Canine Traits. The diversity of dogs is hard to generalise but dogs begin with the following traits.
- Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.
- Age. Dogs reach maturity around 18 months and usually live between 10 and 15 years.
- Alignment. Dogs tend towards good alignments due to their natural urge to be helpful, but there are exceptions to this.
- Size. Dogs vary in height and length enormously. Your size is dependent on your subrace, see below.
- Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
- Languages. You can ‘speak’ and read Common and two extra languages of your choice. Note that dogs do not necessarily use speech; whilst they can understand their chosen languages, the specifics of how they communicate are left to the players. Some possibilities include having the full ability of speech, being uncannily effective at conveying meaning through gesture and sounds (“I think she is saying the kids are down the well”) or having another character who can understand and interpret for the dog. Regardless of how the dog expresses itself, it is assumed that it is communicating with its allies with sufficient fluency as to avoid any penalties to rolls.
- Keen Senses. Dogs have advantage on Perception checks based on smell or hearing and disadvantage on Perception checks depending upon colour recognition.
- Best Friend. Dogs may cast the Charm Person spell using Charisma as the spellcasting ability once per long rest. No spell components are necessary. The DC for this ability is 8 + your Charisma modifier.
- Worse than the Bark. You have a natural bite attack. You are proficient with this attack and it counts as both a weapon attack and an unarmed attack. This attack does 1d4 + your Strength modifier damage. This increases to 1d6 + your Strength modifier at level 5 and 1d8 + your Strength modifier at level 10.
Breed Abilities. Dogs are an almost infinitely varied species and as such, are represented by the subraces and the following breed abilities. These are intended to help reflect a certain breeding or classic role that dogs are renowned for. You may choose two of these abilities at level 1.
- Assistance Dog. You are gifted at guiding others. You can nominate a creature within 5 feet of you as a bonus action. Whilst in this range, it benefits from your Keen Senses trait as if it possessed the trait itself.
- At Their Heels. You are skilled in dogging your opponent no matter what. When a target provokes an opportunity attack from you, if you hit then you may also move up to half your movement speed towards your foe.
- Bloodhound. You are a master of tracking. You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks on rolls related to tracking a target using scent.
- Catch and Fetch. You are skilled at snatching things from the air and retrieving them. You can use your reaction to reduce the damage from a ranged weapon attack by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier. If you reduce the damage to 0 in this way, you catch the weapon.
- Cattle Dog. You are a natural at herding your quarry. When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, you may move that creature up to 10 feet in any direction before it resolves the rest of its movement.
- Comforting Companion. You are a soothing presence. When you share an entire short or long with up to six creatures you choose within 30 feet of you, each regains hit points equal to your level.
- Digger. You just have to dig! You have advantage on ability checks for digging. In combat, if you are in an environment which can be dug into by your paws, you may take an action to go prone and gain half cover.
- Dogged Persistence. You possess boundless energy and determination. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to gain resistance to all of the triggering damage. After you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
- Faithful Friend. You are able to aid those around you just by your presence. Once per short rest, as your reaction, when an ally you can see within 30 feet fails a saving throw, ability check, or attack roll, use your reaction to allow them to attempt the roll again. You can also use this reaction to force an opponent to re-roll a successful attack against an ally you can see within 30 feet.
- Frenzied Fighting. You are adept at the frantic combination of barking, scratching, biting and general chaos that typifies some dogs when they are enraged. Once per long rest, you may cause each creature in a 15-foot cube originating from you to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d8 damage and is pushed 10 feet away from you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn't pushed.
- Grabbing Bite. You have a strong and powerful mouth and neck. When you succeed in hitting a creature of your size or smaller with your Bite attack you may also declare it is grappled. You may use this ability against a creature larger than you, but if you do, your move becomes 0 while grappling and you will move along with the grappled creature.
- Guard Dog. You are gifted at reacting to attacks on your companions. If an ally is hit by an attack within five feet of you, you may use your reaction to make an attack against the attacker.
- Hunting Hound. You are a natural at seeking the quarry of your allies. You have advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
- Incessant Barking. You have a bark that is hard to ignore, driving foes to distraction. Once per long rest you may affect all creatures within a 15 feet cube. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 2d8 damage and must immediately use its reaction, if available, to move as far as its speed allows away from you. The creature doesn’t move into obviously dangerous ground, such as a fire or a pit. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and doesn’t have to move away. A deafened creature automatically succeeds on the save.
- Old Dog, New Tricks. Choose two skills and gain proficiency in both.
- Retriever. You are a natural at seeking and returning desired items. You gain advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) checks.
- Shake it Off. Once per long rest you may take advantage on any saving throw to end a condition currently affecting you. The condition can be blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned.
