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Special Conversion Thread: Lycanthropes and their ilk
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<blockquote data-quote="Cleon" data-source="post: 6145504" data-attributes="member: 57383"><p><strong>Ratwere Working Draft</strong></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">Ratwere</span></strong></p><p>Medium Magical Beast (Shapechanger)</p><p><strong>Hit Dice:</strong> 3d10+9 (25 hp)</p><p><strong>Initiative:</strong> +7</p><p><strong>Speed:</strong> 40 ft. (8 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.</p><p><strong>Armor Class:</strong> 16 (+3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 13</p><p><strong>Base Attack/Grapple:</strong> +3/+5</p><p><strong>Attack:</strong> Bite +6 melee (1d6+3 plus ratwere plague);</p><p>—<em>Hybrid-form:</em> Shortsword +6 melee (1d6+2/19-20), or bite +6 melee (1d6+2 plus ratwere plague), or dagger +6 melee/ranged (1d4+2/19-20)</p><p><strong>Full Attack:</strong> Bite +6 melee (1d6+3 plus ratwere plague);</p><p>—<em>Hybrid-form:</em> Shortsword +6 melee (1d6+2/19-20) and bite +1 melee (1d6+1 plus ratwere plague), or dagger +6 melee (1d4+2/19-20) and bite +1 melee (1d6+1 plus ratwere plague)</p><p><strong>Space/Reach:</strong> 5 ft./5 ft.</p><p><strong>Special Attacks:</strong> Ratwere plague, summon rats</p><p><strong>Special Qualities:</strong> Alternate form, dire, damage reduction 10/magic or silver, low-light vision, scent, speak with rats</p><p><strong>Saves:</strong> Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +6</p><p><strong>Abilities:</strong> Str 14, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 11</p><p><strong>Skills:</strong> Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +9, Listen +5, Move Silently +5, Spot +5, Swim +11</p><p><strong>Feats:</strong> Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will (B), Weapon Finesse (B)</p><p><strong>Environment:</strong> Urban and underground</p><p><strong>Organization:</strong> Solitary, family (2-5), pack (6-24) or troupe (2-24 plus 2-40 dire rats and rat swarms)</p><p><strong>Challenge Rating:</strong> 3</p><p><strong>Treasure:</strong> Standard</p><p><strong>Alignment:</strong> Always chaotic evil</p><p><strong>Advancement:</strong> 4-9 HD (Medium) or by character class</p><p><strong>Level Adjustment:</strong> +3</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Ratwere, Human Form</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong></strong></span><p style="text-align: left"><strong>Speed:</strong> 30 ft. (6 squares)</p> <p style="text-align: left"><strong>Armor Class:</strong> 13 (+3 Dex), touch 13, flat-footed 10</p> <p style="text-align: left"><strong>Base Attack/Grapple:</strong> +3/+5</p> <p style="text-align: left"><strong>Attack:</strong> Shortsword +6 melee (1d6+2/19-20), or dagger +6 melee/ranged (1d4+2/19-20)</p> <p style="text-align: left"><strong>Full Attack:</strong> Shortsword +6 melee (1d6+2/19-20), or dagger +6 melee/ranged (1d4+2/19-20)</p> <p style="text-align: left"><strong>Space/Reach:</strong> 5 ft./5 ft.</p> <p style="text-align: left"><strong>Special Attacks:</strong> Summon rats</p> <p style="text-align: left"><strong>Special Qualities:</strong> Alternate form, dire, low-light vision, scent, speak with rats</p> <p style="text-align: left"><strong>Skills:</strong> Balance +3, Climb +11, Hide +9, Listen +5, Move Silently +5, Spot +5, Swim +11</p> <p style="text-align: left"></p><p></p><p><em>A giant rat nearly as big as a man. Its form flows and the "rat" develops disturbingly human-shaped limbs, allowing it to stand on two legs and wield weapons in its furry hands</em>.</p><p></p><p>Ratweres are dire rats infected with a form of lycanthropy that enables them to assume a human or half-human form. This disease, the "ratwere plague", is fatal to all living creatures except for dire rats and humans.</p><p></p><p>Ratweres live in places were both rats and humans can be found – sewers, rubbish heaps and the like. Their lives are a constant struggle for survival with frequent fights over resources and authority. A ratwere's lair normally contains ordinary rats and dire rats, for ratweres have the power to summon and control such vermin. Ratweres view normal rats as disposable cannon fodder and emergency rations. They show little more consideration to their own kind, backstabbing rivals and cannibalizing the sick or elderly. Humanoid flesh is a prized delicacy, but ratweres are cautious enough to mostly prey on people unlikely to be missed.