Homebrew Tibbit Species Details

Tibbits

3.5 Race; Homebrewed for 5e

Tibbits (also known as catweres) are small, monstrous creatures that have the ability to turn into a common house cat. They arose from felines kept as familiars in ages past. The powerful magic that allows a familiar to gain intelligence and magic abilities slowly filtered from one generation of cats to the next. Whether tibbits evolved from a natural process, divine intervention, or a sudden surge in the magic running through their ancestry, none can say. Tibbits have never existed in large numbers, and their tendency to spread across the world leaves them with a fractured, incomplete racial history.

Much like their feline ancestor, catfolk exhibit independence, curiosity, and quickness of mind and body. They rarely form communities larger than two or three families, and even these small colonies rarely hold together for more than a few years. Shortly after reaching adulthood, a tibbit develops an intense desire to wander the world and satisfy her racial curiosity. Tibbits can be found wherever humans and other civilized humanoid races have established cities, towns, and colonies.

Among humans and other humanoids tibbits usually remain in their cat form. The stray cat that prowls a neighborhood, the mangy cat adopted as a temple's unofficial pet, and the lazy feline always close at hand at the local tavern might be tibbits. Driven by curiosity, tibbits love to remain in their animal form while observing humans.

Cynical observers contend that a tibbit seeks to spy on others. Tibbits hold that they merely like to keep an ear and eye out for any interesting bits of news. Tibbits are typically too chaotic, carefree, and impulsive to work as spies or hired killers. Upon overhearing a group of adventurers talking over a treasure map in hushed tones, a tibbit might be just as likely to shift into humanoid form on the spot and offer to join the adventure as she is to lose interest and chase down a juicy mouse she spotted across the tavern.

The Lap of Luxury

Tibbits, as befits their heritage, are moody, curious, and sometimes arrogant. Many tibbits prefer the comforts of a fine meal (whether a succulent rodent or a five-course feast in the lap of luxury), stiff drink, and a soft couch. Even the most decadent tibbit, however, eventually succumbs to the steady pull of its curiosity. A tibbit might spend years living off the treasures it won in adventure, only to suddenly strike out into the unknown once again.

When dealing with others, tibbits show a similar capability to change their attitudes and posture depending on their moods. A tibbit might act relaxed and languid one moment, alert and inquisitive the next. They tend to have a slightly distant, arrogant attitude toward others, as if as a race they share a colossal, secret joke over other intelligent creatures. Still, once a tibbit marks someone as a friend few other creatures match their devotion. A tibbit might complain about a friend's needs or tend toward laziness, but when trouble arises she is a dauntless ally.

Feline Features

In humanoid form, tibbits are small, stealthy, dark-skinned people with pointed ears and catlike eyes. Their hair tends to grow thick and long and males tend to grow sideburns. Their skin tones range from a tawny brown to black, but occasionally a tibbit has pure white skin. Their hair color matches the wide range of colors found in house cats, from pure white to striped silver to deep black.

In their cat form, tibbits look like a variety of house cats. They appear identical to—and indistinguishable from—any common, domesticated breed.

Curiouser and Curiouser

Tibbits tend to regard other folk with a detached sense of bemusement. Much of their lore and common wisdom regarding men, dwarves, and elves filters through their guise as house cats. Thus, tibbits see how other races act when they think no one else is around. To a tibbit, every intelligent creature is a bundle of secrets just waiting to unfurl before them.

In general, tibbits find humanity's ambition, drive, and fiery passion intriguing. They consider dwarves overly dour. Elves strike them as kindred spirits, as tibbits appreciate that the long-lived races share a similar tendency to see issues from different perspectives. They adore gnomes and halflings and many good-aligned tibbits adopt such folk. More than one kobold or goblin party has descended upon a sleepy gnome village or halfling caravan only to find an enraged tibbit wizard waiting for them. Gnome and halfling folk who have benefited from such welcome surprises have strong traditions of taking care of stray cats and treating their feline pets as treasured companions.

Natural Explorers

Tibbits have no lands of their own. Instead, they dwell within civilized territories established by other folk. Any civilization that keeps domesticated cats likely houses colonies of tibbits within its cities.

Few tibbits make their identity openly known once they settle in an area. A tibbit is much more likely to remain in cat form as she travels through a city, although she usually keeps a well-hidden, luxurious apartment hidden in an out-of-the-way corner of town. Many tibbits become petty thieves, raiding pantries for fine foods, liquor, and other creature comforts.

Tibbits who travel the land might keep their humanoid guise to make dealings with other creatures easier. Even these tibbits prefer to pass themselves off as travelers from other planes, and they rarely publicize their ability to change shape.