- Snow Dog. You love the snow! You are naturally adapted to cold climates, as described in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
- Sprinter. You are built for bursts of impressive speed. Increase your base movement by 10 feet. When you use the Dash action, you can ignore the first opportunity attack you would provoke.
- The Eyes Have it. You are just the cutest. You have advantage on any Charisma based ability checks. Unfortunately this ability cannot be used against hostile creatures.
- Thick Coat. Your thick and glossy fur is a natural defence. You have an armour class of 12 + your Dexterity modifier when not wearing armour.
- Upright and Alert. You can never be surprised. If your party is surprised, you will act normally in initiative order.
Many Breeds, Many Forms. Dogs have such variety of shapes and breeds that they are highly diverse. Choose one of the following subraces to reflect your chosen breeding and select one Breed Ability from the list on the below.
- Big Dog. Big dogs are the strongest, and most physically imposing animals in the canine family. Mastiffs, St Bernards, and Alsatians all fall into this size of breed.
- Size. Your size is Medium.
- Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
- Poweful Bite. When you use your bite attack, you roll two dice for damage and choose the higher result. For a critical hit, roll three dice and choose the best two results.
- Lap Dog. Tiny of body but giant of heart, lap dogs are known for nimble movement and fearless attitude. This category includes Chihuahuas, Terriers and Maltese.
- Size. Your size is Small.
- Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
- Slippery. If your attack is a critical hit, you may dodge as a free action after resolving the attack.
- Dodge When you take the Dodge action, you focus entirely on avoiding attacks. Until the start of your next turn, any Attack roll made against you has disadvantage if you can see the attacker, and you make Dexterity Saving Throws with advantage. You lose this benefit if you are Incapacitated (as explained in Conditions ) or if your speed drops to 0.
- Regular Dog. Regular dogs may be the most common sized dogs and tend to be known for energy and hale sturdiness. This includes spaniels, bulldogs, and many crossbreeds.
- Size. Your size is Medium.
- Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.
- Boundless Persistence. Once per long rest, when you are reduced to 0 hit points, you may immediately roll a hit dice to heal that many hit points.
Dog Custom Feats & Class Features
Barbarian
- Alpha of the Pack - Your howling fury establishes you as master of the hunt. Whilst raging, your allies have advantage against a single target that you are engaged with.
- Savage Howl - Your rages are accompanied by feral howls that inflame the blood of your allies and drive them forward; an echo of ancient hunting packs. Each turn while you are raging, if you hit with at least one attack, you may nominate one ally within 30 feet of you. That ally receives a 1d6 bonus to its next damage roll. You may nominate the same or a different ally each round, but damage bonuses do not stack.
- Feral Cooperation - Whilst you are raging, if your first attack hits a target, an ally may use their reaction to move up to half of their speed and immediately make a melee attack against the same target. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. This feat requires you to also have the Savage Howl feat.
Bard
- Bard of Amity - Your Charisma ability score increases by 1, to a maximum of 20. Also, in addition to other bonuses provided by your College, a creature who uses your Bardic Inspiration die to make a successful roll may, as a bonus action, pass the Bardic Inspiration die to an ally within 30 feet. The recipient must use the inspiration die on their next attack roll, ability check, or saving throw. The die is not passed again.
- Calming and Charming - Your Best Friend racial talent now allows you to cast Calm Emotions instead of Charm Person; you add Charm Person to your list of Bard Spells Known.
- Howling Melody - You may cast the spell Dissonant Whispers once per short rest without spending a spell slot and may cast this spell at first level.
Cleric
- Companion Domain
Druid
- Mark the Ground - You learn a ten minute ritual to mark the ground and create a Circle of Territory. This functions as the spell Leomund’s Tiny Hut. This encompasses a circle of 20 feet radius. While within the Circle, when you use your Natural Recovery, you may replenish other creatures’ expended spell slots instead of your own.
- The Soul of the Pack - When you perform a Mark the Ground Ritual, you may create a Pack Bond for yourself or any number of allied creatures up to your Druid level. For one hour, any Pack Bonded creature may, as an action, roll one of its hit dice and receive that much psychic damage. It may then heal an ally who is Pack Bonded and within 60 feet for an equal amount. This feat requires you to have the Mark the Ground feat.
Fighter
- Fangs of the Wolf - You are a master at snapping back at foes that strike you in melee. You may use your reaction to attack with your bite against the attacking creature.
- Hound the Foes - When you hit a target in melee with a critical hit, their speed becomes 0 for their next turn. You may move to engage a different target within 15 feet as a bonus action, without provoking opportunity attacks.
- Pack Fighter - You have become adept at aiding your allies when fighting in close formation with them. Once per short rest, allies who remain within ten feet of you gain a +2 AC bonus for one minute.
