Help Me Make an Awesome Character With: An Awakened Housecat

[wayfare]

So, my GM is allowing me to play an awakened housecat in our next game, which has been a goal of mine for many, many years now. I know this sounds quite silly, but I think it could also be quite awesome. Help me design a build for this furry adventurer!

Many Thanks

--Wayfare

[Baroncognito]

What type of character do you want to be?

[Qwertystop]

It's debatable whether you can cast verbal-component and somatic-component spells, so Arcane casters are a bad idea unless you can confirm that you can (in which case it's great, since spells don't scale down with size and you can hide really well).

Getting a way of precision damage would be good if you're going for non-magic combat, since your claws won't do much damage.

Psionics would be great, same benefits as casters without the debatability of components.

[Baroncognito]

It's debatable whether you can cast verbal-component and somatic-component spells, so Arcane casters are a bad idea unless you can confirm that you can (in which case it's great, since spells don't scale down with size and you can hide really well)

Make a druid?

Or a Wildshape ranger. You run around as a cat but turn into a Lion for fights.

[wayfare]

Well, a stealth based character seems to come naturally (Kitty Sneak Attacks for 1d2 + 6d6 = hilarity). I honestly considered a swordsage with Shadow Hand.

Or a Scout. Actually, a Scout would be really sweet, I think.

I would either want to go with a precision damage dealer, or perhaps some kind of off magic type (Shadowcaster might be nice).

[Ardantis]

I think the rogue build is too obvious, and the psionics and wildshape sort of defeat the point.

I like the scout idea, or scout/ranger or scout/rogue. I also like the rogue/swashbuckler Daring Outlaw build, because it would highlight your cat's mental stats a little more (Int and Cha, specifically) while taking advantage of your main combat stat (Dex).

[Retech]

Cat cleric!

Take the cat domain + special feats from that WOTC article on housecats and destroy. Alternatively, sorcerer.

[Waker]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fools/20030401c
Someone had to do it.

[wayfare]

I had thought of Swashbuckler, but that would effectively make me Puss in Boots, which would in turn demand an awful accent, and so has been nixed by the DM.

[flumphy]

Well, why not swordsage? It should be sufficiently powerful in all but the most optimized party, it seems like a skillset that a cat would long for, and yet it's not really cliche in any way. At least, I can't think of any feline ninjas off the top of my head.

[Baroncognito]

Were I the GM, if you wanted to be a caster, I'd allow you to take the Natural Casting feat without having to meet the prerequisites.

I'm not sure how the spell book would work for a wizard, but a sorcerer would be easy enough.

BARD! Take ranks in Perform: Yowling (or Yodeling (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxLG2wtE7TM))

[wayfare]

Elder Mountain Hammer with a tail swat does seem pretty sweet.

Ok, any ideas as to what sort of equipment I could use? I think that there are weapons designed to enhance claw and bite attacks, but I'm not certain where to find them.

@Baroncognito: Truly, a fine idea! I would love to go this route, and may do so if we are short on casters.

[Baroncognito]

Well, there's the "Improved Natural Attack" feat, it allows you to bring one natural attack up a size category.

You'll probably also want an Amulet of Natural Attacks.

[Waker]

I'm away from book right now, but there is an alteration to weapons in Lords of Madness that allows you to hold a weapon in your mouth and use it in place of a bite attack.
You could also consider going Totemist (Magic of Incarnum) and make a cat with multiple arms, wings and all sorts of other crazy stuff.

[flumphy]

You might find this useful, specifically the list of equipment at the end:

Natural Weapons and You: A Mini-Guide (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=10994.0)

[Qwertystop]

Get the spell "Mind of a Beast" (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20030106a). You're a housecat with a sentient mind. Give enemy sentients a housecat's mind!

But seriously, this spell fits well enough I'd take it as a wand or wondrous item if it's not castable with the build you pick.

[hex0]

It would be fairly easy to sneak attack in social situations or when combat isn't already started, that is for sure. Would make a very nice Spellthief in that regard.

"Oh it is a kitty, whatever."
"MEOW!"
"OW! My ankle!"

[NichG]

You could go Thrallherd and have a bunch of subserviant humans around, hypno-toad style. Get carried around on a palanquin. If you want to go evil, play up the cat vs commoner thing.

[Hiro Protagonest]

(or Yodeling (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxLG2wtE7TM))

Original video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHXBL6bzAR4&feature=youtube_gdata_player).

Sequel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-0-WPoq0UM&feature=youtube_gdata_player).

