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Death Dog

Medium · Monstrosity · CR 1 · Chaotic Evil

Source. Monstrous Menagerie

32 (5d8+10)

Ability Scores

Core attributes and their modifiers.

STR

DEX

CON

INT

-4

WIS

CHA

-2

Overview

Category Monsters

Size Medium

Type Monstrosity

Alignment Chaotic Evil

XP 200

Initiative Bonus +2

Movement

Walk 40 ft (12.2 m)

Swim 20 ft (6.1 m)

Climb 20 ft (6.1 m)

Crawl 20 ft (6.1 m)

Senses

Darkvision 120 ft (36.6 m)

Passive Perception 18

Skills

Perception +3 Stealth +4

Traits

Two Heads

The death dog has advantage on Perception checks and on saving throws made to resist being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, or knocked unconscious, and it can't be flanked.

Actions

Bite

+4 to hit, reach 5 ft (1.5 m). Hit: 1d6+2 piercing damage.

Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature it makes a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failure it becomes infected with a disease. Until this disease is cured the target is poisoned. While diseased the target makes a DC 12 Constitution saving throw every 24 hours reducing its hit point maximum by 5 (1d10) on a failure and ending the disease on a success. This hit point maximum reduction lasts until the disease is cured. The target dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0.

Multiattack

The death dog attacks twice with its bite.

About Death Dog

Death Dog is a medium monstrosity with a Challenge Rating of 1. It has a chaotic evil alignment.

In combat, this creature maintains an Armor Class of 12 and possesses 32 hit points (derived from 5d8+10).

GM Tips: Using Death Dog

2 tips available

When using Death Dog in your D&D 5e campaign, consider these tactical approaches:

Mid-level Encounter: Ideal for parties levels 3-8 as solo or small groups
Terrain Advantage: Use terrain to offset moderate combat abilities

Player Guide: Facing Death Dog

2 strategies available

When your party encounters this creature, keep these strategies in mind:

Moderate Threat: Prepare standard combat tactics
Tactical Advantage: Use terrain and positioning

Encounter Building Calculator

Standard Party Encounter (4-5 characters):

This creature is a medium encounter for a party of 4 characters of level 1.

Solo Encounter:

A single character of level 3 (up to level 20) can face this creature in a medium to hard encounter.

Experience Point Thresholds:

Medium: 200 XP
Hard: 300 XP
Deadly: 400 XP

Based on D&D 5e Dungeon Master's Guide encounter building guidelines. CR roughly equals party level for medium encounters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the challenge rating of Death Dog?: Death Dog has a Challenge Rating of 1, making it appropriate for parties of level 1.0.
What type of creature is Death Dog?: Death Dog is a Medium Monstrosity, which affects how certain spells and abilities interact with it.