Monk
- Guiding Paw Strike - When you hit with a melee attack using a Monk weapon or Unarmed Strike, you may spend one ki point to give one creature within 30 feet of you advantage on its next attack against the target or resistance to the next source of damage caused by the target.
- The Pack is Many, the Pack is One - As an action, you can distribute healing equal to three times your Monk level among any number of creatures within 30 feet. You must finish a long rest before you can use this ability again.
- The Wisdom of Playfulness - You can channel the positive attitude of dogs and their delight at the world. Once per long rest, as an action you can choose to receive the benefit of one of the below effects. Spend one Ki point per additional creature within 30 feet you wish it to affect.
- Laughing at danger. For one hour, you have resistance to a specified damage type.
- The folly of fear. For one hour, you are immune to fear effects.
- Irrepressible joy. For one hour, you have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws
Paladin
- A Friend Indeed - You may use your Sacred Weapon Channel Divinity on a friendly creature’s weapon within 15 feet of you. As a Dog, you may ignore the restriction on holding a weapon.
- Devoted to the Pack - When you use your Channel Divinity feature, in addition to your chosen effect, one friendly creature you nominate within 30 feet is encouraged for one minute, becoming immune to fear and resistant to necrotic damage.
- Loyalty to the Last - If a friendly creature within 15 feet of you is reduced to 0 hit points, you may use your reaction to use your Lay on Hands ability. You must then take a long rest to regain this ability.
Ranger
- Guide the Pack - Once per long rest, when you reduce a target to 0 hit points, you grant up to three creatures within 30 feet of you advantage on their next attack.
- Lead the Hunt - When you cast Hunter’s Mark on a target, choose a willing creature within 30 feet. That creature gains a 1d4 damage bonus to attacks against the same target for the duration of the effect.
- Apex Predator - When you cast Hunter’s Mark on a target, choose up to three willing creatures within 30 feet. They each gain a 1d4 damage bonus to attacks against the same target for the duration of the effect. (One creature will also benefit from Lead the Hunt). This feat requires that you also have the Lead the Hunt feat.
Rogue
- Ankle Cutter - When making a Sneak Attack, if any of the Sneak Attack dice roll their maximum face value, your target’s speed is reduced to 0 until they pass a Constitution Saving Throw at the end of one of their turns. The DC for this is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier.
- Shadow Paw Rogue - You are a difficult foe to pin down. If you hit in combat with a Sneak Attack, you may choose to move up to ten feet as a free action. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.
- Slashing Claws, Silent Paws - When making a Sneak Attack, if any of the Sneak Attack dice roll their maximum face value, you may Hide as a free action.
Sorcerer
- Buried in the Veil - Once per long rest you may ‘bury’ an object of no more than one cubic foot in size as an action. It passes beyond the material plane. You may ‘retrieve’ it at any time as an action. You may bury a number of objects in total equal to your Charisma modifier.
- Dimension Digger - You can dig and scramble through the weave of reality. Once per long rest, whenever you expend one or more sorcery points, you may cast the Misty Step spell.
- Supportive Spell - When you cast a spell which successfully affects an enemy creature, you may spend a sorcery point to give a friendly creature you choose within 15 feet of you advantage on their next roll against the target.
Warlock
- Dark Bark - Your Eldritch Blast is accompanied by an unearthly and disturbing howl from the hounds of the netherworld. Once per turn a creature that takes damage from your Eldritch Blast must make a Wisdom save versus your Spell DC or become Frightened of you until the end of their next turn.
- Fey Friend - You can call upon the Hunting Packs of your Patron. You may use Find Familiar once per long rest without requiring material components. Regardless of the creature type you summon, its appearance is a smaller version of your own canine appearance, although it retains the abilities of the creature type you call upon.
- Netherhound Companion - Your Patron has gifted you a fully formed hunting companion to join the hunt. You may call upon this companion twice per long rest. The summoned companion follows the same rules and behaviours as the Channel Divinity effect, Invoke Duplicity and may cast your spells and Eldritch Invocations.This feat requires you to also have the Fey Friend feat.
Wizard
- Arcanine Scrounger - You can temporarily learn others’ spells as you scrounge for knowledge. Choose a willing creature and spend 15 minutes with them discussing the intricacies of their spellcasting. You may learn a spell that the creature knows as if you have it prepared, but it does not count against the number of spells you can prepare. You can cast this spell until then end of your next long rest.
- Dogged Casting - You are a determined mind when it comes to spell casting. You have advantage on any concentration checks to retain concentration spells that you are required to make.
- Familiar Friends - Your natural affinity with the creatures of the world makes summoning familiars far easier for you than most. You may prepare the Find Familiar spell without a spellbook. Also reduce the casting time of Find Familiar to 1 minute and the cost of materials consumed to 1 gp.