Mabari War Hound 5e
Version 2.0 Posted by u/Kurisu789
Mabari Stats
A mabari war hound uses the following rules for adding class levels:
- The mabari doesn't gain any starting equipment.
- Whenever its partner gains a level, the mabari also gains a level, regardless of how much or how little it has participated in its partner’s adventures.
- The mabari can only gain levels in the War Dog class.
Hit Points
Whenever the mabari gains a level, it gains one Hit Die, and its hit point maximum increases. To determine the amount of the increase, roll 1d8 (or 5) and add its Constitution modifier.
Personality
The mabari shares its partner’s alignment, and has a personality trait and a flaw that its partner can roll for or select from the tables below. The mabari shares its partner’s ideal, and its bond is always, “The partner who travels with me is a beloved companion for whom I would gladly give my life.”
| d6 | Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I’m dauntless in the face of adversity. |
| 2 | Threaten my friends, threaten me. |
| 3 | I stay on alert so others can rest. |
| 4 | People see an animal and underestimate me. I use that to my advantage. |
| 5 | I have a knack for showing up in the nick of time. |
| 6 | I put my friends’ needs before my own in all things. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | If there’s food left unattended, I’ll eat it. |
| 2 | I growl at strangers, and all people except my partner are strangers to me. |
| 3 | Any time is a good time for a belly rub. |
| 4 | I’m deathly afraid of water. |
| 5 | My idea of hello is a flurry of licks to the face. |
| 6 | I jump on creatures to tell them how much I love them. |
Mabari War Hound
Medium beast, unaligned (or same alignment as its partner)
- Armor Class (10 + DEX + proficiency)
- Hit Points 8 + the hound’s Constitution modifier
- Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 8 (-1)
- Saving Throws
- Skills
- Senses darkvision 60 ft.
- Languages understands one language (usually the primary language of its partner), but cannot speak
- Challenge Challenge and Xp
Awakened Bloodline. Mabari are huge mastiffs with a touch of wolf blood that stand as tall as a dwarf and just as wide. Altered via a combination of selective breeding, arcane magics and druidcraft, mabari are bred for the express purpose of being highly-intelligent and loyal war dogs. It inherits an Intelligence of 10, as will its offspring should it mate with another mabari. The mabari bonds to single individual, and is loyal to that individual till they or the hound dies.
Keen Hearing and Smell. The mabari war hound has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Pack Tactics. The mabari war hound has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the hound's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: + (STR modifier + proficiency) to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 + STR modifier piercing damage.
Growl. Range 5 ft., one creature. The mabari growls ferociously at its chosen target, aiding its allies. If one of the dog’s allies attacks the target before the mabari’s next turn, the first Attack roll is made with advantage. The mabari can replace one of its Extra Attacks with this action.
War Dog
A mabari war hound is a dog. Therefore, it has its own method of combat distinct from other Warriors who are not dogs.
The mabari gains the following class features as it gains levels in this class, as summarized on the War Dog table.
Class Features
As a War Dog, you gain the following class features
Hit Points
Whenever the mabari gains a level, it gains one Hit Die, and its hit point maximum increases. Whenever its partner gains a level, the mabari also gains a level, regardless of how much or how little it has participated in its partner’s adventures.
- Hit Dice: 1d8 per War Dog level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + the hound’s Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + the hound’s Constitution modifier per level after 1st
Proficiencies
- Armor: none
- Weapons: none
- Tools: none
- Saving Throws: Strength and Constitution
- Skills: Choose two from skills
Equipment
The mabari doesn't gain any starting equipment.
Mabari War Hound, ©EA / ©BioWare
War Dog
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Class Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Fortitude, Second Wind (1 use) |
| 2nd | +2 | Danger Sense |
| 3rd | +2 | Overwhelm |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack (1 extra) |
| 6th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 7th | +3 | Combat Training |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9th | +4 | Indomitable (1 use) |
| 10th | +4 | Dread Howl |
| 11th | +4 | Extra Attack (2 extra) |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13th | +5 | Indomitable (2 uses) |
| 14th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 15th | +5 | Shred |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17th | +6 | Indomitable (3 uses) |
| 18th | +6 | Nemesis |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 20th | +6 | Extra Attack (3 uses) |
Fortitude
At 1st level, the ordeals of the road have increased the mabari's tolerance for the elements. The mabari gains resistance to cold, fire and lightning damage. Additionally, the mabari gains proficiency in all saving throws.
The mabari gains proficiency in three skills of your choice from the following list: Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Survival.
Second Wind
Starting at 1st level, the mabari can use a bonus action on its turn to regain hit points equal to 1d10 + its level in this class. Once it uses this feature, it must finish a short or long rest before it can use it again.
Danger Sense
Beginning at 2nd level, the mabari has advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that it can see, such as traps and spells. This feature doesn’t work if the mabari is incapacitated.
Overwhelm
Starting at 3rd level, once on each of the mabari’s turns when it hits with a Bite attack, if the target is a creature, the mabari can force it to make a Strength saving throw (DC = 8 + the mabari’s proficiency bonus + its Strength modifier) or be knocked prone.
Additionally, the mabari’s attack rolls score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20.
Ability Score Improvement
At 4th level, and again at 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 19th level, the mabari increases one ability score of your choice by 2, or the mabari increases two ability scores of your choice by 1.
The mabari can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature and it cannot use the optional Feats rule to take a feat instead.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, the mabari can attack twice, instead of once, whenever it takes the Attack action on its turn. The number of attacks increases to three when the mabari reaches 11th level and to four when it reaches 20th level.
Combat Training
Beginning at 7th level, the mabari war hound’s weapon attacks count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks.
Additionally, the mabari now has advantage on its initiative rolls.
Indomitable
Starting at 9th level, the mabari can reroll a saving throw that it fails, but it must use the new roll. When it uses this feature, it can’t use the feature again until it finishes a long rest. The mabari can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 13th level and three times between long rests starting at 17th level.
Dread Howl
At 10th level, the mabari’s constant growling has given it enough practise to make a terrifying howl. As an action, each creature of the mabari’s choice within 30 feet of it and can hear it must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + the mabari’s proficiency bonus + its Wisdom modifier) or become frightened of the mabari until the end of its next turn. If they fail their saving throw by 5 or more, a creature is stunned until the end of the mabari’s next turn instead. Pass or fail, once a creature has heard the mabari’s Dread Howl, it is immune to the Dread Howl of all mabari war hounds for the next 24 hours.
Once this feature has been used, the mabari must finish a short or long rest before using it again.
Shred
Starting at 15th level, when the mabari scores a critical hit with a weapon attack, if the target is a creature that can bleed (DM’s discretion), the target additionally suffers half of the damage from the attack at the end of its next turn.
Additionally, the mabari’s attack rolls score a critical hit on a roll of 18–20 on the d20.
Nemesis
At 18th level, the mabari has become a relentless killer. The mabari’s hit point maximum increases by +2 per level. This applies retroactively, as well as to every level it acquires hereafter. Additionally, at the start of each of its turns in combat, the mabari regains hit points equal to 1d6 + its Constitution modifier. The mabari doesn’t gain this benefit if it has 0 hit points.
Edit: So, after reading the UA for Sidekicks and some feedback from the community, I made some general changes/edits and gave the Mabari its own class "War Dog" based off of the Warrior class for sidekicks, plus my own blend of features from Dragon Age.
Removing the Action Surge feature to make the Mabari not just another Fighter in a furry costume also helps differentiate the War Dog class. As well, I based the stats more closely from the "Mastiff" in the Monster Manual and corrected the bite damage (1d6 instead of 2d4).