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Tiger 5e: Stats, Pounce and the 2024 Ambush Hunter
A tiger is a CR 1 Large Beast built to hunt alone: 40 feet of speed, 60-foot darkvision and a high Stealth bonus. The 2014 tiger has AC 12, 37 hit points and Pounce, which turns a running Claw into a knockdown and a bonus-action Bite. The 2024 tiger is a different animal in play: AC 13 and 30 hit points, a single Rend that knocks any Large or smaller target prone on a hit with no charge needed, and Nimble Escape, so it can Hide or Disengage as a bonus action every turn. Where the lion wins by numbers, the tiger wins by never being where the party expects.
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Tiger Stat Block (2014)
Tiger
Large beast, unaligned
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 37 (5d10+10)
Speed 40 ft.
STR
17 (+3)
DEX
15 (+2)
CON
14 (+2)
INT
3 (−4)
WIS
12 (+1)
CHA
8 (−1)
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +6
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages —
Challenge 1 (XP 200; PB +2)
Traits
Keen Smell.The tiger has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Pounce.If the tiger moves at least 20 ft. straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the tiger can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Actions
Bite.Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage.
Claw.Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage.
Stat block from the SRD 5.1 (2014 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.
Bite is +5 for 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing and Claw is +5 for 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing, one per turn. Pounce: move at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and hit with a Claw, and the target makes a DC 13 Strength save or is knocked prone. If it's prone, the tiger bites it as a bonus action. Keen Smell gives Advantage on smell-based Perception checks.
The Tiger in the 2024 Rules
Tiger
Large Beast, Unaligned
Armor Class 13
Initiative +3 (13)
Hit Points 30 (4d10 + 8)
Speed 40 ft.
STR
17 (+3)save +3
DEX
16 (+3)save +3
CON
14 (+2)save +2
INT
3 (−4)save −4
WIS
12 (+1)save +1
CHA
8 (−1)save −1
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +7
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 13
Languages None
Challenge 1 (XP 200; PB +2)
Actions
Rend.Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) Slashing damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it has the Prone condition.
Bonus Actions
Nimble Escape.The tiger takes the Disengage or Hide action.
Stat block from the SRD 5.2.1 (2024 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.
2014
2024
AC / HP
12 / 37 (5d10 + 10)
13 / 30 (4d10 + 8)
Dexterity / Stealth
15 / +6
16 / +7
Attack
Bite (8) or Claw (7)
Rend, 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing
Knockdown
Pounce: 20-ft. charge, Claw hit, DC 13 Strength save
Every Rend hit on a Large or smaller target, no save
Bonus action
Bite vs a prone target after Pounce
Nimble Escape: Disengage or Hide
Keen Smell
Yes
Removed
How Tigers Fight
2014: open with Pounce from hiding. A tiger with Stealth +6 that starts unseen attacks with Advantage. Against AC 16, +5 hits 50% of the time normally and 75% with Advantage.
2014 turn vs a fighter (AC 16, Str save +5)
Expected damage
Pounce from hiding (Claw with Advantage, Bite if prone)
about 6.8
Pounce in the open
about 4.6
Plain Bite
about 4
After the opening, the 2014 tiger is a straightforward melee beast. With 37 hit points it can trade blows with a level 1 or 2 fighter for several rounds.
2024: hit, knock down, vanish. The 2024 tiger's loop is the most interesting thing in its stat block:
•Rend: 10 damage on a hit (about 5 expected against AC 16), and the target is Prone.
•Bonus action: Disengage and move away. A prone character spends half their speed standing up, so a 30-foot walker has 15 feet left and probably can't reach the tiger.
•Or bonus action: Hide (without Disengage, walking away from the prone character provokes an opportunity attack). The 2024 Hide action needs a DC 15 Stealth check while Heavily Obscured or behind three-quarters or total cover, out of enemies' sight. At +7 the tiger succeeds on an 8 or higher, 65% of the time, and becomes Invisible, so its next Rend has Advantage (about 7.5 expected).
In tall grass, jungle or a dark forest (it has darkvision, many characters don't), the 2024 tiger can repeat this for the whole fight. On an open plain it can't hide, and it becomes a 30-hit-point animal that knocks people over.
One prey at a time. A tiger picks the weakest-looking character on the edge of the group, ideally separated from the rest. It doesn't need allies, and it gives up on a hunt that's going badly.
Running a Tiger Encounter
A tiger is 200 XP. Under the 2024 rules, one tiger uses the whole Low budget for four level 1 characters (200 XP), and two tigers are Low for four level 2 characters (400 XP). Under the 2014 guidelines our encounter calculator uses, one tiger is exactly Medium (200) for four level 1 characters.
Be careful at level 1. A single Rend or Bite hit (10 or 8 damage) can drop a wizard. A tiger that hides and picks off the back rank is harder than its Low rating.
Pair tigers with a jungle setting or with a cruel master. A chained tiger guarding a bandit captain's tent makes a raid far riskier. For a prehistoric version, the saber-toothed tiger is CR 2.
Wild Shape. CR 1, no flying or swimming speed: druids can take tiger form from level 8. In 2024, a druid tiger keeps Nimble Escape, which makes it one of the best skirmishing forms at that level.
How Players Beat a Tiger
•Light it up. Darkness and foliage are what make the 2024 tiger dangerous. Fighting in bright light, on open ground, or with Faerie Fire (outlined creatures can't benefit from being Invisible) shuts down Hide.
•Stay together. A tiger targets whoever is alone. A tight marching order with a front-liner at each end gives it no easy prey.
•Ready attacks. If it keeps emerging from the same thicket, Ready an attack for when it appears.
•Strength saves (2014). Only the 2014 Pounce allows a save, DC 13. In 2024 the knockdown is automatic on any hit, so AC is the only defense.
The man-eater. A village on the edge of a jungle has lost three people in a month, all at the river at dusk. The tiger is old and slow by tiger standards, which is why it hunts people. The villagers want it dead. A druid wants it moved.
The collector's escape. A merchant's private menagerie has burned down. A tiger is loose in the city's lower district, hiding in alleys at night. The merchant offers a reward for it returned alive, and the city watch has orders to kill it.
The trail of prone bodies. A ranger NPC is found knocked flat in tall grass, bleeding but alive, and so is her partner. Whatever hit them didn't stay to finish the job. It's still in the grass, and the party is standing in it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What CR is a tiger in 5e?
A tiger is CR 1 (200 XP) in both the 2014 and 2024 rules. The 2014 tiger has AC 12 and 37 hit points; the 2024 tiger has AC 13 and 30 hit points.
How does a tiger's Pounce work?
In the 2014 rules, if the tiger moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and hits it with a Claw on the same turn, the target makes a DC 13 Strength save or is knocked prone, and the tiger can Bite a prone target as a bonus action. The 2024 tiger has no Pounce; its Rend knocks a Large or smaller target prone on any hit.
Does the 2024 tiger have Nimble Escape?
Yes. As a bonus action, the 2024 tiger can take the Disengage or Hide action, like a goblin.
Can a druid Wild Shape into a tiger?
Yes, from druid level 8 in both editions, since the tiger is CR 1 and has no flying or swimming speed.
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.