Making the Tabaxi interesting

[BOZ]

OK, D&D has a lot of animal-men. In fact, it has a whole lot of animal-men. The trick is, to make a race interesting it has to be a bit more than "ooh, it has a humanoid body, but fur and a dog head!"

We have catfolk, we have rakasta, we probably have another similar race or two on top of that. Tabaxi are popular enough, but how do we distinguish them enough to make them interesting?

What differences do they already have to other cat-men races? What makes them special?

What can we add to them to make them more interesting, without making any fundamental changes in what they already are?

(For those who don't know what a tabaxi is, check the 1st edition version of the Fiend Folio, and the 2nd edition book Monstrous Manual, as well as the Tome of Horrors.)

 

[Tonguez]

You can't - unless your Japanese but thats a whole different genre

 

[diaglo]

OK, D&D has a lot of animal-men. In fact, it has a whole lot of animal-men. The trick is, to make a race interesting it has to be a bit more than "ooh, it has a humanoid body, but fur and a dog head!"

We have catfolk, we have rakasta, we probably have another similar race or two on top of that. Tabaxi are popular enough, but how do we distinguish them enough to make them interesting?

What differences do they already have to other cat-men races? What makes them special?

What can we add to them to make them more interesting, without making any fundamental changes in what they already are?

(For those who don't know what a tabaxi is, check the 1st edition version of the Fiend Folio, and the 2nd edition book Monstrous Manual, as well as the Tome of Horrors.)

tiger men vs lion men vs jaguar men vs



tabaxi = domesticated house cat men

 

[Klaus]

Catfolk, despite the name, are more lion-folk than anything (complete with a mane). They seem more spiritual and in tune with nature (favored class Ranger).

Rakasta are samurai cat-folk. They have a strong bardic tradition and a very strict code of conduct. Unlike the other two races, rakasta have complete cat-like heads, as opposed to humanoid with feline characteristics.

Tabaxi are described more like tiger-folk. They´re the strongest and quicker of all three races, and have the most savage characteristics (including pounce and rake), disdaining armor and weapons. Really, they're upright animals.

 

[BOZ]

that's an interesting take - i like it!

 

[Raven Crowking]

The Tabaxi are arboreal. That's a big hook for me there.

 

[Tonguez]

So they're aboreal savage upright tigers

Lone hunters stalking through the tree tops ready to pounce on, disembowel and devour their unsuspecting prey

that could be kewl...

 

[Banshee16]

There are several other types...Rakasta, as well as a variety of Leopard-men in the alternate continent of Scarred Lands....can't remember their name off the top of my head...

And from 2nd Ed. you've got the Sherkasta, Pardasta, Simbasta, Cervasta, etc....the Sherkasta are very large (8') bipedal tigers....they have a tribal society that is frequently predated on by Rakshasa who use their siimilarity take control of tribes, in order to have convenient patsies when the local humans retaliate against the Rakshasa..

And the Fantasy Flight Games book on alternate races had about 6 alternate takes on those races as well.

Banshee

 

[Klaus]

When I wrote up my own cat-like race, the Kathos, and published it, I made a point of telling the reader to avoid making several variations of the race, which would "dillute" its uniqueness. That sort of happen with the lupin, for me.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Also remember that tigers aren't bothered by water, and have been known to lay in wait in shallow water like crocs do. That alone would differentiate tabaxi from other catpeople.