</p><p></p><p>A typical ratwere weighs about 120 pounds and is 5 or 5 feet long in its natural giant rat form, or a little over 5 feet tall in human or hybrid form.</p><p></p><p>Ratweres speak the language of whatever humans they live nearest to, usually Common.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Combat</strong></span></p><p>Ratweres prefer ambushes. They usually summon rats to soften up or distract their enemies. Most ratweres value their own lives far more highly than their allies, so rarely risk themselves to aid each other. A ratwere will often flee if injured.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Alternate Form (Ex):</strong> Natural form is a medium sized dire rat. Can take on form of a unique human or a rat-man hybrid. </p><p></p><p><strong>Summon Rats (Su):</strong> Once per day, as a standard action, a ratwere can call forth 1 rat swarm or a pack of 1d6+1 dire rats. These creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the ratwere for up to 1 hour.</p><p></p><p><strong>Dire:</strong> A ratwere is considered to be a dire animal and has all good saves.</p><p></p><p><strong>Ratwere Plague (Su):</strong> Supernatural disease—slam, Fortitude DC 15, incubation period 1 minute; damage 1d6 Wis plus being sickened. The sickened condition last as long as the victim suffers Wisdom damage from this disease.</p><p></p><p>Unlike normal diseases, ratwere plague continues until the victim reaches Wisdom 0 (and is transformed into a lycanthrope or dies) or is cured by <em>remove disease</em> or similar magic.</p><p></p><p>Ratwere plague is a powerful curse, not a natural disease. A character attempting to cast any conjuration (healing) spell to remove the ratwere plague, or heal the Wisdom damage it causes, must succeed on a DC 20 caster level check, or the spell has no effect on the afflicted character.</p><p></p><p>Afflicted humans reduced to 0 Wisdom transform into greater wererats, afflicted dire rats reduced to 0 Wis transform into ratweres, and other creatures reduced to 0 Wisdom die. <p style="text-align: left"><span style="color: #000000"></span></p> <p style="text-align: left"><span style="color: #000000"></span></p><p><strong>Speak With Rats (Su):</strong> A ratwere can communicate with rats and dire rats as if it had a permanent <em>speak with animals</em> spell. It can also use this ability to speak with wererats and other ratweres using this ability, which sounds like rodent squeaks and chirps.</p><p></p><p><strong>Skills:</strong> Ratweres have a +8 racial bonus on Climb and Swim checks. Ratweres can use their Dexterity modifier or their Strength modifier for Climb and Swim checks, whichever is better.</p><p></p><p>In rat or hybrid-form, a ratwere gains a +8 racial bonus on Balance checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb and Swim checks, even if rushed or threatened. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.</p><p></p><p><em>Originally appeared in Dungeon Magazine #14 (1988).</em></p><p></p><p><strong>Skill Ranks:</strong> Hide 6, Listen 2, Move Silently 2, and Spot 2.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Cleon, post: 6145504, member: 57383"] [b]Ratwere Working Draft[/b] [B][SIZE=4]Ratwere[/SIZE][/B] Medium Magical Beast (Shapechanger) [B]Hit Dice:[/B] 3d10+9 (25 hp) [B]Initiative:[/B] +7 [B]Speed:[/B] 40 ft. (8 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft. [B]Armor Class:[/B] 16 (+3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 13 [B]Base Attack/Grapple:[/B] +3/+5 [B]Attack:[/B] Bite +6 melee (1d6+3 plus ratwere plague); —[I]Hybrid-form:[/I] Shortsword +6 melee (1d6+2/19-20), or bite +6 melee (1d6+2 plus ratwere plague), or dagger +6 melee/ranged (1d4+2/19-20) [B]Full Attack:[/B] Bite +6 melee (1d6+3 plus ratwere plague); —[I]Hybrid-form:[/I] Shortsword +6 melee (1d6+2/19-20) and bite +1 melee (1d6+1 plus ratwere plague), or dagger +6 melee (1d4+2/19-20) and bite +1 melee (1d6+1 plus ratwere plague) [B]Space/Reach:[/B] 5 ft./5 ft. [B]Special Attacks:[/B] Ratwere plague, summon rats [B]Special Qualities:[/B] Alternate form, dire, damage reduction 10/magic or silver, low-light vision, scent, speak with rats [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +6 [B]Abilities:[/B] Str 14, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 11 [B]Skills:[/B] Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +9, Listen +5, Move Silently +5, Spot +5, Swim +11 [B]Feats:[/B] Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will (B), Weapon Finesse (B) [B]Environment:[/B] Urban and underground [B]Organization:[/B] Solitary, family (2-5), pack (6-24) or troupe (2-24 plus 2-40 dire rats and rat swarms) [B]Challenge Rating:[/B] 3 [B]Treasure:[/B] Standard [B]Alignment:[/B] Always chaotic evil [B]Advancement:[/B] 4-9 HD (Medium) or by character class [B]Level Adjustment:[/B] +3 [SIZE=3][B]Ratwere, Human Form [/B][/SIZE][LEFT][B]Speed:[/B] 30 ft. (6 squares) [B]Armor Class:[/B] 13 (+3 Dex), touch 13, flat-footed 10 [B]Base Attack/Grapple:[/B] +3/+5 [B]Attack:[/B] Shortsword +6 melee (1d6+2/19-20), or dagger +6 melee/ranged (1d4+2/19-20) [B]Full Attack:[/B] Shortsword +6 melee (1d6+2/19-20), or dagger +6 melee/ranged (1d4+2/19-20) [B]Space/Reach:[/B] 5 ft./5 ft. [B]Special Attacks:[/B] Summon rats [B]Special Qualities:[/B] Alternate form, dire, low-light vision, scent, speak with rats [B]Skills:[/B] Balance +3, Climb +11, Hide +9, Listen +5, Move Silently +5, Spot +5, Swim +11 [/LEFT] [I]A giant rat nearly as big as a man. Its form flows and the "rat" develops disturbingly human-shaped limbs, allowing it to stand on two legs and wield weapons in its furry hands[/I]. Ratweres are dire rats infected with a form of lycanthropy that enables them to assume a human or half-human form. This disease, the "ratwere plague", is fatal to all living creatures except for dire rats and humans. Ratweres live in places were both rats and humans can be found – sewers, rubbish heaps and the like. Their lives are a constant struggle for survival with frequent fights over resources and authority. A ratwere's lair normally contains ordinary rats and dire rats, for ratweres have the power to summon and control such vermin. Ratweres view normal rats as disposable cannon fodder and emergency rations. They show little more consideration to their own kind, backstabbing rivals and cannibalizing the sick or elderly. Humanoid flesh is a prized delicacy, but ratweres are cautious enough to mostly prey on people unlikely to be missed. A typical ratwere weighs about 120 pounds and is 5 or 5 feet long in its natural giant rat form, or a little over 5 feet tall in human or hybrid form. Ratweres speak the language of whatever humans they live nearest to, usually Common. [SIZE=3][B]Combat[/B][/SIZE] Ratweres prefer ambushes. They usually summon rats to soften up or distract their enemies. Most ratweres value their own lives far more highly than their allies, so rarely risk themselves to aid each other. A ratwere will often flee if injured. [B]Alternate Form (Ex):[/B] Natural form is a medium sized dire rat. Can take on form of a unique human or a rat-man hybrid. [B]Summon Rats (Su):[/B] Once per day, as a standard action, a ratwere can call forth 1 rat swarm or a pack of 1d6+1 dire rats. These creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the ratwere for up to 1 hour. [B]Dire:[/B] A ratwere is considered to be a dire animal and has all good saves. [B]Ratwere Plague (Su):[/B] Supernatural disease—slam, Fortitude DC 15, incubation period 1 minute; damage 1d6 Wis plus being sickened. The sickened condition last as long as the victim suffers Wisdom damage from this disease. Unlike normal diseases, ratwere plague continues until the victim reaches Wisdom 0 (and is transformed into a lycanthrope or dies) or is cured by [I]remove disease[/I] or similar magic. Ratwere plague is a powerful curse, not a natural disease. A character attempting to cast any conjuration (healing) spell to remove the ratwere plague, or heal the Wisdom damage it causes, must succeed on a DC 20 caster level check, or the spell has no effect on the afflicted character. Afflicted humans reduced to 0 Wisdom transform into greater wererats, afflicted dire rats reduced to 0 Wis transform into ratweres, and other creatures reduced to 0 Wisdom die. [LEFT][COLOR=#000000] [/COLOR][/LEFT] [B]Speak With Rats (Su):[/B] A ratwere can communicate with rats and dire rats as if it had a permanent [I]speak with animals[/I] spell. It can also use this ability to speak with wererats and other ratweres using this ability, which sounds like rodent squeaks and chirps. [B]Skills:[/B] Ratweres have a +8 racial bonus on Climb and Swim checks. Ratweres can use their Dexterity modifier or their Strength modifier for Climb and Swim checks, whichever is better. In rat or hybrid-form, a ratwere gains a +8 racial bonus on Balance checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb and Swim checks, even if rushed or threatened. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. [I]Originally appeared in Dungeon Magazine #14 (1988).[/I] [B]Skill Ranks:[/B] Hide 6, Listen 2, Move Silently 2, and Spot 2. [/QUOTE]
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