Garm — The Hound of Hel

Campaign adaptation — unofficial (2024 rules). Rebalanced arithmetic from the page’s original 5e homebrew; not an official Wizards of the Coast Garm stat block. CR is an encounter estimate, not playtested.

Large Fiend, typically Neutral Evil

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)

Hit Points 225 (18d10 + 126)

Speed 50 ft.

Saving Throws Dex +10, Con +13
Skills Perception +7, Intimidation +6
Damage Resistance Necrotic
Damage Immunity Poison
Condition Immunities Frightened, Poisoned
Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 17
Languages Understands the speech of Hel’s servants but cannot speak (campaign choice)
Challenge 18 (20,000 XP); proficiency bonus +6

Traits

Guardian of the Threshold. Garm knows the location of any creature he can hear within 120 feet of the cave’s mouth. This is hearing, not supernatural knowledge through solid barriers or silence.

Actions

Multiattack. Garm makes one Bite attack and two Claw attacks.

Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 25 (4d8 + 7) Piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) Necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw or be Poisoned for 1 minute; it repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on a success.

Claw. Melee Attack Roll: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (3d6 + 7) Slashing damage.

Howl at Gnipahellir (Recharge 5–6). Each hostile creature that can hear Garm within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be Frightened of Garm for 1 minute. An affected creature repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. The DC is a fixed supernatural DC in this original design, not a derived spellcasting DC.

Reaction

Vengeful Bite. When a creature within 5 feet damages Garm, Garm makes one Bite attack against it.

Legendary Actions

Garm can take 3 legendary actions per round, spending them at the end of another creature’s turn, one option at a time. Spent actions return at the start of Garm’s turn.

• Pursue (1 action). Move up to half Garm’s speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
• Claw (2 actions). Make one Claw attack.
• Bite (2 actions). Make one Bite attack.

Use at the table: The hound challenges intruders at a narrow crossing. The party can retreat, bargain for permission from Hel, or attempt to silence and bypass him; neither his death nor the destruction of his binding should happen casually in an ordinary campaign.

Campaign adaptation — unofficial (2014 rules). Rebalanced arithmetic from the page’s original 5e homebrew; not an official Wizards of the Coast Garm stat block. CR is an encounter estimate, not playtested.

Large Fiend, typically Neutral Evil

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)

Hit Points 225 (18d10 + 126)

Speed 50 ft.

Saving Throws Dex +10, Con +13
Skills Perception +7, Intimidation +6
Damage Resistance Necrotic
Damage Immunity Poison
Condition Immunities Frightened, Poisoned
Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 17
Languages Understands the speech of Hel’s servants but cannot speak (campaign choice)
Challenge 18 (20,000 XP); proficiency bonus +6

Traits

Guardian of the Threshold. Garm knows the location of any creature he can hear within 120 feet of the cave’s mouth. This is hearing, not supernatural knowledge through solid barriers or silence.

Actions

Multiattack. Garm makes one Bite attack and two Claw attacks.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 25 (4d8 + 7) Piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) Necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw or be Poisoned for 1 minute; it repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on a success.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (3d6 + 7) Slashing damage.

Howl at Gnipahellir (Recharge 5–6). Each hostile creature that can hear Garm within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be Frightened of Garm for 1 minute. An affected creature repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. The DC is a fixed supernatural DC in this original design, not a derived spellcasting DC.

Reaction

Vengeful Bite. When a creature within 5 feet damages Garm, Garm makes one Bite attack against it.

Legendary Actions

Garm can take 3 legendary actions per round, spending them at the end of another creature’s turn, one option at a time. Spent actions return at the start of Garm’s turn.

• Pursue (1 action). Move up to half Garm’s speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
• Claw (2 actions). Make one Claw attack.
• Bite (2 actions). Make one Bite attack.

Use at the table: The hound challenges intruders at a narrow crossing. The party can retreat, bargain for permission from Hel, or attempt to silence and bypass him; neither his death nor the destruction of his binding should happen casually in an ordinary campaign.

Campaign adaptation — unofficial Pathfinder 1e rules. This is a standalone conversion, not an official Pathfinder bestiary entry. CR 22 is provisional and needs encounter testing.

CR 22; XP deliberately unassigned pending calibration; Huge outsider (extraplanar, evil)

Armor Class 33, touch 13, flat-footed 28 (−2 size, +5 Dex, +20 natural)

Hit Points 434 (28d10 + 252 Con + 28 Toughness)

Speed 50 ft.

