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FREQUENCY: Rare
FREQUENCY: Rare ([Dungeon Level VII])
FREQUENCY: Rare ([Astral Plane])
FREQUENCY: Rare ([Ethereal Plane])

FREQUENCY: Rare ([Cold Wilderness Mountains], [Cold Wilderness Swamp], [Cold Wilderness Plains], [Cold Wilderness Desert])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Cold Wilderness Hills], [Cold Wilderness Forest])

FREQUENCY: Rare ([Temperate Wilderness Mountains], [Temperate Wilderness Swamp], [Temperate Wilderness Plains], [Temperate Wilderness Desert])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Temperate Wilderness Hills], [Temperate Wilderness Forest])

FREQUENCY: Rare ([Tropical Wilderness Mountains], [Tropical Wilderness Swamp], [Tropical Wilderness Plains], [Tropical Wilderness Desert])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Tropical Wilderness Hills], [Tropical Wilderness Forest])

NO. APPEARING: 1 (2-8) <(moon dogs serve devas (astral: X), (monadic: IX), (movanic: IX), and planetars: X)>
ARMOR CLASS: <+2:> 2 or 0 or -2
MOVE: 30" <(bipedal locomotion: 9")>
HIT DICE: 8+16 || 2 <? : check, if in error, make errata note at DL7> <MM2 just reads 8+16. what's up with that || ?>
% IN LAIR: 0
TREASURE TYPE: [N]
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 ~ 9
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: [SB]
SPECIAL DEFENSES: [SB]
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 25%
INTELLIGENCE: High to exceptional
ALIGNMENT: Neutral good
SIZE: M (3' at shoulder)
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VII | 2000 + 12

SAVES:

The moon dog,
also known as the black hound || night prowler,
is often mistaken for a baneful monster,
when,
in fact,
the creature protects mankind and seeks out evil predators to slay in the night.
Encounters almost never occur in heavily populated areas.
Normally only a single creature will be found,
but in areas of great Evil from 2-8 will be encountered.
Likewise,
on the Upper Outer Plane from which they come (Elysium),
they will be found in larger #numbers#.
They serve only deities of Good and great servants of such deities,
such as devas, planetars, et al. <make notes for deities that dwell on Elysium, in the DDG>

The AC of a moon dog depends on light conditions.
In bright, wholesome light, AC is 2.
In twilight AC> equals 0.
In heavy shadow || darkness AC is -2.

Normal attack is a bite which inflicts considerable damage.
A moon dog,
however,
has voice weapons which are effective against evil opponents.

* Baying causes all evil beings within 8" to save vs. spells or FLEE in panic (as if struck by a [fear] spell).
If several moon dogs bay,
the effect is cumulative.

* Howling causes all creatures of Evil in a 4" radius to suffer 5-8 points of damage per round of such noise;
furthermore,
each affected creature not native to the [Prime Material Plane] will suffer great pain from the noise and therefore has a cumulative 5% chance
(per moon dog howling per round of such activity)
of being forced to return to its own plane,
magic resistance notwithstanding in creatures under 10 HD.

One at a time,
1 per round,
at will,
a moon dog can employ the following spell-like powers at the 12th level of ability:
    change self,
    dancing lights,
    [darkness],
    improved invisibility,
    light,
    mirror image,
    non-detection,
    [shades] once per day,
    [wall of fog].

In addition,
a moon dog can become ethereal.
It can travel astrally, <link>
or ethereally. <link>
It has superior vision equal to double all normal vision for all spectra. <link: WSG, infravision, ultravision>
This,
plus the unusually keen senses of hearing and smell, <DSG: see odor detection>
enable a moon dog to detect the following: evil, illusion (90%), invisibility including the improved form but only at 80% probability, magic (70%), and snares and pits (100%).
<make links to all of these spells ... two rolls for detect invisibility?>
Having prehensile forepaws,
a moon dog will sometimes employ small items.

When in shadowy light,
a moon dog is able to move in such a way as to effectively create magic equal to a [hypnotic pattern] of shadows.
Only Evil creatures will be affected.
At the same time,
each creature of Good within the AREA will effectively gain a [protection from evil] and [remove fear].
When weaving this pattern,
the moon dog cannot otherwise attack or perform other acts.
A moon dog can be hit only weapons of +2 or better. <edit>
It saves vs. attacks based on cold, electricity, and fire/heat at +2,
taking either half- <(1/2)> or quarter- <(1/4)> damage accordingly.
The whine of a moon dog will serve to [dispel illusion],
while its bark serves as a [dispel evil].
The lick of the creature serves as follows:
[cure disease], [cure light wounds], or [slow poison].
Each function can serve a given individual but once per day.
Association with a moon dog for 1 or more hours serves to [dispel charm] or [remove curse].
A moon dog can effectively [dispel magic], but to do so it must expend its energy to such a degree<degree circle?> as to be forced back to its own plane entirely.
<note clerical>

Moon dogs have their own language and can speak all forms of canines and lupines as well.
<other than speak with animals, note other languages, here>
Additionally,
they can speak Common and communicate by a limited form of [telepathy].
While they will communicate with and aid humans and demihumans of good will,
they do not associate with them for periods <..periods..> beyond immediate need when evil threatens.

A moon dog is similar in form to a canine,
and resembles a great wolf hound.
The head,
however,
is vaguely human,
and the forepaws are prehensile;
the creature is quite capable of bipedal locomotion (9" rate).
Coloration is mottled gray with deepest black predominating.
Eye color is amber.
<color both of the above sentences>

Quote:
Originally Posted by thufur
Mr. G,

Do you happen to know who came up with the Moondog in MM II?

Sure do.

That would be me, as is true with the majority of the entries in the work  It is a play on the term "sun dog," not a creature at all, of course.

Cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by thufur
Well then, you are the toast of the town. I had never really read through it's description until about November, when we were finishing up G1 Steading. Seeing as every requirement for a Moondog's willing service was fulfilled prior to them getting their arses handed to them, by moi, I felt that it would be a perfect fit when the party priest cast Implore, begging for help. What can't a Moondog do? They are friggin awesome. Thanks.

Heh...

...and my prediliction towards making the game a bit tilted in favor of good over Evil comes through there pretty plainly. Those few who wanted the tilt to be towards Evil used to send me whining letters all too frequently :\

Cheers,
Gary