Saber-tooth Cat

Family: Megafauna

Large beast, unaligned

Armor Class 12
Hit Points 76 (9d10+27)
Speed 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
19 (+4)	14 (+2)	17 (+3)	3 (-4)	12 (+1)	7 (-2)

Senses passive Perception 15
Skills Perception +5, Stealth +6
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Keen Ears The cat has tactical advantage on Wisdom/Perception checks involving hearing.
• Cat’s Pounce If the cat moves 20 feet or more and hits a target with a claw attack, the target must make a DC 16 Str save or be forced prone. If the target falls prone, the cat gains a bonus action to make a bite attack against it.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The cat makes two attacks: one with its claws, and one with its bite.
• Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2d6+4 slashing damage.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2d6+4 piercing damage. If the target is a living creature, it must make a Con save (DC 14) or lose 1d8 hit points at the start of each of its turns due to bleeding. The wound can be stanched with a successful DC 14 Wisdom/Medicine check, or any form of magical healing.

ABOUT

The legendary “saber-toothed tiger” is the most fearsome natural predators. Not only is the cat exceptionally large and strong, it is absolutely without fear and often hunts in packs. Nothing in the wilderness is safe from its attentions. The average saber-tooth cat stands 4 feet high at the shoulder and weighs almost 1,000 pounds.

The saber-tooth is not actually a tiger, despite its common nickname. And, perhaps surprisingly, its fangs are somewhat fragile-the cat is careful to strike at soft tissue and avoid bone. The fangs are used to inflict deep puncture wounds that bleed out its prey. The saber-tooth cat usually begins its attack with a sudden rush from concealment, pouncing and grabbing its prey just long enough to make sure of its bite, then retreating a short distance to wait for the victim to bleed to death. When attacking a band of humans, the cat tends to make rush after rush, bounding out of cover to bite a new victim and retreat.

Saber-tooths are notorious gluttons, and often kill more than they can eat.