Sand Cat

A small desert feline that preys on may of the small mammals of the desert and dry steppe regions. Their ears are long and pointed, granting them a keen sense of hearing.

Originally Posted by Shade of the En World forums.

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This wildcat is only slightly larger than a typical housecat. Its fur is sandy brown, except for the dark brown tip of its tail, and the white tufts at the end of its long, pointed ears.

Sand cats are nocturnal predators of deserts and dry steppes. They prey mostly on small mammals, and only fight larger creatures if cornered or otherwise forced to fight. Sand cats are very territorial, but form small family groups called dens. Sand cats prefer to lair in small caves or abandoned burrows, but will settle for a sheltered overhang if no other options are available. One adult always guards the lair if kittens are present. Sand cat kittens reach maturity in 10 to 12 months. A sand kitten fetches 500 to 2,000 gp on the market, as they are highly prized as pets and hunting companions. A typical sand cat is 2 to 3 feet long and weighs around 30 to 40 pounds.

Sand Cat
Small animal
Hit Dice	1d8+1 (5 hp)
Initiative	+3
Speed	40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class	15 (+1 size, +3 Dexterity, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple	+0/+4
Attack	Claw +4 melee (1d3)
Full Attack	2 claws +4 melee (1d3) and bite -1 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach	5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks	Improved grab, pounce, rake 1d2
Special Qualities	Low-Light Vision, Scent
Saves	Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities	Strength 11, Dexterity 17, Constitution 13, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 12, Charisma 7
Skills	Balance +7, Hide +7*, Jump +15, Listen +9, Move Silently +7, Spot +5
Feats	Weapon Finesse
Environment	Warm deserts and plains
Organization	Solitary, pair, or den (2–7)
Challenge Rating	1
Treasure	None
Alignment	Always neutral
Advancement	2-3 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment	–

Combat

If cornered, or its young are threatened, a sand cat will fight savagely against even a much larger opponent.

A sand cat receives a +1 morale bonus to attack and damage rolls when defending its young.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a sand cat must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can rake.

Pounce (Ex): If a sand cat charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.

Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +4, damage 1d2.

Skills: Sand cats have a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Hide, and Move Silently checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Jump and Listen checks. They use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Jump checks. *In desert environments, the Hide bonus improves to +8.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #163 (1990) and later in the Forgotten Realms Monstrous Compendium Appendix.