The breakpoint calculation works out as follows:

Weapon APS: 1.4

Weapon IAS: 7%
Tasker Bonus: 50%
20%
15%
10%
35%

IAS BBV
IAS Law
IAS Paragon
from gear, gems, and skills

(1.4 * 1.07) * (1.5) * (1 + (45 + 35)/100) = 4.0446 (4.032 is the

breakpoint)
There are a few ways you can get to that breakpoint without having perfect
gear, the extra attack speed from a Gogok gem (15%) or stretch time (10%)
can make up for not having perfect 50% tasker or not having perfect 7%
rolls everywhere, but you'll always be trading DPS for it.
Optimal gear
Weapon: 7% IAS, 10% dmg ancient sparker
Bracers: 7% IAS, lacuni or strikes
Chest: 7% IAS, tal chest
Gloves: 7% IAS Taskers (with 50% pet speed)
Ring1: 7% IAS, 6%CC, 50%CD, Socket Focus
Ring2: 7% IAS, 6%CC, 50%CD, Socket Restraint
If you have the above pieces you will always be at the top breakpoint
without having to use a gem or skill to get there, provided group buffs are
active.
Being below the top breakpoint is a 33% damage loss from hydra, which does
the vast majority of your DPS.
APS Breakpoints for Mammoth Hydra
aps ......... max aps ......... fpa .... hydra aps
========================================================
0.969566388 ..... 1.049256775 ..... 78 ..... 0.769
1.049256776 ..... 1.143220069 ..... 72 ..... 0.833
1.143220070 ..... 1.255667945 ..... 66 ..... 0.909
1.255667946 ..... 1.392649902 ..... 60 ..... 1.000
1.392649903 ..... 1.563178462 ..... 54 ..... 1.111
1.563178463 ..... 1.781296387 ..... 48 ..... 1.250
1.781296388 ..... 2.070155261 ..... 42 ..... 1.429
2.070155262 ..... 2.470830473 ..... 36 ..... 1.667
2.470830474 ..... 3.063829786 ..... 30 ..... 2.000
3.063829787 ..... 4.031354982 ..... 24 ..... 2.500
4.031354983 ..... 5.891980359 ..... 18 ..... 3.333
5.891980360 ..... 10.94224923 ..... 12 ..... 5.000
* fpa = frames per attack
* The hydra aps was calculated from D3's programmed 60 fps

Community Corner
1. Atmo's minimalistic Mammoth Hydra APS Calculator:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22021340/mammoth_hydra_aps_calc.html
2. Lance's spreadsheet to optimize gear for the 3.333 aps breakpoint:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aenrXa9_Ifij7ZXdSeJ2zcX1y2GZizPBlF_
PtGqujto/edit#gid=0
3. BDF's hydra mechanic post:
http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/17346364984
APS Breakpoints for Unruned, Arcane, Lightning, and Blazing Hydra
(1/14/2015)
min aps ... max aps ... fpa .... hydra aps
============================================
xxx ....... 1.045 ..... 78 ..... 0.769
1.045 ..... 1.139 ..... 72 ..... 0.833
1.139 ..... 1.251 ..... 66 ..... 0.909
1.251 ..... 1.388 ..... 60 ..... 1.000
1.388 ..... 1.558 ..... 54 ..... 1.111
1.558 ..... 1.775 ..... 48 ..... 1.250
1.775 ..... 2.062 ..... 42 ..... 1.429
2.062 ..... 2.462 ..... 36 ..... 1.667
2.462 ..... 3.053 ..... 30 ..... 2.000
3.053 ..... 4.017 ..... 24 ..... 2.500
4.017 ..... 5.871 ..... 18 ..... 3.333
5.871 ..... xxx ....... 12 ..... 5.000
Unruned, arcane, lightning, and blazing hydra share the same breakpoints
among themselves, which is slightly different than Mammoth. The numbers are
right now theoretical. I did a quick check on a few of the breakpoints for
each rune and they align correctly. I know some of you wanted these numbers
as soon as possible, so here they are. I'll do a complete verification
later. I left Frost hydra out because tracking their attack was a bit
unclear.
Defining aps (attacks per second)
There are various types of aps so let's take a moment to clarify what each
type means.
1. Weapon aps: your weapon aps with no increased attack speed modifier.
2. True weapon aps: calculated weapon aps with increased attack speed
modifer.
3. Character aps = This is a rounded aps value shown in Details (in game
UI)
4. True Character aps = A more accurate version of Character aps done by
calculation
5. Pet aps = This is just your True Character aps with the buff from TnT.
So if you don't have TnT gloves, then your aps is the "True Character aps."
If you have TnT gloves, then your aps is your "Pet aps." Clear as mud? Use

that aps to check the breakpoints.

