Good Boy!
by Claudio Pozas
Since Pre-History, mankind has had a constant companion in its struggle towards dominace. Loyal to a fault, dogs assumed a unique position among animals, as the hunting or working partner of man. Over the centuries, man has used selective breeding to create dog breeds as small as chihuahuas and as large as great danes. Yet the d20 rules have only covered two broad types of dogs: Dog and Riding Dog. If you don't want to merely have a "dog" in your game, use these stats and guidelines to describe their breed and behaviour, along with stats for an even smaller type of dog, suitable as a familiar: the Tiny dog.
DOG, TINY
Tiny Animal
Hit Dice: 1/2d8+1 (3hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+2 size, +2 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-7
Attack: Bite -1 melee (1d3-3)
Full Attack: Bite -1 melee (1d3-3)
Space/Reach: 2 1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 5, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Jump +3, Listen +5, Spot +5, Survival +1*
Feats: Alertness, Track (b)
Environment: Warm to Temperate plains
Organization: Solitary or pack (5-12)
Challenge Rating: 1/6
Advancement: 1HD (Tiny)
These statistics reflect smaller breeds, like poodles, jack russells and chihuahuas. 1 HD varieties include beagles, border collies and bull terriers, the latter of which have Str 7.
Combat
Tiny dogs refrain from attacking anything larger than themselves, relying on their barking to scare possible threats. Being carnivores, though, they do like to hunt, preferring the same prey as cats do: small birds, rodents and reptiles.
Tiny dogs trained for hunting attack in packs, using their large numbers to bring down prey. The first dog in the pack will usually provoke an attack of opportunity (due to a reach of 0), but unless the prey has Combat Reflexes, the rest will bite with impunity. 12 Tiny dogs can surround a Small or Medium prey, making the most of flanking and the Aid Another action.
Special
A wizard or sorcerer can choose a Tiny dog as its familiar. The dog's master gains a +3 bonus on Listen checks.
DOG, SMALL
Small Animal
Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (6hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-3
Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1)
Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Jump +7, Listen +5, Spot +5, Survival +1*
Feats: Alertness, Track (b)
Environment: Warm to Temperate plains
Organization: Solitary or pack (5-12)
Challenge Rating: 1/3
Advancement: 2HD (Small)
These statistics reflect most breeds, including boxers, bloodhounds and collies, as well as most mongrels (mixed-breed). 2HD varieties include huskies, pit bulls and irish setters.
Combat
Small dogs, like thier smaller kin, are carnivores. But their larger size allows them to bring down larger prey, such as herd animals like deer, sheep and goats. Some are naturally adept at catching fowl, like ducks and pheasants, and are prized by hunters. Packs of Small dogs also make extensive use of flanking and the Aid Another action. If partnered with a humanoid, the dog instinctively uses both of these options, if possible.
DOG, MEDIUM
Medium Animal
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+3
Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Trip (if trained for war)
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Jump +8, Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +3, Survival +1*
Feats: Alertness, Track (b)
Environment: Temperate to Cold forests and plains
Organization: Solitary or pack (5-12)
Challenge Rating: 1
Advancement: 3HD (Medium)
These statistics reflect larger or fiercer breeds, like german shepherds, dobermans and rottweilers. 3HD varieties include napolitan mastiffs, great danes and pyrenean mastiff.
Combat
Medium dogs are strong, hardy and alert. As such, they make excelent hunters, capable of bringing down prey larger than themselves, like moose and deers. They also can fend off predators such as bears and mountain lions with minimal losses.
Once again, the favorite tactic for Medium dogs is flanking and Aid Another. They also instictively aim for the throat of their prey. Treat this as a Trip attempt. Usually a third of the pack uses the Aid Another action to grant the alpha male a bonus to attack rolls, while another third uses the same action to add to the alpha's AC. This protects the alpha from the Attack of Opportunity and lets him attempt a trip. The remaining third of the pack uses the Aid Another action to add a +2 bonus to the alpha's opposed trip roll per dog. Once down, the prey has few chances of fighting the pack off.
