Dwarf Hound

Medium beast, unaligned

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
15 (+2)	11 (+0)	17 (+3)	3 (-4)	13 (+1)	8 (-1)

Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18)
Speed 35 ft.
Saving Throws Constitution +5
Skills Perception +3, Survival +3
Senses darkvision 90 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages –
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Special Traits

• Fearless Loyalty. When a dwarf hound sees another creature make a hostile action toward its master it gains advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws against that creature or its special abilities for as long as the perceived threat lasts.
• Ore Nose. The dwarf hound can smell ore or metal as a bloodhound smells living creatures, and it has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on this ability.

Actions

• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
• Deafening Bark. All creatures in a 45-foot cone must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failure a creature takes 5 (2d4) thunder damage, or half damage on a success, and is deafened until the end of its next turn. A creature that fails its saving throw by 5 or more is also stunned until the end of its next turn.

Tactics

A dwarf hound is utterly fearless in defense of its master and won’t back down from any attacker, no matter how large or dangerous.

Most have been trained to bark incessantly at spellcasters, and they will likewise bark in the direction of suspected invisible opponents, especially those who are carry the scent of metal.

Description

The dwarf hound is named for its breeders, not its stature. Its powerful body is broad and stocky, with a short black coat of fur speckled with reddish-gold patches at the snout, chest and belly. Its large golden eyes gleam in the shadows of a tunnel or cavern.

Awaken the Dead. Dwarf hounds are bred for wits and courage, and typically have enormous strength and stamina. They are not swift runners, but can wriggle through very narrow passages and lope along with their masters at a tireless trot. Their most notable physical trait, though, is their ear-splitting bark, which is truly worse than their bite: it has been known to crack stone, and can echo for miles through subterranean passages.

A Nose for Gold. Their other remarkable feature, less apparent to outsiders and largely kept secret, is their ability to smell metals, both precious and mundane. Miners often use a dwarf hound to sniff out veins of ore deep within the mountains, or to track fugitives and enemies by the items they carry.