Not everything home-brew has to be bigger, faster, stronger or more dangerous. A believable campaign ecology needs to have predator and prey animals of different sizes, fulfilling different roles. The caracal is a smaller predator that packs only a small wallop, but a wise lower level party will leave it well alone (which is really all it wants).
Caracal
by Cab Davidson
| Stat | Caracal |
| AC: | 7 |
| HD: | 2 |
| Move: | 150’(50’) |
| Attack: | 2 claws+ 1 bite |
| Damage: | 1d2/1d2/1d6 |
| No. Appearing: | 0 (1d2) |
| Save As: | F2 |
| Morale: | 7 |
| Treasure Type: | Nil |
| Intelligence: | 2 |
| Alignment: | Neutral |
| XP Value: | 20 |
A fairly small great cat, being sandy coloured with large, black pointed ears. It is rarely as tall as 2’ at the shoulder, but powerfully built and with an incredible capacity to leap up to 15’ to attack potential prey. If attacking from long grass or woodland undergrowth it surprises prey on a 1-4 on 1d6, and its incredible sense of hearing means it can only be surprised on a 1 on 1d6. Caracals are not typically aggressive towards humans and humanoids, mostly preying on small mammals and birds, but they are dangerous if cornered, and they may chance attacking larger prey if hungry enough.