Initiative +9 (Improved Initiative)
Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +35
Defense Fort +20, Ref +23, Will +22 (includes Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, Iron Will); immune to poison; resist negative energy 10 (campaign trait)
Base Attack +28; CMB +42; CMD 57
Languages understands Norse and the tongue of Hel, cannot speak (campaign choice)
Space/Reach 15 ft./10 ft.

Offense

Melee bite +39 (4d8+12; critical 19–20/×2) and 2 claws +36 (3d6+6). Claws are secondary natural attacks; Multiattack reduces their attack penalty to −2.

Gnipahellir Howl (Su; every 1d4 rounds). As a standard action, Garm howls. Enemies within 60 feet who can hear him must make a Will save DC 28 or become shaken for 1d4 rounds. This is a mind-affecting fear effect; one creature can be affected by this howl only once every 24 hours.

Rotting Bite (Su). A living creature damaged by Garm’s bite must succeed on a Fortitude save DC 33 or be sickened for 1 round. The DC is Constitution-based (10 + half 28 HD + 9 Con).

Statistics

Feats Power Attack, Toughness, Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Weapon Focus (bite), Improved Critical (bite), Combat Reflexes, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Blind-Fight, Vital Strike, Improved Vital Strike, Greater Vital Strike.

Skills Acrobatics +36, Intimidate +35, Perception +35, Survival +35 (28 ranks each and +3 class-skill bonus). Each has 28 ranks. Outsider Perception is a class skill; Acrobatics, Intimidate and Survival are three of Garm’s four theme-selected outsider class skills (the fourth is Stealth). Total allocated ranks: 112 (28 HD × 4 skill ranks). Environment entrance to Hel; Organization unique; Treasure none.

Use at the table: Treat Garm as the defender of a boundary, not a wandering random encounter. He hears movement, blocks the cave mouth, uses his howl to scatter the party, then targets creatures trying to pass.

Legacy D&D 3.5e epic fan adaptation — unofficial. The substantial original combat design is preserved, including its unusual powers, linked spells and creator credit. It is a level-50-HD, CR 44 encounter, not the same challenge scale as the lower-powered 5e campaign adaptation. The original +100 hit-point bonus conflicts with its five listed Epic Toughness feats; here the total is corrected to 1,375 (50d8 + 1,000 + 150). The original spell-like DC also lacked a stated +2 bonus, so the basic Charisma-based DC is written as 22 + spell level. Epic feat allocation: This unique campaign creature has 17 normal feats from 50 outsider Hit Dice and 10 additional racial bonus epic feats: Dire Charge, Epic Fortitude, Epic Reflexes, Epic Toughness five times, Improved Combat Reflexes and Superior Initiative. These ten extra choices are original monster design, not feats automatically granted at epic level. Its untested CR 44 and special attacks remain part of the credited legacy adaptation; check epic prerequisites and encounter balance before running it.

Original credit: RAGNAROKISCOMING2007, Wizards Community forums; original forum destination is unverified. The four-eyed depiction, roaming hound-pack, acid blood and death-gaze are additions of this particular RPG adaptation, not claims from the Eddas.

Garm, The Hound of Nilfheim
Huge outsider (extraplanar, evil)
HD	50d8 + 1,000 + 150 (1,375 hp; five Epic Toughness feats)
Initiative	+22
Speed	140 ft., Climb 100 ft.
Armor Class	60 (+14 Dexterity, +26 natural, +12 profane, -2 size) touch 34, flat-footed 46
Base Attack/ Grapple	+50/+77
Attack	Bite +67 melee (8d6+19 plus disease/19-20/x2)
Full Attack	Bite +67 melee (8d6+19 plus disease/19-20/x2), and 2 claws +65 melee (4d8+9 plus disease)
Space/Reach	15 ft./10 ft. (15 ft. bite)
Special Attacks	Breath weapon, death gaze beam, disease, Garm’s blood, howl of the Nilfheim hound, pounce, skirmish, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities	Damage reduction 35/epic, good, and mithral, Darkvision 120 ft., energy resistance 35 to electricity and fire, immunity to acid, cold, disease, death effects, energy drain, nausea, Paralysis, poison, and sleep, regeneration 30, see in darkness, see invisibility, Spell Resistance 54, stench, true seeing
Saves	Fort +53, Ref +47, Will +37
Abilities	Strength 48, Dexterity 38,Constitution 50, Intelligence 15, Wisdom 30, Charisma 34
Skills	Balance +67, Climb +80, Hide +59, Intimidate +65, Jump +116, Listen +63, Move Silently +67, Spot +63, Survival +63, Tumble +67
Feats	Cleave, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Improved Overrun, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Multi-Attack, Power Attack, Run, Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack
Epic Feats (10 racial bonus feats; original campaign design)	Dire Charge, Epic Fortitude, Epic Reflexes, Epic Toughness (x5), Improved Combat Reflexes, Superior Initiative
Environment	Nilfheim (Hel)
Organization	Solitary (unique) or troupe (Garm plus 2-20 Hel Warhounds)
CR	44
Treasure	Nothing
Alignment	Neutral Evil

