Yeth Hound

Yeth hounds are outsiders.

An outsider is at least partially composed of the essence (but not necessarily the material) of some plane other than the Material Plane. Some creatures start out as some other type and become outsiders when they attain a higher (or lower) state of spiritual existence.

Outsiders have darkvision.

Unlike most living creatures, an outsider does not have a dual nature – its soul and body form one unit. When an outsider is slain, no soul is set loose. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, and resurrection, don’t work on an outsider. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection to restore it to life. An outsider native to the Material Plane can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as other living creatures can be.

Outsiders breathe, but do not need to eat or sleep (although they can do so if they wish). Outsiders native to the Material Plane breathe, eat, and sleep.

“Evil” creatures are usually outsiders native to the evil-aligned outer planes. Evil outsiders are also called fiends. Most “evil” creatures also have evil alignments; however, if their alignments change, they are still “evil” creatures. Any effect that depends on alignment affects an “evil” creature as if the creature has an evil alignment, no matter what its alignment actually is. An “evil” creature overcomes damage reduction as if its natural weapons and any weapons it wields are evil-aligned.

Extraplanar creatures are any creatures when they are on a plane other than their native plane. A creature that travels the planes can gain or lose this subtype as it goes from plane to plane. Creatures not considered as extraplanar are natives of the Material Plane, and they gain the extraplanar subtype if they leave the Material Plane. No creature is considered extraplanar when it is on a transitive plane, such as the Astral Plane, the Ethereal Plane, or the Plane of Shadow.

Yeth hounds are evil outsiders that delight in hunting intelligent prey. They lope through the night skies, relentlessly pursuing their chosen quarry for miles, and harrying them with their frightful baying. Yeth hounds hunt only at night. They fear the sun and never venture out in daylight, even if their lives depend on it. A yeth hound stands 4 feet tall at the shoulder and weighs about 400 pounds.

When a yeth hound howls or barks, all creatures except other evil outsiders may become panicked. This is a sonic mind-affecting fear effect. Whether or not they become panicked, an affected creature is immune to the same hound's bay until the next day.

A yeth hound can cease or resume its flight instantaneously.

Yeth hounds do not collect treasure, having no use for such baubles. The thrill of the hunt and the sweet tang of fear in their prey is all they value. However, some items of worth may occasionally be found in a yeth hound den, the discarded remnants of prey dragged back to the lair. Despite their bestial appearance, the yeth hound is rather intelligent, even if it does little with its intellect but devise and carry out ingenious, hateful plans to torment and horrify its prey before it finally strikes.

Yeth hounds can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. They can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights. Tracking by scent ignores the effects of surface conditions and poor visibility.

Yeth hounds ignore damage from most weapons and natural attacks. Wounds heal immediately, or the weapon bounces off harmlessly. They can take normal damage from energy attacks (even nonmagical ones), spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. Silver weapons can damage yeth hounds normally.

Yeth hounds can often be found in the company of night hags or evil hunters. Yeth hounds hate other canine monsters such as barghests and worgs, and attack them on sight if they have the advantage of numbers. They are often associated with particularly bestial demons, and can be found serving demon cults as guardians and trackers. A gift of a yeth hound companion to a particularly successful cult is sure sign of favor in the eyes of a demonic patron. A cult with yeth hounds granted to them in this manner must take care to retain this favor, for if they displease their demonic patron, the hounds could turn on them.

A good-aligned creature bitten by a yeth hound may be shaken. If the victim is already suffering from a fear effect (such as the hound’s bay attack), the victim is instead completely overcome with fear and can do nothing but cower. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

Yeth hounds inhabit secluded dens in remote wilderness areas far from bothersome civilization. These dens are always subterranean, far removed from hated sunlight. Yeth hounds range great distances from their dens during their nightly hunts, and have been known to carry kills for miles just for the comfort of consuming a fresh meal in their lair. The sight of a yeth hound loping through the sky with a body clenched in its jaws is unsettling indeed.

A yeth hound can attempt to trip its opponent as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity if it bites them. If the attempt fails, the yeth hound is not tripped in return.