D&D General What Do Tabaxi Look Like in Your Games? (A Poll)

[jmartkdr2]

Any of the above - I assume beastfolk all exist along a spectrum of human-ness to animal-ness, and anywhere along that spectrum is at least possible. The average is towards the middle.

There's a stereotype that more human-looking ones have more human-like intelligence, but it's not really true. They tend to act more like humans due to being more likely to interact with humans, but a talking tiger isn't inherently smarter than a human with tiger-ears. The latter is just more likely to know human manners, the former is more likely to know tiger manners.

 

[roger semerad]

I have a related question, what are your opinions on human like hair on a type 3-5?
A few examples

Huntress by Lynxwolf

Pressing the attack by Gorezing

To me it always looks a little off. I've started to have a head cannon that they're all wearing wigs because of human peer pressure.

My preference is for there to be just fur, like these.

Blood in the snow by Deyvarah

Feel the power by Omegalioness

or you could have some hair like features that aren't human like. Just slightly longer fur, different colors, or manes. Gives you some style without copying human features.

The Warrior by Rhydonsutherland

Reno by Talbaine

Commission for PuddingGalaxy by Azuzza

Of course these can coexist in a fantasy world. If having one Tabaxi ancestor could give a human cat ears, then having one human ancestor could give you human like hair. For me though the standard would be no human hair, with the other options being more rare.

 

[Corinnguard]

I picked Type 3 and 4. I like purrfection.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I have a related question, what are your opinions on human like hair on a type 3-5?
A few examples

Huntress by Lynxwolf
View attachment 371658

Pressing the attack by Gorezing
View attachment 371659

To me it always looks a little off. I've started to have a head cannon that they're all wearing wigs because of human peer pressure.

My preference is for there to be just fur, like these.

Blood in the snow by Deyvarah
View attachment 371660

Feel the power by Omegalioness
View attachment 371661

or you could have some hair like features that aren't human like. Just slightly longer fur, different colors, or manes. Gives you some style without copying human features.

The Warrior by Rhydonsutherland
View attachment 371666

Reno by Talbaine
View attachment 371671

Commission for PuddingGalaxy by Azuzza
View attachment 371673

Of course these can coexist in a fantasy world. If having one Tabaxi ancestor could give a human cat ears, then having one human ancestor could give you human like hair. For me though the standard would be no human hair, with the other options being more rare.

In sequence, I would label these:
4, 4, 5, 4.5, 3.5, 4, 4.

Edit: Misunderstood the question. I have no problem with humanoid hair on them, though my preference is for it to be at least partially lion-like with specifically lion-based looks. For other types of big cats, have at it, the world is your oyster.

 

[James Gasik]

Basically whatever my players would want, I'm good with any or all options. I'd probably default to Type 3, but I can totally see the existence of Half-Tabaxi or what have you.

It's like the lore of Skyrim- the Khajit we see are only one possible variation.

 

[Tonguez]

I have a related question, what are your opinions on human like hair on a type 3-5?
A few examples

Huntress by Lynxwolf
View attachment 371658

This is a great image and is the kind of Tabaxi 'hair' I like - both male and female lions can grow manes (though rare in young females), so no reason why Tabaxi wouldnt grow them and being an intelligent, charismatic race with opposable thumbs I do believe they would start styling their manes and long fur with plaits and ribbons

Pressing the attack by Gorezing
View attachment 371659

this one looks silly, having the head hair and facial fur being such dramatically different colours and swept back in that manner makes it look more like a wig - not that I'm wig-shaming if thats what he wants...

 

[Clint_L]

Mine look like the WotC art, basically, as represented by Wizkids, Reaper, and Steamforged miniatures. None of which are really represented in this poll. The 5e default Tabaxi do NOT typically look like anthropomorphized jungle cats. I have a pretty good collection of the miniatures.

 

[Voadam]

The last time I had cat people in my game it was a PC back in Pathfinder 1e days so it was a catfolk from Bestiary 3 and the Advanced Race Guide.

The Bestiary 3 just says they are lithe catlike humanoids with tails and pointed ears.

I remember discussing origins with the player and offering to have them be a one off creation of a crazy cat lady witch who uplifted her familiar, but he wanted to go with catfolk as an existing race.

I pictured them as house cat based and not big cat based in appearance.

The Pathfinder image from the bestiary is

Which seems to have cheetah/ocelot/leopard style skin patterns and a fairly humanoid face.

While the one for the advanced race guide is much more snow leopard faced

 

[Voadam]

Back in the 3.5 days I had a PC play a Chiao from the 3.0 Jade Dragons & Hungry Ghosts monster book.

The description is human looking with tiger stripes, but the art (which I really like) is a tiger person.

 

[Kannik]

Mostly 4, with a slight nudge towards 5 in some cases.