Mordenkainen’s Walking Dog

[Osrogue]

Hello. So I’m in a group that recently acquired a new wizard player, and I have mechanical issue with one of his modified spells. The DM has so far allowed it, but I think it makes most of my summons look worthless in comparison and I want to ask the wizard to not use it or use the normal version of the spell. Before I do that though, I just want to see if I’m entirely off base and blowing it out of proportion. If I am, I can deal. I’d rather avoid making myself or others uncomfortable.

So here it is: One of the spells he has is Mordenkainen’s Faithful Hound. Level 4 Spell, lasts 8 hours, no concentration. Barks whenever a Medium-or-larger creature is within 30 feet, invisible or not. When an opponent is within 5 feet, it can attack using the wizard’s intelligence for 4d8 damage. It is both invisible and indestructible.

His modified version is capable of moving, attacking, and reacting like an actual creature. I’m not sure if this version requires a bonus action to attack and a reaction from the caster to take an attack of opportunity, or if it acts as an independent creature.

If it’s the former, it is hilariously stronger than clerics’ sacred weapon, which does 2d8+5 at 4th level, only lasts a minute, and cannot take attacks of opportunity.

If the latter, and it is treated as a summon, here is what a player would have to do to achieve something similar.

1. Be a shepherd Druid for summons that deal magic damage.

2. Cast a 6th level spell for invisible stalker, which lasts an hour and requires concentration which has comparable damage and is invisible.

3. Cast a 5th spell and spend 1000gp to bind that invisible stalker to the caster for a day which it fails to do 15% of the time to free up the caster’s concentration.

And the invisible stalker still won’t be indestructible like the Hound is, and the stalker is a reluctant follower.

Is this not as economy breaking as I’m making it out to be? I feel like I’m not off base, but if I’m missing something, let me know.

[Grear Bylls]

I would tell the DM to look at the spell. With those buffs, it's definitely OP. It has no HP, no specified speed, and sees invisibility. RAW, the hound can only attack creatures near you, regardless of how far away the hound should be (I think). However, the big problem is that this spells is NOT a combat spell. It's a safe resting spell, like leomands tiny hut. The idea is:

Players: We need to Long Rest
DM: In the haunted woods?
Players: Oh yeah...
Wizard: Hey guys, I can summon this watchdog thing. If anything attacks us, it wakes us up.
Players: Oh Yeah!
DM: fine...

The spell technically can't do anything unless said wizard is being attacked. If this is making your character obsolete, tell the DM. They'll understand (hopefully).

[MrStabby]

Yes, this change is a massive boost to the spell. It turns out that a spell that you can bypass much of the effect from by moving 5ft is less good than one you cannot bypass in this way.

[Asmotherion]

So let me see. He basically gets a spell that gives him a movable AoE requiring no Concentration and with an 8 hour Duration. And 4d8 Damage. Just No.

Unless your DM is willing to give you something Similar (as well as to the Whole Party), to balance it off, for whatever reason, he's probably playing favorites.

Balanced versions would be:

Level 4
Duration: 1 Minute
Damage 2d8

Level 6
Duration: 1 Hour [Concentration]
Damage: 4d8

This is the main reason why I repetedly say, again and again: If a DM does not have a very profound understanding of game mechanics, he should ban homebrew access to players by default. That's the kind of mess you end up with, when a DM thinks it's ok to allow even the simplest modifications on a spell when he doesn't understand the implications behind them.

[Osrogue]

Ok. Thanks for your input. I’ll talk to the wizard about changing the spell.

[tieren]

One reasonable compromise might be to allow the dog to move within the original casting range using the caster's action (like moving an illusion).

It makes this particular spell more powerful but limits what else the wizard might otherwise be doing.

[Aett_Thorn]

The only really good use we've had in one of my parties is when the wizard cast it on a small boat that we were on. That way, the hound could "move" with us, since they were on the boat. But other than that, this spell is meant as more of a guarding option more so than a combat spell. The problem is that there are better spells out there that kind of negate the need for this spell (why use a faithful hound if you can just use a Tiny Hut and have no really need for a guard.

[Coec]

See if the DM or player could modify the spell again to change the invulnerable part to something with hp. Otherwise I could use that spell to literally clear the whole dungeon with no concern to my well being. The spell as written doesn't seem all that fantastic unless you place the dog in the only door into a room, adding the movement features to it breaks the game.

[Osrogue]

To update, I talked with the wizard and they just forgot that it can’t move. So problem solved I guess.