Buy me a coffeeDire Dog, the Beast of the Boundless Hunt
“Meet the Dire Dog: The Ferocious Beast That Makes Wolves Look Like Puppies!”
The dire dog is a monstrous canine, standing nearly shoulder-high to a horse, with rippling muscles and a frame built for both speed and power. Its coat is coarse and bristling, typically dark in color—jet black, ashen grey, or earthy brown—often streaked with scars from countless battles. Its eyes glow faintly, ranging from fiery amber to icy blue, radiating an unnatural intelligence and malice. Oversized fangs jut slightly from its powerful jaws, and its claws, sharp as daggers, leave deep gouges in stone. Some have additional features, such as jagged spines along their back or a faint, smoky aura that hints at supernatural origins.
Behavior
Dire dogs are apex predators, combining the cunning of a wolf with the sheer brute force of a bear. They are fiercely territorial and will defend their domain with unrelenting savagery. In packs, they operate with uncanny coordination, employing ambush tactics and flanking maneuvers to overwhelm prey or intruders. Despite their ferocity, dire dogs are capable of loyalty—usually to a powerful master or leader—but their allegiance is earned through dominance and respect, not kindness. Lone dire dogs, though rare, are even more dangerous, as they are often exiled for their aggression or exceptional strength.
Habitat
These beasts are found in harsh, untamed environments where survival demands both power and strategy. Common habitats include:
- Cursed Forests: Their dark coats blend with the shadows, making them nearly invisible until it’s too late.
- Craggy Mountains: They thrive in high altitudes, their powerful limbs adapted to scaling rocky terrain.
- Blighted Wastelands: Places abandoned by humans, where dire dogs become the dominant force.
Legends also tell of dire dogs haunting ancient ruins or guarding sacred sites, their presence a result of magical bindings or divine purpose.
Modus Operandi
The dire dog is a master of predation. In a pack, it uses stealth and coordination to stalk prey for miles, striking when its target is fatigued or vulnerable. Lone dogs, however, rely on raw power and fear, charging headlong into battle with earth-shaking growls. They are known to disable prey with a single, bone-crushing bite to the leg or neck, and they drag victims back to their lair to feed. Against groups, they often use their terrifying howls to scatter opponents before picking them off one by one.
Motivation
A dire dog’s motivations are primal yet potent:
- Survival: Above all, it seeks to dominate its territory, crushing any threat to its supremacy.
- Loyalty to a Master: If bound to a master, the dire dog becomes a relentless enforcer, protecting its owner with an almost fanatical fervor.
- Hunger: Dire dogs require vast quantities of food, often hunting creatures far larger than themselves.
- Instinctive Malice: Some dire dogs are driven by an almost supernatural urge to destroy, likely tied to their dark origins or magical corruption.
Dire Dog 5e
Dire Dog 3.5
Dire Dog
Large Beast (Monstrosity), Neutral Evil
Armor Class: 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 114 (12d10 + 48)
Speed: 50 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 (+5) | 16 (+3) | 18 (+4) | 8 (-1) | 14 (+2) | 10 (+0) |
Saving Throws: Strength +7, Constitution +6, Wisdom +5
Skills: Perception +6, Stealth +6, Survival +6
Damage Resistances: Cold, Necrotic
Condition Immunities: Frightened
Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 16
Languages: Understands Common but cannot speak
Challenge: 6 (2,300 XP)
Traits
Keen Senses.
The dog has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Pack Tactics.
The dog has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the dire dog’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and isn’t incapacitated.
Frightful Howl (Recharge 5–6).
As an action, the dire dog emits a bone-chilling howl audible within 300 feet. Each creature of the dire dog’s choice within 30 feet that can hear the howl must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Savage Ferocity.
When the dire dog hits with a melee weapon attack, it can choose to deal an extra 7 (2d6) damage. It can use this ability three times per day.
Actions
Multiattack.
The dog makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.
- Bite.Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
- Hit: 18 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
- Claw.Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
- Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage.
Pounce.
If the dire dog moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, the target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the dog can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Lockjaw (New Ability)
- When the dire dog successfully hits with its bite attack, it can use its Lockjaw ability to grip its prey. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or become grappled. While grappled, the target cannot take reactions and the dire dog can move up to half its speed without causing the grappled target to break free. If the grappled creature is not freed at the end of the dire dog’s next turn, the creature takes 7 (2d6) piercing damage from the dire dog’s bite. The target can attempt to escape the grapple at the end of its turn by making a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
Ethereal Stalk (Recharge 6).
The dire dog shifts partially into the Ethereal Plane, becoming incorporeal until the end of its next turn. During this time, it can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. If it ends its turn inside an object, it takes 10 (3d6) force damage.
Tactics
- Ambush Predator: The dog begins combat by hiding using its Stealth skill, relying on its darkvision and natural camouflage to ambush prey. It often opens with Frightful Howl to disorient and scatter enemies.
- Pack Coordination: When fighting with allies (like other dire dogs or pack creatures), it utilizes Pack Tactics to gain advantage on attack rolls, focusing on isolated targets to overwhelm them.
- Ethereal Stalk: Against powerful or heavily armored foes, the dire dog uses Ethereal Stalk to bypass defenses and reposition for devastating surprise attacks.
- Relentless Pressure: It focuses on keeping its prey prone or frightened, leveraging Pounce and its high mobility to dominate the battlefield.
Dire Dog
Dire dogs are the domestic equivalent of dire wolves.
Originally Posted by DnDChick of the En World forums.
On this Thread
They are large, vicious canines highly prized for their ability to Track and kill opponents much larger than themselves. Domesticated ones are often trained and outfitted for war in spiked, studded leather armor.
| Dire Dog | |
| Medium animal (Dire) | |
| Hit Dice | 3d8+12 (25 hp) |
| Initiative | +3 |
| Speed | 50 ft. (10 squares) |
| Armor Class | 16 (+3 Dexterity, +3 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 13 or 19 (+3 Dexterity, +3 natural, +3 studded leather), touch 13, flat-footed 16 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +2/+6 |
| Attack | Bite +7 melee (1d6+6) |
| Full Attack | Bite +7 melee (1d6+6) |
| Space/Reach | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks | – |
| Special Qualities | Low-Light Vision, Scent |
| Saves | Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +4 |
| Abilities | Strength 19, Dexterity 17, Constitution 19, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 12, Charisma 6 |
| Skills | Jump +14 (+13 in armor), Listen +5, Spot +5, Survival +1 (+5 tracking by Scent) |
| Feats | Alertness, Track (b), Weapon Focus (bite) |
| Environment | Temperate plains |
| Organization | Solitary or pack (5-12) |
| Challenge Rating | 3 |
| Treasure | None |
| Alignment | Always neutral |
| Advancement | 4-9 HD (Large) |
| Level Adjustment | – |
Combat
They attack in a manner similar to normal dogs, biting ferociously with their powerful jaws.
Skills Dire dogs have a +4 racial bonus on Jump checks. *Dire dogs have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by Scent.