The Wild Hunt

[BOZ]

scott did the original conversion, erica revised it to 3.5, and i fixed it up a bit for posting to the CC. critique!



The Wild Hunt, Master of
Medium Outsider (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 15d8+45 (112 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 21 (+3 Dex, +5 +3 leather armor, +3 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+20
Attack: +3 longspear +24 melee (1d8+8); or +2 composite longbow (+5 Str bonus) +20 ranged (1d8+5)
Full Attack: +3 longspear +24/+19/+14 melee (1d8+8); or +2 composite longbow (+5 Str bonus) +20/+15/+10 ranged (1d8+5)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Charm monster, combat style (archery), favored enemy (total bonus +12), spells
Special Qualities: Animal companion, camouflage, damage reduction 10/magic, darkvision 60 ft., detect evil, evasion, fly, spell resistance 16, swift tracker, wild empathy (+20), woodland stride
Saves: Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +11
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 15, Cha 16
Skills: Bluff +21, Concentration +21, Diplomacy +7, Handle Animal +21, Heal +20, Hide +21, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (arcana) +22, Knowledge (nature) +22, Listen +22, Move Silently +21, Search +22, Sense Motive +20, Sleight of Hand +5, Spellcraft +22, Spot +22, Survival +20 (+22 in aboveground natural environments or following tracks)
Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Dodge, Endurance, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Track (b), Weapon Focus (longspear)

Environment: Concordant Domain of the Outlands
Organization: Wild Hunt (Master plus 20 black hounds)
Challenge Rating: 12 (solitary); 20 (with Wild Hunt)
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: ---
Level Adjustment: ---

This being appears to be a tall human with powerful muscles, glowing green eyes, and jet-black skin. He wears animal hides over a suit of black leather, and a large black helm decorated with the antlers of a great stag. He also carries a hollowed-out animal horn.

The Master of the Wild Hunt is a mysterious figure who appears when great evil threatens the land. When the Wild Hunt appears, the Master and the Hunt materialize in a cloud of thick fog 10 miles away from their prey. The Master sounds his horn -- which can be heard for a mile in all directions -- and the hunt begins. For every mile the Hunt moves, the Master sounds his horn again. He otherwise makes no attempt to speak or communicate.

The Hunt travels towards its prey, and should they miss the prey they travel on for another 10 miles in a random direction, hunting any creature they come across. Provided that the Master and his hounds encounter no prey to hunt, they continue the process of moving 10 miles, turning to a random direction, and moving 10 more miles. They repeat the paths of the Hunt until dawn, or until they are slain. Should the Master and Hounds encounter the source of evil that brought them forth, they battle to the death -- theirs or their prey's. Any creatures that were charmed along the way to join the hunt also are compelled to join in this battle.

COMBAT
The Master of the Hunt usually does not engage in combat until the prey has been run down. Then he attacks relentlessly with his +3 longspear. His tactics are generally limited to fontal assaults, as he has no fear of death. He has also been known to run over victims with his chariot.

Charm Monster (Su): When the Hunt passes within 30 feet of a creature, that creature must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or become swept up in the Hunt. Creatures affected take one of two roles; the hunter or the hunted. The save DC is Charisma-based.

For each mile traveled with the Hunt, a charmed creature must succeed at another DC 20 Will save. A failed roll indicates the creature has now become the hunted (and the charm is broken). On a successful save the charm is broken and the creature is free to leave the area, though if the Hunt or the creature move within 30 feet of each other, a new save must be made.

Ranger Class: The Master of the Hunt has the abilities of a 15th-level ranger. He can divide his favored enemy bonus (a total of +12) in even-numbered increments among any four types of creature. The Master chooses which creature types to apply his favored enemy bonus to at the beginning of a hunt.

Spells (2/1/1/1): 1st-resist elements, speak with animals; 2nd-snare; 3rd-water walk; 4th-freedom of movement.

Detect Evil (Su): The Master continuously detects evil as the spell cast by a 20th-level sorcerer. The Master can suppress or restart this ability as a free action.

Fly (Sp): The Master can fly as the spell, at will.

The Wild Hunt, Hound of
Medium Magical Beast (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 5d10+10 (37 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+6
Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d6+1)
Full Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Fear, trip
Special Qualities: Fly, low-light vision, magic circle against evil, scent, spell resistance 14
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +4, Listen +4, Move Silently +5, Spot +4, Survival +3*
Feats: Track (b), Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (bite)

Environment: Concordant Domain of the Outlands (Temperate forests)
Organization: The Wild Hunt (Master of the Wild Hunt and 20 hounds)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 3 HD (Medium); 4–6 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: ---

This creature appears to be a huge black hound, with licks of green flame for tongues and glowing greene eyes. These flames are not hot, but give the hound an eerie green glow.

