Catfolk

  *Placeholder Flavortext*   Curious and gregarious wanderers, catfolk combine features of felines and humanoids in both appearance and temperament. They enjoy learning new things, collecting new tales and trinkets, and ensuring their loved ones are safe and happy. Catfolk view themselves as chosen guardians of natural places in the world and are often recklessly brave, even in the face of overwhelming opposition.   Catfolk are outgoing, active humanoids who delight in discovery, whether of hidden ruins or a comfortable place to nap. They are exceptionally social, both within their tight-knit communities and with other creatures they meet. Remarkably brave, catfolk see themselves as guardians of the world against forces that would assail it, and they believe that strong communities, breadth of experience, and continual self-improvement aid them in this fight.   Catfolk have fast reflexes and are even able to twist themselves in the air while falling to land on their feet. As quick as these reflexes are, catfolk have quicker tempers, shifting from effusive glee to aggrieved fury in an instant. Like mundane felines, catfolk involuntarily purr when pleased and growl when surprised or angry.   If you want a character who is curious, brave, friendly, and nimble in body and mind, you should play a catfolk.  

You might...

• Demonstrate genuine interest by asking a lot of enthusiastic questions.
• Avoid interpersonal conflict by giving someone a cold shoulder or by simply leaving the area.
• Carefully scout a target or problem before striking at it quickly.

 

Others probably

• Think you monopolize conversations with your incessant queries or opinions.
• Consider you haughty or prideful.
• Ascribe more emotion than you feel to your involuntary purrs or growling.

 

Physical Description

Although all catfolk walk upright and have soft fur, a long tail, large ears, and vertical pupils, they show at least as much variety as ordinary felines. Catfolk have nimble fingers with short claws that are usually retractable. Most catfolk take great pride in maintaining their appearance and rarely suffer the indignity of being wet or dirty if they can avoid it.  

Catfolk of Cantara

The catfolk of Cantara refer to themselves as Tabaxi, but they don't tend to mind when others don't. Tabaxi homelands can be found in a number of small pockets around the world. In Cantara they are native to the Stone Pillar Mountains of Tokina, as well as the jungles of Montipalo. Although rare and small in population, their inquisitive traveling nature takes them all over the archipelago, meaning that most people have encountered at least one Tabaxi in their life, or at least know someone who has. They can reliably be found in populated areas rich in trade, and most big cities will always have at least one selling wares in the markets or spreading tales in the social houses.  

Society

Catfolk call themselves amurruns, although many consider this name to be private. They raise their children in large extended families, where they are given what many other humanoids see as a distressing latitude to explore and get into trouble from a remarkably young age. Catfolk learn a trade in a loose apprenticeship, and the majority learn several trades over their lives.   Catfolk societies are often led by an appointed leader who speaks on behalf of the community and mediates disputes. A catfolk leader is most often a spellcaster and usually female. Catfolk prefer to deal with grievances by making an elaborate showing of disinterest, or even leaving a community for a time so the problem can die away or work itself out.  

Beliefs

Catfolk aren’t a particularly religious people, but they're folklore is rich with a fickle spirit named Ramzamzu, the Cat Lord. The catfolk believe that Ramzamzu wanders the world, watching over them and intervening in their affairs as needed. To them, the Cat Lord is a spirit who's example should be followed, but who's word should be met with wariness.  

Adventurers

Catfolk delight in venturing into unexplored areas, whether untrammeled wildernesses or ancient dungeons. They like finding treasures and baubles, but for most catfolk, the experience of the journey itself is the true reward.  

Ancestry Feats

1st Level

Cat Nap - Feat 1

Traits Concentrate, Exploration

Frequency once per hour

You can regain your energy quickly with a brief nap. You sleep for 10 minutes, after which you gain temporary Hit Points equal to your level that last for 1 hour.

 

Cat's Luck - Feat 1

Traits Fortune

Frequency once per day

Trigger You fail a Reflex saving throw.

You instinctively twist away from danger. You can reroll the triggering saving throw and use the better result.

Cat's Luck leads to Lucky Break, Luck of the Clowder, Reliable Luck

 

Catfolk Dance - Feat 1

You have a habit of always being in the way when other creatures attempt to move. Attempt an Acrobatics check against an adjacent creature's Reflex DC.

Critical Success The target creature gains a -2 circumstance penalty to Reflex saves and is Off-Guard until the start of your next turn.

Success The target creature gains a -2 circumstance penalty to Reflex saves until the start of your next turn.

 

Catfolk Lore - Feat 1

Growing up among catfolk has taught you the traditional values of freedom, stewardship, and quick reactions to trouble. You gain the trained proficiency rank in Acrobatics and Survival. If you would automatically become trained in one of those skills (from your background or class, for example), you instead become trained in a skill of your choice.  

