Devil, Mongrel (Despairing Hounds)

Family: Devils

Medium fiend, lawful evil

Armor Class 12 (description)
Hit Points 71 (13d8+13)
Speed 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
15 (+2)	14 (+2)	13 (+1)	4 (-3)	10 (+0)	4 (-3)

Skills Perception +2
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Damage Resistances cold, fire.
Senses darkvision 60 ft. passive Perception 12
Languages Can understand infernal
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Keen Smell. The mongrels have a superior sense of smell and gain advantage to any check that uses smell.
• Pack Tactics. The mongrel has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one other mongrel is within 5 feet of the creature and isn’t incapacitated.
• Innate Spellcasting. The mongrel’s spellcasting ability is Wisdom (DC 10). The creature can cast heat metal three times per day.
• Baying. The mongrel can release a mournful cry that causes despair in those who hear it. All creatures within 120 feet of the mongrel must make a Wisdom save (DC 10) or suffer disadvantage on all Attacks, Saves and Ability checks. If three or more mongrels bay at the same time, all saves against the effect are at disadvantage. The effect lasts for 1 minute. Anyone affected can make another save at the end of their turn, ending the effect on a success. Anyone who has successfully saved against the baying is immune to the effect for 24 hours.
• Guise. The mongrel can take on the appearance of a normal, large dog. The type varies. The mongrel loses this guise immediately upon attacking. The guise can be seen through by spending a round examining the creature and making an Intelligence save (DC 13).

ACTIONS

• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) piercing damage plus 11 (2d10) poison damage. Anyone bitten by a mongrel must make a Strength save (DC 12) or be forced prone.

ABOUT

The mongrel are dog-like devils; mutts of varying breeds. Their pocked, scarred skin reeks of burnt hair. Their lips curl up over their naked gums, wrapped around massive fangs; thick, yellowish bile constantly dribbles from the beast’s jaws. They have a long tail, barrel chest and huge paws. Their eyes, like the eyes of all their kindred, are hollow pools of nothing. When they desire to be hidden, they take on the guise of stout German Shepard, Doberman, Pit Bull, Bull Mastiff, or similar guard dog.

Roving Packs. These black hounds of hell dwell throughout the Wretched Plains and attack any hapless soul that passes near, whether dead or not. They prefer to travel in packs and are always hunting. They work working in flawless cohesion with the other pack members. They always attempt to trip a victim even as they bite him. As soon as a victim is brought down, they are attacked by the whole pack. mongrels generally attack the same victim until that one is dead. Then they turn on the next victim.

Eternal Hunger. They are consumed with a never-ending hunger and must eat constantly. The mongrel consumes that which it kills. It consumes flesh as well as equipment, armor and weapons; devouring everything. Normal equipment dissolves into nothing, but magical equipment rests in the creature’s belly until the end of time, or until extracted.

Loyal Servants. They serve all manner of devils in and out of the Wretched Plains, being used as guardians, hunters, or in massive packs to hound and molest the enemies of the lords of hell. Their howling and baying are always heard before a great host of devils march to war.

The stomach of a mongrel can be cut out and cleaned, and if a permanency spell is cast upon it within 24 hours, it serves as a bag of holding.