RAT, Giant (Sumatran)

I Love New York

FREQUENCY: Common (crypts && dungeons)

FREQUENCY: Common ([Dungeon Level I])

FREQUENCY: Common ([Cold Civilized Swamp], [Cold Civilized Plains])
FREQUENCY: Uncommon ([Cold Civilized Hills], [Cold Civilized Forest])
FREQUENCY: Rare ([Cold Civilized Mountains], [Cold Civilized Desert])

FREQUENCY: Common ([Cold Wilderness Swamp], [Cold Wilderness Plains])
FREQUENCY: Uncommon ([Cold Wilderness Hills], [Cold Wilderness Forest])
FREQUENCY: Rare ([Cold Wilderness Mountains], [Cold Wilderness Desert])

FREQUENCY: Common ([Temperate Civilized Swamp], [Temperate Civilized Plains])
FREQUENCY: Uncommon ([Temperate Civilized Hills], [Temperate Civilized Forest])
FREQUENCY: Rare ([Temperate Civilized Desert])

FREQUENCY: Common ([Temperate Wilderness Plains])
FREQUENCY: Uncommon ([Temperate Wilderness Swamp], [Temperate Wilderness Hills], [Temperate Wilderness Forest])
FREQUENCY: Rare ([Temperate Wilderness Mountains], [Temperate Wilderness Desert])

FREQUENCY: Common ([Tropical Civilized Swamp])
FREQUENCY: Uncommon ([Tropical Civilized Hills], [Tropical Civilized Forest], [Tropical Civilized Plains])
FREQUENCY: Rare ([Tropical Civilized Mountains], [Tropical Civilized Desert])

FREQUENCY: Common ([Tropical Wilderness Swamp], [Tropical Wilderness Plains])
FREQUENCY: Uncommon ([Tropical Wilderness Forest])
FREQUENCY: Rare ([Tropical Wilderness Hills])
FREQUENCY: Rare ([Tropical Wilderness Mountains], [Tropical Wilderness Desert])
<check Tropical Wilderness entries>

NO. APPEARING: 5-50 <(jermlaine: I)>
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 12"//6"
HIT DICE: 1-4 HP
% IN LAIR: 10%
TREASURE TYPE: C
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 ~ 20n
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Disease
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
INTELLIGENCE: Semi-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral (evil) <(Tarterian)>
SIZE: S
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: I | 7 + 1

SAVES: 16.17.18.20.19
MORALE: NA <?>

Rats of all sorts are common, <^?>
and the giant Sumatran sort are a {plague} in
many places such as crypts && dungeons.
Their burrows honeycomb many graveyards,
where they seek to cheat ghouls of their prizes by tunneling to newly interred corpses.

Disease: Any creature bitten by a giant rat has a 5% chance per wound inflicted of contacting a serious disease.
If such infection is indicated the victim is diseased unless a save vs. Poison is successful.
    <severity: severe || terminal>
    <as well, cf. DMG.80: according to this, it should be OK to allow the save modifiers derived from DMG.14>
    <even on a successful save, might count as 'exposure to filth': disease & parasites>

Giant rats will avoid attacking strong parties unless commanded to FIGHT by such creatures as wererats || vampires.
They are fearful of fire and FLEE from it.
Giant rats swim quite well, and they can attack in water as well.

The giant rat is the sacred animal of Gruumsh.

WEIRD: Mantari

Rat leader: AC 7; MV 12"; HD 1; hp 7;
#AT 1; D 1-4
THACO 19
XP 17 (10+1/hp)
(A1-4.74)






I do plan to get some of the CDs of Firesign Theater material I have missed or from records worn out.
As a Sherlock Holmes fan the Giant Rat of Sumatra is at the top of my list!)

Cheers,
Gary


 

James M: 6. You're listed in the credits of the Monster Manual as an illustrator.
Which illustrations are yours? Did you ever consider focusing on art rather than writing or did you see the two as complementary?

Jean Wells: I don’t remember which drawings I did other than the horrible Sumatran Rat. At one time I did focus more on my art abilities. I was studying to be an Elementary School Art Teacher in college when I was hired. I like painting pictures with words better now, but I am considering doing some ink work for a friend and perhaps I can talk him into letting me write some of the scenes sans the monsters.

- Grognardia (Interview: Jean Wells)