Tibbit Names

Tibbits tend to adopt names based on their physical traits and deeds. A tibbit kitten is given a nickname by her parents or her master, one that reflects her temperament and appearance. When a tibbit comes of age she adopts a name of her choice. Tibbits tend to pick names from other folk, usually based solely on the sound.

Strangers and business partners use the name a tibbit picks for herself, while the tibbit's close friends and family use the original nickname chosen by her parents. A tibbit allows only her closest friends to learn and use her nickname. A nontibbit given such a privilege has received one of the highest honors a tibbit can grant to an outsider.

As a tibbit travels the world, she adopts a surname that reflects her experiences and important deeds. A tibbit usually changes her surname after such an event, but her true name uses all of her adopted surnames from childhood onward, and not just her latest one. When two tibbits meet, they share these long-form names to express their pasts with one another.

In general, tibbit names work for either sex. Whether male or female, a tibbit who has a short tail in cat form likely ends up with the nickname "Spiketail."

Parent-Bestowed Names: Blackpaw, Glittereye, Longear, Patchfur, Quickfang, Tumblepaw.

Chosen Names: Anisa, Leo, Mischa, Nikko, Shalimar, Soey, Tipp

Surnames: Barrelrider, Cavelooker, Dogjumper, Shadeslayer, Wirewalker

Adventurous

The life of an adventurer comes naturally to a tibbit, as her curiosity pushes her ever onward. While many tibbits satisfy this drive with travel to civilized areas and exploration of a city's corners, some tibbits want more out of life. "Adventurer" is seen as a respected occupation among tibbits, and they have a natural fascination for adventurers of other races. In some cases, a tibbit in cat form takes to following an adventuring band, concealing its true nature until an opportune moment. A tibbit fighter might spring from cat to humanoid form in time to drive off a group of orcs that threatens the party's camp. In this manner, tibbits prove their valor and demonstrate their unmatched stealth in hopes of winning a place with their unwitting comrades.

Tibbit Traits

Your tibbit character has a number of traits in common with all other tibbits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by +2.

Creature of the Night

You have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Perception or Stealth.

Nine Lives

Whenever you make a Death Saving Throw, you may add your proficiency bonus to the roll, potentially changing the outcome. You can use this trait once per short or long rest.

Age

A tibbit reaches adulthood at the age of 20, and generally lives to be 400 years old.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and you can speak and understand Feline. The Feline language, a strange combination of purrs, hisses, and empathic transfers, allows tibbits to communicate with cats of all forms. Tibbits are born with the knowledge of this language. Of course, cats can choose to simply ignore you if they please.

Size

Tibbits average about 3 feet tall and weigh about 40 pounds. Your size is small. You also count as a monstrosity as you will spend the majority of your time as a cat and are classified as a species of shapechanger/shifter.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Feline Form

You can use your action to magically assume the shape of a house cat. You will always transform into the same house cat every time.

You can remain in this form for a number of hours equal to your Constitution Modifier (minimum 1) per long rest, You maintain your normal hit points, there are no additional hit points given by this form. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using an action on your turn, emerging prone. While you are transformed, the following rules apply:

Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of a cat, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies. You also retain your current hit points when changed, you do not drop to that of a cat. When you are dropped to 0 hit points in your cat form, you turn unconscious, and revert back to your humanoid form.
You can't cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to those actions which a cat may take. Transforming does not break your concentration on a spell you've already cast. However, it does prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you've already cast.
You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if a cat is physically capable of doing so.
You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for a cat to wear a piece of equipment, based on its shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it.
Unlike the classic cat, you have Darkvision in your feline form: you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet 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 grey.
You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours whilst you are transformed in this way.

Familiar Affinity

Owing to their origins as familiars, Tibbits can willingly choose to serve as the familiar for a friendly spellcaster. To do so, you must be present for the entire casting of a Find Familiar spell. Instead of locating a new familiar, the ritual ends with you having been chosen as the familiar for the caster. You do not have to follow the orders of your caster and can attack freely. The caster cannot dismiss you except to cease being bonded to you and they cannot change your form. When you drop to 0 hit points you make saving throws as normal. Otherwise, you gain all the features of being a caster’s familiar as follows…

When within 100 feet of the caster, you can communicate with it telepathically and vice versa. The caster can use their action to tap into your sight and hearing until the end of their next turn. The caster can communicate with you but not control you when in this state. The caster also goes deaf and blind in regards to their own senses during the duration of the connection.
The Caster can cast a range of touch spells through you on their turn. The Caster must be within 100 feet of you, and you must use your reaction to deliver the spell. If the spell requires an attack roll, the Caster must use their attack modifier for the roll.

