Nessian Warhound

Large Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Fire, Lawful) — CR 9

Monster Manual v.3.5 (MM), p. 151Updated 3.5

Nessian Warhound is a D&D 3.5 monster from MM, p. 151. CR 9, HD 12d8+60 (114 hp).

Hit Dice
12d8+60 (114 hp)
Initiative
+6
Speed
Land 40 ft
Armor Class
24, touch 11, flat-footed 22
Base Attack / Grapple
+12/+24
Attack
Bite +20 melee (2d6+12/19-20 plus 1d8 fire)
Full Attack
Bite +20 melee (2d6+12/19-20 plus 1d8 fire)
STR
26
DEX
14
CON
20
INT
4
WIS
12
CHA
6
Fort / Ref / Will
+13 / +10 / +9
Challenge Rating
9
Alignment
Always Lawful-Evil
Organization
Solitary, pair, or pack (1–2 Nessian warhounds and 5–12 hell hounds)
Treasure
+2 chain shirt barding
Environment
Nine Hells of Baator
Level Adjustment
+4

Special Abilities

Breath WeaponFiery BiteDarkvisionImmunity to FireScentVulnerability to Cold

Feats

The creature resembles a big, powerfully built dog with short, coalblack fur, its markings, teeth, and tongue are sooty black. It has red, glowing eyes.

Description

The Lords of the Nine, the great devil princes who rule over the Nine Hells, keep vast kennels of hell hounds. From the fiery pits beneath the palace of Asmodeus in Nessus, the lowest of the Nine Hells, come the Nessian warhounds, a terrifying breed of hell hound. Nessian warhounds are coalblack mastiffs the size of draft horses, often fitted with shirts of infernal chainmail.

Nessian warhounds resemble hell hounds, except as otherwise noted.

Combat

Nessian warhounds are efficient hunters. A favorite pack tactic is to surround prey quietly, then attack with one or two hounds, driving it toward the rest with their fiery breath. If the prey doesn’t run, the pack closes in. Nessian warhounds track fleeing prey relentlessly.

A nessian warhounds’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Breath Weapon (Su): 10-foot cone, once every 2d4 rounds, damage 3d6 fire, Reflex DC 21 half. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Fiery Bite (Su): A Nessian warhound deals an extra 1d8 points of fire damage every time it bites an opponent, as if its bite were a flaming weapon.

Skills: Hell hounds have a +5 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks.

*They also receive a +8 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent, due to their keen sense of smell.