Rat (/ræt/)
The Pest of the Dungeon
The Menagerie fought some in the Grotto of Outding Refuge.
Basic Information
Anatomy
A tiny slender rodent with a pointy head, large black eyes, and prominent, thinly furred ears. It has moderately long legs and long, sharp claws
Ecology and Habitats
Homeland(s): Any
Favored Terrain: Swamp Terrain, Urban Area Terrain
Habitats
Rats thrived in urban environments where they could easily feed off the leftover food and waste of the community. Deep in the Underdark near Menzoberranzan, scurry rats were hunted by riding lizards of the drow. Beyond the Prime Material plane, rats could be found in the Domains of Dread.Dietary Needs and Habits
Scavenger
Biological Cycle
Activity cycle
: Night
Behaviour
Rats were generally cowardly creatures, but would become fierce if cornered or trapped. They feared fire, but if hungry enough could be driven to ignore this base instinct.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Harvesting
Instructions
Instructions: Because this creature is an Beast, the player should roll a Nature Check using the DCs in the table below. On a success, the player is able to harvest the item. On a failure, the item cannot be harvested (either because the character is not skilled enough, or because the item is ruined). The DM should note that many of the items have an expiration, and can not be sold or used after the expiration has passed.
| DC | Item | Description | Value | Weight | Expiration | Crafting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Rat Tail | Rat tails are useless for eating or crafting, however, many cities will pay a bounty for each rat tail turned in. | 3 cp | .02 lb. | ∞ | – |
| 10 | Rat Carcass | If the rat carcass isn't completely destroyed, the creature's body can be can sold to alchemists and healers. The little beast's eyes, tiny teeth and organs may have uses in potions, salves and ointments. | 3 cp | 3 lb. | 2 days | – |
This kind of creature does not normally carry treasure. This kind of creature does not normally have or collect treasure. However, the creature may have a lair full of bodies, or reside somewhere that treasure already exists. This creature produces 1 piece of Harvested Meat, weighing a total of 4 lbs. DC: 5, Expire: 1 day, Value: 2 sp
This creature is often considered a vermin, and the meat can be untasteful, diseased or rampant with bacteria. Some communities wont pay for the meat. Dungeon Master's discretion.
Average Intelligence
Animal (2)
Sources
Source(s):
- Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 335. ISBN 978-0786965614.
- Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, James Wyatt (June 2008). Monster Manual 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 219. ISBN 978-0-7869-4852-9.
- Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 278. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 300. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 105. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
- Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 302–305. ISBN 978-0786965622.
- Sean K. Reynolds (2002-05-04). Deity Do's and Don'ts (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Faiths and Pantheons. Wizards of the Coast. pp. 10–15. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
- Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 64. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- Gary Gygax (December 1977). Monster Manual, 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 81. ISBN 0-935696-00-8.
- Cyberlore Studios (1994). Designed by Herb Perez. Al-Qadim: The Genie's Curse. Strategic Simulations, Inc.
- R.A. Salvatore (September 1990). Homeland. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 5–6. ISBN 0-1401-4372-6.
- William W. Connors (1996). Monstrous Compendium - Ravenloft Appendices I & II. (TSR, Inc.), p. 70. ISBN 0786903929.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
Animalia, Materia, Bestia, Naturis (Mammalia, Rodentia, Rattini Rattus)
Origin/Ancestry
Beast (Animal, Land-Based Mammal | Rodent)
Lifespan
about 2-7 years
Conservation Status
No conservation in most places as they are hunted to stop destruction of food supplies and the fear of disease.
Average Height
2.4”-3.5”
Average Weight
1 lb.
Average Length
7"
Geographic Distribution
Related Ethnicities
5E Statistics
Rat
| Size | Tiny |
| Type | Beast |
| Alignment | Unaligned |
| Challenge Rating | 0 |
General Information
| Movement | Climbing |
| Vision | Blindsight, low-light vision, Darkvision |
| Activity Cycle | Night |
| Diet | Scavenger |
| Homeland(s) | Any |
| Favored Climate | Temperate |
| Favored Terrain | Hills, Mountains, Jungles, Woods |
Appearance
| Average Height | 2.4”-3.5” |
| Average Weight | 1 lb. |
| Fur Color(s) | Black, grey, white, cream, pale grey, pale blue, brown |
| Eye Color(s) | black, brown, red |
History
First appearance: Monster Manual 1st editionBased on
animal ratSee Also: Rat on Forgotten Realms Wiki