The Wild Hunt consists of 20 hounds. They always run in front of the Master, and are under his control.

COMBAT
The Pack of the Wild Hunt fights under the complete control of the Master of the Hunt. They only attack when all beings involved in the Hunt have had their chance to kill. The death of individual members goes unnoticed by the rest of the pack, and all disappear when the hunt is over.

Fear (Sp): A hound of the Wild Hunt can cause fear as the spell once per round (Will save, DC 12). The save DC is Charisma-based.

Trip (Ex): A hound of the Wild Hunt that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+1 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the hound.

Fly (Sp): A hound of the Wild Hunt can fly as the spell, at will.

Magic Circle Against Evil (Su): This ability continuously duplicates the effect of the spell. A hound of the Wild Hunt cannot suppress this ability.

Skills: *Hounds of the Wild Hunt have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

The Master of the Wild Hunt and the Pack of the Wild Hunt first appeared in Deities and Demigods (1980, James M. Ward and Robert J. Kuntz), and Legends and Lore (1990).

 

[BOZ]

here are the original stats for comparison:

1E Deities and Demigods:

THE WILD HUNT
The Wild Hunt exists in all the lands where Druids and their deities dwell. It is a physical manifestation of "life force" that always takes on the same form. The Hunt is made up of one huge black-skinned man with antlers growing from his head and his pack of hounds.
The Hunt appears whenever there is evil in the land (as in the case of an evil temple or an evil priest of the 12th level or greater coming into the area, or what the DM decides is a grossly evil act)
When the Hunt passes, the noise of the howling dogs or the Hunt Master's horn can be heard for miles in the night. If this noise is actively pursued by any being, they will become part of the Hunt when they sight the pack and its master! If the Hunt passes by any given being they must make a magic saving throw (on a 25% chance they will look at the pack) or join the Hunt. When any given being becomes part of the Hunt they may take on one of two roles: they will be the hunters or the hunted!
The Hunt always begins ten miles from the source of evil that "summons" it, and for each mile nearer the source of evil when the Hunt is spotted there is a 10% chance that the observing being will be the object of the Hunt instead of the hunter. The Hunt will always pass close by the source of evil that has created it (never going into a building, but going within inches of the building and passing by). After passing by, it will travel on in a random direction for ten more miles.
There will only be one Hunt on the Prime Material Plane on any given night, and it will always be drawn to the greatest evil in the Celtic area (decided upon by the referee). If the Hunt finds a being to hunt before finding the source of evil, it will attack that being to kill it, and then disappear as it reaches its summoning source. If the Hunt does not find a victim before it reaches the source, it will travel on for another ten miles and every being that sees it and does not make their saving throw vs. magic will have a 90% chance of becoming the hunted!
If after ten miles, no being becomes the hunted, the entire pack will turn on the nearest big game creature around (deer, stag, bear or anything partially dangerous and non-intelligent). All during this hunt, the beings that have come along with the Hunt must travel with the Master, and they must attack whatever becomes the hunted, even if it goes against their alignment! Thus, paladins might have to attack helpless women or the like. All beings that have been taken in as hunters will attack the quarry (whatever it may be) and if they do not succeed in killing the being, the Master and his hounds will take over (but only when all other hunters have been incapacitated) and they will either kill or be killed.
The magic of the Hunt will catch up and sweep along any who become part of it, so that, whether mounted or on foot, they will be able to keep up with the fast pace that the hounds set.
The Hunt generally pursues on the ground, but it has the ability to run right into the air to fly over obstacles or especially difficult terrain. When the hunted being has been run down, there is an instant melee to the death. All participants must fight on to the death to the best of their abilities (no holding back).
The only ways to prevent being killed as the object of the Hunt are to run out of the 10 mile radius of the source of evil, to elude the pack until morning, or to slay the Master and his pack.
All beings that have been in any part of the Hunt have a 50% chance of becoming ensnared again with every sighting of the Master and his pack.
There have been legends of epic battles between the Master and his hounds and some of the greater heroes of the past. In these legends, the Master and his pack have been slain, only to disappear in the darkness and appear somewhere else the next night, proving that the force that creates the Hunt is eternal.

