Fantasy Monster: Hedge Dog

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Hedge Dog

A massive canine-looking beast with a mane of sharp spines

CR 4; XP 1,200
N Medium Animal

Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +9

Defense
AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 45 (6d8+18)
Fort +8; Ref +5; Will +5
Defensive Ability mane of spines (2d4)

Offense
Speed 50 ft.

Melee bite and slam +8 (2d4+4 plus 2d4)

Statistics
Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 17, Cha 11
Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 20 (24 vs. trip)

Feats Combat Reflexes, Nimble Move, Weapon Focus (bite and slam)

Skills Perception +9, Stealth +9

Ecology
Environment plains, forests
Organization pair or pack (3–7)
Treasure none

Special Abilities

Mane Of Spines (Ex) A hedge dog has a mane of surprisingly strong and sharp spines. Any creature attacking a hedge dog with a natural or unarmed attack, attempting a bull-rush, grapple, or overrun check, or struck by hedge dog's bite and slam attack suffers 2d4 points of piercing damage. When a hedge dog takes total defense action, its mane of spines damage is doubled until the start of its following turn. Any creature that swallows a hedge dog whole suffers mane of spines damage on the start of the swallower's turn, and on the start of the swallowed hedge dog's turn. Mane of spines damage dice scale with the size of the hedge dog, like a natural attack.

Hedge dogs are canine-looking beasts that live in small packs competing with much larger and much more dangerous monsters over living space and prey. While they might not be exactly able to take down big monsters easily, the spines that grow over their heads, necks, and backs can be efficient deterrent, tilting their chances a bit. Many monsters sooner or later learn that hunting hedge dogs is not worth the injured snouts, paws, and gizzard.

Hedge dogs tend to be rather aggressive and even seemingly overconfident, but they can be, with difficulty and with a lot of shed blood, tamed and trained.

There is a degree of confusion is hedge dogs are actual dogs, a stray branch of hyaenas, or maybe even more exotic lineage.