[Diefje]

Warlock, cause we all know that cats are demonspawn

[The Dark Fiddler]

I had a lot of fun with an awakened cat sorcerer, once. DM was nice enough to round down the 2.5 HD post-awakening, leaving me only 2 levels behind. I did feel them, though, so see if you can't work something out regarding the racial HD with your DM. If you can't, take Practiced Spellcaster to cover the loss and roll with it anyway.

[noparlpf]

It's debatable whether you can cast verbal-component and somatic-component spells, so Arcane casters are a bad idea unless you can confirm that you can (in which case it's great, since spells don't scale down with size and you can hide really well).

Savage Species, "Surrogate Spellcasting" should do the trick.

[wayfare]

I had a lot of fun with an awakened cat sorcerer, once. DM was nice enough to round down the 2.5 HD post-awakening, leaving me only 2 levels behind. I did feel them, though, so see if you can't work something out regarding the racial HD with your DM. If you can't, take Practiced Spellcaster to cover the loss and roll with it anyway.

I'm thinking of trying to convince the DM to make it an LA +0 race with the following characteristics:

Awakened Cat
Tiny Animal

Speed: 30 feet
Reach: 0 Feet

-10 Str
+4 Dex
+2 Wis

Feline Agility: Cats have a +4 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, and Move Silently checks and +8 racial bonus on Jump, Balance and Tumble checks.

Feline Acumen: Cats use their Dexterity in place of Strength when making Climb and Jump checks.

Scent: Cats have the Scent extraordinary ability

Low-Light Vision

But is is LA +0?

[RelentlessImp]

This thread inspired this character. YMMV if a DM doesn't want to allow kittens to be able to fulfill somatic components of spells:


Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All
Tiny Chaotic Evil Awakened Cat Warmage 1/Rainbow Servant X
Feats include: Heighten Spell, Versatile Spellcaster, Earth Sense, Earth Spell, Eschew Materials.
Flaws include: Frail, Non-Combatant, Vulnerable

Ability Scores: Str 1, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 18 (32 PB minimum)

Stormageddon is an incredibly young housecat, just a little over two months old. Formerly belonging to a low-ranking functionary of the Church of the Silver Flame, Stormageddon was known during his time there as 'that little furball that naps in front of the Silver Flame'. Being referred to in such terms annoyed Stormageddon, the Dark Lord of All - these peasants didn't understand what awaited them - annoyed Stormy, so he plotted his revenge on them.

A young wizardess who was looking for a familiar happened to be stopping by Flamekeep to gather supplies to summon said familiar. She didn't know she was also getting a backpack full of kitten. Delighted by the happenstance (this was a very young wizardess, mind), she promptly performed the familiar ritual on her newfound kitten, awakening Stormageddon's mind to sentience - and transferring a small modicum of the wizardess' magical talent to her new familiar.

Delighted by the circumstance, Stormageddon traveled with the wizardess for a time, stealing peeks at her spellbook while she slept and discussing the nature of magic with his new owner the rest of the time. This led to a drastic improvement of the young lady's grades when she returned to the Academy, and led to her being graduated with honors.

Unfortunately, after graduation, the young lady was shipped off to (Campaign Beginning Area), where she died under mysterious circumstances. Stormageddon has been sighted in the area, but since nobody but the young wizardess knew his true nature, think him nothing more than an adorable kitten. They also know it looks like he's trying to leave, since he keeps sneaking into people's luggage and onto outbound caravans, only to be inevitably found and thrown out.

Stormageddon's purposes are now entirely twofold: The first, to break down the barriers between arcane and divine magic - a topic of great interest frequently discussed back and forth between Stormy and his wizardess - and to get back to Flamekeep, so he can nap in front of the Great Glowy Fireplace That Makes For Awesome Catnaps once again.

And to punish those damned priests who keep moving him out from in front of it. PEASANTS! YOU WILL RUE THE DAY YOU CROSSED STORMAGEDDON, DARK LORD OF ALL!

[noparlpf]

I'm thinking of trying to convince the DM to make it an LA +0 race with the following characteristics:

Awakened Cat
Tiny Animal

Speed: 30 feet
Reach: 0 Feet

-10 Str
+4 Dex
+2 Wis

Feline Agility: Cats have a +4 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, and Move Silently checks and +8 racial bonus on Jump, Balance and Tumble checks.

Feline Acumen: Cats use their Dexterity in place of Strength when making Climb and Jump checks.

Scent: Cats have the Scent extraordinary ability

Low-Light Vision

But is it LA +0?

Well, I think it should probably be -8 Str, not -10. -10 gives an average of 0, leaving the average awakened housecat paralyzed.
They should also get auto-success on Tumble checks made to negate falling damage from any height above...what was it, 10' or 20'? But only as long as they're able to move properly. My physics professor last year explained that a cat's terminal velocity is low enough that it can fall any height without getting hurt, so long as it has about 10' during which it can flip over and 10' during which it can flatten out and decelerate. Something like those numbers.

[wayfare]

How about this:

Awakened Cat
Tiny Animal

Speed: 30 feet
Reach: 0 Feet

-8 Str
+4 Dex

Feline Agility: Cats have a +4 racial bonus on Climb, Hide, and Move Silently checks and +8 racial bonus on Jump, Balance and Tumble checks.

Feline Acumen: Cats use their Dexterity in place of Strength when making Climb and Jump checks.

Scent: Cats have the Scent extraordinary ability

Slow Fall: A cat treats any fall he takes a 20 feet shorter for the purpose of determining damage.

Low-Light Vision

But is it LA +0?

[wayfare]

Ok, as this is not a Hi-Op game, I've decided to go Scout, but I want to take some ToB maneuvers and stances as feats. Any Suggestions?

My Stats:

Strength: 4
Dexterity: 21
Constitution: 15
Intelligence: 12
Wisdom: 14
Charisma: 10

I'd like maneuvers that help me do the whole "stealthy warrior" thing, but I do want a few that I could use as "finishing moves" when combat gets hairy. I know shadow hand has some nice teleport stuff, but the lack of refresh makes it hard to squeeze much use out of it.

Thanks for the help so far!

[Ravens_cry]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fools/20030401c
Someone had to do it.
I wanted it to be me, but yes, feline feats are freaking fabulous!:smallbiggrin:

[faceroll]

It would be fairly easy to sneak attack in social situations or when combat isn't already started, that is for sure. Would make a very nice Spellthief in that regard.

"Oh it is a kitty, whatever."
"MEOW!"
"OW! My ankle!"

"Where'd my spell go?"

[Medic!]

I had a venerable jermlaine druid/monk gestalt patterened after yoda once who took the shapeshifting ACF from PHB2. Predator form was a house cat. I loved that little bugger *tear-drop*

That being said I would totally vote for warlock.

"So what's your story lil kitty?"
"Words of Changing are not to be trifled with!"
"Mouthy familiar ya got there, Wiz"

[Elric VIII]

I recommend Leadership. Make this guy (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195049) your cohort. Pretend to be his familiar.

[Daftendirekt]

I'm confused why anybody does Awakened house cat when there's Tibbits... What's the advantage?

[Ravens_cry]

A tibbit can turn into a cat, an awakened feline is a cat.

[wayfare]

I recommend Leadership. Make this guy (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195049) your cohort. Pretend to be his familiar.

That would be AWESOME!!!

Imagine: Throw Anything + Skirmish = Cat Missile!

[Elric VIII]

That would be AWESOME!!!

Imagine: Throw Anything + Skirmish = Cat Missile!

That would be his familiar using Deliver Touch Spell.

[Thurbane]

I'd say Binder - it's a class that doesn't need to rely to heavily on gear or wielding items...

The dirty yet "RAW by strictest reading" way to deal with RHD is to get yourself some permanent level loss, then replace them with class levels. I've yet to meet a DM that would let that fly, however.

[limejuicepowder]

I don't think anyone has said this already, but cats have 0 reach, making melee combat highly inadvisable (unless you want to be a cat that uses reach weapons).

hyuck hyuck, or be a cat with wildshaper levels xD. you can stay as a cat, but you can stretch your paws and face like 4 times longer then your whole body to strike!

anyways, does anyone have house rules for the hp of small and tiny animals? I personally lower the die rolled by one for each catagory below medium (d8 becomes d6, etc). I just don't think it's reasonable for tiny animals or creatures to have the same or more hp then a larger creature with similar constitution.

[Elric VIII]

I don't think anyone has said this already, but cats have 0 reach, making melee combat highly inadvisable (unless you want to be a cat that uses reach weapons).

hyuck hyuck, or be a cat with wildshaper levels xD. you can stay as a cat, but you can stretch your paws and face like 4 times longer then your whole body to strike!