Alignment

Tibbits have a strong tendency toward chaos and an equally strong lethargy toward moral issues, making the majority of them chaotic neutral. Carefree, decadent, and given to long periods of wallowing in luxury, tibbits can be maddeningly self-centered. Some tibbits tend toward proactive freedom-seeking, marking chaotic good as their second most common alignment. Such tibbits share many of their neutral brethren's tendencies, but a righteous struggle or a chance to spring a trap on evildoers rouses them to action. Equipment that merges with the new form has no effect until you leave the form.

Subraces

The two main kinds of tibbits, alley cats and domestics, refer more to whether the tibbit was raised in a Wizard's tower, or on the streets.

Alley Cat

As an Alley Cat, you have lived your life largely as one of exploration and curiosity, unfettered by any master or calling. You're inclined to boldness, independence, and perhaps a bit of overconfidence.

Alley Cats are more prone to wander than other tibbits, rarely settling in one place for long as they constantly seek a better patch of sunlight to rest in.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by +1.
Scavenger: Starvation is no stranger; you require food half as often as a normal character.
Naturally Stealthy: You can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.

Feline Form Enhancement: Purrfect

While you are in your Feline Form, you gain the following benefit:

Purrfect: You know how to appeal to the softer side of people for your own benefit.
Once per short rest, you may attempt to beguile a sentient being that is not clearly hostile or overly wary. When within 5ft of the target, you may attempt a Performance Check, opposed with an Insight check. On a success, the target is considered Charmed by you for 1 hour, or until you do something to irritate the target.

Domestic

As a domestic, you were raised in the care of a wizard. You learned to respect his studious nature, and were well cared for during most of the days. Your master's constant thirst for knowledge only fueled your own curiosity, granting you insight into secrets other tibbits wish they understood, and your constant exposure to magic gave you an inherent resistance to it.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by +1.
Arcane Infusion. You learn the Prestidigitation or Mending cantrip.
The Art of Laziness. You are used to taking short naps throughout the day whenever you can get the opportunity, making the most of your periods of rest.
Whenever you take a Short Rest, you may reroll each Hit Dice expended an additional time, and take either total.

Feline Form Enhancement: Curious

While you are in your Feline Form, you gain the following benefit:

Curious: You have a keen wit and know how to take advantage of opportunities presented as they unfurl. You have advantage on Sleight of Hand checks and Investigation checks.

Tibbit Traits

Your tibbit character has a number of traits in common with all other tibbits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by +2.

Creature of the Night

You have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Perception or Stealth.

Nine Lives

Whenever you make a Death Saving Throw, you may add your proficiency bonus to the roll, potentially changing the outcome. You can use this trait once per short or long rest

Age

A tibbit reaches adulthood at the age of 20, and generally lives to be 400 years old.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and you can speak and understand Feline. The Feline language, a strange combination of purrs, hisses, and empathic transfers, allows tibbits to communicate with cats of all forms. Tibbits are born with the knowledge of this language. Of course, cats can choose to simply ignore you if they please.

Age

Tibbits average about 3 feet tall and weigh about 40 pounds. Your size is small. You also count as a monstrosity as you will spend the majority of your time as a cat and are classified as a species of shapechanger/shifter.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Feline Form

You can use your action to magically assume the shape of a house cat. You will always transform into the same house cat every time.

Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of a cat, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies. You also retain your current hit points when changed, you do not drop to that of a cat. When you are dropped to 0 hit points in your cat form, you turn unconscious, and revert back to your humanoid form.
You can't cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to those actions which a cat may take. Transforming does not break your concentration on a spell you've already cast. However, it does prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as call lightning, that you've already cast.
You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if a cat is physically capable of doing so.
You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for a cat to wear a piece of equipment, based on its shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it.
Unlike the classic cat, you have Darkvision in your feline form: you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet 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 grey.
You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours whilst you are transformed in this way.

Alignment

Familiar Affinity

* When within 100 feet of the caster, you can communicate with it telepathically and vice versa. The caster can use their action to tap into your sight and hearing until the end of their next turn. The caster can communicate with you but not control you when in this state. The caster also goes deaf and blind in regards to their own senses during the duration of the connection.
* The Caster can cast a range of touch spells through you on their turn. The Caster must be within 100 feet of you, and you must use your reaction to deliver the spell. If the spell requires an attack roll, the Caster must use their attack modifier for the roll.

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