Spectral Hound
by Sheldon MorrisSpectral hounds are creatures from the Dimensional Vortex - the void between all dimensions. They live between two planes of existence at the same time, for example, between the Material Plane and the Border Ethereal. When viewed from the Material Plane they appear as ghostly dogs that are pale in color and translucent. Their eyes are formless pools of utter blackness.
They are excellent trackers and once on the trail of a creature they follow it for days. They are bred and trained by interplanar beings, such as elemental rulers, as hunting animals, and are sometimes used to track intrusive adventurers back to their home planes. Likewise, adventurers might be able to charm spectral hounds and train them to track villians through the planes. Spectral hounds never come to the Material (or rather, never come 'next' to it) except when being used in this manner by greater powers.
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SPECTRAL HOUND
Medium monstrosity, unaligned
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Armour Class 18 (natural armour)
Hit Points 49 (9d8 + 9)
Speed 50 ft.
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STR|DEX|CON|INT|WIS|CHA
16 (+3)|15 (+2)|12 (+1)|3 (-4)|19 (+4)|8 (-1)
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Saving Throws Dex +4, Con +3
Skills Perception +6, Survival +6
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren't silvered
Damage Immunities cold, fire
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages -----
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
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Planar Tracker. The spectral hound is able to track creatures on any plane of existance. Skill checks made by a spectral hound to track a creature have advantage.
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ACTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
"Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage, , and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Charisma saving throw against fading into the Border Ethereal. On a failed save, the creature begins to fade. This fading only effects the creature, not anything worn or carried, and is very gradual, taking 24 hours to completely fade to the Border Ethereal.
After 24 hours the target has entered the Border Ethereal. It is visible on the Material Plane, appearing translucent in the manner that a spectral hound does, yet it can't affect or be affected by anything on the other plane."
[Design Note: For a relatively straight-forward creature this one got rather difficult due to its "fading" effect. In the end I decided to use the Border Ethereal plane as the reason for the "ghostly" appearance and inability of the victim to affect, or be affected by, anything on the Material Plane.
The real question then became, "why can the spectral hound interact with the Material Plane when those it causes to fade cannot?" Indeed, why not!? That's where the thought of being from the Dimensional Vortex (the void BETWEEN all dimensions) meant that it was never actually on a plane of existence, but instead dwelt between two at the same time. Well, I hope that works out. Thoughts are welcome as always.]