Spectral Hound
by John Walter BilesThey appear like hunting dogs, except translucent; they can track prey across the planes and are used by extraplanar creatures to track down intruders from other planes.
Lesser Spectral Hound, Level 5 Skirmisher
Medium shadow beast (dog) XP 200
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +13 (+15)*
HP 63; Bloodied 31
AC 19; Fortitude 15, Reflex 17, Will 17
Resist Special*
Vulnerable Force 5
Speed 6
m Bite (standard; at-will)
+10 vs. AC; 1d10+4 damage
M Leg Nip (standard; at-will if the Spectral Hound has Combat Advantage)
+8 vs. Fortitude; 2d6+4 and slow (save ends)
Pack Tactics
Spectral Hounds gain combat advantage if at least one other Spectral Hound is adjacent to their target.
Planar Bite
Spectral Hounds add +1d6 to damage inflicted on creatures from other planes and their bite does full damage to insubstantial creatures.
Planar Nature
Every breed of Spectral Hound has Resist 10 to some form of energy common in the plane of their origin. (This cannot be Force, however)
Planar Tracking
Spectral Hounds can use their Perception to track beings from other planes, adding +3 to their Perception when doing so. They also have a general +2 racial bonus to Perception and Arcana. (And they can use Arcana to sense magical energies)
Alignment Unaligned Languages Trained to respond to simple orders and cues; communicates very basic messages by body language
Skills Arcana +7 (used to sense magic), Athletics +9
Str 15 (+4) Dex 18 (+6) Wis 18 (+6)
Con 15 (+4) Int 6 (+0) Cha 10 (+2)
Lesser Spectral Hounds are used by relatively minor extra-planar creatures to track prey and enemies from other planes. More potent breeds exist, used by stronger creatures as guard animals and hunters.
Spectral Hound, Level 15 Skirmisher
Medium shadow beast (dog) XP 1200
Initiative +15 Senses Perception +20 (+23)*
HP 148; Bloodied 74
AC 29; Fortitude 25, Reflex 27, Will 27
Resist Special*
Vulnerable Force 10
Speed 6
m Bite (standard; at-will)
+20 vs. AC; 2d8+6 damage
M Leg Nip (standard; at-will if the Spectral Hound has Combat Advantage)
+18 vs. Fortitude; 3d6+4 and slow (save ends)
Paralysing Bite (standard; Refresh 5-6)
+18 vs. Fortitude; 3d10+6 and immobilised (save ends)
Skitter Rush (move; Refresh 5-6)
Sliding between planes, the Spectral Hound pops in and out of reality.
The Spectral Hound moves up to 8 squares, alternately teleporting a square and moving a square. (So they teleport 1, then move 1, then teleport 1, then move 1, etc.) This is most commonly used to disengage from a fight without attracting opportunity attacks, but may also be used to bypass small hazards, etc. The Spectral hound ignores all difficult terrain penalties to movement while doing this.
Pack Tactics
Spectral Hounds gain combat advantage if at least one other Spectral Hound is adjacent to their target.
Planar Bite
Spectral Hounds add +2d6 to damage inflicted on creatures from other planes and their bite does full damage to insubstantial creatures.
Planar Nature
Every breed of Spectral Hound has Resist 15 to some form of energy common in the plane of their origin. (This cannot be Force, however)
Planar Tracking
Spectral Hounds can use their Perception to track beings from other planes, adding +3 to their Perception when doing so. They also have a general +2 racial bonus to Perception and Arcana. (And they can use Arcana to sense magical energies)
Alignment Unaligned Languages As appropriate by plane, but only understood; they can’t actually speak
Skills Arcana +15 (used to sense magic), Athletics +17
Str 20 (+12) Dex 23 (+13) Wis 23 (+13)
Con 20 (+12) Int 13 (+8) Cha 14 (+9)
Mid-range planar creatures breed Spectral Hounds of a tougher stock, using them to hunt extra-planar intruders.
Superior Spectral Hound, Level 25 Skirmisher
Medium shadow beast (dog) XP 7000
Initiative +15 Senses Perception +23 (+26)*
HP 233; Bloodied 116
AC 39; Fortitude 35, Reflex 37, Will 37
Resist Special*
Vulnerable Force 15
Speed 9
m Bite (standard; at-will)
+30 vs. AC; 3d8+9 damage
M Leg Nip (standard; at-will if the Spectral Hound has Combat Advantage)
+28 vs. Fortitude; 4d6+4 and slow (save ends)
Paralysing Bite (standard; Refresh 5-6)
+28 vs. Fortitude; 4d10+9 and immobilised (save ends)
Skitter Rush (move; Refresh 5-6)
Sliding between planes, the Spectral Hound pops in and out of reality.
The Spectral Hound moves up to 11 squares, alternately teleporting a square and moving a square. (So they teleport 1, then move 1, then teleport 1, then move 1, etc.) This is most commonly used to disengage from a fight without attracting opportunity attacks, but may also be used to bypass small hazards, etc. The Spectral hound ignores all difficult terrain penalties to movement while doing this.
Magic Disrupting Bite (standard; Refresh 5-6) | Arcane
Target must be an adjacent zone or conjuration; can be used inside a zone; +28 vs. Will; target is disrupted and ceases to exist.
Pack Tactics
Spectral Hounds gain combat advantage if at least one other Spectral Hound is adjacent to their target.
Planar Bite
Spectral Hounds add +3d6 to damage inflicted on creatures from other planes and their bite does full damage to insubstantial creatures.
Planar Nature
Every breed of Spectral Hound has Resist 20 to some form of energy common in the plane of their origin. (This cannot be Force, however)
Planar Tracking
Spectral Hounds can use their Perception to track beings from other planes, adding +3 to their Perception when doing so. They also have a general +2 racial bonus to Perception and Arcana. (And they can use Arcana to sense magical energies)
Alignment Same as their Planar Master Languages As appropriate by plane. (Able to speak!)
Skills Arcana +21 (used to sense magic), Athletics +24
Str 25 (+19) Dex 28 (+21) Wis 28 (+21)
Con 25 (+19) Int 18 (+16) Cha 19 (+16)
Rare and powerful, the lords of the planes use these creatures to track down and deal with those who have defied them, especially those who broke into their home plane and absconded with something. Superior Spectral Hounds are intelligent and many know some ritual magic, used in their task.