Awakened Template?

[Jarl]

Where is it? I can't find it in the SRD.
I'm playing an Awakened Cat Paladin, and the spell info is good, but I understand there's a template out there that's better. Just lookin' for it.

-[edit]Also, while we're at it, what's the damage for a tiny sized rapier and tiny sized Scythe?

[Zherog]

I've never seen a template. Perhaps you're thinking of the anthropomorphic races section of Savage Species?

And... how's your cat going to wield a rapier? Being awakened doesn't give it opposable thumbs or make it bipedal... To answer the question, though: if a Medium weapon does 1d6, the Tiny equivelant does 1d3. You step from 1d6 to 1d4 at Small, and then from 1d4 to 1d3 to get to Tiny.

[Viscount Einstrauss]

I think he means "catfolk". They're humanoid.

[Shazzbaa]

I think he means "catfolk". They're humanoid.

But then... why would he need to be awakened...? Are catfolk animals?

[Viscount Einstrauss]

...oh yeah. Missed that.

Maybe, uh... spell-stitch hands onto it?

[Yuki Akuma]

...oh yeah. Missed that.

Maybe, uh... spell-stitch hands onto it?

...Spell-stitched is a template for undead which allows them to cast spells innately.

There is, however, a special weapon ability that lets a creature without thumbs to wield it. I have no idea what it's called or where you'd find it, though.

[Viscount Einstrauss]

Oh yeah, I remember! Staples!

[Malachite]

He'll mean a cat with the Awaken spell cast on it. That's it - look up the spell "Awaken Animal" or whatever it's call, and just apply the effects to a cat to get the character. Not sure what you'd do for ECL though.

[Captain van der Decken]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polydactyl_cat
This?

[Mewtarthio]

He'll mean a cat with the Awaken spell cast on it. That's it - look up the spell "Awaken Animal" or whatever it's call, and just apply the effects to a cat to get the character. Not sure what you'd do for ECL though.

Well, ECL-wise, it's basically the same thing as a natural lycanthropic werecat (yes, you can make a werehousecat if you use a Small creature as the base) except it can still talk and cast spells in animal form but can never shift to hybrid or human form. That template's worth +3 LA, no racial HD. If anything, I'd say the Awakened Cat is less powerful than that, since it loses a whole lot of item slots, requires customized armor, and (most importantly) has no opposable thumbs to grip any items (not to mention the RP aspects of an Awakened Cat). That basically means your party has to dress you up every morning. Oh, and no rods, staves, wands, scrolls, or weapons for you (well, I suppose you could use a scroll if somebody else held it open so you could read it). You may also run into difficulties with somatic components, but it depends on how merciful your DM is.

[Yuki Akuma]

Well, ECL-wise, it's basically the same thing as a natural lycanthropic werecat (yes, you can make a werehousecat if you use a Small creature as the base) except it can still talk and cast spells in animal form but can never shift to hybrid or human form. That template's worth +3 LA, no racial HD. If anything, I'd say the Awakened Cat is less powerful than that, since it loses a whole lot of item slots, requires customized armor, and (most importantly) has no opposable thumbs to grip any items (not to mention the RP aspects of an Awakened Cat). That basically means your party has to dress you up every morning. Oh, and no rods, staves, wands, scrolls, or weapons for you (well, I suppose you could use a scroll if somebody else held it open so you could read it). You may also run into difficulties with somatic components, but it depends on how merciful your DM is.

Erm... how to pick this apart...

Okay, first, an awakened cat is nothing like a werecat; it has none of the abilities that makes a werecat a werecat. Cats also have exactly the same body slots as a humanoid; they just need to have some items slightly modified (they can wear 'gloves' and boots, for example, on their feet), and I don't see the problem with bracers, goggles, hats, armour (barding) or amulets.

Also, creatures can always make somatic gestures in their natural form; you don't need hands. Otherwise you couldn't have a unicorn cleric.

[Mewtarthio]

Okay, first, an awakened cat is nothing like a werecat; it has none of the abilities that makes a werecat a werecat.

Sorry. By that I meant "It should be no more powerful than a werecat," since you could get a similar effect by playing a werecat in animal form and just never shifting out of it.

[Jarl]

It's a polydactyl cat. I guess. The DM just said "Like Puss in Boots", so he has thumbs now.

-Okay, no awakened template (despite what I was told), so I guess it doesn't matter.

[Zincorium]

Sorry. By that I meant "It should be no more powerful than a werecat," since you could get a similar effect by playing a werecat in animal form and just never shifting out of it.

Plus an alternate form that's humanoid, damage reduction versus silver, and so on. A cat with opposable thumbs has very little advantage in any respect over a normal race (str -8, dex +4, 3d6 int, +2 wis and -2 to +0 cha), even a LA of +1 would be fairly harsh. The skill modifiers are offset by the overall penalty to ability scores, and being tiny is a plus and a minus on it's own.

[Zherog]

It's a polydactyl cat. I guess. The DM just said "Like Puss in Boots", so he has thumbs now.

You'll want to use the anthropomorphic animals from Savage Species. It'll do exactly what you want - make a bipedal cat that can talk, wield weapons, etc.

[Feralgeist]

um, there's an item in the Savage species book That gives you 2 arms, Called "Arms of the Naga" or for a slightly cheaper method, "Gloves of man"

[Wehrkind]

Nah, go with an Awakened Polydactyl cat. Take Zincorium's stats ( (str -8, dex +4, 3d6 int, +2 wis and -2 to +0 cha) but give +2 Charisma because they are so bloody cute.
No LA though. Considering you can't carry anything or do reasonable non-spell damage, an LA is just adding insult to injury. A better metaphore: an LA would be the straw that broke the kitty's back.