Monster
Comments from the Finger:
I just finished the latest episode of Hero Club! God, that was such a great episode, I don’t even want to do a normal promo; I just want to talk how great this one episode was. Not to spoil anything, but things get off the chain in Episode 4.
If you haven’t heard about Hero Club yet, it’s one of the single best D&D podcasts out there. The whole thing plays like a radio drama — everything about its production is super, super smooth. The current story is called It Never Sleeps, which centers around a pair of paranormal private eyes in a 1940’s-esque New York. It’s full of Lovecraftian monsters and mysteries, which they use our Lovecraft Handbook to help out with. It’s a hell of a ride.
In fact, here’s a fun game you can play with your friends: have the podcast on in the background when you ride somewhere, or on in the background when they arrive. Don’t start at the beginning of an episode — anywhere in an episode will do — and watch your friends get sucked in.
Anyway, this dude shows up in Episode 3, and is an absolute treat the whole time he’s on, so I’ve given you stats to use him in your own campaign.
Rat King
Presiding over an empire of junkyards and sewers, the rat king commands an army of vermin, covetously defending his prized possessions from intruders.
Corrupted Crown. This foul beast stands nearly the height of a man, but in all other regards resembles an immense rodent, crowned with a golden tiara. Though it may not look like it, the rat king was once an ordinary human, a junkyard owner, who stumbled upon the cursed tiara within the junkyard. It bewitched him and slowly transformed him into the beast he is today. With this crown upon his head, the rat king commands superior intelligence and immense power over vermin; however, it also infects him with a grasping obsession over his ‘treasures’, which includes trinkets found within his junkyard.
Empire of Filth. The rat king’s domain encompasses everywhere abandoned by polite society, including his junkyard, the dump, and of course, the sewers. In these places, the rat king can bring thousands of rodent allies to bear with a thought, creating a literal tide of vermin which can carry him aloft or devour his enemies.
Rat King
Medium monstrosity, neutral evil
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 187 (22d8 + 88)
Speed 30 ft.
STR 23 (+6) DEX 11 (+0) CON 19 (+4)
INT 22 (+6) WIS 16 (+3) CHA 11 (+0)
Skills Persuasion +3 Stealth +3
Damage Resistances poison
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Keen Smell. The rat has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Nimble Escape. The rat king can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.
Pack Tactics. The rat has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the rat’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
Vermin Crown. The rat king’s crown grants it the ability to usher around a tide of rats. The rat king is accompanied by three swarms of rats which it can command on each of its turns.
ACTION
Multiattack. The rat king makes two attacks: one with its claw and one with its bite.
Feast. The rat king consumes at least eight ounces of meat and regains 22 (4d10) hit points.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d6 + 6) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) poison damage.
Hook. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage and, if the target is Medium or smaller, it must make a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be pulled to a space adjacent to the rat king.
