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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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Bakeneko

A bakeneko comes into existence when the life of a cat is extended past its normal lifespan, whether through incredible fortune, magic, or other means. With each passing year, the feline becomes more and more monstrous—growing in size, becoming more intelligent, and gaining an affinity for magic. Eventually, they become able to walk upright on their rear legs, pursue new hobbies, and learn languages. Despite this expanded intellect, many bakenekos prefer to enjoy the first decades of their ascension continuing their lives as usual as a (particularly oversized) house cat. For some, they do so because they want to acquire knowledge of the world that they couldn't comprehend as cats, but for others, it's just a desire to live out their lives with their current families and loved ones before moving on to what comes next.

Bakenekos enjoy dancing above all other pleasures and can't resist nodding their heads, tapping their paws, or swishing their tails in time to music. They often animate corpses simply to watch them dance—a pastime that often spells trouble for nearby settlements should the undead get free from the bakeneko's control. Bakenekos typically have a playful and mischievous demeanor, and while they aren't inherently evil creatures, they're still feared for their ability to animate corpses and command fire. Villagers are often frightened half to death by the sight of a flaming cat strolling alongside a walking corpse, and bakenekos' association with evil and the occult has caused some villages in Tian Xia to vilify all cats.

Recall Knowledge - Beast (Arcana, Nature): DC 23
Unspecific Lore: DC 21
Specific Lore: DC 18

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Changes from being Elite are marked in red below.
NOTE: The +2 damage bonus to non-strike offensive abilities (+4 if the ability is limited, such as spells) is NOT factored in.

Elite BakenekoCreature 4

Legacy Content

Rare CN Small Beast 
Source Pathfinder #197: Let the Leaves Fall pg. 82
Perception +11; darkvision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +12, Deception +10, Occultism +10, Stealth +12, Thievery +12
Str +3, Dex +3, Con +4, Int +1, Wis +2, Cha +1
AC 22; Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +6
HP 50; Resistances fire 5; Weaknesses cold iron 5
Cat at Heart When a bakeneko is killed, they immediately reincarnate into a normal house cat who can never again become a bakeneko.Feel the Beat Bakenekos love to dance. If a bakeneko begins their turn within 30 feet of a source of music, they become slowed 1 until the start of their next turn as they follow their compulsion to move to the rhythm of the tune by swishing their tail in time, stomping from one hind leg to the other, or clapping their front paws.Flammable Thanks to their high-fat diets, bakenekos secrete flammable oils from their skin that coats their fur. If a bakeneko takes any fire damage, their entire body lights up in flame, turning them into a furry fireball until the end of their next turn. While burning in this way, a bakeneko's Strikes inflict an additional 1d6 fire damage.
Speed 40 feet
Melee [one-action] claw +12 [+8/+4] (agile), Damage 1d8+2+5 slashingOccult Innate Spells DC 22 (+4 dmg); 2nd animate dead (zombie only); Cantrips (2nd) daze, ghost sound, mage hand
Rituals (+4 dmg); 2nd create undead (zombie only)
Skilled Ritualist Bakenekos can only create zombies with create undead but can perform the ritual without secondary casters and lower the casting time to 4 hours.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Nekomatas

Bakenekos mostly see their animated but mindless zombies as amusements, though they also use them as guardians or even as agents for revenge. Still, they do their best to ensure that undead they animate aren't left to wander free. Most tales of “evil bakenekos” in fact refer to a similar and much more dangerous creature, the nekomata—a level 6 Medium-sized variant of the bakeneko whose bite causes a debilitating disease of the mind.