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Faithful Hound

Conjuration
Level: 4th-level
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Duration: 8 hours
Components: V, S, M
Materials: A tiny silver whistle, a piece of bone, and a thread

You conjure a phantom watchdog in an unoccupied space that you can see within range, where it remains for the duration, until you dismiss it as an action, or until you move more than 100 feet away from it. The hound is invisible to all creatures except you and can't be harmed. When a Small or larger creature comes within 30 feet of it without first speaking the password that you specify when you cast this spell, the hound starts barking loudly. The hound sees invisible creatures and can see into the Ethereal Plane. It ignores illusions. At the start of each of your turns, the hound attempts to bite one creature within 5 feet of it that is hostile to you. The hound's attack bonus is equal to your spellcasting ability modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a hit, it deals 4d8 piercing damage.

Spell Details

School: Conjuration
Level: 4
Ritual: No
Concentration: No
Classes: Wizard
B-Tier Faithful Hound provides excellent battlefield control and area denial with minimal resource investment, though its lack of offensive capability and invisibility vulnerability limit its tactical flexibility.

Player Guide

Position the hound in a chokepoint or doorway to control enemy movement and force difficult tactical decisions—enemies must either engage it (wasting actions) or take opportunity attacks moving around it. Use it defensively to protect a vulnerable ally or objective while you focus on offense elsewhere. The 100-foot tether is generous for most encounters, allowing you to maintain control while repositioning; however, plan your movements carefully to avoid accidentally dismissing it during combat retreats.

DM Tips

Clarify that the hound's attacks trigger opportunity attacks from all creatures with reactions, not just the caster—this prevents abuse as a guaranteed damage trap. Remember the hound is invisible to enemies and can't be harmed by any means (dispel magic, true seeing, etc. reveal it but can't destroy it), so enemies may waste resources before realizing this.