Monster: Serpent-Hound

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Serpent-Hound

A slender wolf-sized, four-legged beast covered in scales and bone plates, with long, sinuous neck and tail.

CR 2; XP 600
N Medium Dragon
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +7

Defense
AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 21 (2d12+8)
Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +5
Defensive Abilities efficient metabolism; Immune magic sleep, paralysis, poison; Resist acid 10

Offense
Speed 40 ft., swim 20 ft.
Melee bite +4 (1d4+3 plus 1d4 acid)
Ranged acid spit +4 (2d4 acid)
Special Attacks acid spit

Statistics
Str 14, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 7, Wis 15, Cha 11
Base Atk +2; CMB +4; CMD 16 (20 vs. trip)
Feats Improved Initiative
Skills Perception +7, Stealth +7, Survival +7, Swim +15
Language Draconic

Ecology
Environment any temperate or tropical
Organization single, pair, or pack (3–12)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Acid Spit (Ex) A serpent-hound can spit its corrosive saliva with a ranged touch attack at a distance of up to 30 feet. It deals 2d4 points of acid damage on hit, and another 1d4 points of acid damage at the beginning of the serpent-hound's following turn, unless washed or scrapped off with some acid-resistant or disposable tool as a full-round action.

Efficient Metabolism (Ex) A serpent-hound requires only a fraction of water and food comparing to other creatures of its size, being able to delay starvation and thirst effects for a number of days equal to its Constitution score. It can easily withstand natural heat of a hot or very hot environment, and hold its breath for 1 minute per point of Constitution score. When facing risk of starvation or desiccation, a serpent-hound can enter hibernation for a period of up to 1 month per point of Constitution score.


Serpent-hounds are aggressive predators, much smarter than their wolf-like living suggest. Despite their intelligence they only seem to desire simple joys of life—thrill of hunt, taste of fresh kill (or not so fresh, their tastes vary considerably), bathing in sunlight, or swimming in warm water. They gladly use their intelligence and cunning to reach those simple goals, sometimes they even cooperate with humanoids, monstrous humanoids, and dragons, though they prefer reptilian sapient beings over mammals.

While serpent-hounds speak draconic, they often communicate with each other through loud hisses and screeching, similarly to wolf's baying.

Particularly sociable dragons and draconic humanoids sometimes keep packs of serpent-hounds as their guardians, watchers, hunters, and bloodhounds.

A serpent-hound can be selected by character with Leadership that speaks Draconic language as a cohort with effective level 5.

Variants:

Frostscale serpent-hounds are covered with a combination of scales and fur-like feathers, being accustomed to living in arctic or glacial terrain instead of warm, having resistance to cold and spirit burning saliva that deals fire damage.

Stormchaser serpent-hounds are resistant to electricity and deal electricity damage with their bite and spit.

Serpent-Steeds (CR 3) have giant template, base land speed of 50 feet, inflict 1d6+6 plus 1d6 points of acid damage with their bite, and 2d6 points of acid damage with their acid spit (1d6 in the following turn). They sometimes serve as mounts to reptilian humanoids. They can also act as a 6th level cohort.