That's why you use Confound the Big Folk. You can just tumble into an enemy's square, anyway.


anyways, does anyone have house rules for the hp of small and tiny animals? I personally lower the die rolled by one for each catagory below medium (d8 becomes d6, etc). I just don't think it's reasonable for tiny animals or creatures to have the same or more hp then a larger creature with similar constitution.

This would be strictly you deciding to make things harder for your player. This is made regulated by the fact that large creatures tend to get Con bonuses and smaller creatures tend to get penalties.

[Daftendirekt]

A tibbit can turn into a cat, an awakened feline is a cat.

I always figured if one is playing a tibbit, it's so they can be a cat. Otherwise they'd just play a halfling. So... just play a tibbit,and never use humanoid form.

[Ravens_cry]

I always figured if one is playing a tibbit, it's so they can be a cat. Otherwise they'd just play a halfling. So... just play a tibbit,and never use humanoid form.
Do you qualify for cat feats though?

[The Dark Fiddler]

Ok, as this is not a Hi-Op game, I've decided to go Scout, but I want to take some ToB maneuvers and stances as feats. Any Suggestions?

Strength: 4
Dexterity: 21

You're almost going to NEED Shadow Blade to get Dex to damage... but thinking about it, that would take three feats (Martial Study, Martial Stance, and Shadow Blade) and only works with the discipline's favored weapon, which is going to be really tough for you, unless you can get your DM to waive that restriction or something.


I'm confused why anybody does Awakened house cat when there's Tibbits... What's the advantage?

Well, the main one is that more people have the book that awakened cats come from (PHB) than wherever Tibbits are from :smalltongue:

[Lord Bingo]

Cats are natural assasins, so I suggest you take a look at Mr. Muschi (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=178202&page=6).

[flumphy]

You're almost going to NEED Shadow Blade to get Dex to damage... but thinking about it, that would take three feats (Martial Study, Martial Stance, and Shadow Blade) and only works with the discipline's favored weapon, which is going to be really tough for you, unless you can get your DM to waive that restriction or something.


Yeah, even if you don't go straight swordsage, a dip would make a world of difference for your build.

Going Stoneblessed>Blade Bravo may be too weird for you on this character, but you could look at the Other Killer Gnome (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872846/I_May_Be_Tiny,_But_Youre_Dead:_the_other,_melee_Ki ller_Gnome,_for_your_pleasure.)for feats and tactics a tiny melee character can use.

[hisnamehere]

Have you ever heard of the Blue Mage CC by Aramek? He also created a race, the elven star stepper (an intelligent cat LA +0 race) that had Blue Mage as a favored class.
I can't seem to find...no wait;
http://web.archive.org/web/20070221040337/http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=137596
But no luck on the elven star stepper, tho.

Although, I second the scout build.

But also, there was a god in a David Eddings series that commonly used a cat avatar, using its pleasant characteristics (soft, comforting purring) to help sway peoples' decisions (Diplomacy), so that would be a fun build, too, working well off Warlock, 'cause who wouldn't want a eldritch-blasting kitty. And a kitty that could use any magic item.

End rant.

(Happy gaming!)

[Arbane]

Dragon Disciple?

FIRE-BREATHING CAT!

[suhkkaet]

In addition to the whole tiny-assassin-type housecat, what about a spellthief cat? I mean, a lot of mages wouldn't think a housecat a big foe, and if you can enter their square, you can steal their spells (like that tiny gnome who sneak attacks.. But you also steal spells!)

[Chronos]

Yeah, even if you don't go straight swordsage, a dip would make a world of difference for your build.Yeah, a 1-level dip in an initiator class is almost always a better idea than Martial Study/Stance feats. You get a bunch of maneuvers and a stance all at once-- A single-level dip is easily worth the equivalent of 4-7 feats.

[Endarire]

Lords of Madness has the Mouthpick weapon enhancement (+1).

Metaphysical weapons tend to resize to fit their wielder.

Also, Unarmed Swordsage (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2HEBeFYtD4Y/TVT8cibcLPI/AAAAAAAAAcU/6YG99lbyfbY/s1600/108383.jpg) OR Bard (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PgfRBZetNGE/TBLbERY9hqI/AAAAAAAABXw/k2gpyM6dsgc/s1600/cat+pianist.jpg).

[Elboxo]

I'm playing a Factotum Tibbit at the moment, Tibbits being were-cats, it's awesomely fun and you can RP the crap out of it whenever you fight rats/climb ropes.

But I'd agree with others here that psionics would be the way to go!
Then to thrall-herd.... get the human slaves to bring you ALL THE MILK AND CATNIP