Here is my conversion of Tock the Watchdog from
The Phantom Tollboth. The book was one of my childhood favorites.
Watchdog
Large Magical Beast (Extraplanar)
Hit dice: 6d10+12 (45 hp)
Speed: 30 feet (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (-1 Size, +2 Dex, +4 Natural), touch 11, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/ +16
Attack: Bite +12 melee (1d8+6)
Full Attack: Bite +12 melee (1d8+6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Alarm, bark, time wounds all heels
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, time flies, time heals all wounds
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +3
Abilities: Str 23 (+6), Dex 15 (+2), Con 15 (+2), Int 10 (+0), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 6 (-2)
Skills: Jump +14, Listen +7, Spot +7, *Survival +5, Swim +8
Feats: Alertness, Track, Weapon Focus (Bite)
Environment: The Lands Beyond, usually in the Doldrums
Organization: Solitary or Pack (5-12)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Lawful Good
Advancement: 7 HD (Large) 8-14 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —
A watchdog resembles a brown shaggy dog with a grossly oversized pocketwatch embedded in its side. These creatures are the guardians of time and protect those who unwittingly become trapped by the lethargians whose sole purpose in the Doldrums is to exert every variation of "doing nothing."
Watchdogs are fierce and loyal companions and are always dependable as well as punctual. Although they are bred for gruffness, their main purpose is to see that time is being used wisely. Watchdogs have a completely different mindset regarding relationships. They do not pairbond. The male abandons the female after mating and leaves her to raise the puppies alone. Once the puppies are weaned (6-8 weeks), they are fostered out and begin training. After they reach adulthood in 10 to 12 months, each watchdog is assigned his or her post. Nevertheless, watchdogs take great pride in their lineage. Watchdogs are short lived, rarely living beyond 20 years, which may explain their stoic outlook.
When necessary, a watch dog can move at the speed of time (see time flies). They can carry up to four passengers of Medium size. A watchdog can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds on a Ride check.
Due to their pocketwatches, watchdogs have a innate ability to always know the correct time. A slain watchdog’s pocketwatch immediately stops working. It can be removed but any repair requires a DC 30 Engineering or Craft (Blacksmith) or Craft (Clockwork) skill check and requires the repairer to have the Craft Wondrous Item feat. In the hands of anyone but a watchdog, the watch merely acts as a normal, though very large, pocketwatch weighing a hefty 50 pounds.
Watchdogs can speak Common but prefer to listen more than talk. A typical watchdog weighs 800 pounds.
Combat
Watchdogs patrol their areas with fierce determination. Intruders are generally put off by a watchdog’s standard alarm and normal growl. When confronted with more obstinate foes, a watchdog will use its bark to stun them and then attacks with its bite.
Alarm (Sp): A watchdog’s alarm can be set to go off at will or be set to a specific time. The alarm has two settings. Setting the alarm is a standard action for a watchdog. The first setting acts exactly like an
alarm spell; caster level is 6. The second setting is much louder and anyone hearing it (no saving throw) is temporarily deafened 1d4 rounds. Creatures who cannot hear are unaffected. A watchdog is never deafened by his own alarm or by the alarm of other watchdogs.
Bark (Su): A watchdog’s bark is worse than his bite. This is a sonic attack which stuns an opponent within 60 feet of the watchdog for 1 round per hit die of the watchdog (DC 15 Fort negates). The DC is Constitution based. A watchdog can bark once every four rounds. A watchdog is immune to his own bark and the bark of other watchdogs.
Time Flies (Sp): Once per week, a watchdog can
fly as per the spell but at quadruple speed (240 feet, Good maneuverability); Caster Level is 6. Watchdogs intensely dislike flying and only use this as a last resort. Anyone carried on the back of a flying watchdog is disoriented and becomes nauseated for 1d4 rounds after landing (no save). Creatures that have their own fly speed are immune to the disorienting effect.
Time Heals All Wounds (Su): Once per day, a watchdog can heal 1d6 points of damage by licking a wound on itself or on another.
Time Wounds All Heels (Su): Creatures with an evil subtype take an additional 1d6 points of damage from a watchdog’s bite.
Skills: Watchdogs have a +4 racial bonus on Jump checks. *Watchdogs have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.
Carrying Capacity
As a quadruped, a watchdog can carry much more than its strength would imply. A light load for a watchdog is up to 600 pounds; a medium load, 601-1,200 pounds; and a heavy load, 1,201 to 1,800 pounds. A watchdog can drag 9,000 pounds.
Lore
Characters with Bardic Knowledge or with ranks in Knowledge (the Planes) can learn more about watchdogs. When the character makes a skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.
DC
| Result
|
16
| The creature is a watchdog and guards the Doldrums. Its purpose is to see that time is being used wisely. This reveals type and subtype.
|
21
| A watchdog’s bark is worse than its bite and it can sound its alarm as warning. Watchdogs can talk and sometimes carry passengers.
|
26
| Reveals all special abilities and special qualities. Bards can tell which lineage a particular watchdog is from, adding +2 to any diplomacy checks.
|
Adventure Hooks
- A band of lethargians (see below) has left the Doldrums and is seeking to invade a swamp near the PCs. A watchdog has been sent to alert the locals and to offer any assistance.
- Dognapped! A litter of watchdogs has been stolen and it is up to the PCs to retrieve the puppies.
- A deceased watchdog's pocketwatch has been stolen from the Hall of the Fallen (a mausoleum which displays the pocketwatches of the greatest watchdogs whoever lived). The heirs of the deceased request the PCs to find the missing item.
- A watchdog has been corrupted and enslaved by a covey of hags. The PCs are recruited to stop the nefarious plans.
Designer Notes: Watchdog is loosely based off the character Tock from
The Phantom Tollbooth. The watchdog has 18 skill points; I put 4 ranks into Jump, Listen, Spot and Survival and 2 ranks into Swim. They are long rather than tall creatures.
Bonus Information: Lethargians are goblins with the Gelatinous Creature Template (from
Savage Species) with the following exceptions: They have an Int of 5. They have an Aura of Lethergy (Su): Any creature within 30 feet of a Lethargian is
slowed as per the spell; CL is 7. They prefer bogs, swamps and any place mud accumulates. They have darkvision 60 feet and blindsense 60 feet. They are sensitive to light and sound and greatly fear the watchdogs.