This man-sized mastiff strongly resembles a wolf hound with a shaggy, deep-black coat. It bears some striking humanlike characteristics, including front paws with opposable digits. Its haunting eyes resemble lustrous obsidian orbs.
Often confused with the baleful yeth hound, the moon dog might be considered that creature’s good counterpart—a native of Elysium and champion of good. A moon dog is roughly the size of a large man on all fours. Its front paws have some limited capacity for manipulation, and a moon dog can stand and even walk (at half speed) on its hind legs in order to make use of the forepaws.
Combat
Moon dogs are potent fighters and relentless in their pursuit of evil. They use their howl ability as soon as evil foes are within range, then use their vicious bite in melee.
MONSTER_NAME
Medium magical beast (extraplanar, good)
Init +6; Senses darkvision, keen senses, scent; arcane sight, blessed sight, see invisibility; Perception +15
Defense
AC 20, touch 13, flat-footed 18 (+2 Dex, +7 natural, +1 Dodge); +4 vs. attacks of opportunity
hp 49 (9d8+9)
DR 10/evil
Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +8
SR 22 (26 vs. evil)
Defenses improved evasion
Offense
Speed 50 ft.
Melee bite +12 (1d8+4)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks bark, bay, howl, soothing-ministrations, whine
Spell-like Abilities
- Constant—arcane sight, see invisibility
- At will—astral projection (self only), dancing lights, darkness, ethereal jaunt, fog cloud, greater invisibility, light, nondetection, protection from evil, remove fear
- 3/day—hypnotic pattern (only in areas of shadowy illumination), mirror image
- 1/day—greater shadow conjuration (DC 18)
Statistics
Str 16, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 17
Base Atk +9; CMB +12; CMD 24 (28 vs. trip)
Feats Alertness, Dodge, Exalted Spell Resistance, Improved Initiative, Mobility
Skills Acrobatics +14, Diplomacy +15, Intimidate +15, Perception +15, Sense Motive +15, Stealth +18
Languages Celestial, Infernal; telepathy (50 ft.)
Morale intrepid (+2)
Special Qualities change shape, luck, speak with canines
Ecology
Environment Celestial realms
Organization solitary or pack (2d4)
Special Abilities
Bark (Su)
When a moon dog barks, as a standard action, it creates a dispel evil effect as cast by a 12th-level cleric. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Bay (Su)
A moon dog can bay as a standard action. Its baying has the effect of a fear spell (Will save DC 17), but it affects only evil creatures within an 80-foot radius of the moon dog. A creature that makes a successful Will save is immune to that particular moon dog’s baying for 24 hours. This is a sonic, mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Howl (Su)
When a moon dog howls, evil creatures within 40 feet of the moon dog take 1d4+4 points of damage per round, in addition to the fear effect of its baying. Evil extraplanar creatures within 40 feet of a howling moon dog are targeted by a dismissal effect. If more than one moon dog is howling within 40 feet of such a creature, the creature receives only one saving throw, and the effective caster level of the dismissal effect is increased by +2 for each additional moon dog beyond the first.
Soothing Ministrations (Su)
By licking a wound, a moon dog can create any of the following effects, one time each per individual per day: cure light wounds, remove disease, and delay poison.
Blessed Sight (Su)
As a free action, a moon dog can activate this ability, which makes its eyes glow white and allows it to see evil auras within 120 feet. The effect is similar to a detect evil spell, but does not require concentration and discerns aura location and strength more quickly. The moon-dog immediately knows the location and strength of all evil auras within its sight.
Whine (Su)
A moon dog can whine as a standard action to dispel any illusion effect within 50 feet. This functions as an area dispel magic effect which applies only to illusions.
Improved Evasion (Ex)
When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a moon dog takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage if the saving throw fails.
Keen Senses (Ex)
A moon dog sees four times as well as a human in low-light conditions and twice as well in normal light.
Luck (Su)
A moon dog receives a +2 luck bonus on all saving throws (reflected in the statistics above).
Speak with Canines (Sp)
A moon dog can use speak with animals to communicate with any canine animal, including dogs and wolves. This ability functions at will.
Telepathy (Su)
A moon dog can communicate telepathically with any creature within 50 feet that has a language.
Skills
A moon dog has a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks.