Homebrew Bodega Cat Species Details

A bodega cat (also referred to as a deli cat, store cat, or shop cat) is a cat that inhabits a bodega, which in New York City English refers to a convenience store or deli. Much like farm cats, library cats, and ship cats, a bodega cat is typically a mixed breed cat kept as a form of biological pest control to manage or prevent rodent infestations.

A bodega cat may be a domesticated cat that is kept by the bodega owner, or a semi-feral cat that the bodega owner attracts to the store through regular feeding. Public health departments typically prohibit bodega cats under food codes that ban live animals from establishments where consumable goods are sold.

— Wikipedia

 Hailing from a strange and distant land, Bodega Cats are magical creatures that can shapeshift to become humanoids, and are driven by curiosity to collect interesting artifacts, gather tales and stories, and lay eyes on all the world’s wonders. 

Keepers of Lore

Bodega Cats treasure knowledge, just as they do material things. A chest filled with gold coins might be useful to buy food or a coil of rope, but it’s not intrinsically interesting. In the eyes of a Bodega Cat, gathering wealth is like packing rations for a long trip. It’s important to survive in the world, but not the only thing.

Instead, Cats value knowledge and new experiences. Their ears perk up in a busy bar, and they tease out stories with offers of food, milk, and coin. Bodega Cats might walk away with empty purses, but they mull over the stories and rumors they collected like a miser counting coins.

Bodega Cats also have an insatiable desire to find and inspect ancient relics, magical items, and other rare objects. Aside from the power such items might confer, a Bodega Cat takes great joy in unraveling the stories behind their creation and the history of their use.

Hyper Fixation

Hyperfixation is not unique to Bodega Cats, but almost every child and adult Bodega Cat knows what it feels like to become so engrossed in something — a book, a home project, a video game — that they block out the world around them for hours at a time. 

Hyperfocusing refers to an intense fixation on an interest or activity for an extended period of time. Bodega Cats who experience hyperfocus often become so engrossed they block out the world around them. Bodega Cats of all ages often exhibit hyperfocus when working intently on things that interest them, they do not grow out of it.

There’s nothing inherently harmful about hyperfocus. In fact, it can be an asset. Some Bodega Cats, for example, are able to channel their focus on something productive, such as a school- or work-related activity. Others allow themselves to hyperfocus on something as a reward for completing a dull but important task.

Many Bodega Cat scientists, writers, and artists have had very successful careers, in large part because of their ability to focus on what they’re doing for hours on end, but unrestrained intense focus is most often a liability. Left unchecked, it can lead to failure in school, lost productivity on the job, and strained relationships with friends and at home.

Bodega Cat Names

Each Bodega Cat has a unique name, determined by rather esoteric factors. Cat names can often apply to both males and females, and most use nicknames derived from or inspired by their full names.

The following list of sample Cat names includes nicknames in parenthesis.

Cat Names: Esmerelda (Ella), Yum-Yum Coco (Yums), Mr. Fuzzkins (Fuzz), Sakamoto (Sake), Tom Glitter (Glitty-Kitty), Pompompur (Pompy), Whiskeridoo (Whiskey),  Honeystring (Honey), Peanutbutterjiggles (Peanut), Beep Boop (B.B.), Sweet Cakes (Sweetie), Gregory Chimney (Greg), Monocole (Monny)

Kitty Cat Personality

A Bodega Cat might have motivations and quirks much different from a dwarf or an elf with a similar background. You can use the following tables to customize your character in addition to the trait, ideal, bond, and flaw from your background.

The Cat Obsession table can help hone your character’s goals. For extra fun, roll a new result every few days that pass in the campaign to reflect your ever-changing curiosity.

Cat Obsessions

d8	My curiosity is currently fixed on …
1	A bodega
2	A monster
3	A historic event
4	A wizard’s secrets
5	A mundane item
6	A magic item
7	A location
8	A legend or tale

 Kitty Quirks

d10	Quirk
1	You miss your original bodega and complain endlessly about other stores, even in other, similar bodegas.
2	You never wear the same outfit twice, unless you absolutely must.
3	You have a minor phobia of water and hate getting wet.
4	Your tail always betrays your inner thoughts in cat form.
5	You purr loudly when you are happy, even in human form.
6	You keep a small ball of yarn in your hand, which you constantly fidget with in your human form.
7	You are always in debt, since you spend your gold on lavish parties and gifts for friends.
8	When talking about something you’re obsessed with, you speak quickly and never pause and others can’t understand you.
9	You are a font of random trivia from the lore and stories you have discovered.
10	You can’t help but pocket interesting objects you come across.

Bodega Cat Traits

Your Bodega Cat character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.

Age

Bodega Cats are time immemorial, they often have lived in a city longer than anyone else. It is not uncommon for a Bodega Cat to even predate the city they live in. Bodega Cats enjoy birthdays, but do not track their extensively long lives. Bodega cats, as they say, have 9 lives, living up to 1000 years in total, but no one knows for sure.

Cat's Meow

In response to taking damage, the bodega cat utters a dreadful "meow" of power. Each creature within 30 feet of him that isn't a cat must succeed on a DC22 Wisdom saving throw, or become frightened of him for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. A creature that saves against this effect is immune to meows for 24 hours.

Size

Bodega Cats are able to shapeshift between cat form and human form. Your size is Medium as a human, and small as a cat. You may shapeshift using a bonus action.

You revert to your cat form if you are knocked unconscious in battle.

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. When you move on your turn in combat, you can double your speed until the end of the turn. Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you move 0 feet on one of your turns.

Cat’s Claws

Because of your claws, you have a climbing speed of 10 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 2d8 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Cat’s Talent

You have proficiency in the Perception and Stealth skills.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.

Fuzzy Static Shock

The Bodega Cat releases static electricity from its fur in a 20-foot radius. All other creatures in that area must each make a DC22 Dex saving throw. Creatures holding or wearing metal must roll at disadvantage. On a failed save, creatures take 4d8 lightning damage, or half as much on a successful one.

The ability resets on a short rest. A catnap, if you will.