Hellcat

Tiny aberration, neutral evil

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 44 (8d4 + 24)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
3 (-4) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 15 (+2) 18 (+4)

Saving Throws Intelligence +2, Wisdom +4
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +4
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages understands Common but can’t speak; telepathy 60 ft.
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Special Traits

  • Death Sense. The hellcat can sense the exact location of any humanoid within 120 feet with less than half its hit points.
  • False Appearance. Unless it is using its Death Gaze ability, the hellcat is indistinguishable from a normal housecat.
  • Magic Resistance. The hellcat has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions

  • Multiattack. The hellcat makes one bite attack and one claw attack.
  • Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
  • Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) slashing damage.
  • Death Gaze (Recharge 5-6). One target within 30 feet of the hellcat that it can see must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the target takes 27 (6d8) necrotic damage. If the creature drops to 0 hit points from this damage, it dies, and can only be restored to life by means of a true resurrection or wish spell.

About

This small feline is all black, save for a small white patch on its chest and its red, pulsing eyes. However, in the blackest moments of the inky night, its true form is revealed: a red and black furred feline aberration with a spine of spikes.

Various cultures share a legend around a mystical feline creature that steals souls from those who do not leave blessings for the myth. This creature, called variously the cath sìth, palug, or chapalu might have a place in these legends. The hellcat appears, at first glance, as a common housecat, but this is belied by the feline’s evil red gaze. The hellcat feeds off souls, often hunting in the night for the weakest humanoids, those lost or nearest death. (The hellcat can smell those near death.) Once located, the hellcat uses its Death Gaze to steal the creature’s soul just before death. It will then stealthily flee, if possible, and dislikes being confronted, running into the dark as quickly as it can after tasting of the dead.

The hellcat does not discriminate, searching both urban and wilderness for humanoids of any nature, apparently preferring humans, elves, and other similar goodly races. Very few records of a hellcat stalking through the so-called evil humanoid territories exist, but whether this is a true correlation between the preferred diet of the hellcat or a lack of recordkeeping is unknown. Very rarely, a hellcat will form an alliance with a coven of evil witches or hags but will just as quickly dissolve such a friendship if the hellcat’s life is threatened.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Tome of Horrors © 2018, Frog God Games, LLC; Authors: Kevin Baase, Erica Balsley, John “Pexx” Barnhouse, Christopher Bishop, Casey Christofferson, Jim Collura, Andrea Costantini, Jayson ‘Rocky' Gardner, Zach Glazar, Meghan Greene, Scott Greene, Lance Hawvermale, Travis Hawvermale, Ian S. Johnston, Bill Kenower, Patrick Lawinger, Rhiannon Louve, Ian McGarty, Edwin Nagy, James Patterson, Nathan Paul, Patrick N. Pilgrim, Clark Peterson, Anthony Pryor, Greg Ragland, Robert Schwalb, G. Scott Swift, Greg A. Vaughan, and Bill Webb

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