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.
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Publication history
The wererat (or rat men) first appeared in the Greyhawk supplement (1975).
The wererat appeared in the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in the original Monster Manual (1977). The wererat appeared as a player character race in Dragon #24 (April 1979).
The wererat appeared in the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (1977, 1981, 1983). The wererat appeared in the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991). The greater wererat appeared as a player character class in Night Howlers (1992). In a review of Night Howlers by game designer Rick Swan, he notes that wererats are protected from normal weapons when in human form.
The wererat appeared in the second edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989), and was reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993). The wererat was expanded in further detail in Dragon #251 (September 1998).
The lycanthrope appeared as a creature template in the third edition Monster Manual (2000), 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).
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.