Cheetah / Jaguar / Leopard / Lion / Tiger / Smilodon
- Habitat
- Grasslands, jungle, forest, dry hills and cold woodland, by species
- Biomes
- grassland, savanna, trop-rainforest, temp-broadleaf, taiga, +mountain
- Spawn
- solo, any
- Temper
- Solitary ambush predators; usually shun people, deadly when pressed
- Threat
- High
- Rarity
- Uncommon–Rare
- Move
- run.
- Special
- When it seizes prey with both forepaws, the hind claws rake for extra wounds; its silent stalk makes it very hard to spot before it strikes
| Variant | STR | DEX | CON | INT | Health | Damage | Armor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheetah | 15 | 17 | 14 | 2 | 132 | 28 | 20 |
| Jaguar | 18 | 14 | 17 | 4 | 162 | 35 | 16 |
| Leopard | 15 | 17 | 15 | 4 | 141 | 28 | 16 |
| Lion | 21 | 14 | 20 | 4 | 200 | 43 | 20 |
| Tiger | 23 | 11 | 22 | 4 | 230 | 49 | 16 |
| Smilodon | 27 | 11 | 25 | 2 | 283 | 65 | 16 |
The great cats are the wild's most accomplished stalkers, a family of muscular carnivores sharing dagger fangs and silent padded feet, most with retractable claws (the cheetah being the exception, its claws fixed for traction at speed). The lean cheetah burns across open plains in blistering sprints; spotted jaguars and leopards haunt the canopy and drop on prey from above; tawny lions rule grassland and dry hill in prides; the striped tiger prowls dense forest alone; and the heavy, long-fanged smilodon ambushes large game in cold woodland. Most avoid people, but a cornered, starving, or cub-guarding cat is lethal. Each is a study in patience, creeping within a breath of its quarry before exploding into one overwhelming rush.
Behavior
- Stalks low and silent to close range, then charges or pounces in a single explosive burst.
- Hunts alone or in family groups; lions cooperate as organized prides.
- Drags kills into cover or up into trees (leopard, jaguar) to feed undisturbed.
- Avoids healthy adults unless cornered, wounded, or defending young.
- Cheetahs sprint in short tripled-speed dashes, then must rest before running again.
- Marks and defends a hunting territory against rival cats.
Abilities
- Pounce. Leaps a startling distance onto prey, bowling it down and pinning it beneath full body weight.
- Raking Claws. When both forepaws seize a victim, the hind claws kick and rake, tearing extra wounds.
- Killing Bite. Clamps the throat or nape in crushing fangs to suffocate or snap the spine of held prey.
- Silent Ambush. Natural camouflage and noiseless movement make the cat very hard to spot before it strikes.
Drops & Crafting
- Spotted, striped, or tawny pelt (prized fur cloaks, trim and bedding)
- Long fangs and curved claws (jewelry, tool tips, talismans)
- Tough sinew (bowstrings and durable bindings)
- Lean meat (edible, gamey trail food)
- Bones for handles, needles and glue stock
- Whiskers and gut for fine cord