Our oldest companion, the
Dog. In our reality we have a dizzying amount of land races which have been developed over the millennium to keep us company and
aid us in the world. Why would a fantasy or sci-fi setting be any
different? This table contains 20 breeds of various strange and
magical canine companions for use in D&D/OSR. The region names
are derived from my home brew setting.
Breed
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Description
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Volmusian Ember Hair
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A breed derived from fire elemental stock, bred
by druids as attack animals. Fiery red hair, maned, with a sturdy
frame and short snout. 1d3 Fire damage/round if within 5ft and the
dog dislikes you.
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Mutt of Tindalos
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Possessed of the blood of creatures which exist
outside of space-time; this canine does not move, it simply
stutters & teleports up to 40ft in a round instead. They are
off-putting creatures, emaciated and long-limbed with
greenish-grey fur.
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Hemohound
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Descended from the hounds owned by vampires.
Sable-furred, with crimson eyes and bodies built for pursuit.
Hemohounds feed on blood, and biting living creatures heals them.
Each successful bite restores 1 HP to the dog.
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Cerberusid
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Smuggled out from Hades itself, these stocky,
well-muscled and snub nosed dogs have multiple heads for observing
the comings and goings of the dead. Advantage on anything to do
with multi-tasking or perception. Roll 1d6 - 1-3: 2 heads, 4-6: 3
heads.
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Dorician Pale Dog
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Developed by fakirs for the purposes of curing
diseases, these wane and mangy beasts are capable of taking
diseases into themselves by licking the afflicted and transferring
them to another through the means of coughing or sneezing fits.
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Dolchean Mole-hound
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A strange breed of canine developed by dwarves to
help them guard their subterranean farms. Mole-hounds have short
white fur, huge reflective eyes, and massive paws. These dogs can
burrow and dig at half the speed at which they can run.
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Sivardian Chaser
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These huge, grey-furred, and wolf like dogs were
bred by Hobgoblins to keep pace with and flush out their
traditional Centaur rivals. Chasers move 20ft faster a round than
a typical canine.
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Phantom Cur
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Cultivated from canines repeatedly revived through
necromantic means, these eerie hounds outwardly seem like normal
members of their species, but they often go minutes without
breathing or days without blinking. Their own proximity to death
allows them to sense and affect incorporeal beings.
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Spell Terrier
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Developed by generations of spell-casters to be the
ideal Familiar, spell terriers are small enough to be carried on
one's person and are possessed of luxurious hair suitable for
petting. Spell Terriers can identify and retrieve spell components
and magical items.
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Witcher Spaniel
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A dog bred by mage-hunters to help them identify
their targets. These spaniels are tall and long-bodied, with short
dark coats and pointed features. Witchers can sense the presence
of magic, and will growl when a spell is used in their presence.
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Ceirwannian Hunting Hound
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Graceful and sleek of profile, these shaggy-haired
hunting dogs are a traditional companion of elvish rangers, and
are used to help their owners harry prey. Ceirwannians gain
advantage on all rolls relating to stealth or ambush.
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Splay-toed Goblin Dog
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Long of limb and short-furred with large digit
pads, these dogs are used by Goblins as both draft and riding
animals. Their feet allow them to easily bound and scurry up the
broken terrain and caves in which their masters make their homes.
Splay-toes ignore the effects of difficult terrain and climb half
as their movement speed.
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Chardonian Water Spaniel
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Savior of pirates and sailors the world over,
Chardonian are mid-sized short-haired dogs which come in a variety
of blues. Fiercely loyal, these dogs are trained to retrieve folk
thrown overboard during sea voyages. Chardonian have been
interbred with water elementals, and they may breathe underwater
and swim as quickly as they run.
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Drowish Oozehound
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Bizarre and terrifying creatures designed by the
dark elves as guardians for their slave pens. These beasts tend
towards bright and playful personalities, their fur replaced by
semi-translucent globules of tar like ichor. A bite (or nuzzle)
from an Oozehound necessitates a strength check to escape.
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Saoghal Cultivated Dog
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A servant dog bred by the nobility to be a
gentleman's best friend, these beautiful beasts move with the
poise and elegance of an aristocrat. Their long fur is kinked into
tight spools which must be brushed daily to keep from knotting.
Saoghals are incredibly intelligent, watching those that treat
with their owners carefully, barking or growling when they suspect
that lies are being told.
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Doppeldachshund
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Originally the product of a now obscure and likely
mad arch-mage, this breed of dog is now chiefly treasured by cheap
side shows and thieves. Doppeldachshund are able to briefly alter
their form into that of other animals of their own approximate
size. They can maintain an alternate form for only ten minutes
before shifting back.
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Corantinian War Dog
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Chosen from the fiercest and largest stock by
generations of crusaders to foster a gargantuan canine which
rivals a small pony in size. Corantinians have thick coats of
white fur which braid themselves into thick protective cords as
the dog matures. Corantinians have an extra Hit Die than a typical
canine.
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Troll-blooded Laika
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This particular land race was developed by
goblinoid tribes to aid them in their hunts and raids. Interbred
with regenerating creatures, these dogs are utterly fearless and
unflinchingly loyal. They are a mid-sized breed and of average
build, but they are terribly ugly, covered in patches of uneven
and wart-ridden fur. Troll-blooded Laika regenerate 1/HP a turn.
Laika eat double the amount of a typical dog.
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Poison Dart Dog
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Inspired by the similarly named amphibian, a group
of shaman deep within the jungles of Auyyuah have bred a line of
canines capable of producing and expelling poisons. These dogs can
at will exude a class 'M' poison. They are hairless and sleek
creatures, with slick patches where the poison naturally pools.
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Platinum Retreiver
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An offshoot of common hunting dogs, these somewhat
dopey and friendly beasts can detect the presence of precious
metals up to 60' away.
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These are all amazing. Good job!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteNeeds a d20 column for RNDogs!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny, I waffled multiple times on just stickin an extra column in for that.
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