Catgirls?

[olelia]

Okay...I know what a catgirl is per say...but I mean what is one. Like I understand the general gist of it but is there actually an official description? How do you become one? It seems that the term is a relativly new term or am I mistaken and its been around for a while?

[Keld Denar]

A catgirl is a girl with feline features, mostly ears and a tail, commonly seen in anime and such. Google "catgirl" on images mode for a very good graphic representation. Make sure you have the adult filter turned on. You'll thank me.

I believe it all started with an old internet meme that went "Every time you masturbate, god kills a kitten. For gods sake, think of the kittens." and had a picture of some kittens and a wierd monster thing.

The term was ported to D&D when someone coined the phrase "Every time you introduce real-life physics into a fantasy world, god kills a catgirl" since it kept most of the same elements.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A catgirl is a girl with feline features, mostly ears and a tail, commonly seen in anime and such.

Yup, a hairy chick.

[SoD]

Well, first you get killed, then you get a friendly druid to reincarnate you, repeat as needed until a 100 (other-DM's choice) is rolled and beg your DM to be reincarnated as a Catfolk. Then, if need be, undergo a sex change operation if you're not already female-voila! Catgirl!

[Snadgeros]

It's a running joke on this site that any time you bring physics/science into a discussion of game mechanics, you kill a catgirl. Basically, it's a girl with cat ears and a tail, possibly fur and/or whiskers. Also, you just killed a kobold. *Points to my sig*

[SoD]

Who? Was it me, or someone else? My appologies if it was me, I don't have the best spelling, but I make an effort.

I'll hire the druid and the surgeon if they want to be Catgirls as well.

[nargbop]

Catgirls are living embodiments of shmexy. Ruffle their ears and they purr.

[The Professor]

Catgirls are living embodiments of shmexy. Ruffle their ears and they purr.

Actually, they can't. If a feline is large enough to roar, it's physically incapable of purring.

Anyone got a body count on that one?

[kamikasei]

Actually, they can't. If a feline is large enough to roar, it's physically incapable of purring.

They're catgirls, not girl cats! I know enough human girls who will purr if induced to.

[Seffbasilisk]

They're catgirls, not girl cats! I know enough human girls who will purr if induced to.

As do I, but I feel that's somewhat off topic.

Catgirls in game can be reached easiest through the race: Catfolk.

It's found in races of the wild, and is exactly what it sounds like. A race of catboys and catgirls, unfortunatly, it's also pretty good for an LA +1, so I've been guilty of playing them.

I mean...bonus to Dex and Cha, and with a single feat you get pounce? Does anyone else see Dervish there?

[blue_fenix]

Actually, they can't. If a feline is large enough to roar, it's physically incapable of purring.

Actually, there are some large cats that can both roar and purr. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion Look at the section labeled "Communication"

[Chronos]

Actually, they can't. If a feline is large enough to roar, it's physically incapable of purring.

It's not entirely a matter of size. Mountain lions (AKA pumas, cougars, catamounts, or painters) purr (and snarl, but housecats can do that, too), but jaguars roar. This used to be the defining difference between the genera Felis (which purr) and Pantera (which roar), but I don't know the state of the taxonomy currently. So unless there's some other evidence that catgirls roar, we can't rule out the possibility that they purr.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

Ohh the staggering irony this thread has produced!

[Fhaolan]

Actually, they can't. If a feline is large enough to roar, it's physically incapable of purring.

Anyone got a body count on that one?

Actually, technically, that's also not true. Even the big Panthera genus of cats *can* purr. But they only seem to do on the exhale, and only individuals raised in concert with other, normally purring cats. It appears to be, at least partially, a learned behaviour.

There are some normal house-cats that don't purr... properly. I have one, who was hand-raised by humans as the mother had died soon after birth. She only purrs on exhale, much like the Pantheras. While not definitive proof, this does support the idea that full, true purring requires some kind of training.

[horseboy]

From the board's second favorite site:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CatGirl

[The Professor]

Information throwing my quip out the window.

Well, that's embarrassing. One should always do more research.

Note: Friends do not count as a reliable source. And to think I didn't take my professor at face value on that.

As to the topic, which I have horribly de-railed...

I've only ever seen a single Catfolk in any games I've been in or run, and they were woefully underpowered. It might have something to do with the player not knowing how to play very well, but I digress.

Most of the explanations as to what catgirls are has been made, so my rant on my hatred of current anime can wait to see action another day.

