Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 ft
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 8 hours
Damage Type: Force
Save: Dexterity
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.
Material Component:
a silver whistle
Verbal Component:
Sie Canis Fidelis
Verbal Component (Alternative):
Those who trespass will be found, this place I protect with my faithful hound.
Classes: Wizard, Rogue, Artificer
Tags: Damage, Warding
Source: Player's Handbook (2024) (page 300)
View Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound Spell Card
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Other Planes and Effects
Below is information about this spell as it relates to other planes and area of effects (i.e. underwater). Some of the information is pulled official D&D sources (such as books and the twitter feeds of D&D officials), but other information is derived from forums and online discussions. As always, it is up to the DM to decide how they wish to handle spell effects.
Underwater - Verbal Component
Official rules have been verified by Jeremy Crawford - "No rule prohibits verbal components from working underwater. Keep in mind that if you're talking, you're not holding your breath." Hence, while submerged underwater and holding its breath, a creature can cast a spell that requires a verbal component. After casting the spell, if the creature can't breathe underwater, it immediately runs out of breath. The creature can survive for a number of rounds equal to its Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 round).
