DragonCyclopedia Monsters: The Dog Soldier

Monsters: The

Dog Soldier
A New Monster for Use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game
by Glen R. Taylor and DragonCyclopedia

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This document is copyright Glen R. Taylor, 2011, and is published under the Open Game License version 1.0a, copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. The full text of this document is Open Game Content under the provisions of that license. Uncredited illustrations are derived from works that are in the Public Domain. The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatible logo are copyright 2009 Paizo Publishing, LLC.

Design and Writing: Glen R. Taylor Production, Editing and Publishing: DragonCyclopedia

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DragonCyclopedia Monsters: The Dog Soldier

Table of Contents
Introduction..........................................................4 Dog Soldier..........................................................5 New Feats.............................................................6 New Magic Items.................................................7

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Introduction
This document introduces a new monster, the Dog Soldier, for use in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.

How Do I Use Dog Soldier?

Dog soldiers can have the same use as a lot of other evil enemies. Where an evil overlord might employ human troops or orcs, he may instead use some resources to forge dog masks in order to employ dog soldiers. They are perfectly loyal, if not suited to any roles involving thinking. They make good shock troops and suicide squads, especially if sent against their former friends and/or family.

What's This About?

One of the staples of the action genre of fiction, including fantasy, is the faceless enemy hordes. They may be enemy soldiers with visored helmets, or simply look distinctly inhuman, but they are ideal as enemies in fiction because they are faceless; they lack identity, even as a person. In most cases, this is metaphorical, and these enemies really are people, just people with different and often homicidal views. However, there are also enemies that are faceless in all senses. They are not people; they do not have an identity, or any ambitions other than killing you and doing the things you are trying to stop. One such enemy is the dog soldier, which is created when a victim is enslaved by being sealed into a special cursed helmet called a dog mask.

Dog Soldiers in Adventures

Dog soldiers make good enemies in adventures, and in fact can often be substituted for other enemies or monsters. However, the very nature of dog soldiers also suggests certain adventure concepts, with perhaps the most classic one being rescuing a friend who has been turned into a dog soldier and freeing him of the curse. This is an extremely difficult task, by design, and can make for an epic quest in itself.

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Dog Soldier
Dull rage glints in the red eyes behind the iron mask of this muscled warrior. DOG SOLDIER XP 135 Male human dog soldier warrior 1 N Medium humanoid Init +1; Senses Perception +4 low-light vision, scent; CR 1/3

A dog soldier is a warrior who has been supernaturally bound by the power of a magic item known as a dog mask. They are compelled to be loyal, nearly mindless fighters.

Creating a Dog Soldier

Dog soldier is an acquired template that can be added to any living humanoid, fey or monsterous humanoid. A dog soldier uses the base creature's stats and abilities except as noted below. CR: Same as the base creature. AL: Alignment changes to neutral. Senses: A dog soldier gains low-light vision and the Scent quality. Armor Class: Natural armor improves by +2. Defensive Abilities: If the base creature has spells or spell-like abilities, the dog soldier loses the use of these abilities, but gains spell resistance equal to its highest caster level + 10. If the base creature already has spell resistance, it uses the higher of this or its original spell resistance. If the base creature does not have a caster level, it does not gain spell resistance on becoming a dog soldier. Weaknesses: A dog soldier's mind is bound by the power of the dog mask into which it has been sealed. While the dog soldier has the same intellect and memories as before, it has no ability to make its own decisions. It must absolutely obey it's master's commands. It is also unable to speak, make any use of spells, spell-like abilities, or use any skills based on Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma other than Intimidate, Perception or Survival. Once bound into the dog mask, a dog soldier may not gain experience or class levels. Special Qualities: Gain immunity to fear, language dependent effects, and uses of Diplomacy and Intimidate. Does not need to eat, drink or sleep. Skills Gain a +4 racial bonus to Perception skill checks.

