Yeth hound (Dungeons & Dragons)

In many settings for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the yeth hound is an outsider from evil aligned planes. It resembles a dog crossed with a lynx. It is long and skinny. It is deep black in color with yellow eyes. Within the game, the yeth hound hates light, especially sunlight and, even if its life depends on it, never ventures out at day. Yeth hounds understand the language "Infernal", but can't speak.

Publication history

The yeth hound was introduced to the D&D game in the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons

The yeth hound appears in the Monster Manual II for this edition (1983).

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition

The yeth hound appears for the Greyhawk campaign setting in the Monstrous Compendium Greyhawk Appendix (1990). The yeth hound is detailed for the Planescape setting in the first Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994).

Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition

The yeth hound is in the Monster Manual for this edition (2000).

Dungeons & Dragons v3.5

The yeth hound appears again in the revised Monster Manual for this edition (2003).

Creative origins

According to Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, yeth-hounds are dogs without heads, said to be the spirits of un-baptized children, which ramble among the woods at night, making wailing noises, probably from Devonshire's folklore. Yeth-hounds are also mentioned in The Denham Tracts.