Branded Hound
Fiend · Crown of Domination
T1d4Minor
Lean, jet-black dogs with smoldering coal eyes and the sigil of the Ebony Rod branded on their flanks, Branded Hounds track bitten prey across any distance through a supernatural "mark of submission" - running in perfect silence, in perfect formation.
Tier 1 · Role Minor · Pool Vigor 1 (+1 overflow) · AC 12 · ATK +4 · Save DC 11 · Dmg 1 (flat)
| Stat | Score | Mod | Die |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body | 16 | - | - |
| Mind | 8 | - | - |
| Sense | 14 | - | - |
| Heart | 8 | - | - |
| Cunning | 16 | - | - |
| Fate | 14 | - | - |
A Minor has no attribute mechanics: the scores describe the creature, they do not roll.
Passives
Brand Tracking
Tracks any creature it has bitten across any distance, following the mark of submission left by its teeth, and the pack runs in perfect silence. Only breaking the curse ends the mark.
Pack Hierarchy
The pack always knows which among them is strongest. They never fight among themselves; the weakest positions itself to die first.
Maneuvers
Obedience Bark
The pack leader barks a command. Creatures within 30 ft make a Heart save (DC 11) or drop to their knees, prone, for 1 round, the body obeying before the mind can refuse.
Reactions
Sacrificial Positioning
When the pack leader is hit by an attack, the weakest hound throws itself into the blow and takes the hit instead.
Tactics
GM tactics
Branded Hounds do not attack immediately. They bite once to apply Brand Tracking, then follow at a distance in perfect silence. When the prey is exhausted, they surround and press inward. The pack leader uses Obedience Bark to force submission. They never stop pursuing. They never accept escape.
Running it
Rules
- Vigor equal to Tier, with an overflow of the same size behind it: 1, then 1 more. Neither half regenerates.
- A hit deals a flat 1, no roll. A crit (natural 20 only) rolls d4 and never lands below 1.
- Crits on a natural 20 only.
- Minor: no stat modifiers or dice in play; its scores describe the creature, they do not roll.
- At 0 Vigor it breaks and flees, out of the fight but alive; Fanatics fight on into the overflow instead.
- Total damage reaching 2 kills it outright, and a single blow of 2 or more kills it on the spot.
- Vigor damage is simply damage against a Minor: its whole pool is Vigor.
- Group morale: when its group loses half its number, fled or dead, the rest check morale.
- NPCs never take wounds.