Wererat (Dungeons & Dragons)
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In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the wererat is one of several different types of animalistic forms. They are classified as "lycanthropes", despite the fact that the term reflects a lupine, or wolven, form.
Publication history
The wererat (or rat men) first appeared in the Greyhawk supplement (1975).[1]
The wererat appeared in the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in the original Monster Manual (1977).[2] The wererat appeared as a player character race in Dragon #24 (April 1979).
The wererat appeared in the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (1977,[3] 1981, 1983). The wererat appeared in the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991).[4] The greater wererat appeared as a player character class in Night Howlers (1992).[5] In a review of Night Howlers by game designer Rick Swan, he notes that wererats are protected from normal weapons when in human form.[6]
The wererat appeared in the second edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989),[7] and was reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993).[8] The wererat was expanded in further detail in Dragon #251 (September 1998).[9]
The lycanthrope appeared as a creature template in the third edition Monster Manual (2000),[10] and in the 3.5 revised Monster Manual (2003), with the wererat as a sample creature. The wererat appeared as a player character race in Dragon #313 (November 2003).[11]
The wererat appeared in the fourth edition in Monster Manual (2008).
Description
A wererat is a lawful evil creature that inhabits subterranean tunnel complexes beneath cities. A wererat can take three forms, that of a human, a human-sized ratman, and a giant rat. A wererat is capable of summoning and controlling giant rats.
Other games
They are also found in various games inspired by or based on Dungeons & Dragons such as NetHack, DragonQuest, and Neverwinter Nights.
Other appearances
- Dungeon #14, Nov 1988 (Greater Wererat)
- Dungeons & Dragons Game (black box) [Rule Book], 1991 (Lycanthrope, Wererat)
- Classic Dungeons & Dragons Game [Rules and Adventure Book], 1994 (Lycanthrope, Wererat)
References
- ↑ Gygax, Gary and Robert Kuntz. Supplement I: Greyhawk (TSR, 1975)
- ↑ Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual (TSR, 1977)
- ↑ Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974], edited by J. Eric Holmes. Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (TSR, 1977)
- ↑ Allston, Aaron, Steven E. Schend, Jon Pickens, and Dori Watry. Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (TSR, 1991)
- ↑ Dupuis, Ann. Night Howlers (TSR, 1992)
- ↑ Swan, Rick (April 1993). "Role-playing Reviews". Dragon. Lake Geneva, Wisconsin: TSR (#192): 86.
- ↑ Cook, David, et al. Monstrous Compendium Volume One (TSR, 1989)
- ↑ Stewart, Doug, ed. Monstrous Manual (TSR, 1993)
- ↑ Johnson, Kristin (September 1998). "Ecology of the Wererat". Dragon. TSR (251).
- ↑ Williams, Skip, Jonathan Tweet, and Monte Cook. Monster Manual. Wizards of the Coast, 2000
- ↑ Poisso, Dean. "Animal Ancestry." Dragon #313 (Paizo Publishing, 2003)