Buy me a coffee“Mage Hound: The Arcane Tracker of Spellcasters”
Mage Hound — Arcane-scenting predator bred to sniff out spellcraft, hunt magic-users, and run them to ground with supernatural precision.
Mage Hounds are arcane-sensing pursuit beasts engineered to track, corner, and suppress magic-users. Though shaped like towering, spectral-lit hunting hounds, their supernatural senses allow them to smell active spells, magical residues, enchanted items, and arcane disturbances from extraordinary distances. Built for endurance and relentless pursuit, these elegant but terrifying hounds are the bane of wizards, warlocks, and sorcerers across the world.
Mage Hounds are tall, long-limbed coursing hounds with sleek, muscular frames built for unbroken pursuit. Their coats lie short and glossy against their bodies, faintly illuminated by runic veins that pulse beneath the skin whenever magic stirs nearby. A narrow, aerodynamic head gives them a hawk-like profile, while fine arcane filaments along the muzzle quiver at the slightest spellcraft. Their eyes shimmer with shifting witchlight—violet, gold, or pale sapphire—reflecting the dominant school of magic in the air. Even at rest, a soft haze of arcane vapour curls around their paws, leaving spectral traces wherever they tread.
Behaviour
Mage Hounds move with disciplined precision, acting more like highly trained hunting companions than wild predators. They rarely vocalize, preferring silence until the moment of contact, when a sudden bay signals their quarry has been cornered. In pursuit they excel: running long, sweeping arcs, applying constant pressure, and anticipating escape routes with uncanny instinct. When hunting in pairs or packs, their coordination is seamless, driving spellcasters into exposed positions. Off duty, they remain calm, alert, and watchful—ever sensing for unseen currents of magic with tireless focus.
Habitat
Born in arcane sanctums and mage-hunter citadels, Mage Hounds now appear wherever the control or containment of magic is paramount. They adapt easily to enchanted forests, the ruins of fallen towers, battlefield graveyards of ancient spells, and the fortified halls of wizard guilds. A masterless Mage Hound will select a magically active region as its territory, patrolling it with patient, methodical loops. Whether in lonely wilderness or bustling arcane enclaves, they gravitate toward places where the air hums with spellcraft.
Modus Operandi
A Mage Hound’s tactics revolve around exploiting magical signatures. They open engagements with a disruptive arcane bay that fractures concentration, then close distance with sudden bursts of blistering speed. Their force-infused bite and relentless pursuit make escape nearly impossible for spellcasters; teleportation, invisibility, and illusions merely leave clearer “scent trails” for the hound to follow. Against non-magical foes, they rely on intimidation and precision—isolating a target, circling it strategically, and striking only when the advantage is certain. They do not fight savagely; they fight with purpose.
Motivation
Mage Hounds are driven by engineered instincts: obedience, pursuit, and arcane fixation. Their greatest compulsion is to chase magic—once they catch the trace of a spell, they feel a near-irresistible need to follow it to its conclusion. They bond fiercely to handlers who provide structure and clear direction, thriving under discipline and routine. Without such guidance, they adopt a guardian’s mentality, investigating magical disturbances and neutralizing unpredictable sources. Unlike natural predators, they are motivated not by hunger or territory, but by the deep, ingrained imperative to monitor, track, and master the flow of arcane power.
Mage Hound 5e 2024
Mage Hound, Pathfinder
Mage Hound 3.5
Mage Hound
Medium Monstrosity (Magical Beast), Neutral
A Mage Hound is a sleek, long-limbed magical hunting hound engineered to pursue, track, and disrupt spellcasters with relentless precision. Its body shimmers with faint arcane light, its whisker-like filaments detect magical currents, and its eyes burn with shifting witchlight that hints at the type of magic nearby.
Armor Class: 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 75 (10d8 + 30)
Speed: 50 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 (+2) | 18 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 6 (-2) | 16 (+3) | 8 (-1) |
Saving Throws: Dex +6, Wis +5
Skills: Perception +7, Survival +7
Damage Resistances: force, psychic
Condition Immunities: charmed, frightened
Senses: darkvision 60 ft., Arcane Scent 300 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages: understands commands from its master
Challenge: 6 (2,300 XP)
Proficiency Bonus: +3
Traits
Arcane Scent. The Mage Hound can detect any creature that has cast a spell, any magical effect, or any magic item within 300 feet. It knows the direction and the strongest school of magic present.