Catfolk Weapon Familiarity - Feat 1

You gain access to all uncommon weapons with the catfolk trait. You have familiarity with weapons with the catfolk trait plus the kama, kukri, scimitar, and sickle—for the purpose of proficiency, you treat any of these that are martial weapons as simple weapons and any that are advanced weapons as martial weapons.  

Saber Teeth - Feat 1

You have long fangs, natural or augmented. You gain a jaws unarmed attack that deals 1d6 piercing damage. Your jaws are in the brawling group and have the unarmed trait.  

Well-Met Traveler - Feat 1

You naturally adopt a pleasant and affable demeanor when meeting others. You are trained in Diplomacy. If you would automatically become trained in Diplomacy (from your background or class, for example), you instead become trained in a skill of your choice.  

5th Level

Climbing Claws - Feat 5

You can extend your claws to aid you in climbing. You gain a climb Speed of 10 feet.  

Graceful Guidance - Feat 5

You can demonstrate how to quickly twist out of the way of dangerous effects. You can use the Aid reaction to grant a bonus to an ally's Reflex save. As usual for Aid, you need to prepare by using an action on your turn to encourage the ally.  

Light Paws - Feat 5

You can balance on your toes to step carefully over obstructions. You Stride and then Step, or Step and then Stride, ignoring difficult terrain during this movement.  

Lucky Break - Feat 5

Prerequisites Cat's Luck

You are luckier even than most catfolk. You can trigger Cat's Luck when you fail or critically fail a Fortitude saving throw, Will saving throw, Acrobatics check, or Athletics check in addition to Reflex saving throws. You still can use Cat's Luck only once per day.

 

Pride Hunter - Feat 5

You avoid the attention of creatures focused on your allies. You can use lesser cover from your allies to Hide.  

Springing Leaper - Feat 5

Prerequisites experts in Athletics

Your powerful legs allow you to make sudden and dramatic leaps. You can Leap as a 2-action activity to double the distance you can Leap vertically, or Leap as a 3-action activity to triple the distance you can Leap vertically. You don't automatically fail Long Jump for jumping in a different direction than your Stride.  

Well-Groomed - Feat 5

You are fastidious about keeping clean. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to saving throws against diseases. If you roll a success on a saving throw against a disease, you get a critical success instead. If you have a different ability that would improve the save in this way (such as the Battle Hardened fighter class feature), if you roll a critical failure on the save you get a failure instead.  

9th Level

Aggravating Scratch - Feat 9

Traits Disease

Prerequisites claw unarmed attack

Your claws carry an irritant that is harmless to you but can be damaging to others. Your claw Strikes deal an additional 1d4 persistent poison damage on a critical hit.

 

Evade Doom - Feat 9

You can elude supernatural disaster. When you would gain the Doomed condition, you can attempt a DC 17 Flat Check check. On a success, you don't gain the doomed condition.

Evade Doom leads to Ten Lives

 

Luck of the Clowder - Feat 9

Prerequisites Cat's Luck

When you use Cat's Luck to reroll, any creatures you choose within 10 feet who also just failed against the same effect (such as a single spell) can also reroll their saving throws and use the better result.  

Predator's Growl - Feat 9

Prerequisites expert in Intimidation

Trigger You successfully Seek a hidden or undetected creature.

You give a throaty growl to attempt to Demoralize a creature you just found. You don't take the -4 penalty for not sharing a language with the creature.  

Silent Step - Feat 9

Trait Flourish

You Step, then Hide or Sneak. You still need to meet the requirements to Hide or Sneak, as normal.  

Wary Skulker - Feat 9

You can perform the Scout exploration activity at the same time as the Avoid Notice exploration activity.  

13th Level

Black Cat Curse - Feat 13

Traits Misfortune, Occult

Frequenchy once per day

Trigger A creature within 30 feet you can see would succeed a save.

You hiss a spiteful curse. The target rerolls the triggering saving throw and use the worse result.

 

Caterwaul - Feat 13

Traits Auditory, Concentrate, Emotion, Mental

Frequency once per day

Trigger An ally within 30 feet would be reduced to 0 HP but not immediately killed.

You give a daring yowl, calling your companion back from the brink of unconsciousness. Your ally isn't knocked out and remains at 1 Hit Point. Their Wounded condition still increases by 1 as though they had been Dying and recovered.

 

17th Level

Elude Trouble - Feat 17

Trigger A creature missed you with a melee attack.

Stride up to your Speed. This movement doesn't trigger reactions from the creature that missed you.

 

Reliable Luck - Feat 17

Prerequisites Cat's Luck

You survive danger with surprising regularity. You can use Cat's Luck once per hour, rather than once per day.

 

Ten Lives - Feat 17

Prerequisites Evade Doom

When your character would die, you can attempt a DC 17 Flat Check. On a success, you're instead reduced to 0 HP and a Dying value 1 less than what would normally kill you (typically dying 3). This doesn't change the result for any other creature affected.