Introduction
Mechanically, the Tabaxi is very strong with a set of racial traits wellsuited to stealth and infiltration. They tend to excel in classes whichalready have good skills like the Bard and the Rogue, so their two racialskill proficiencies can expand those class’s already good skills.
With Darkvision and a climb speed, Tabaxi can go a lot of places that otherraces might have trouble reaching. Be sure to use your unusual movementcapabilities to surprise enemies or avoid situations which might bedangerous.
With the custom origin rules, the Tabaxi’s ability score increases and skillsbecomes flexible, allowing the Tabaxi to expand beyond rogues and similarclasses, but at the same time the Tabaxi also loses much of what makes themspecial. Claws were already a “ribbon” (a feature that is neat but doesn’thave noteworthy mechanical impact), so it’s basically just the climb speed andFeline Agility which distinguish the Tabaxi.
The updated version of the Tabaxi published in Monsters of the Multiverse does return them at least partially to their previous niche of rogues and rogue-adjacent builds. Unless you intend to ignore the Tabaxi’s bonus proficiencies (in which case, play basically any other race), you’re likely going to opt for rogues, rogue-adjacent characters, or at least characters that will benefit from one or both skills.
Disclaimer
RPGBOT uses the color coding scheme which has become common among Pathfinder build handbooks, which is simple to understand and easy to read at a glance.
- Red: Bad, useless options, or options whichare extremely situational. Nearly never useful.
- Orange: OK options, or useful optionsthat only apply in rare circ*mstances. Useful sometimes.
- Green: Good options. Useful often.
- Blue: Fantastic options, often essentialto the function of your character. Useful very frequently.
We will not include 3rd-party content, including content from DMs Guild, in handbooks for official content because we can’t assume that your game will allow 3rd-party content or homebrew. We also won’t cover Unearthed Arcana content because it’s not finalized, and we can’t guarantee that it will be available to you in your games.
The advice offered below is based on the current State of the Character Optimization Meta as of when the article was last updated. Keep in mind that the state of the meta periodically changes as new source materials are released, and the article will be updated accordingly as time allows.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Disclaimer
- Tabaxi Versions
- Tabaxi Traits
- Tabaxi Classes (MotM)
- Tabaxi Classes (Customizable Origins)
- Tabaxi Classes (Classic Rules)
Tabaxi Versions
The Tabaxi effectively has three versions. The original version was published in Volo’s Guide to Monsters, then republished without changes in Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount.
The introduction of the custom origin rules gave us the second version of the Tabaxi, allowing players to rearrange both the Tabaxi’s ability score increases and their skill proficiencies.
Most recently, Monsters of the Multiverse updated the Tabaxi to return them to their original proficiencies in Perception and Stealth and raise their claw damage die to a d6, but they now use the new standard for ability score increases (+2/+1 or three +1’s).
Tabaxi Traits
- Ability Score Increases: +2/+1 isstandard. The default ability score increases make the Tiefling good bards, fighters, paladins, rangers, rogues, sorcerers, and warlocks.
- Age: Rarely impactful.
- Size: Medium is very slightly better thanSmall because you can’t be grappled or swallowed whole by as manyenemies.
- Speed: Standard, but you also get Feline Agility.
- Darkvision: In a game with a lot of darkdungeons, Darkvision is essential.
- Feline Agility: The reality of combat in 5e is that you won’t move every turn, and when you do need to move you sometimes need to move a great distance all at once. Feline Agility makes that much easier.
- Cat’s Claws: Essentially decorative. Manufactured weapons will always be more effective.
- Cat’s Talent: Two skills are welcome on any character, but the pre-selected skills don’t appeal to every character.
- Languages: Common+1 is standard.
Tabaxi Classes (MotM)
Artificer
The Tabaxi makes a passable artificer, but the things that make the Tabaxi interesting stop mattering when you can infuse Winged Boots.
Barbarian
Barbarians don’t have built-in options for climbing or flight, and being outof melee range is crippling, so a climb speed and Feline Agility are greattools for the Barbarian. Two additional skills also help you to expand yourcapabilities outside of combat, which is often where the Barbarianstruggles.
Bard
A climb speed and Feline Agility can get you out of melee, and two skills are a great complement to a class that can do a lot with skills. Bards almost always have enough Dexterity to make Stealth work, and while bards typically have poor Wisdom, Perception is still great and you can compensate for poor Wisdom with Expertise.
Cleric
Perception is a great skill for the Cleric, but few clerics can use Stealth effectively. Clerics also notably can’t cast Darkvision, so getting it for free is always nice. The Tabaxi makes an excellent trickery cleric, giving you as many skills as most rogues (though no Expertise).