THE MASTER OF THE HUNT
ARMOR CLASS: 0
MOVE: 18"
HIT POINTS: 100
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 25%
SIZE: M (T)
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
CLERIC/DRUID: Nil
FIGHTER: 15th level ranger
MAGIC-USER/ILLUSIONIST: Nil
THIEF/ASSASSIN: Nil
MONK/BARD: Nil
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
S: 18/00; (+ 3, +6); I:18 W: 18 D: 18 C: 18 CH: 15
The Master has jet black skin and glowing green eyes. His head is crowned by a set of stag antlers, and he wears a suit of black leather. The Master never speaks.
He runs a few feet behind his pack of hounds and will sound his horn at every 1 mile increment in his chase. He uses a +3 spear in battle.

THE PACK OF THE WILD HUNT
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
NO. APPEARING: 20
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVE: 18"
HIT DICE/POINTS: 30 hp
% IN LAIR: 0%
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 15%
INTELLIGENCE: Average
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L (4'at shoulder)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VI/950 per hound
These huge black hounds have licks of green fire for tongues and green fire for eyes. These flames do no damage but they make the whole Hunt cast an eerie green glow. The beasts will never attack the hunted until all the beings that have drawn themselves into the Hunt have had their chance to kill. If the pack is killed, the Master will then battle the being.
The death of any member of the pack goes unnoticed by the rest and it disappears after the battle is over. The hounds attack as 8 hit dice monsters.


2E Legends and Lore:

The Wild Hunt
Despite its evil connotations, the Wild Hunt is a manifestation of good life force on the Prime Material Plane. It appears in Celtic lands whenever there is a great force of evil in the area. The source of the evil could be many different things, from an evil wizard or priest moving through the area to an invading evil army. Wherever the druids are and wherever they have built standing stones that the Wild Hunt can use as beacons, the pack and its master are forever on guard against encroaching evil. The Wild Hunt appears in the world of men as a huge pack of magical dogs led by a great man. The man has dark skin and can either be on foot or at the reins of a two-horse chariot. He carries an enormous spear and wears a metal and leather helmet with antlers. The dogs of the pack are huge beasts that can, at one instant appear as normal (albeit huge) canines and then transform into ferocious, magical animals with green flame coming from their mouth and eyes. When the Wild Hunt approaches, the weather turns for the worse — the winds howl and thunder booms from the heavens. The Wild Hunt fights evil with evil’s weapons, namely fear and ferocity.
Celts or other good beings who encounter the Hunt on the move may be swept up by it. All Celts or characters of good alignment who see the Hunt must make a save versus spells or become part of the Wild Hunt and its mission, accepting the Master as their leader. Persons so caught up might have to act against their own alignment at the behest of the Master, fighting against those they might otherwise ignore, etc. As it tears across the countryside, the pack will raise a terrifying ruckus, attracting followers and warning evil of its approach.
On any given night there will be only one Wild Hunt, provided there is sufficient evil to warrant it. Once the pack has caught up with the source of evil, it will attack. The pack and the master will fight to the death against the evil. If they are slain, they will appear fresh for a new hunt the following night. If they do not destroy the evil they pursue, the Wild Hunt will return until their prey is driven from Celtic lands or slain.
The Wild Hunt has been known to fight against demigods and heroes who have manifested evil among the Celts. Sometimes destroyed themselves, they have always returned to renew the battle. The forces that seek out evil to destroy it are eternal, and the Wild Hunt can never be completely annihilated.

The Master of the Hunt
The Master appears as a dark skinned man wearing an antlered black helmet.

Role-playing Notes: The master does not speak or communicate with anyone. He merely leads his pack of hounds and other followers toward sources of evil and attacks. His tactics are generally limited to an immediate frontal assault since he cannot die, his need for cunning is limited.

Str 18/00 * Dex 18 * Con 18
Int 17 * Wis 17 * Cha 9
MV 18 * SZ 6’ * MR 25%
AC 0 * HD 20 * HP 200
#AT 3 * THAC0 1 * Dmg 1d6 +3 (spear) +6

Special Att/Def: The Master of the Hunt generally does not engage in combat until most of his pack of hounds have been slain. He will then attack with his spear +3. The Master can also ride his chariot over victims, doing 3d10 points of damage to any who fall beneath its wheels.

The Pack of the Wild Hunt
The individual hounds of the Wild Hunt are beasts. There are 20 dogs in the pack.

AC 2 * HD 5 * SZ 3’
MR 15% * THAC0 14 * HP 30
MV 21 * #AT 1 * Dmg 2d4

Special Att/Def: The pack can cause fear in any mortal being that it is pursuing. Each hound has the equivalent protection from evil spell upon it at all times. The pack also can swarm its enemies without regard to the actual space available, so all 20 dogs can attack an enemy each round. Finally, once per turn each dog can use its green flame tongue to add an additional 5 points of damage to any attack that hits.