True Weapon aps
True Weapon aps = weapon aps + (increased attack speed on weapon *
weapon aps)
So let's say you had a sword (1.40 aps, weapon aps) with an "increased
attack speed by 7%" modifier on the weapon.
True Weapon aps = 1.40 + (7/100 * 1.40)
True Weapon aps = 1.40 + 0.098
True Weapon aps = 1.498 (in UI, it will appear as 1.50)
True Character aps
Your True Character aps is calculated with the following equation:
True Character aps = True Weapon aps + (ias on gear *
True Weapon aps)
So if you had a sword (1.40 aps) and 61% ias on gear (in Details in game
UI), your Character aps would be 2.25, but your True Character aps is...
True Character aps = 1.40 + (0.61 * 1.40)
True Character aps = 2.254
Pet aps
Your Pet aps is calculated with the following equation:
Pet aps = True character aps * (1 + (TnT buff / 100))
So a perfect 50% TnT with your character's 2.47 aps would yield...
Pet aps = 2.47 * (1 + (50/100))
Pet aps = 2.47 * 1.5
Pet aps = 3.705
What are breakpoints and why are they important?
Overall, your dps increases linearly with your aps. So if you go from 1.0
aps to 2.0 aps, your dps essentially gets doubled. In the actual game, it
doesn't really work out that perfectly. Instead of seeing a linear graph of
dps vs. aps, you would see steps or "breakpoints." The reason is because
the game is based on frames, which is a unit that cannot be broken down
further and must be rounded off. In low aps, it doesn't really make that
much of a difference, but as we get higher, the changes become a lot more
significant.
Verification of breakpoints
A burn test was done to check my sanity in a real game (not just
theoretical math) with actual damage numbers. This is as raw as you can
get, but I don't have perfect setup and it contained a little cc/cd.
The test was done with Mammoth hydra. The damage for this type of hydra

ramps up upon cast and after around 5 seconds, at 4 aps, the damage output
plateaus/stabilizes. To improve accuracy, we are going to use those
stabilized damage values until hydra stops.
1.
2.
3.
4.

4.0219868 aps -> 18.187 million dmg

4.027321 aps -> 18.227 million dmg
4.0326552 aps -> 24.406 million dmg
4.0379894 aps -> 24.096 million dmg

The delta jumps are 0%, 34%, -1%. Can you guess where the breakpoint is?
There should be a breakpoint between 4.027321 and 4.0326552. The chart says
yes at 4.031354983. The chart also says at that specific breakpoint, we
should expect to see a big dmg jump of around 33.33333% (from 18 to 24
fpa), which we do. Yes!!
FAQ
1. Does TnT and ias gear items work on Mammoth hydra?
Yes, this has been fixed.
2. If you use the stretch time bubble, do you or the hydra have to be in
the bubble?
Only you have to be in the bubble to get the ias buff (hydra doesn't have
to be inside)
3. Will "snapshotting" work with the stretch time bubble? So if you
originally cast hydra in the bubble and then step out, will it snapshot the
ias buff?
No. Hydra does not snapshot with Stretch Time. The damage is dynamic, so
once you leave the bubble, the hydra reverts back to your lower ias.
4. Is the Zei's legendary gem distance buff based off the player or the
hydra?
The distance buff is between the hydra (not player) and target/mob. Despite
the limitation, Zei's is still one of the best leg gems for this build.
5. Does the Enforcer gem work with hydras?
Yes it does, but the buff stacks additively on elemental (fire) % dmg. So
while it does give extra damage to your hydras, it won't be as good as zei,
BoT, or BoP.
Enforcer vs BoP: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/forum/topic/15700027834
6. How long does the fire trail last?
The trail last for four seconds.
7. Is the "increase hydra damage %" on gear additive or multiplicative?
Hydra damage % is multiplicative. Typically, the skill % affixes are
additive on gear, but pet damage % is multiplicative across all classes and
hydra is no exception.
8. What does additive and multiplicative mean?
This just describe how the bonuses increase with another bonus.
Multiplicative is generally better than additive. So let's say you have

gears that give you an increase of 10%, 15%, and 20% of a skill.
Additive:
100% + 10% + 15% + 20% = 145%
Multiplicative:
100% * 110% * 115% * 120% = 151.8%
9. I hear the term "AD snapshotting hydra." What does this mean?
This simply means that once you get 5 stacks on Arcane Dynamo (AD), you can
drop a hydra and it will always get the buff for the life (15 sec) of that
hydra. If you recast another hydra (not 5 AD) that replaces the buffed
hydra, then the buff is gone. If you have a Serpent Sparker, you can get
5AD, cast hydra, get another 5AD, then cast another hydra. Now both hydras
have the AD buff.
10. Does hydras proc tal meteors?
Yes. Early in PTR, it did not, but this was fixed.
11. Why do a lot of people use Mammoth hydra with the new tal set?
-Hydra damage % can be found on multiple sources: shoulders, chest, and old
tal source. And it's multiplicative.
-They benefit greatly from ias breakpoints with ias on gear and TnT bonus
-The damage can be "doubled" with a Serpent Sparker
-Works well with gems like Zei
-Works well with Arcane Dynamo
-Mammoth hydra generally does a lot more damage than the other hydras
-Leave-n-forget damage, so no channeling, no constant clicking, can be
placed in danger areas without you being there.
-Hydras are pets, so no reflect damage
Group play and achieving the 4.031 breakpoint
BDF has included some math on how players can attain the 4.031 breakpoint
for group play. I copy/pasted his writeup below.
You have both 100% uptime on BBV (20% IAS) and Crusader Law (15% IAS).