Some comments by the DM. 
Regarding the hydra and Wild Empathy I agreed with what Kubo’s player sent me:
If it is possible to get within 30 feet of one another under normal visibility conditions without engaging in combat (such as if the creature is merely unfriendly, is unable to reach the ranger, or doesn’t want to leave its zone) then it should be possible to study the animal. If the creature attacks and the ranger still wants to try and charm it, he must make a rushed check (full round action at -10 penalty). In the case with the hydra Kubo would have needed to get within 30 ft to make the check. Whether it would have attacked or not would have depended on its attitude, temperament, and possibly reach.
Regarding the retries, it says they can be persuaded only so far. The DM has the right to say how far that is. The hydra wouldn’t have attacked after the first check, and was curious enough to allow the second and third checks before deciding that it felt friendly towards this strange little human. It gained a few rabbits, had its food unpacked, and didn’t get its heads chopped off, which wasn’t such a bad deal.
As for the number of enemies this is the second time I made the mistake of using the encounter as written, even though the party has six members where as the adventure was written for four party members.
I won’t be making that mistake again! 
– AlexSchroeder 2007-08-05 22:22 UTC