There are two types of Effects in the game: Buffs (positive) and Debuffs (negative). They can significantly influence the outcome of a battle.
All Hydra Effects are divided into the following categories:
1. Effects applied by Heads
Buffs:
Life Barrier
Gives additional Life Barrier HP apart from Champions HP.
It has the highest priority of all buffs and will always work for the indicated number of turns.
Life Barrier cannot be removed, stolen, or otherwise affected by buff manipulation Skills.
Skills that take into account the size of the Shield on the target for damage consider Life Barrier as a Shield.
The buff is placed over Stone Skin and Digestion. You'll need to remove the Life Barrier to inflict damage on the other effects.
Poison Cloud
Blocks damage from Poison debuff.
If a Champion got an HP Burn debuff BEFORE the Poison Cloud was applied, then the effects of the Poison Cloud won't work, but the buff itself will not be removed.
It's not affected by the Steal Buff, Remove Buff, Multiply Buff, Increase Buff Duration, Decrease Buff Duration effects.
Vengeance
Increases the damage inflicted by the Head of Wrath by 300%.
It is activated automatically once the Head of Wrath receives 15 hits. The hits are shown on the Vengeance counter.
The Head of Wrath deals increased damage twice: right after the buff was activated and on its next turn.
This buff can't be removed, stolen, or multiplied. Also, its duration can't be increased or decreased.
Debuffs:
Pain Link
Causes the selected Champion to take 15% of all the damage that the Head of Suffering takes. The Head of Suffering receives 100% damage.
This debuff can be blocked or removed, and its duration can be increased or decreased.
If the Champion is under a Sleep debuff, it will be removed once Pain Link is activated. Freeze and Stun debuffs won't be removed.
If the selected Champion has a Block Damage buff, he won't receive any damage from the Pain Link.
2. General Hydra Effects
Buffs:
Serpent's Will
Reduces all damage a new Head takes by 75%.
It starts working once the dead Head is transformed into a new Head and is active until the new Head makes its first move.
This buff can't be removed, stolen, or multiplied. Also, its duration can't be increased or decreased.
Debuffs:
Decapitated
Increases damage taken by the Head that was cut off by 200%. It is active for as long as the Head is dead.
This debuff can't be removed; its duration can't be increased or decreased.
Petrification
A Champion with this debuff is taken out of play for one or several turns.
When Petrification is placed on a Champion, all his buffs are removed.
A Champion with this debuff can receive more debuffs, but no buffs can be placed on him.
Instant effects do not work on a Champion under Petrification except for the Remove Debuff.
This Champion will be receiving 40% of the damage inflicted while the debuff is active. However, damage from Bombs will increase by 300%.
Effects:
The Mark of the Hydra
Marks one Champion who will be affected by the Devouring Skill.
This effect can't be removed, and its duration can't be decreased. It ignores Immunity, Resistance, and Veil.
The Mark of the Hydra is placed irrespective of the number of debuffs on the Champion.
Digestion
Marks the Head that ate a Champion and received additional HP for it.
3. Buffs from Artifact Sets:
Stone Skin
Decreases the damage (except the damage received from Bombs), removes all debuffs except Bombs, gives Immunity to all debuffs except Bombs. Also, it gives additional Stone Skin HP.
A Champion with the Stone Skin is immune to the Decrease MAX HP and Decrease Turn Meter Debuffs.