The saber-toothed tiger is a CR 2 Large Beast with 52 hit points, 40 feet of speed and Stealth +6 (+7 in 2024). The 2014 version (AC 12) is a one-big-hit charger: its Pounce knocks a target prone and earns a bonus-action bite. The 2024 version (AC 13) drops Pounce for two Rend attacks a turn, Nimble Escape and a 25-foot running leap, which turns it into a hit-and-hide predator. It's the bigger, deadlier cousin of the CR 1 tiger.
Large beast, unaligned
No Multiattack: a normal 2014 turn is one Claw for 12 (2d6 + 5). Extra damage comes only from Pounce: move 20 feet straight at a creature and hit with the Claw, and the target makes a DC 14 Strength save or falls prone, then takes a bonus-action Bite for 10 (1d10 + 5). No darkvision; Keen Smell gives advantage on smell-based Perception.
Large Beast, Unaligned
| 2014 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| AC | 12 | 13 |
| Attacks per turn | 1 (plus a Pounce bite) | 2 Rends, 11 (2d6 + 4) each |
| Prone effect | Pounce, DC 14 Strength save | None |
| Bonus action | Bite after a successful Pounce | Nimble Escape (Disengage or Hide) |
| Senses | Keen Smell, passive Perception 13 | Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 |
| Saves | None proficient | Str +6, Dex +5 |
| Movement extra | None | Running Leap: 25-foot long jump |
The 2024 regular tiger knocks targets prone with every Rend; the saber-tooth trades that control for a second attack and the ability to vanish.
2014: charge, back off, charge again. Against AC 15, the +6 Claw hits on a 9 or higher (60%). A Strength +2 character fails the DC 14 save on an 11 or lower (55%), and the Bite against a prone target has advantage (84%). A Pounce turn averages about 10 damage; a standing Claw about 7, so the tiger wants a fresh 20-foot run-up every turn it can get one.
2024: two Rends, then disappear. Two +6 Rends against AC 15 average about 13 damage a turn, no charge needed. Then Nimble Escape: Disengage to walk away free, or Hide behind heavy foliage, a snowbank or a rock (DC 15 Stealth, which its +7 beats 65% of the time). A hidden tiger attacks with advantage next turn. Running Leap (25-foot long jump after a 10-foot run) carries it over ravines and streams the party has to go around.
Under the 2024 budget, one saber-tooth (450 XP) is Moderate for four level 2 characters (450 of the 600 Moderate budget) and Low for four level 3 characters (600). Two (900 XP) are exactly Moderate at level 3 and above High at level 2 (800).
Under the 2014 guidelines in our encounter calculator, two tigers count as 900 × 1.5 = 1,350 XP: Hard for four level 3 characters (Deadly starts at 1,600).
Pair it with a dire wolf pack or a polar bear for an ice-age hunt. Under the 2014 Conjure Animals, one beast of CR 2 or lower is a valid choice, so a druid NPC can summon one.
The frozen pass. A saber-tooth has taken three mules in three nights from a caravan stalled at a high pass. Snowbanks give the 2024 tiger places to Hide; in 2014, the long straight trail makes Pounce easy.
The druid's guardian. A saber-tooth bound to an old druid guards a circle of standing stones. It attacks only those who step inside and lets the party go if they step back out.
CR 2, worth 450 XP, in both the 2014 and 2024 rules.
The tiger is CR 1 (37 HP in 2014, 30 in 2024). The saber-toothed tiger is CR 2 with 52 HP and hits harder: its 2014 Claw deals 12 against the tiger's 7, and its 2024 version makes two Rends a turn where the tiger makes one.
No. The 2024 version replaces Pounce with Multiattack (two Rends), Nimble Escape as a bonus action, and Running Leap.
Under the 2014 spell, yes: one beast of CR 2 or lower is an option. The 2024 Conjure Animals creates a pack of spectral animal spirits instead of using beast stat blocks.
Stat blocks: System Reference Document 5.1 (2014) and 5.2.1 (2024), Wizards of the Coast, CC-BY-4.0. Tactics, encounter math and ideas are Loreify's own.
This page includes material from the System Reference Document 5.1 and 5.2.1 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Loreify is not affiliated with Wizards of the Coast.
Aboleth 5e stats (AC 17, 135 HP, CR 10), how Enslave and the 2024 Dominate Mind work, its slime curse, legendary actions, and how to fight it out of the water.
Acolyte 5e NPC stats (AC 10, 9 HP, CR 1/4), its spells and healing, how to run temple guards and cult support, and the 2024 Priest Acolyte compared.
Air Elemental 5e stats (AC 15, 90 HP, CR 5, fly 90 ft.), how Whirlwind works in 2014 vs 2024, Conjure Elemental rules, and how to beat its resistances.
Allosaurus 5e stats (AC 13, 51 HP, CR 2), how its 30-foot claw pounce knocks prey prone for a free bite, damage math, Polymorph and Animal Shapes, and pack sizes.
Polar bear 5e stats (AC 12, 42 HP, CR 2), how it hits harder than a brown bear, fighting it on ice and in water, and the 2024 Rend, Stealth and cold changes.
Allosaurus 5e stats (AC 13, 51 HP, CR 2), how its 30-foot claw pounce knocks prey prone for a free bite, damage math, Polymorph and Animal Shapes, and pack sizes.
Giant Boar 5e stats (AC 12, 42 HP, CR 2), Charge damage and prone math in 2014 vs 2024, Relentless vs Bloodied Fury, and how many giant boars for a level 2-5 party.
Hunter shark 5e stats (AC 12, 45 HP, CR 2), how Blood Frenzy works in 2014 and 2024, the math on its bite, and how to run a shark attack at level 2 to 4.