[Gift] Who Let the Dogs Out... (Rookie)

[Kesnit]

A small, pathetic-looking dog approaches the party. His fur is matted. His tail is drooping. But his eyes are bright. He walks to the feet of the Paladin, rolls onto his back, and gives the young woman a pleading look.
“I think he likes you, my friend,” said the Bard with a laugh.
“Uh, yes, I think so.” She started to walk on. The dog got back to his feet and followed, occasionally nudging her heels.
“Looks like you have a new friend!” laughed the Wizard.
“What am I supposed to do with a dog? I’m a warrior of Good! I don’t have time for a pet.”
“They say pets choose their owners, not the other way around. Looks like this mutt chose you.”
The Paladin sighed. “I just hope he can keep up.”

The next day, the adventurers were ambushed. The Paladin’s dog went running into the battle, and the Paladin thought that would be the end of her pet. She gave a small sigh, because she had grown fond of the little thing. Suddenly, her eyes widened. The little dog had transformed and was attacking the monsters!


No one knows what Hounds of Honor are. Some believe they are gifts from a deity. Others believe they are Celestial beings in their own right. All that is known about them is that they will sometimes appear to Good or Neutral character with at least ten class levels and “adopt” them. They never select characters who have or could have a familiar or animal companion as a class feature. (Characters who take the feat to obtain a familiar can also have a Hound of Honor.) When they first appear, they seem to be a neglected dog of unknown breed. If their chosen master accepts them, they will stay with the master until the death of the Hound.

When the master enters combat, the Hound of Honor undergoes a transformation, growing to the size of a wolf. Their teeth and claws grow in length, giving them two natural attacks.

Hound of Honor
Small / Medium Outsider (Good, Extraplanar)

HD: d8, Number of HD is the same as master’s
Speed: 50 feet
Init: +4
AC: 20; touch 16; flat-footed 16
BAB: +3/4
Attack: Claw - Damage progresses as a Monk.
Bite (every 1d4 rounds) - 3d6 + 1d6 for every 5 HD.
Slurp - See below

Full Attack: Claw attacks per AB; Bite, then claw attacks; Slurp
Space: 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Slurp, Puppy Dog Eyes
Special Qualities: Expressive Body, Low-light Vision, Damage Reduction
Saves: Fort: Good +3, Ref: Good +4, Will: Poor +1

Abilities: Str 16, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 30
Skills: Listen +8, Spot +16, Track +16, Tumble +10
Feats: Blindfight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Mobility

Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: As master
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral Good

Slurp Attack: Instead of making a Bite attack, a Hound of Honor can attempt a Slurp Attack as a full round attack at his full AB. If successful, the Hound of Honor covers the creature in “doggie kisses.” The creature must made a Will save (DC 15 + 1 per 5 HD) or start laughing and continue laughing for 1d6+1 rounds.

Puppy Dog Eyes: Once per day, a Hound of Honor can use this ability to make a ranged touch attack. Victims of this attack must make a Will save (DC 15 + 1 per 5 HD) or be overwhelmed with feelings of guilt and be unable to do anything except cry. These feelings last for 1d6+1 rounds. For every 5 HD, a Hound of Honor can use this power 1 additional time per day. (At 10 HD, the Hound can use his Puppy Dog Eyes attack 3 times.)

Expressive Body: A Hound of Honor cannot communicate with his master verbally or telepathically. However, the Hound can use body language. Only simple concepts or emotions (i.e. “danger,” “love,” “hungry”) can be conveyed. The master always understands the Hound’s body language.

Damage Reduction: Due to his thick layer of fur, a Hound of Honor has DR 5/magic at 10 HD. Every 5 HD, the DR increases by 5.

[mikeejimbo]

That's a great gift. I like how it progresses with you, too. But I especially like its charisma.

Who couldn't resist those puppy dog eyes?

[Grim Greyscale]

Puppy Dog Eyes should really be a Will Save, not a Fort Save, though.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Outsiders have a d8 HD.

[Kesnit]

Puppy Dog Eyes should really be a Will Save, not a Fort Save, though.

I thought about that, and had it as a Will save at first. I changed it because Slirp Attack was already a Will save. Let me think about it, and I will probably change it.

Outsiders have a d8 HD.

I'll fix that now.

[Bearofbadnews]

Nice entry, I like the concept a lot.

A couple questions:
The Slirp (Slurp?) Attack is very cute, but I feel like it shouldn't work the way you describe, with it being available following a successful bite attack. Dogs don't kiss people they bite-- and neither, I imagine, do Celestials. How about having the Slurp Attack be an alternative to a bite attack? When a bite attack would hit, the Slirp (Slurp?) Attack can be substituted.
It just feels like it's mixing attacks in a way that doesn't blend well.

Also, the description of the Damage Reduction is a little odd. Due to its thick layer of fur the Hound of Honor has magical DR? That increases with HD?

Anyway,
nice work.

[Peregrine]

Aww cute widdle doggy... where's the CUTE people?

Puppy dog eyes might work better as a gaze attack, perchance?

If you still want to have its abilities spread across Fort and Will saves, make the Slurp attack allow a Fort save. (It's not your mental strength, but your physical ability to withstand sloppy, tickly licking. )

And I'm not certain about the CR being "as master". Even if it's never encountered away from its master, the hound should have its own CR that is then added to its master's own CR according to the usual method. (I know that its HD are the same as its master's, but HD and CR are not generally equal, and I'm not certain that this specific creature will scale up or down in the manner implied.)