Baby Leopard Stats

[AbeTheGnome]

As a first level druid, selection in animal companions is very limited. However, I have the opportunity to befriend a baby leopard, which will one day grow up to be an adult leopard (hopefully about the time I reach Druid level 4). I may be able to convince my DM to let me have the baby leopard as an animal companion, but there are no stats for it. So, how would you stat out a young leopard? Small size (leopard's medium, house cat's tiny), no improved grab and pounce, lower HD... Help me out.

 

[VonRichthofen]

Since in real-world theory, a baby/very young leopard is not much of a challenge & unable to survive without its mother, i'd say cat is allrigt (with some limits on racial bonuses - the baby has yet to learn them, after all).
A newborn leopard will not be much over 1 lb. in weight, while even a grown-up will normally end up somewhere between 70 and 170 lbs. roughly. (unlike the jaguar, who can end up beyond the 300 lbs.-line.) Thus, they are not THAT large. Cat should do fine for an approximate stat block at first.

You could adjust Strength, Con & HD with levels, to show the process of maturing - but remember, a baby leopard is all but helpless on his own.

 

[Klaus]

1) Advance a Cat to Small size. It will have a slightly better Strength, but not by much, and it will be clumsy when compared to a full-grown leopard.

2) Use the Serval stats from Sandstorm (servals are statted as Small).

3) Use the Wildcat stats I published in this web-enhancement: http://fierydragon.com/downloads/familiars.pdf

 

[AbeTheGnome]

I'm going with option 3. Thanks, Klaus.

 

[Klaus]

No problem.

Glad to help!