Tabaxi (3.5e Creature)

Tabaxi

Size/Type:	Medium Humanoid (Tabaxi)
Hit Dice:	2d8+2 (11 hp)
Initiative:	+3 (Dex)
Speed:	40 ft,climb 20 ft.
Armor Class:	14 (+3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple:	+1/+3
Attack:	2 claws +5 melee, bite +0 melee; or club +4 melee; or javelin +5 ranged
Full Attack:	—
Space/Reach:	5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:	Pounce, improved grab, rake 1d3+1
Special Qualities:	Lowlight Vision, Scent
Saves:	Fort +1, Ref +6, Will +1
Abilities:	Str 14, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills:	Balance +11, Hide +8*, Listen +5, Move Silently +12, Spot +6, Swim +4
Feats:	Weapon Finesse (claws)
Environment:	Warm forests, jungle or plains
Organization:	Solitary, Hunt (2-8,) Clan(30-50)
Challenge Rating:	2
Treasure:	Standard
Alignment:	Usually Chaotic Neutral
Advancement:	By character class
Level Adjustment:	+1

A leopard-like humanoid runs out of the jungle, hissing like a cat. It raises its claws and leaps for the nearest person.

Physical Description

A tabaxi resembles a lithe, graceful, athletic human with a feline head and a tail. Instead of skin, they have beautiful spotted fur pelts that ranged in color from light yellow to brownish red. They have sharp teeth and retractable claws, which are their primary weapons in combat. They are tall and slender, usually growing to 6 or 6.5 feet and weighing around 200 lb.s. All tabaxi have eyes of green or yellow. Tabaxi who have spots pronounce their name ta-BAX-ee. Tabaxi in other regions may have stripes or a solid tawny pelt, grow larger and pronounce their race's name tah-BAHSH-ee.

Society

Tabaxi dwell in tropical or subtropical jungles in clans of equal parts male and female. Hunter/gatherer groups of Tabaxi are called Hunts, and a clan usually contains several. The Hunts work the area around the clan lair. Some lairs are temporary, but most are small villages of ramadas (huts with grass roofs supported by tall poles, and no walls). A lair will typically contain some young Tabaxi, plus an elder who leads the clan. 50% of these elder-leaders are aided by a shaman. A clan has a 10% chance of owing allegiance to a tabaxi lord; these clans tend toward evil, warlike ways, and their shamans worship evil powers. Shamans of clans not under the control of Tabaxi Lords worship powers related to sunlight, rain, or animals.

Tabaxi are reclusive and avoid other intelligent beings, even other tabaxi clans. They do not engage in trade, which they consider demeaning, but some few have agents who trade for them. Tabaxi speak their own ancient language, Common and Sylvan. Legends tell of a great tabaxi civilization that was supplanted by other races. Though adventuring tabaxi are rare it is not uncommon for members of this species to pick up levels in druid, ranger, rogue, shaman or warrior.

Ecology

Tabaxi have few natural enemies. For food, they prefer the boar-like peccaries and huge rodents called capybaras; only a very degenerate clan attacks members of another intelligent species for food. Tabaxi are sometimes hunted for their pelts, worth up to 250 gp each. Their skins and claws are also useful in some types of natural magic.

Combat

Tabaxi are clever and organized, often driving prey into an ambush (though some play with prey before killing it). They will employ their natural weapons or a javelin and club in combat.

Pounce (Ex): If a tabaxi leaps upon a foe during the first round of combat, it can make a full attack even if it has already taken a move action.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the tabaxi must hit with a claw attack. If it gets a hold, it can rake.

Rake (Ex): A tabaxi that gets a hold can make two rake attacks (+5 melee) with its hind legs for 1d3+1 damage each. If the tabaxi pounces on an opponent, it can also rake.

Skills

Skills: Tabaxi receive a +4 racial bonus to Balance, Hide, and Move Silently checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus improves to +8.

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