Druid
Druids need more dexterity than clerics to compensate for their poor armor, and they need Wisdom to back up their spells, making the Tabaxi’s skill proficiencies very helpful. Unfortunately, the Tabaxi’s additional movement options aren’t particularly useful for the Druid since you can typically solve the same problems using Wild Shape.
Fighter
The Tabaxi makes an excellent Dexterity-based fighter. With no way to make themselves fly or teleport, a climb speed and Feline Agility are great mobility options. Stealth works great for lightly-armored fighters, and while few fighters have great Wisdom, proficiency in Perception is always useful.
Monk
Monks can’t make themselves fly (ascendant dragon can, but only briefly), so a climb speed is great. Feline Agility doubles the Monk’s already incredible speed, making tabaxi monks the fastest characters in races that only last for one round. Two skills helps close the skill gap between the Monk and the Rogue, making it easier to serve as your party’s Scout, especially since they line up so perfectly with the Monk’s ability scores.
Paladin
The Tabaxi makes a good Dexterity-based paladin, but Perception is a hard skill for paladins because they’re already very MAD and typically need to dump Wisdom.
Ranger
Climb speed, Darkvision, two of the Ranger’s favorite skills. The extra skills help close the skill gap between the Ranger and the Rogue, making it even easier to serve as your party’s Scout.
Rogue
Climb speed, Darkvision, two of the Rogue’s favorite skills. The extra skills make it easy to expand beyond the Rogue’s basic roll as a Scout. Feline Agility works with Cunning Action so you can run up to six times your speed by taking the Dash action as both your Action and your Bonus Action and using Feline Agility in the same turn. I think it’s a terrible tragedy that you can’t deliver a Sneak Attack with the Tabaxi’s claws.
Sorcerer
Climb speeds and feline agility are less appealing when you can cast spells that allow you to fly and teleport, but they might save you a spell known, which is a huge benefit for the Sorcerer since they learn so few spells. The two skills are fine, but they’re not great options for the Sorcerer.
Warlock
Because warlocks get so few spell slots, the ability to solve problems without resorting to magic is very powerful. A climb speed can often suffice in place of flight, and Feline Agility makes it easier to escape and evade foes. The two skills are nice, too, but they’re not fantastic options for the Warlock.
Wizard
The skills don’t work well for the Wizard, and beyond low levels you can make the Tabaxi’s traits redundant with low-level spells like Expeditious Retreat.
Tabaxi Classes (Customizable Origins)
This section assumes that you’re using the option “Customizing Your Origin” rules presented in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. If you’re not using those rules, scroll down to the next section.
Artificer
The Tabaxi makes a passable artificer, but the things that make the Tabaxi interesting stop mattering when you can infuse Winged Boots.
Barbarian
Barbarians don’t have built-in options for climbing or flight, and being outof melee range is crippling, so a climb speed and Feline Agility are greattools for the Barbarian. Two additional skills also help you to expand yourcapabilities outside of combat, which is often where the Barbarianstruggles.
Bard
Two skills are great on a class that’s already built to use skills heavily, and your climb speed and Feline Agility keep you safely away from foes without cutting into your limited number of spells known.
Cleric
Two extra skills allow you to expand beyond the Cleric’s handful ofinteresting skills, which is great if you want to play a trickery cleric andpretend to be a rogue. Feline Agility is helpful if you need to rush intorange to help your allies.
Druid
Need speed? Be a horse. Need to climb? Be a monkey. The Tabaxi’s skills arereally the only thing that the Tabaxi adds to the druid. I don’t know ifFeline Agility works while using Wild Shape, but as a DM I would rule that itdoesn’t.
Fighter
Much like other front-line martial classes, Feline Agility is a helpfuloption for melee builds to close the distance to melee. Two additional skillswill help you make yourself useful outside of combat, and a climb speed is agreat way to traverse obstacles that frequently require magic to handlequickly.
Monk
Monks are already exceptionally fast, so by adding Feline Agility a tabaximonk can shatter single-round land speed records. The two additional skillshelp to close the skill gap with rogues, allowing you to more easily serve asyour party’s scout, and a climb speed is frequently helpful for bypassingobstacles.
Paladin
Much like other front-line martial classes, Feline Agility is a helpfuloption for melee builds to close the distance to melee. The Paladin usuallyinvests their skills into being a Face, which can frequently pigeon-hole thepaladin into one set of skills. Two additional skill proficiencies can helpyou diversify, allowing you to explore skills that aren’t Charisma-based.
Ranger
Two skills helps with the skill gap between the Ranger and the Rogue, and aclimb speed is great for a class without easy access to flight. Feline Agilitydoesn’t have a ton of synergy here, but it’s really fun when combined withZephyr Strike.
