Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw against disease or become poisoned until the disease is cured. Every 24 hours that elapse, the creature must repeat the saving throw, reducing its hit point maximum by 5 (1d10) on a failure. This reduction lasts until the disease is cured. The creature dies if the disease reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
How many death dogs for a fight?
A death dog is worth 200 XP. Using the 2024 encounter budgets (SRD 5.2), this is how many death dogs fit each difficulty for a party of four characters of the same level. A dash means even one would be over the budget.
Party level
Low
Moderate
High
1st
1
1
2
2nd
2
3
4
3rd
3
4
8
4th
5
7
10
5th
10
12+
12+
6th
12
12+
12+
Budgets add up every monster’s XP, so you can swap some for other creatures of the same total. Try other party sizes and mixes in the encounter calculator.
How the death dog compares at CR 1
Against the 24 other challenge 1 monsters in the SRD 5.1, the death dog has more hit points than 21 of them, which makes it one of the toughest at its CR. See every CR 1 monster.
Statistic
Death Dog
CR 1 average
Armor Class
12
12.9
Hit points
39
28
Best attack bonus
+4
+4
Death Dog 2024 stat block
The 2024 Monster Manual revised the death dog, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new stat block. What changed:
Multiattack. The death dog makes two Bite attacks.
Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 5 ft. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) Piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it is subjected to the following effect. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 12. First Failure: The target has the Poisoned condition. While Poisoned, the target’s Hit Point maximum doesn’t return to normal when finishing a Long Rest, and it repeats the save every 24 hours that elapse, ending the effect on itself on a success. Subsequent Failures: The Poisoned target’s Hit Point maximum decreases by 5 (1d10).
