Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound

A
Damage

Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound is a Damage spell. Damage spells focus on dealing harm to enemies.

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 spell that conjures a hidden watchdog to warn intruders and bite foes, with
swift repositioning

Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound is a Action Economy spell. Action Economy spells grant you more choices on future turns.

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 and
battlefield control

Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound is a Battlefield Shaping spell. Battlefield Shaping spells alter terrain, create obstacles, introduce hazards, and affect enemy positioning.

See all Battlefield Shaping spells →
.

2024 Rules
Level & School
4th-level conjuration
Casting Time
Action
Range
30 feet
Components
V, S, M (a silver whistle)
Duration
8 hours
Classes
Wizard

You conjure a phantom watchdog in an unoccupied space that you can see within range. The hound remains for the duration or until the two of you are more than 300 feet apart from each other.

No one but you can see the hound, and it is intangible and invulnerable. 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 has Truesight with a range of 30 feet.

At the start of each of your turns, the hound attempts to bite one enemy within 5 feet of it. That enemy must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 4d8 Force damage.

On your later turns, you can take a Magic action to move the hound up to 30 feet.

2014 Rules
Level & School
4th-level conjuration
Casting Time
Action
Range
30 feet
Components
V, S, M (a tiny silver whistle, a piece of bone, and a thread)
Duration
8 hours
Classes
Wizard

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.

Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

It now lasts until you’re more than 300 feet apart, not 100 feet, and you can move it up to 30 feet on later turns. The bite now targets an enemy, forces a Dexterity save, and deals 4d8 force damage instead of making an attack for piercing damage. It’s now intangible, invulnerable, and has Truesight 30 feet.

Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound popularity

Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound is a seldom chosen level 4 spell. Choosing it adds a unique option to your spellbook.

Spells similar to Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound

  • Guardian of Faith 4th-level conjuration

    It conjures a persistent, immobile spectral guardian that automatically damages enemies who come near and lasts for hours, closely matching the watchdog's role and duration.

  • Spiritual Weapon 2nd-level evocation

    Both create an unseen or spectral force that makes repeated attacks you can reposition with an action, giving extra action-economy damage without concentration.

  • Flaming Sphere 2nd-level conjuration

    A conjured, mobile battlefield object that you move deliberately to deal damage each turn parallels the hound's move-and-hit behavior and shaping of the fight.

  • Bigby's Hand 5th-level evocation

    It summons a large force-based, controllable conjuration that exerts battlefield control and deals force effects, echoing the hound's force damage and tactical positioning.

  • Summon Construct 4th-level conjuration

    This is a wizard-only summoning that produces a creature to fight on your behalf, matching the faithful hound's concept of a summoned combat ally.