemy in the game. However, after the battle the characters won't actually gain any level or potch.
  • The right head is, with the exception of Neclord in his invincible form, the only enemy in the game that is invulnerable to the lightning element.

Other languages and releases

Japanese kanji 黄金竜
Japanese hiragana おうごんりゅう
Japanese rōmaji Ougonryū
Chinese simplified (HDR) 黄金龙
Chinese traditional (HDR) 黃金龍
Chinese pinyin Huáng jīn lóng
English Golden Hydra
French (HDR) Hydre dorée
German (HDR) Goldene Hydra
Italian (HDR) Idra dorata
Spanish (HDR) Hidra Dorada

References

  1. Genso Suikoden Encyclopaedia (ISBN 4-575-16297-3), page 43
  2. Genso Suikoden Kiwami Encyclopedia, page 29
Suikoden
Characters - Enemies - Equipment - Items - Locations - Runes
Characters
108 Stars (Battle) Hero IAlenAnjiAntonioBlackmanCamilleCleoCliveCrowleyEikeiEileenFlikFu Su LuFukienFumaFutchGenGonGremioGrensealGriffithHellionHixHumphrey MintzJuppoKageKaiKamandolKanakKasim HazilKasumiKesslerKimberlyKirkeKirkisKreutzKrinKuromimiKwanda RosmanLeonardoLepantLesterLiukanLorelaiLotteLucMaasMaceMeeseMegMiliaMilich OppenheimerMinaMooseMorganMosePahnPesmergaQuincyRonnie BellRubiSansukeSarahSergeiSheenaSonya ShulenStallionSydoniaSylvinaTai HoTengaarValeriaVarkasViktorWarrenYam Koo
108 Stars (Support) AppleChandlerChapmanEsmeraldaGasparGeorgesGiovanniHugoIvanovJabbaJeaneJoshua LevenheitKasiosKun ToLedonLeon SilverbergMarcoMarieMathiu SilverbergMaximillianMelodyeOnilQlonRockSanchoTaggartTempletonTeslaVikiVincent de BouleWindowZen
Other playable characters Odessa SilverbergTed
Non-player characters Ain GideBarbarosa RugnerBlackChief of the DwarvesChief of the ElvesClaudiaGeil RugnerGradyHanzoKanaanKraze MilesLeknaatMina (cat)MinisterNeclordRoshSanchezStar Dragon SwordTeo McDohlThrashVillage ChiefWindyYuberZorak
Locations
Scarlet Moon Empire
Arus Banner MountainsFortress of KwabaFloating Fortress of ShasarazadeGregminster (Floating GardenGregminster PalaceScarlet Moon Inn) • Lenankamp (Keyaki Inn) • Magician's IslandMt. SeifuMt. TigerwolfRocklandSaradyTolna Canal
Dana Banner MinesBanner MountainsKalekkaKirovRokkaku HamletSecret Factory
Dragon Knight's Domain Dragon Knights' FortressDragon's DenSeek Valley
Gouran Fortress of GaranGreat Forest VillageKakuKouanSeika
Great Forest Dwarf TrailDwarves' Vault (Dwarf Mines) • Forest of IllusionKobold VillageLukie Ende TowayoPannu Yakuta CastleVillage of the DwarvesVillage of the Elves
Kunan AnteiRikonScarleticia CastleSoniere PrisonTeien
Lorimar Fortress of LorimarLiukan's HermitageNeclord's CastleQlon Temple (Cave of the Past) • Warriors' Village
Senan Fortress of DuhaFortress of RakanMoraviaNorthern CheckpointPirate's Fortress
Lore
Events Gate Rune War (Battle at Pannu Yakuta CastleBattle at Fortress of GaranFirst Battle at Scarleticia CastleSecond Battle at Scarleticia CastleFirst Battle with TeoSecond Battle with TeoBattle at the Northern CheckpointBattle at Floating Fortress ShasarazadeThe Last Battle) • Kalekka IncidentNew Liberation Army's Founding DayWar of Succession
Races DwarfElfGulhorseHumanKobold
True Runes Dragon RuneGate RuneNight RuneRune of Life and DeathSovereign RuneTrue Wind Rune
Terms Astral PredicationsBinocularsBlueprintsBronze AxeCliftDragon King SwordEarringEngineFake OrdersFinal BattleFire SpearFlowing Water CaneGreat ContractHikusaakKarakKilauea ShulenKirinjiLake ToranMathiu's LetterMoonlight HerbPrakkQlon (priest)Rokkaku HamletSadhna StreamTolna CanalToran (region)Village of the Hidden Rune