Baby Sphinx

[Falcos]

Hi, all.

So I'm building a Healer for a campaign a friend of mine is running. I'm aware of the weaknesses of a Healer, don't worry.

But she has informed me that she doesn't want me to have the mount as part of my kit. I'm cool with that, I can deal.

She has, however, told me that I can have a baby sphinx instead.

And as such, I have been asked to tune down a Gynosphinx's abilities until only the ones that would be held by a baby/kitten sphinx are remaining.

The party is level 10, and it's still apparently capable of speech and intelligence.

The spells are just what I've been asked to tone down.

I have no idea where to start.

Please help, playground?

(If it's relevant, I'm a Vow of Peace Saint healer build)

[Kurald Galain]

I'd suggest you start with an actual cat (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/cat.htm), then add
Darkvision
Flight 40 (poor)
1 rank in one knowledge skill
Roar (all creatures within 50' must make a DC 11 will save or be shaken for 1d6 rounds)
Spells (three cantrips per day, from the cleric list)

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I'd make it small size, and it should be at least as powerful as the Unicorn companion you would normally have. This is using the physical stats and attack damage of a Serval in Sandstorm, and trying to match the AC of the Unicorn but taking the lower HP due to lower Con into consideration.

It would lose its bonus weapon finesse feat once its strength surpasses its dexterity, keeping in mind that as creatures get larger their dexterity and flight maneuverability decreases. Small size with Str 12 it can carry 32 pounds without being encumbered, so give it some light barding, masterwork studded leather has no armor check penalty so its lack of proficiency won't matter. Or give it Sacred Vow + VoP if you want to cheese it.

Gynosphinx Cub
Size/Type: Small Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 4d10+4 (26 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 30 ft. (8 squares), fly 40 ft. (good)
Armor Class: 19 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+1
Attack: Claw +8 melee (1d3+1)
Full Attack: 2 claws +8 melee (1d3+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Pounce, rake 1d3, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 15
Skills: Bluff +7, Concentration +5, Diplomacy +6, Disguise +2 (+4 acting), Intimidate +4, Listen +9, Sense Motive +7, Spot +9 (Ranks: Bluff 5, Concentration 4, Listen 7, Sense Motive 5, Spot 7)
Feats: Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Weapon Finesse (B)

Pounce (Ex): If a sphinx charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.

Rake (Ex): A sphinx that pounces onto a creature can make two rake attacks with its hind legs. Attack bonus +8 melee, damage 1d3.

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—clairaudience/clairvoyance, detect magic, read magic, see invisibility; 1/day—comprehend languages, dispel magic, remove curse (DC 16). Caster level 10th. The save DC is Charisma-based.


Note that it wouldn't be an expert at using clairaudience/clairvoyance and would likely have already used some by the time it's needed, and its lack of Spellcraft diminishes the usefulness detect/read magic even as an adult.

If it grows up, juvenile should be +2 HD, medium size, 1d4 damage with claws and rakes, +8 natural armor, Str 16, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 17, Cha 17, 40 ft. land speed, 50 ft. fly (average). Also give it the rest of the spell-like abilities (CL 12) but not the Symbols.

[Bronk]

The party is level 10, and it's still apparently capable of speech and intelligence.

The spells are just what I've been asked to tone down.

I have no idea where to start.

Please help, playground?

(If it's relevant, I'm a Vow of Peace Saint healer build)

Gynosphinxes and Androsphinxes are Large, with the bodies of cats. Lions are also Large, and their cubs are about housecat sized.

I'd keep it simple by starting with a Tressym from Lost Empires of Faerun (already a talking winged housecat), take off the one 'Weapon Finesse' Feat, add on 'Iron Will', and reduce its spells to level 3 spells from level 6 to make your DM happy... maybe even lower, since it should be able to use wands of low level spells from those domains. It can get everything else when (or if) it gets older.

Then, try to get your DM to agree to a few extra hit dice, then beef it up per the healer mount ability (or try to get it turned into a familiar or animal companion, as the tressym was allowed to be in Sandstorm) to increase its survivability. It would now make a great healbot, messenger, spy, or DM mouthpiece.

Edit: The more I think about it, the more I think your DM would like to make your baby sphinx a familiar, because it would be easier to use that as an in-game justification of keeping it as a baby indefinitely.

[Tiktakkat]

Maybe try a pseudosphinx from Pathfinder.
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/magical-beasts/pseudosphinx/

Like a pseudodragon but a mini-sphinx instead of a mini-dragon, intended as an improved familiar option.

I have no idea how you would advance it from there, but it could be useful as a starting point.