 

[Slaadmaster]

I have never heard of the Wild Hunt before ( ) but it looks great!

 

[BOZ]

so these are ready to go?

 

[godschild]

Master of the hunt

I was looking through my D&D books and found a character that is a prestiege class. It get pack hunt at first level getting 1d4(i think) wolves and can later summon phantom hounds. I have gone back trying to find this class and have benn unable to. Can anyone tell me what book in 3.5 this is in?

 

[Wolf72]

There's Wolf-brother in the 3x Wheel of Time RPG ... would that be close?

 

[godschild]

wolfs

that is close but not it the tamer of beasts in the masters of the wild guide to rangers and etc is a little closer but there was one better than bot and i still can't find it

 

[doghead]

The Master of the Wild Hunt is a mysterious figure who appears when great evil threatens the land.

The Hunt travels towards its prey, and should they miss the prey they travel on for another 10 miles in a random direction, hunting any creature they come across.

This kind of threw me. The Wild Hunt appears whenever evil threatens the land, but if they miss their intended prey, then they happily run down and slaughter any old person. That seems like a rather evil thing to do.

Charm Monster (Su): When the Hunt passes within 30 feet of a creature, that creature must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or become swept up in the Hunt. Creatures affected take one of two roles; the hunter or the hunted. The save DC is Charisma-based.

For each mile traveled with the Hunt, a charmed creature must succeed at another DC 20 Will save. A failed roll indicates the creature has now become the hunted (and the charm is broken). On a successful save the charm is broken and the creature is free to leave the area, though if the Hunt or the creature move within 30 feet of each other, a new save must be made.

Need to think through this. So my character is out enjoying a moonlight stroll when the hunt sweeps past. If he passes the Will save, he is not swept up in the hunt, and watches it disappear into the distance, farewelling it with a jaunty wave. If he fails he is swept up in the Hunt as part of the pack.

Next mile, he makes another Will save. If he passes, he breaks the charm and is free to leave. If he fails the save, he becomes prey (immediately being slaughtered by the pack surrounding him). Regardless, he will only be part of the pack for one mile.

I would drop the part where they can become prey. Whether or not they are the prey should depend on other factors, like their alignment, helping the intended prey or hindering the hunt, etc.

I would be inclined to also drop the "prey of opportunity" aspect. It doesn't seem to fit with the idea of protecting the land from evil. I would also have a fairly simple way for those not the intended targets to avoid being drawn in, well known to locals but maybe not outsiders.

A girl who saw Wild Edric's Ride was warned by her father to put her apron over her head to avoid the sight.

So, for example, to avoid being drawn into the hunt, one must turn away and stopper their ears with their hands (more symbolic than effective). Those who gaze upon the hunt, or do not stopper their ears must make a Will save to avoid being swept up in the hunt. For those that fail their save:

Those caught up in the hunt loose all sense of themselves as they are caught up in the wild ecstasy of the hunt. They will discard any items that slow them down or hinder their movements, keeping only their favoured melee weapon. They will not use spells or ranged weapons (except maybe throwing weapons while closing). While part of the pack, they gain the rage ability, which activates upon entering combat. Those with the rage ability get the next higher rage ability. Characters caught up in the hunt will run until exhausted or the prey is run down, and fight until unconscious or the prey or Huntsman is defeated. I would probably have some form of save mechanism in place to avoid or mitigate these effects.

thotd

 

[GMMichael]

Abilities: Str 20, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 15, Cha 16
Skills: Bluff +21, Concentration +21, Diplomacy +7, Handle Animal +21, Heal +20, Hide +21, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (arcana) +22, Knowledge (nature) +22, Listen +22, Move Silently +21, Search +22, Sense Motive +20, Sleight of Hand +5, Spellcraft +22, Spot +22, Survival +20 (+22 in aboveground natural environments or following tracks)

Pretty awesome, except that a dude with 18 intelligence, 22 search, and 20 survival probably has no need whatsoever to pick a "random" direction for finding his quarry. Unless he's not all that interested in finding his quarry...

 

[doghead]

Pretty awesome, except that a dude with 18 intelligence, 22 search, and 20 survival probably has no need whatsoever to pick a "random" direction for finding his quarry. Unless he's not all that interested in finding his quarry...

Absolutely. Surely someone that smart would know to use a Magic 8 Ball

thotd