Creature Request

[RobbieOC]

What I need is something I'm going to call an Eldritch Stalker. I need a creature that can track magic, essentially. I've got an encounter I'm trying to work out involving mage hunters, and I thought it would be cool if they had some kind of magic bloodhound to hunt down the PCs, but I wasn't sure if there was a monster like that in publication, or if someone could make one for me. I could try, but I'm awful at it, especially the whole "appropriate challenge rating" thing. Anyone want to give it a go?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

An aoa from the Fiend Folio sounds like what you are looking for, and I'm pretty sure there is at least one other creature that tracks down magic by some sort of sensee.

[Fax Celestis]

Toveaxdirupetara (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=gaming;action=display;num=1152326251 ;start=0#0).

[The Demented One]

Magesniffer Hound
Size/Type: Medium Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 2d10+2 (17 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+1 Dex, +3 natural), touch 11, flatfooted 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+5
Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: –
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, smell magic
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +3
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 3, Wis 16, Cha 4
Skills: Hide +2, Move Silently +2, Survival +3*
Feats: TrackB, Weapon Focus (Bite)
Environment: Temperate Plains
Organization: Solitary, pair, or pack (2-6)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always True Neutral
Advancement: 3-6 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: –

Magesniffer Hounds, also called Eldritch Stalkers are dogs specially bred and magically altered to “smell” spellcasters. Though they cannot detect magic conventionally, their olfactory organs have been altered to interpret the presence of magical auras as smells, making them great trackers of mages. Mage hunters value them as they value their own weapons.

Smell Magic (Su)
A Magesniffer Hound gets a +8 racial bonus on Wisdom checks made to track creatures capable of casting spells. In addition, when tracking non-spellcasters, it gains a bonus on such checks depending on the strongest aura strength of a magical effect or item on the target. If the aura is faint, the bonus is +4, if it is moderate, the bonus is +6, and if it is strong, the bonus is +8.

[Peregrine]

Hmm... I'm wondering if I could improve my phagioun (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=gaming;action=display;num=1149604882 ) to fill this role...

[RobbieOC]

Magesniffer Hound
Size/Type: Medium Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 2d10+2 (17 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+1 Dex, +3 natural), touch 11, flatfooted 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+5
Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: –
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, smell magic
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +3
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 3, Wis 16, Cha 4
Skills: Hide +2, Move Silently +2, Survival +3*
Feats: TrackB, Weapon Focus (Bite)
Environment: Temperate Plains
Organization: Solitary, pair, or pack (2-6)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always True Neutral
Advancement: 3-6 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: –

Magesniffer Hounds, also called Eldritch Stalkers are dogs specially bred and magically altered to “smell” spellcasters. Though they cannot detect magic conventionally, their olfactory organs have been altered to interpret the presence of magical auras as smells, making them great trackers of mages. Mage hunters value them as they value their own weapons.

Smell Magic (Su)
A Magesniffer Hound gets a +8 racial bonus on Wisdom checks made to track creatures capable of casting spells. In addition, when tracking non-spellcasters, it gains a bonus on such checks depending on the strongest aura strength of a magical effect or item on the target. If the aura is faint, the bonus is +4, if it is moderate, the bonus is +6, and if it is strong, the bonus is +8.

That's darn near perfect. Thank you kindly.

[BelkarsDagger]

I think this would be a great concept for a PrC: Eldritch Hunter. A fighter based around killing spellcasters and tracking/resisting magic...

[The Demented One]

I think this would be a great concept for a PrC: Eldritch Hunter. A fighter based around killing spellcasters and tracking/resisting magic...
Complete Warrior has something like that, called the Occult Slayer or somesuch.

[BelkarsDagger]

Hmm, I'll have to check it then. I think the magesniffer should have magic resistence of some degree, too.

[RobbieOC]

Yeah, Occult Slayer. I'm planning on using one at some point in the campaign, in conjunction with the magesniffer of course... maybe a ranger/occult slayer with a magesniffer as an animal companion? What's the rules on using a magical beast as an animal companion? Is that possible?

[mr._Tentacles]

You're the DM, you can make it possible.