The ‘scimitar cats’ had lighter builds and were better adapted for running than their relatives the Smilodontini. It is believed that their flattened and serrated fangs would have been fully covered by lips. Their overall appearance would have been similar to modern cats, mostly distinguished by their short tails.
Amphimachairodus
A huge cat, even larger than Smilodon populator, with relatively short legs, necessitating ambush as its main hunting strategy. Sexual dimorphism in size suggests that it was a social animal. It seems to have preferred smaller prey. Its close relative Nimravides was better built for speed and preferred big game. It seems to have used its jaws in a manner similar to modern big cats, clamping onto the throat to strangle large prey. The largest species, N. catocopis, was similar in size to Amphimachairodus, but others were less than one-third their weight.
ST 19; DX 12; IQ 4; HT 12.
HP 19; Will 10; Per 12; FP 12; Speed 6.00; Dodge 10; Move 9.
SM +1 (2 hexes), 900 lbs.
Claw (14): 2d cutting.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 1; Chummy; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 18; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 3; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Silence 1; Ultrahearing; Vibration Sense (Air; Short Range 1); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-14; Survival (Plains)-14.
For Nimravides catocopis, increase Move to 10, (Ground Speed 20 with Enhanced Move), and remove Chummy. Smaller species such as N. galiani (260 lbs.) and N. thinobates (300 lbs.) also reduce ST and HP to 13 (bite and claw damage 1d) and SM to 0.
Homotherium
A relatively slender, long-legged cat, well suited to high-speed chases across open ground. Well-preserved remains show that it had a plain brown coat as an infant. It seems to have hunted very large prey, which indicates it probably hunted in groups. Its relative Lokotunjailurus was even more lightly built. Both had enlarged dewclaws to assist in grappling prey.
ST 15; DX 13; IQ 4; HT 11.
HP 15; Will 10; Per 12; FP 11; Speed 6.00; Dodge 10; Move 10.
SM +1 (2 hexes), 440 lbs.
Claw (15): 1d+1 cutting.
Traits: Born Biter 1; Chummy; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 20); Night Vision 1; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Silence 1; Ultrahearing; Vibration Sense (Air; Short Range 1); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-15; Running-13; Stealth-12; Survival (Plains)-12; Wrestling-15.
For Lokotunjailurus, reduce ST and HP to 12 (bite and claw damage 1d−1), SM to 0, increase Move to 12 (Ground Speed 24 with Enhanced Move), and remove Chummy.
Xenosmilus
The ‘cookie-cutter cat’ not only had two large slicing fangs, but also serrated incisors. It is believed to have used these to carve chunks out of its victims, killing them slowly from blood loss. It was a bulky animal, almost bear-like in its proportions.
ST 18; DX 11; IQ 4; HT 13.
HP 18; Will 10; Per 12; FP 13; Speed 6.00; Dodge 10; Move 8.
SM +1 (2 hexes), 770 lbs.
Bite or Claw (13): 2d cutting.
Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 1; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 16; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 3; Parabolic Hearing 1; Quadruped; Silence 1; Ultrahearing; Vibration Sense (Air; Short Range 1); Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-13; Climbing-13; Stealth-14; Survival (Woodlands)-12.