Unerring Pursuit. The Mage Hound has advantage on all ability checks to track a creature that has cast a spell within the last 24 hours.
Magebane Conditioning. The Mage Hound has advantage on saving throws against spells. Attack rolls made against it with spell attacks are at disadvantage.
Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The Mage Hound’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit). It requires no material components:
- At will: detect magic, hunter’s mark
- 3/day each: counterspell (reaction), dispel magic, faerie fire
- 1/day: arcane eye
Actions
Multiattack. The Mage Hound makes two attacks: one with Bite and one with Mageflare Rend.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 10 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage + 5 (1d10) force damage.
Mageflare Rend. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature concentrating on a spell.
Hit: 13 (3d6 + 3) force damage. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or lose concentration.
Arcane Pulse (Recharge 5–6). The Mage Hound releases a 15-ft.-radius pulse of shimmering energy. Each creature must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 17 (5d6) force damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. Spellcasters have disadvantage on this saving throw.
Reactions
Mage-Hunter Pounce. When a creature within 20 ft. casts a spell, the Mage Hound can move up to 20 ft. without provoking opportunity attacks and make one Bite attack.
Counterspell Snap. The Mage Hound casts counterspell in response to a spell cast by a creature it has detected with Arcane Scent.
Legendary Actions (Optional, Elite CR 7 Variant)
The Mage Hound can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time:
- Detect Magic. Uses detect magic instantly.
- Move. Moves up to half its speed.
- Mage-Hunter Strike (Costs 2 Actions). Makes one Mageflare Rend attack.
Tactics
Mage Hounds fight like elite magical coursing hounds rather than wild predators. They begin by detecting the strongest magical signature and marking it with hunter’s mark. They open combat with Arcane Pulse to disrupt multiple spellcasters and immediately close with Mage-Hunter Pounce to isolate and pressure spellcasters.
- Against casters: They break concentration, exploit terrain, and pursue relentlessly, ignoring conventional escape tactics.
- Against non-magical targets: They use intimidation, isolation, and precise strikes.
- In packs: Mage Hounds flank and cut off escape routes with near-perfect coordination.
- Persistence: They will track their target tirelessly, adapting to terrain and magical interference to ensure the quarry cannot evade.
Mage Hound
CR 6
XP 2,304
Medium Magical Beast (Extraplanar)
A Mage Hound is a sleek, long-limbed coursing hound bred for magical tracking and pursuit. Its short, glossy coat shimmers faintly with arcane veins, while fine filaments along its muzzle quiver at the faintest magical signature. Its eyes burn with shifting witchlight, revealing the type of magic it senses. Known for tireless pursuit and uncanny precision, Mage Hounds are the ultimate hunters of spellcasters.
Defense
AC: 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+4 Dex, +6 natural, –2 size)
HP: 68 (8d10+24)
Fort: +8, Ref: +8, Will: +6
DR: 5/magic
Immune: fear, paralysis
Resist: force 5, psychic 5
Defensive Abilities: Arcane Scent
Weaknesses: none
Offense
Speed: 50 ft.
Melee: Bite +11 (2d6+4 plus 1d6 force)
Special Attacks: Mageflare Rend +11 (3d6+3, breaks concentration), Arcane Pulse (15-ft. radius, 5d6 force, 1/day), Spell-Trace Pursuit
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +8):
- At will: detect magic, hunter’s mark (standard action, instantaneous, 1 min/level)
- 3/day: counterspell (reaction only), dispel magic, faerie fire
- 1/day: arcane eye
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Statistics
Str 15, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 6, Wis 16, Cha 8
Base Atk: +8; CMB: +10; CMD: 24
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (Bite), Dodge, Mobility
Skills: Perception +12, Survival +12, Stealth +10
Languages: understands commands from master
SQ: Arcane Scent, Unerring Pursuit, Magebane Conditioning
Special Abilities
Arcane Scent (Ex): Detects any magical aura, creature that has cast a spell, or magic item within 300 ft. Determines strongest school of magic sensed.
