By Alan McCoy from Dungeons & Dragons: Fundamentals
How to build challenging encounters against a Panther or Mountain Lion
Note: This has been prepared utilizing only the 5E Core Rules. The Panther can be found in the Monster Manual page 333.
Disclaimer:
While I normally concentrate on creatures that are not native to the Earth or that are either Fantasy based or Fantastic in some way, I thought I’d take a minor detour into regular critter. After all many of the creatures met in the world will indeed be natural.
Wild Shaped Druids may also find this information to be useful and informative.
While am using the entry for the Panther to base this essay, it would be easy and proper to adapt the information to match the terrain and any number of the stealthier types of the great cats. Off the top of my head would include the Panther, the Cougar, the Mountain Lion.
While I am not totally ignorant of the creatures of the wild, I am certainly no expert, I ask that you bear with me and understand that this is intended to represent these creatures “in game terms” rather than in real world terms.
Description:
Big cats are a common predator in the wilds of many lands, especially in uninhabited or less inhabited areas where game can be hunted, and they can live without excessive or undue interference from monstrous creatures or humanoids.
When game is scarce, as it can be for any number of reasons, or especially if there are cubs to be fed, the big cats will become more aggressive and are willing to take more risks. The Panther, as an example of a big cat, will usually avoid contact when possible. Of course, it will fight to defend its lair and may be extra aggressive if it has vulnerable young to protect, but most species have learned that “humanity” especially when in groups are dangerous and difficult creatures from which to make a meal. Humanity in encountered alone especially those showing signs of wounds or other weakness are of course more likely to be attacked.
Additionally, livestock such as horses, mules or draft animals like oxen are considered prey animals unless suitable precautions are taken to secure their safety.
As a generalization, most big cats of this type are not pack hunters and are usually found as individuals or in very small groups of three or less. There are exceptions of course.
Step 1) Let’s Review what we know about the Panther:
Panthers are medium beasts; thus, they have an average body length of four to five feet, not including the tail. Their weight can very widely, depending on their age and condition, but a rough average of 150 pounds is probably appropriate.
Physically Panthers are very strong and dexterous (+2), and have a strong survival instinct (+2), while cunning, they operate on an instinctual level, though they can learn from experience and will avoid repetition of instances that led to harm or induced fear and retreat.
Panthers have excellent eyesight, a keen sense of smell and sharp ears, this combination gives them a natural +4 to perception, and a passive perception of 14.
Panthers are graceful movers and natural hunters; they are naturally stealthy (+6)
NOT RAW – Panthers, like all big cats have excellent night vision. While this doesn’t equate to Darkvision, it is enough for them to suffer no penalty to perception in a situation of normal darkness.
Panthers are fast when they need to be, with a land speed of 50-feet per round and a climbing speed of 40-feet per round.
Step 2) Determine the probable Strategy.
A stalking panther will utilize its stealth to close on its prey. Patient hunters they will stalk, moving only when the prey is distracted or occupied. This behavior is instinctual. Any evidence of awareness on the part of the prey will cause them to freeze in place. Most often, the Panther will stalk at a distance of from thirty to fifty feet until it determines that it is time to close and attack.
While stalking, you can consider the Panther to have taken the READY ACTION: to DASH if Detected, this will provide them with 100 feet of movement in six seconds. Based on their Strength score, they can make a seven-foot jump from a standing start or a fourteen-foot horizontal jump. These jumps can include a five-foot vertical element if necessary (No rolls are required for any of these jumps, they just CAN.)
Step 3) Determine Tactics
When the Panther determines that the time to attack has arrived, it will close its stalking distance to between fifty and twenty feet. Typically, twenty-five feet will be considered ideal. It will then close very rapidly and utilize its pounce attack on the prey.
A pounce leads with a claw attack. If successful, the target is required to make a DC 12 Strength Saving throw or it will be knocked prone. A prone target will be subjected to a bonus attack bite from the panther.
It should be remembered that as the Panther is attacking from STEALTH, the Initial claw attack is made with ADVANTAGE.
If the claw attack misses or if the target is not knocked prone, the panther will utilize its remaining movement to flee into the underbrush and will attempt to move away at great speed. It may return and resume its stalk later, but this will often be hours after the initial attack.
Step 4) DM Tips and Observations
For a big cat, I consider the Panther, to be very weak to be considered a serious predator. I acknowledge this is partially to keep the Druid Class to have excessively powerful Wild Shape forms, but I think it would have been better to have increased the CR on this one and made it a bit tougher.
I would raise the CR to 1, give a multi-attack with the claws and increase the damage done by the claws to range 5, +4 to hit and 2d4+2 damage. The bite should be +4, 2d6+2.
In addition, I would give a Panther coming from stealth SNEAK ATTACK for +2d6 damage.
Finally, the Rogue Cunning action: Dash, Disengage or Hide as a bonus action is a well within their capabilities.
I note that the AC of the Panther is a mere 12. Even when you consider that the creature almost always attacks from cover (which would raise the AC by 2) this seems low to me.
I also note that the Panther has 3d8 HP without a constitution bonus. (Average 13), this seems extremely low for a solitary hunter. I would recommend 4d8 with a tweak to ensure that it had 20+ HP.
My reasoning, natural creatures in a world with Monsters need to be able to do significant damage or they are little more than food for the Monsters.