Homebrew Cat (Animal Adventures) Species Details

A sudden, fleeting movement glimpsed in the corner of an eye. A svelte shape insinuating itself into an implausibly small gap. A small, curled form in front of the fire, suddenly startled from sleep. Cats get everywhere, comfortable in any situation and adaptable in ways that few creatures are. They find a home in the most inhospitable of places, making them selves warm and comfortable almost instantly. But they are also deeply loyal, often friendly and willing to defend those they love to the death. Cats are purrfect adventurers; they are capable of withstanding hardship and do not trust lightly, but protect fiercely those in whom they have placed their trust.

An Old Bond

Cats have been welcomed into the homes of man, dwarf, elf and even orcs and goblins for thousands of years. They provide an invaluable service, after all. Catching mice, rats and other small vermin requires speed and coordination, not to mention a small stature, that most the bigger races simply do not possess. And so a relationship of mutual advantage began and continued, strengthening the strange bond between cats and those who, quite mistakenly, believe themselves to be their owners, or masters. Cats aren't recklessly loyal like dogs, but they do love and form deep attachments to those who take the time to earn such devotion. It is not enough, with a cat, to simply feed it and expect adoration. It requires patience and persistence, it requires consistency. Cats are as varied in temperament and appearance as humans or dogs and need to be treated with respect, care and attention. But they repay those who are prepared to spend the required time to earn their friendship a thousandfold. This is true even with awakened cats, blessed with human levels of intelligence. They are suspicious but, if treated properly, can become fiercely loyal companions.

Common Interest

Cats are, by nature, somewhat solidary creatures, often preferring their own space and company to that of a group or pack. But this isn't always the case. Cats often form small circles of friends which, while looser than those formed by other animals, are no less devoted. If a cat is in trouble, their friends arrive in moments to assist them. Cats also form groups to achieve specific goals. Looking to solve a mystery, or loot a dungeon? What about halting a villainous wizard with designs on the city's supply of treats? Cats band together when faced with such threats, utilising each other's differing strengths to achieve their ends. Afterwards, they may part ways or remain together... not that they need to. They could split up any time they want...

Agile and Hard to See

Renowned for their nimbleness, cats can make the most extraordinary leaps, fit into spaces that barely seem wide enough to slide a sheet of parchment through and walk away, casually, from the most dangerous of falls. Awakened cats still possess these traits, but now combined with an acute intelligence and an understanding of how to use these trait to their best advantage. This makes cats extremely dangerous combatants, able to evade enemy attacks before suddenly appearing at their enemy's back, pouncing onto a vulnerable patch of flesh and sinking their claws in. This makes even heavily armoured and well-trained soldiers fear facing awakened cats in combat... you never know from where they'll strike next!

Cat (Animal Adventures) Traits

All cats begin with the following traits

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2.

Age

Cats reach maturity between the age of 1 or 2 and live, on average, to the age of 15.

Alignment

Cats tend toward neutral alignments; they are very rarely wholly evil or wholly good. Their main preoccupation is themselves and the small circle of loved ones they seek to protect. This can occasionally seem like callousness or disinterest in the larger world.

Size

While there are larger and smaller cats, this variation in size is much more limited than it is in dogs. As a result, all cats are considered small.

Hefty cats increase Strength score by 1.

Regular cats increase Wisdom score by 1.

Lap cats increase Charisma score by 1. 

Speed

Your base walking speed in 30 feet.

Languages

You can speak and read Common, Feline and one other language of your choice. Cats only use language with humans and other races; when with each other, they communicate entirely through gesture, small inflections of the face and eyes, and carefully modulated thrusts of the paw or flank. This language is called feline and can only be spoken fluently by other cats.

Darkvision

Cats have Darkvision up to 60 feet.

Bite & Scratch

Sharp teeth, and claws which can be quickly unsheathed and used to slice through flesh - all cats are proficient with this attack, which counts as both a weapon attack and an unarmed attack. This attack does 1d6 + your strength modifier damage. This increases to 1d8 + your strength modifier at level 5, and 1d10 + your strength modifier at level 10. 

All So Different

There are many different varieties of cat breed, each with their own idiosyncrasies, preferences and behaviours - remember that any breed can belong to any of the three subraces; cats are born in all sizes. Choose from the list of feline abilities to best reflect you breed or personality. You may only choose one such ability.

Welcoming Dark

Cats turn up where they are least expected and disappear from sight when  it seems impossible. On these occasions, a cat is probably visiting the Welcoming Dark. Cats don't long rest like other races, instead, they visit the Welcoming dark.