Rogue
Two extra skills, climb speed so that you can climb into people’s windows,and Feline Agility works with Cunning Action so you can run up to six timesyour speed by taking the Dash action as both your Action and your Bonus Actionand using Feline Agility in the same turn. I think it’s a terrible tragedythat you can’t deliver a Sneak Attack with the Tabaxi’s claws.
Sorcerer
Climb speeds and feline agility are less appealing when you can cast spells that allow you to fly and teleport, but they might save you a spell known, which is a huge benefit for the Sorcerer since they learn so few spells. The two skills are nice, allowing you to expand beyond Face skills, but the Tabaxi’s unique traits stop being interesting after low levels.
Warlock
Because warlocks get so few spell slots, the ability to solve problemswithout resorting to magic is very powerful. A climb speed can often sufficein place of flight, and Feline Agility makes it easier to escape and evadefoes. The two skills are nice, too, allowing you to expand beyond Face skills,but the Tabaxi’s unique traits stop being interesting after low levels.
Wizard
Climb speeds and feline agility are less appealing when you can cast spellsthat allow you to fly and teleport. Wizards don’t have a lot of good skilloptions, unfortunately, so even the additional 2 skills aren’t especiallyuseful.
Tabaxi Classes (Classic Rules)
This section assumes that you’re not using the option “Customizing Your Origin” rules presented in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything or the updated version of the race published in Mordenkainen’s Monsters of the Multiverse. If you are using those rules, scroll up to the previous section.
Artificer
Bad ability spread.
Barbarian
Barbarians could make great use of Feline Agility and a climb speed, butthey’re too dependent on a racial Strength increase for Tabaxi to be a goodoption.
Bard
The Tabaxi’s ability score increases are perfect for a Bard, regardless ofyour choice of College. The Tabaxi’s free skills help to further pad theBard’s already excellent skills. Even the flavor lines up well: Tabaxi aredescribed as curious wanderers, trading in stories and trinkets.
Cleric
With no Wisdom increase, Cleric is a really hard class for the Tabaxi. Youmight be able to do something with the Trickery domain, but mechanically theTabaxi offers little that couldn’t be done better by the Kenku.
Druid
All the same issues as cleric. Feline Agility appears to work while you useWild Shape, but that’s not enough to make the race/class combinationworthwhile.
Fighter
Dexterity is a perfect basis for a fighter, whether you choose to use arapier or a ranged weapon. The Tabaxi’s free skills can help you fill rolestypically filled by a rogue, but you may need to pick up proficiency inThieves’ Tools from your background to round out the skillset.
Monk
Dexterity is a good basis for a Monk, and the Monk’s speed increase appliesto the Tabaxi’s climb speed, making you an excellent climber. Numerically, theKenku and Wood Elf are probably better options due to their Wisdom increases,and the Tabaxi’s claws do not allow you to deal slashing damage with theMonk’s increased unarmed strike damage.
Paladin
Dexterity and Charisma work great for a Dexterity-based paladin, and with decent Dexterity you can put Stealth proficiency to good use.
If you don’t care about Stealth, grab a suit of full plate (yes, you’re going to ignore the strength requirement), and you’re good to go. Feline Agility will help get you into melee even with the 10 ft. speed penalty from wearing heavy armor with poor Strength, and your climb speed will help with obstacles most paladins can’t easily overcome without assistance.
Ranger
Kenku is a better option for the Ranger due to the Kenku’s Wisdom increase,but the Tabaxi is still a good option. The Dexterity increase is alwayswelcome, and the Tabaxi’s free skill proficiencies will close the skill gapbetween the Ranger and other class like Bard and Rogue which get more skillswhile filling a similar role in the party.
Rogue
Tabaxi’s ability score increases work perfectly for the Rogue, and the freeskill proficiencies are skills which every Rogue should have anyway. Pick upskills like Deception and Persuasion to capitalize on the Tabaxi’s Charismaincrease, and you’ve got a highly-skilled, charming rogue.
Sorcerer
A Charisma increase is a good start for the Sorcerer, and Dexterity will helpwith your AC, but the Tabaxi doesn’t offer anything else specifically usefulfor the Sorcerer. If you want to be a spellcaster, Warlock may be a betteroption.
Warlock
Dexterity and Charisma are great for a warlock. Your Dexterity will pad yourAC, and Charisma will fuel your spells. The Tabaxi racial skills don’tdirectly cater to the Warlock, but there’s nothing stopping you from buildinga sneaky warlock. Grab a background with proficiency in Thieves’ Tools and youcan do a convincing impression of an Arcane Trickster Rogue.
Wizard
None of the Tabaxi’s traits work well for the Wizard.