Unerring Pursuit (Ex): Advantage on Survival and Perception checks to track creatures that have cast a spell within the past 24 hours.
Mageflare Rend (Ex): Bite attack that targets a spellcaster concentrating on a spell. Target must succeed on DC 15 Con save or lose concentration.
Arcane Pulse (Sp; 1/day; 15-ft. radius, 5d6 force; DC 15 Reflex half): Force burst that damages all creatures in range; spellcasters have disadvantage on spell attacks for 1 round.
Spell-Trace Pursuit (Ex): Follows teleportation, invisibility, and illusionary effects as if they leave visible trails.
Magebane Conditioning (Ex): Advantage on saves against spells; spells targeting the hound have –2 to hit.
Combat
Mage Hounds fight as elite magical coursing hounds, combining speed, precision, and magical disruption.
- Opening: Detects strongest magical target and marks it with hunter’s mark.
- First Strike: Uses Arcane Pulse to disrupt concentrations.
- Pursuit: Closes rapidly with Bite and Mageflare Rend, breaking concentration and exhausting the target.
- Spellcasters: Relentlessly follow teleportation, invisibility, or other magical escapes with Spell-Trace Pursuit.
- Non-magical opponents: Herd, intimidate, and isolate targets rather than engage recklessly.
- Pack tactics: Flank, cut off escape routes, and coordinate attacks naturally.
- Persistence: Pursues quarry tirelessly, adapting to terrain and magical interference.
Ecology & Lore
Mage Hounds were bred by ancient mage-hunters as living anti-magic trackers. They combine the endurance, agility, and instinct of the finest coursing hounds with arcane awareness, allowing them to hunt spellcasters over vast distances. Masters prize them for their precision, reliability, and uncanny ability to maintain order over magical zones. Without a master, they patrol arcane-rich regions, investigating disturbances and neutralizing unpredictable magical threats.
Mage Hound
A magehound is a small dog, similar in overall appearance to a beagle. It has a black coat with silver markings, including silver ears and stripes along the snout.
Crime and Punishment
Author Keith Baker
Series Campaign Style
Publisher Atlas Games
Publish date 2003
| Mage Hound | |
| Small magical beast | |
| Hit Dice | 1d10+1; hp 6 |
| Initiative | +2 |
| Speed | 40 ft. (8 squares) |
| Armor Class | 14 (+1 size, +2 Dexterity, +1 natural), touch 13, flatfooted 12 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +1/-3 |
| Attack | Bite +2 melee (1d4) |
| Full Attack | Bite +2 melee (1d4) |
| Space/Reach | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks | – |
| Special Qualities | Scent, Spellscent |
| Saves | SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +1 |
| Abilities | Strength 10, Dexterity 15, Constitution 12, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 12, Charisma 6 |
| Skills | Listen +5, Spot +5, Survival +1 (+6 when tracking by Scent), Swim +3. |
| Feats | Spellsense, Track |
| Environment | Temperate plains |
| Organization | Solitary or pack (5-12) |
| Challenge Rating | 1/3 |
| Treasure | None |
| Alignment | Always neutral |
| Advancement | — |
| Level Adjustment | — |
Spellscent (Su):
A magehound has the innate ability to sense magic. This is constantly in effect, and requires no conscious effort on the part of the hound. This is similar to Detect Magic, but extends out in a 30-foot radius circle centered on the dog. A magehound automatically senses any spell cast within this area.
A well-trained hound can detect the difference between divine and arcane magic; it can be taught to ignore magic of a specific school or the divine magic of a specific deity, and with time it can be trained to ignore the magical actions of a specific individual. A magehound cannot Track using this ability, but if it can pick up the Scent of a spellcaster it can track using its sense of smell. The magehound is a mystical canine with a natural talent for sensing the disruptions caused by magical energy. Societies that possess the hounds typically use them as watchdogs.
A guardian magehound will bark and point whenever it detects magical energy; the hound can be trained to give a different bark for a spell or a magical object. The hounds are difficult to breed in captivity; due to the effort required to train (Handle Animal 30) and breed a magehound, the creatures are generally extremely rare. A breeder may charge up to 4,000 gp for a fully trained magehound.