DEFENSE AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+1 Dex, +2 natural, +2 armor) hp 14 (1d10+4) Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +0 OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee 1 morningstar +3, (1d8+2) Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Special Attacks none Spell-Like Abilities none STATISTICS Str 15, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10 Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 14 Feats Power AttackB, Toughness Skills Climb +6, Intimidate +4, Perception +5; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception Languages Common (cannot speak) SQ immune to fear, language dependent effects and uses of Diplomacy and Intimidate ECOLOGY Environment any Organization solitary, pair, or gang (3-8) Treasure NPC gear (studded leather armor, morningstar, locked gauntlet, dog mask)

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New Feats
The following new feats are presented for use in conjunction with this document.

Dog Soldier Tracking (General)

Your past as a dog soldier has made your sense of smell uncannily acute. Prerequisites: Wis 13, Renegade Dog Soldier Benefit: You gain the Scent ability, as the monster special ability.

with the scars left by the dog mask, although they can be concealed. This incurs a -2 penalty on any Disguise checks made to disguise you. These scars can never be healed, naturally or through magic, and even appear on other forms if you magically change shape. Normal: You gain no special capabilities from your time spent enslaved by the dog mask.

Renegade Willpower (General)

You have vowed you will die before you are enslaved as you were before. Prerequisites: Con 13, Wis 13, Renegade Dog Soldier Benefit: If you fail a Will saving throw to resist a charm or compulsion effect, you may voluntarily suffer 2 points of Constitution damage and 2 points of Charisma damage in order to treat the failure as a success. This occurs even if you are normally immune to such ability damage.

Renegade Dog Soldier (General)

You were once supernaturally enslaved as a dog soldier, and are now free but can draw strength from your painful history. Prerequisites: Must have been bound into a dog mask and subsequently freed. Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Will saves against fear, charms and compulsions and a +2 bonus to your own uses of the Intimidate skill. Special: Your face is permanently marked

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New Magic Items

The following new magic item is presented for use with this document.

master can voluntarily pass ownership of the dog soldier on to another being simply by telling the dog soldier who the new master is. This can involve telling the dog soldier that if the master dies, who will be in charge. The new dog soldier loses any spell-casting ability and spell-like abilities (although if it loses any such abilities, it gains spell resistance equal to its former caster level plus 10), and becomes unable to speak or make individual decisions. It no longer needs to eat, drink or sleep, with the mask providing all sustenance. Once locked into place, the mask may not be removed without risk of killing the occupant and even destroying its soul. Removing the mask can be performed by suppressing the magic holding it closed (such as introducing it into an antimagic area, or casting greater dispel and succeeding in a caster level check with a DC of 19) and then physically opening it. However, once it is opened, the wearer must immediately make a Will saving throw with a DC of 30. Failure indicates that the wearer's soul is shredded; he dies and can only be returned with a true resurrection. If he succeeds at the Will saving throw, he suffers 4d6 Constitution damage and is reduced to -1 hit point and is dying. He can be stabilized as normal. If his Constitution is reduced to 0 or below, he dies, but can be raised as normal. Construction Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, dominate person, creator must be of a non-good alignment; Cost 250 gp

Dog Mask
Aura moderate enchantment; CL 9th Slot head; Weight 3 lbs.; Price 500 gp Description This evil creation holds a special and powerful curse. It takes the form of an iron or steel helmet with a visor can swing down and lock into place, completely obscuring the face except for two narrow eye-slits. Exact construction varies, but many are sculpted with a snarling canine face on the visor. Looking on the inside of the visor reveals a series of long, cruel, hooked metal spikes pointing in toward the face and curving a bit upward. The two longest are located on the inside of the eye-slits. Because of the complexity of the mask, it can only be put onto a willing or helpless victim. When the dog mask is put on a victim, the spikes pierce the skin, flesh and bone of the face in several places, with the longest entering the inside corners of the eyes and penetrating as far as the victim's brain. This leaves the whites of the victim's eyes permanently stained red and bloodshot, even if he is later cured of the curse. The effect of the mask is immediate. As soon as the mask locks into place, the victim's will is completely over-ridden by the mask. The victim acquires the dog soldier template, and the first being that gives him an order is considered to be the new dog soldier's master. This effect only takes place if the victim is a living humanoid, fey, or monstrous humanoid. Any other type of being is locked into the mask, but not mentally enslaved. There is no saving throw against this process, and spell resistance does not protect. The dog soldier blindly obeys all orders of its master, including self-destructive orders. The

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