House cats and inhabitation Options

[FooBot]

Does anyone know where to find the stats for a house cat?
we have a mage interested in summoning an ally spirit and having it inhabit the cat as a kind of fmailiar, but since we have no statblock for the cat at hand its difficult to work out the physical stats of such a vessel.

We also ran into a problem with the augemented max's and mins for a housecat.
Wondering if anyone could shed some light on this.

[Ascalaphus]

Running Wild, p. 96 lists stats for a Domestic Cat.

I'm guessing those stats would be an average cat. That would mean a Natural Maximum Cat would be 2x that, and an Augmented Maximum Cat would be 3x that. Doesn't look unreasonably powerful.

[zeborazor]

Is her name Sabrina? Follows the Wiccan tradition does she?

[Tanegar]

Why bother with inhabitation? Conjure the ally, give it the form of a housecat. Shpla-dah, talking feline familiar. For a measly two, two, two Karma more (a pittance compared to what your mage is already going to drop on his ally, assuming he's not an utter gomer and planning to conjure a Force 1 ally) the spirit can also have another form (probably metahuman) that it can switch in and out of at will. Seriously, unless your mage's concept and/or tradition absolutely require him to have an inhabiting ally, I can't think of a single reason not to just cut out the intermediary step and go with a materializing spirit.

[Ramaloke]

Inhabitation is useful if you want to augment the spirit with cyber/bio-ware.

[Tanegar]

That might be a concern if the mage were planning to use a metahuman vessel, but we're talking about a housecat here, which raises a number of problems with that scenario. First, can you get ware designed for a cat? Second (I don't have Running Wild, so you can check me on this one) I'm guessing housecats don't exactly have huge stats, meaning a pretty low augmented maximum. A decent-Force materializing ally will probably have better stats anyway, plus access to astral space. IMO, the mage is better off all around just going with a materializing ally.

[Neraph]

That might be a concern if the mage were planning to use a metahuman vessel, but we're talking about a housecat here, which raises a number of problems with that scenario. First, can you get ware designed for a cat? Second (I don't have Running Wild, so you can check me on this one) I'm guessing housecats don't exactly have huge stats, meaning a pretty low augmented maximum. A decent-Force materializing ally will probably have better stats anyway, plus access to astral space. IMO, the mage is better off all around just going with a materializing ally.

1) Not only can you get 'ware designed for a cat but it costs 20% less for all of it (Augmentation, Biodrones section). Also, you could buy a Chimeric/Warform cat (Running Wild), then cyber/bio it out, then get it inhabited.

2) Critters do not have augmented max stats. I think that one's in Running Wild, but I don't remember exactly where I read that one.

Also: your mage hasn't looked at my guide, has he?

[Yerameyahu]

20% less than double, maybe. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Anything nonhuman deserves a massive markup.

[FooBot]

1) Not only can you get 'ware designed for a cat but it costs 20% less for all of it (Augmentation, Biodrones section). Also, you could buy a Chimeric/Warform cat (Running Wild), then cyber/bio it out, then get it inhabited.

2) Critters do not have augmented max stats. I think that one's in Running Wild, but I don't remember exactly where I read that one.

Also: your mage hasn't looked at my guide, has he?

Chimeric warform house cat with a powerful spirit inside, now thats a pet!

[CanRay]

Did you name your spirit "Bob"? Does he usually live in a skull?

[Neraph]

20% less than double, maybe. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Anything nonhuman deserves a massive markup.

Ok, so I was 1/4th right.

Most enhancement technologies are also available for biodrones - at similar Essence and nuyen costs... The costs for all genetech enhancements is reduced by 20% except for animals with long natural maturing cycles and lifetimes.

Still can't locate that part about animals not having augmented maxes though... It may be in the FAQ, even though the majority of this board doesn't trust it.

EDIT: @CanRay: everyone knows Bob is a Force 8+ Guidance Spirit with Inhabitation and Astral Projection, although his Astrally Projected form has Possession. And apparently does not add its Force to physical attributes - it'd be more like a magical version of rigging.

[CanRay]

Explains how Bob was able to inhabit Sue. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[BookWyrm]

With the Ally Spirit I was working up (see here), I went for a spirit-form of a black Sphynx-breed with bat-wings.