Combat

Garm loves to kill as many of his foes with his death gaze beam ability as possible before charging into melee combat. He will then attack his foes with his bite and claws, while relying on his blood for extra protection. If outnumbered Garm will result to using his breath weapon or howl to even the odds. If on the verge of defeat he will try to teleport his way out of the area, unless he·s defending the gates. If so, he·ll fight to the death.

Breath Weapon (Su): Once every 1d6 rounds, Garm can spit forth his own blood in a 150 ft. line, or he could cough up his own blood in a 90 ft. cone. It deals 33d10 points of acid damage. Reflex save DC 55 halves damage. Those hit by the acid must succeed on Fortitude save DC 55 or become nauseated by the smell of it for 3d4 rounds, and slowed as the spell for 10 rounds, from the thickness of it. An extra Reflex save DC 55 negates the slow effect. The victim is allowed a Reflex save DC 55 each round for the next 10 rounds in order to wipe themselves clean of the blood, thus negating the slow effect. DCs are Constitution-based.

Death Gaze Beam (Su): Once every minute, Garm can produce a red beam of concentrated evil and death from his eyes and unleash it upon his foes. The beam is 10 ft. wide and 150 ft. long. All creatures within range must succeed a Fortitude save DC 47 or die instantly. If successful, the creatures still take 20d8 points of negative energy damage. They are allowed a Fortitude save DC 47 to half the damage. DCs are Charisma-based.

Disease (Ex): Injury, bite or claw; Fortitude DC 55, initial damage 3d6 Constitution, secondary damage 3d6 Constitution. DC is Constitution-based.

Garm’s Blood (Ex): Those attack Garm with piercing or slashing weapons cause his blood to spew forth from the wound dealing 6d8 points of acid damage. Reflex save DC 55 halves damage. Those who are hit by the blood must also succeed on a Fortitude save DC 55 or be sickened and slowed for 1 round. DCs are Constitution-based.

Howl of the Nilfheim Hound (Su): Once every 1d6 rounds, as a standard action, Garm can let out a numbingly cold howl that drains the life force of all who hear it. The howl is a 130 ft. radius centred on Garm. It deals 27d8 points of cold damage and all within range gain 3d6 negative levels. A Fortitude save DC 55 halves the cold damage, while a Will save DC 55 halves the amount of negative levels. DCs are Constitution-based.

Pounce (Ex): When Garm charges a target, he can make a full attack.

Regeneration (Ex): Garm takes normal damage from epic, good, and mithral weapons, as well as good spells.

Skirmish (Ex): Garm deals an extra 10d6 points of damage on all attacks made during a round in which it moves at least 10 ft. This attack applies only to attacks made on his turn and only affects living creatures with a discernable anatomy.

Spell-Like Abilities: CL 50; DC 22 + spell level (Charisma-based; legacy original listed 24 + level without a supporting bonus)

At will – animate dead, blur, cone of cold, create greater undead, detect chaos, detect good, detect law, desecrate, dispel good, ghoul touch, haste, obscuring mist, symbol of pain, unhallow, unholy aura

9/day –anti-life shield, blasphemy, energy drain, greater teleport (self plus 1000 pounds), inflict critical wounds (mass), power word kill, slay living, symbol of death, wail of the banshee

Stench (Ex): Garm reeks with the smell of dried up blood and decay. Those within 60 ft. of him must succeed a Fortitude save DC 55 or become nauseated while within range. If they managed to leave the range, they remain nauseated for 5 more rounds. Those grappling with Garm, must succeed a Fortitude save DC 55 or lose consciousness for 3d6 rounds