General Rules: Monsters - Dire Rat

Dire Rat (from the Monster Manual)
Small Animal

Hit Dice: 1d8+1 (5 hit points)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 feet, climb 20 feet
Armor Class: 15 (+1 size, +3 Dexterity, +1 natural); touch 14, flat-footed 12
BAB/Grapple: +0/-4
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d4 plus disease, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing, 20 x2)

Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d4 plus disease, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing, 20 x2)

Space/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet
Special Attacks: Disease
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fortitude +3, Reflex +5, Will +3
Abilities: Str 10, Int 1, Wis 12, Dex 17, Con 12, Cha 4
Skills: Climb +11, Hide +8, Listen +4, Move Silently +4, Spot +4, Swim +11
Feats: Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot), Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or pack (11 - 20)
Challenge Rating: ⅓
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 2 - 3 HD (Small); 4 - 6 HD (Medium)

Dire rats are omnivorous scavengers, but will attack to defend their nests and territories. A dire rat can grow to be up to 4 feet long and weigh over 50 pounds.

Combat
Dire rat packs attack fearlessly, biting and chewing with their sharp incisors.

Disease (Ex): Filth fever - bite, Fortitude Dc 11, incubation period 3 days, damage 1d3 Dexterity and 1d3 Constitution. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Skills: Dire rats have a +8 racial bonus on Swim checks. Dire rats have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks, and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. Dire rats use their Dexterity modifier for Climb and Swim checks.

Dire Rats as Familiars
Dire rats can serve as familiars for characters eligible to obtain familiars including arcane engineers, hexblades, mind weavers, shadowsworn, sorcerers, and wizards. To do so, the character must take the Improved Familiar feat, and be at least a 3^rd-level caster. Arcane casters with dire rat familiars gain a +2 bonus to Fortitude saves.

Dire Rats as Animal Companions
A dire rat may be trained using Handle Animal. A 1^st-level druid, 3^rd-level outdoorsman, or 1^st-level ranger may take a dire rat as an animal companion.

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