Homebrew Cactus Cat Species Details

The Cactus Cat is a legendary fearsome critter of the American Southwest.

The cactus cat was generally described being a bobcat-like creature, covered in hair-like thorns, with particularly long spines extending from the legs and its armored, branching tail. The creature was said to use its spines to slash cacti at night, allowing the juice to run from the plants. On later nights, the creature was said to return to drink the now fermented juice. The then-drunken creature was said to shriek throughout the night. The cactus cat was a very hostile creature towards any animal invading their territory. Animals that crossed them often ended up with large puncture wounds and sometimes fatal injuries.

To avoid the harsh heat in the desert, they'd carve out the inside of a cactus and sleep through the day. It eats the bugs and juice of the cactus, keeping it hydrated. They were said to be immune to scorpion venom and would hunt them at night.

Cactus cats were social animals, often mating for life. They were said to live about 20 to 30 years. Before and during the mating season, the male felines would break open a large Saguaro cactus and let the smell attract females to the location. Often enough, two females would be attracted to the scent, and fight. The fight usually ended in one of them getting brutally spiked or stabbed to death. The winning female would then meet with the male and drink the cactus juice. The pair would get drunk and then produce a litter of kittens within the next few weeks. The kittens were born blind at birth with no spikes.

Due to some type of Wild Magic, Humanoid Cactus Cats began to appear. These people would live a little bit longer than humans on average, about 120 years. They still have their barbs and tails and have similar attitudes as their true feline kin, as well as similar customs, but have formed clans that live together in desert areas, farming cacti. These communities can even attract herds of their true feline kin. These Feline Cactus Cats help the clans, by hunting and even farm cactus with them. Because of this, the Humanoid Cactus Cats hold their kin in very high regard.

Cactus Cat Traits

Cactus Cats have traits akin to their four legged relatives.

Ability Score Increase

The Cactus Cat is fast and deadly, but also cute and cuddly. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 2.

Age

Cactus Cats live a little longer than humans, about 120 years on average.

Alignment

Cactus Cats tend toward chaotic alignments, as they let impulse and fancy guide their decisions. They are rarely evil, with most of them driven by curiosity rather than greed or other dark impulses.

Size

Cactus Cats are shorter on average than humans and relatively slender. Your size is small.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

You have a cat’s keen senses, especially in the dark. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Feline Agility

Your reflexes and agility allow you to move with a burst of speed. Once per combat, you can double your speed for a single turn. 

Cactus Cat's Claws and Thorns

Because of your claws, you have a climbing speed of 20 feet. In addition, your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Your thorns make you prickly. Whenever you are hit with a melee attack in your reach, you can use a reaction to make an unarmed strike against them if you hit, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier.

Cactus Cat's Talents

You have proficiency in one skill of your choice between Acrobatics, Perception, Stealth, Survival or Persuasion.

Cactus Juice

The Cactus Cats love drinking, especially fermented cactus juice. You have proficiency in Brewer's Supplies and can brew at half speed and half cost.

Whenever you drink a beverage you have crafted yourself at least the size of an average mug (DM's Discretion), gain 1d4+4 temporary hit points.

Scorpion Killer

As scorpion hunters, Cactus Cats have a resistance to poison damage and advantage on Saving Throws against poison.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice. You can also communicate with other cats using natural cat body language.