[Hzurr]

It's not entirely a matter of size. Mountain lions (AKA pumas, cougars, catamounts, or painters) purr (and snarl, but housecats can do that, too), but jaguars roar.

What in sam-hill is a Puma? Don't go makin' up mythical animals!

Especially in a d&d forum!


//*** Edit ***/ Note: I do know what a Puma is. This was an obscure reference to Red vs. Blue. *makes mental note to comment all obscure references in [reference] [/reference] tags.

[Ganurath]

What in sam-hill is a Puma? Don't go makin' up mythical animals!

Especially in a d&d forum!

It's kinda mountain lion, and a mascot for a shoe company.

Catgirls in a D&D universe made of pure fluff:

Human with trace Catfolk ancestry, enough to get the ears but not enough to impact game mechanics (use the bonus feat on Alertness.)
Tiefling descended from a Hellcat.
Transmuter/Wild Mage
Were[feline] human.

[Talya]

What in sam-hill is a Puma? Don't go makin' up mythical animals!

Especially in a d&d forum!

Puma concolor is a mammal of the Felidae family, native to the Americas. It is also known as the cougar, mountain lion, or panther.

[UserClone]

Puma concolor is a mammal of the Felidae family, native to the Americas. It is also known as the cougar, mountain lion, or panther.

I'm gonna go ahead and say it for you: BOOYAH! LOUD NOISES!!

[Reinboom]

Someone called?

I've played, and seen played catfolk before.
They are a decent LA +1 race, mainly for their +4 dex. They make a rather effective rogue, and can work as a bard.
Also, something that is glanced over a lot, they can get the feat specifically for their race, catfolk pounce. Which lets them full attack on a charge.

With LA buyoff, they become a very effective race - and can be coupled very nicely with, yes, barbarian. (I wouldn't recommend it without barbarian however).
50 foot movement speed and pounce, as well as +2 dex for initiative and AC makes them interesting.


Aside!
I think what a catgirl is has been answered by others well enough.

[Talya]

With LA buyoff, they become a very effective race - and can be coupled very nicely with, yes, barbarian. (I wouldn't recommend it without barbarian however).

Oh, I can understand wanting to have DR when coupling with something that has claws like that, but Barbarian isn't the only way to get DR.

[Mando Knight]

I wondered how long this thread would have to do without Sweet chiming in.

And as to the second-to-last question in the OP, I think that in D&D, one has to be born a catgirl (female catfolk, custom race, etc.), contract Lycanthropy (Cheetah or Dire Cat if they don't want the hybrid form to be Large...), or Polymorphed into one...

Or one can wear cat-ear headband and a pin-on "tail," and be mocked by all cosplay-haters everywhere...

[Quirinus_Obsidian]

As do I, but I feel that's somewhat off topic.

Catgirls in game can be reached easiest through the race: Catfolk.

It's found in races of the wild, and is exactly what it sounds like. A race of catboys and catgirls, unfortunatly, it's also pretty good for an LA +1, so I've been guilty of playing them.

I mean...bonus to Dex and Cha, and with a single feat you get pounce? Does anyone else see Dervish there?

Done and Done again. Same character, 2 campaigns. =)

[Chronos]

They are a decent LA +1 race, mainly for their +4 dex. They make a rather effective rogue, and can work as a bard.

Hmm... Do they get any racial bonuses to Hide and/or Move Silently?

[Reinboom]

Hmm... Do they get any racial bonuses to Hide and/or Move Silently?

+2 to Listen and Move Silently
Oh, and +1 Natural Armor too isn't bad

@v I so ninja'd you.

[horseboy]

Hmm... Do they get any racial bonuses to Hide and/or Move Silently?

+2 listen and move silently

[Fawsto]

Provided the matter of the thread, would a catfolf roar or purr? Pehaps with this I may have Killed a catgirl today and completed my desired number for the week.


Funny thread though.

[Grynning]

What in sam-hill is a Puma? Don't go makin' up mythical animals!

Especially in a d&d forum!


//*** Edit ***/ Note: I do know what a Puma is. This was an obscure reference to Red vs. Blue. *makes mental note to comment all obscure references in [reference] [/reference] tags.

I got it, Hzurr, if I had been on earlier I would have responded with...

Griff! What's that thing down in Mex-i-co? The Chupa...chupa...
(The chupacabra, sir?)
Yeah! The Chupa-thingy!

[Ninja Chocobo]

Provided the matter of the thread, would a catfolf roar or purr? Pehaps with this I may have Killed a catgirl today and completed my desired number for the week.

Purr. They're Catfolk, not, I dunno, Jaguarfolk.