Dreamlands Pathfinder Bestiary: Cat Swarm

The following creature is my own original creation. It was inspired by the highly organized feline army that Randolph Carter enlists as his allies in The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, but lacks those cats' supernatural intelligence and their ability to jump through space to the Moon. (I may present rules for playing such a cat in a future column.)

In the Dreamlands, cats often band together for war against zoogs (Bestiary 3), alien cat monsters, and other hated enemies. The stat block below can be used to simplify combat against these cat armies.

Cat Swarm

A hissing, snarling mass of fur and shining eyes moves towards you. As it comes closer, you can discern that it is composed of hundreds of cats, with their claws and teeth bared and already bloody.

CAT SWARM (CR 2)

XP 600
N Tiny animal (swarm)
Init +6; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +12

Defense
AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 size)
hp 17 (5d8-5)
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +2
Defensive Abilities half damage from slashing and piercing, swarm traits

Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee swarm (1d6)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks distraction (DC 11)

Statistics
Str 3, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7
Base Atk +3; CMB --; CMD --
Feats Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Finesse
Skills Climb +6, Perception +12, Stealth +14; Racial Modifiers +4 Climb, +4 Stealth

Ecology

Environment temperate and hot plains and urban

Organization solitary, army (2-4 swarms), or legion (7-12 swarms)

Treasure none

A cat swarm seeks to surround and attack any warm-blooded prey that it encounters.

Cats are naturally solitary hunters, and rarely swarm except under supernatural influences. These feline armies sometimes form in response to an infestation of vermin, or to mete out vengeance against those who have offended druids or cat-worshipers. A cat swarm is composed of about 300 cats.

Spellcasters who revere cats or cat-gods may (with the GM's permission) learn a variant of summon swarm that summons a cat swarm instead of bats, rats, or spiders.