Wild Hunt Hound ( “hounds of Annwn”)

Hound Green smoke billows from the bared teeth and flared nostrils of this muscular, sharp-eared hound.

Wild hunt hounds are expert trackers that take the lead against elusive prey. When left to their own devices, they seek out creatures that are notoriously difficult to track, collecting minor trinkets as trophies of their achievements (using their mage hand ability to carry their prizes home or to adorn themselves if possible). While they can be competitive when engaged in separate tasks, wild hunt hounds working together on a hunt never allow these rivalries to become a distraction.

These fey hounds are never truly alone, as they are always surrounded with green mist composed of fragments of the spirits of the wild hunt’s victims. Stripped of all thoughts beyond a desire to chase and hunt, this fog eagerly answers the hound’s baying call and forms into dogs that loyally fight at the hound’s side.

Although the hounds of the wild hunt may seem outwardly to be mere animals, they are quite intelligent. Wild hunt hounds are fond of taking advantage of their bestial appearance, and when left as guardians or allowed to wander freely, make excellent spies among those who don’t recognize the creatures’ ability to understand language.

When not tracking a quarry, wild hunt hounds enjoy relaxing and capering in any natural environment—but even in their play they engage in complex pursuits, testing each other’s ability to track and evade simultaneously.

Wild Hunt Hound CR 10

XP 9,600
CN Medium fey (wild hunt)
Init +4; Senses blindsense 60 ft., blindsight 30 ft., greater arcane sight, greensight 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, see in darkness, see invisibility; Perception +22

DEFENSE

AC 24, touch 17, flat-footed 20 (+3 deflection, +4 Dex, +7 natural)
hp 133 (14d6+84)
Fort +12, Ref +13, Will +14
Defensive Abilities instinctive cooperation, wild grace; DR 10/cold iron; Immune cold; Resist electricity 10, fire 10

OFFENSE

Speed 60 ft.
Melee bite +17 (2d6+9 plus trip), 2 claws +17 (1d8+9)
Special Attacks summon pack, wild gaze (DC 20)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th; concentration +13)

Constant—greater arcane sight, greater magic fang, know direction, mage hand, see invisibility, speak with animals, speak with plants
At will—locate creature, locate object, residual tracking
3/day—discern location, dispel magic, stone tell

STATISTICS

Str 24, Dex 19, Con 22, Int 13, Wis 20, Cha 17
Base Atk +7; CMB +14 (+18 trip); CMD 31 (37 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Greater Trip, Improved Trip, Weapon Focus (bite, claw)
Skills Acrobatics +21, Intimidate +17, Perception +22, Sense Motive +22, Stealth +21, Survival +19 (+26 when following tracks), Swim +24; Racial Modifiers +7 Survival when following tracks
Languages Common, Sylvan; speak with animals, speak with plants
SQ planar acclimation, track, wild hunt link

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Summon Pack (Su)

Once per day as a standard action, a wild hunt hound can let forth a mighty howl, summoning a fog that coalesces into spectral dogs. The fog surrounds the wild hound in a 20-foot radius, traveling with the hound as it moves for 10 minutes. The spectral hounds provide concealment as per the spell fog cloud and grant the wild hunt hound a +4 circumstance bonus on its combat maneuver checks to trip opponents. They also harry their foes with a relentless assault of bite and claw attacks. Any enemy that ends its turn within the fog takes 2d6 points of slashing damage (Reflex DC 20 half). The save DC is Charisma-based.

Track (Ex)

A wild hunt hound adds a bonus equal to half its Hit Dice on Survival checks to follow tracks (+7 for a typical wild hunt hound).

Wild Hunt Link (Su)

All creatures in a wild hunt hound’s wild hunt link share some if its sensory abilities, gaining blindsense 60 feet, greater arcane sight, and see invisibility.

ECOLOGY

Environment any land
Organization solitary, pack (2–10), or wild hunt
Treasure standard

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 6 © 2017, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Robert Brookes, Benjamin Bruck, John Compton, Paris Crenshaw, Adam Daigle, Crystal Frasier, James Jacobs, Thurston Hillman, Tim Hitchcock, Brandon Hodge, Jason Keeley, Isabelle Lee, Jason Nelson, Tim Nightengale, F. Wesley Schneider, David Schwartz, Mark Seifter, Todd Stewart, Josh Vogt, and Linda Zayas-Palmer.