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It's a running gag that in D&D 3.5e, a common housecat is capable of wrecking the average commoner, but to what degree is it actually ridiculous? Cats are generally timid creatures that would rather avoid humans unless trained, in which case they're generally pleasant pets. However, if we assume an unarmed commoner is faced with a cat that's REALLY dedicated to wrecking his shit, how much damage would the common housecat be able to inflict? Is it possible, even if only theoretically, for a housecat to kill an adult human?
>>47692886
Well, going by oWoD rules the answer is: a lot.
About this much before the human basically wrecks the cat's shit by grabbing it and beating it against a wall a couple of times.
>Cats are generally timid creatures
>they're generally pleasant pets
OP confirmed for never owing a cat or actually being a cat.
>>47692886
Wife (g/f at the time) owned a cat. She grew up on a farm and cats make wonderful pest control.
She was in the kitchen and the cat was wandering around. The cat came up to me and was affectionate, so I picked it up. This was a bad idea, as I was shirtless at the time.
Wife drops a glass bowl which spooks the cat and it immediately buries it's claws into my chest. Not wanting it to take my chest with it when it jumps off, I bear hug the damn thing and move into a position to drop it with minimal damage to myself. The bear hug broke both of it's front legs.
So yeah it's shit.
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>>47693184
>or actually being a cat
But cats can't use computers.
well if the human is low to the ground for whatever reason the cat could go after the arteries in the groin and arms.
>>47693164
Point of order
Dnd doesn't have RAW for that. No "grapple a target, hit it against wall for damage" AFAIK . Hence why the system is stupid. Or at least one of the multitude of reasons for it
>>47692886
>It's a running gag that in D&D 3.5e, a common housecat is capable of wrecking the average commoner
I thought that originated with old school D&D where people are a decent bit squishier.
>>47692886
>Is it possible, even if only theoretically, for a housecat to kill an adult human?
Theoretically? Sure. Though infected wounds would probably be the most likely route, and that's gonna take a bit. Don't get me wrong, cats can fucking shred your skin and poke nasty holes in you with their teeth, but they don't have much capacity to inflict immediately critical wounds.
>>47694502
>I thought that originated with old school D&D where people are a decent bit squishier.
Old-school D&D had damage rules for cats something along the order of "damage 1d2-1", which meant that the cat either did 0 HP or 1HP damage. Compare that to the statblocks for a 3.5 cat and a 0-level commoner and you'll see why the joke exists.
