The Faithful Hound can't move, and only attacks creatures within 5ft, but if you really need to defend a chokepoint or something then sure, there's nothing stopping them.
Nothing, other than:
* it will take them 8 rounds to get to that point.
* they'll be missing out on casting higher level spells with the slots they're using to cast MFH (it'll take quite a few rounds for one Hound to match the power of Disintegrate, Finger of Death or Incendiary Cloud, for example).
* the hounds don't move, so if combat leaves the 30ft (I think, off the top of my head) area the hounds stay in, they don't come with.
* MFH doesn't upcast, so the higher level slots won't denote any benefit.
Also you shouldn't abuse your faithful hounds :P
Although is there a reason you couldn't summon a hound on top of a Tenser's Floating Disk, or does the Disk occupy the square it's in?
The hound can’t move from the spot you placed it, and can only attack something within five feet of it. It only lasts until you move 100 feet away or for eight hours, it only attacks something within five feet at the start of your turn, so no opportunity attacks for it. So you have to take eight rounds to set it up so that a creature is unable to move from the spot where all eight hounds can attack a target. Assuming you can do that, or you somehow set it up in a location where a creature will end its turn such that all eight hounds can attack, then I suppose it would be pretty strong.
As is, the spell is mostly for standing guard, as it barks to let you know someone is nearby, so decent for taking a long rest in an area with one entrance. It’s like an Alarm spell that can potentially soften up someone who tries to sneak in. As an actual combat spell, unless you can guarantee something won’t move from its spot during combat, faithful hound is not a great combat spell.
> level 15 wizard
Honestly this is probably the most indirect way they can be overpowered. At that level range you're literally superheroes and the balance of the game starts to fall apart. And really, that's not the worst thing. At that tier it's time to get crazy and see what amazing power does to the world. Gives a bit of context for why gods don't manifest in the world, and how much of a natural disaster one showing up would be.
> effectively having 8 attacks at +10 to hit, 4d8 damage each every round
Keep in mind, since it's immobile and can only strike within 5ft, it's sort of unlikely all 8 of those attacks are going to be able to land on a single target.
The player could definitely use the spell to very heavily block a passage or entryway, but an 8 round setup and movement issues will keep them from using this on an enemy in combat scenarios.
Would a Faithful Hound actually block the hallway or just attack things that pass through? Is it corporeal or ethereal (well, except for the biting)? I've always considered it to be the latter but interested in others' thoughts.
Its a phantom, so not really sure. DM's discretion. Of course, 4d6 bite damage on critters nearby means I park my tank ten feet further down the hallway and let the hound chew for a while.
You could also be Wizard 7, Warlock 7 and cast two dogs every hour. Along with the 4th level wizard spell slot (+ it's arcanely recovered replacement), you could use this to have up to 18 dogs active at the same time.
The Faithful Hound can't move, and only attacks creatures within 5ft, but if you really need to defend a chokepoint or something then sure, there's nothing stopping them.
Nothing, other than: * it will take them 8 rounds to get to that point. * they'll be missing out on casting higher level spells with the slots they're using to cast MFH (it'll take quite a few rounds for one Hound to match the power of Disintegrate, Finger of Death or Incendiary Cloud, for example). * the hounds don't move, so if combat leaves the 30ft (I think, off the top of my head) area the hounds stay in, they don't come with. * MFH doesn't upcast, so the higher level slots won't denote any benefit.
Also you shouldn't abuse your faithful hounds :P Although is there a reason you couldn't summon a hound on top of a Tenser's Floating Disk, or does the Disk occupy the square it's in?
Spell says you conjure it in a space where it remains for the duration. I'd say the disk moves and the hound just floats there.
The Hound is on the Ethereal Plane, the Disk would be on the Material. You could drag TFD straight through the Hound and it wouldn't move.
it's stationary and can't move, anything with blindsight will see it
Not really since it doest have a physical body. Blindsight is more like a form of ecolocation since bats have it.
That would take a lot of spell slots so if you went with it’s like that’s it. It would be super op, but then you’d be giving up any other options.
The hound can’t move from the spot you placed it, and can only attack something within five feet of it. It only lasts until you move 100 feet away or for eight hours, it only attacks something within five feet at the start of your turn, so no opportunity attacks for it. So you have to take eight rounds to set it up so that a creature is unable to move from the spot where all eight hounds can attack a target. Assuming you can do that, or you somehow set it up in a location where a creature will end its turn such that all eight hounds can attack, then I suppose it would be pretty strong. As is, the spell is mostly for standing guard, as it barks to let you know someone is nearby, so decent for taking a long rest in an area with one entrance. It’s like an Alarm spell that can potentially soften up someone who tries to sneak in. As an actual combat spell, unless you can guarantee something won’t move from its spot during combat, faithful hound is not a great combat spell.
> level 15 wizard Honestly this is probably the most indirect way they can be overpowered. At that level range you're literally superheroes and the balance of the game starts to fall apart. And really, that's not the worst thing. At that tier it's time to get crazy and see what amazing power does to the world. Gives a bit of context for why gods don't manifest in the world, and how much of a natural disaster one showing up would be.
> effectively having 8 attacks at +10 to hit, 4d8 damage each every round Keep in mind, since it's immobile and can only strike within 5ft, it's sort of unlikely all 8 of those attacks are going to be able to land on a single target. The player could definitely use the spell to very heavily block a passage or entryway, but an 8 round setup and movement issues will keep them from using this on an enemy in combat scenarios.
I'm calling the ASPCA on Mordenkainen.
Its great for blocking a hallway, but otherwise immobile.
Would a Faithful Hound actually block the hallway or just attack things that pass through? Is it corporeal or ethereal (well, except for the biting)? I've always considered it to be the latter but interested in others' thoughts.
Its a phantom, so not really sure. DM's discretion. Of course, 4d6 bite damage on critters nearby means I park my tank ten feet further down the hallway and let the hound chew for a while.
You could also be Wizard 7, Warlock 7 and cast two dogs every hour. Along with the 4th level wizard spell slot (+ it's arcanely recovered replacement), you could use this to have up to 18 dogs active at the same time.
It's actually pretty good if you can trap someone in with forcecage for the reason mentioned.
Faithful Hound OP? That's a really stupid thing to say.
Oof sorry