Plaguecat

Medium beast, unaligned

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (+0)	18 (+4)	10 (+0)	4 (-3)	12 (+1)	7 (-2)

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 13 (3d8)
Speed 40 ft.
Saving Throws Dexterity +6
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +6, Survival +3
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 90 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages –
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Special Traits

• Ambusher. The plaguecat has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it has surprised.
• Infectious. When the plaguecat deals damage, it can use a bonus action to have the target make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failure the target contracts a disease. Until the disease is cured, the target can’t regain hit points except by magical means, and the target’s hit point maximum decreases by 4 (1d8) every 24 hours. If the target’s hit point maximum drops to 0 as a result of this disease, the target dies.
• Pack Tactics. The plaguecat has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the plaguecat’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.

Actions

• Multiattack. The plaguecat makes one attack with its claws and one attack with its bite.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.
• Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) slashing damage.

Tactics

Plaguecats will strike quickly, preferring a night-time raid where they can use their night-vision and pack tactics to gain the upper hand. They retreat as soon as they’ve forced a majority of the group to make saving throws and only attack again if their victims don’t die within the week.

Description

Carrion Eaters. Plaguecats are carrion eaters, but they’re more proactive than most. They will attack an animal, only to withdraw quickly once they’ve delivered a deep wound. They know it’s likely that the prey will become sick and die within a matter of days and they will stalk the animal until it drops dead. They then drag it up into a tree to ripen for a day or two, before judging it fit to eat.

Pack Attack. Plaguecats hunt in small packs, led by an older female. She signals the attack with a roar, then the youngest members of the pack strike while the older members keep potential rescuers at bay. Once the victim is sufficiently injured, the pack retreats to a safe distance and awaits the inevitable.