Ratpeople Class for the D&D RC (or Labyrinth Lord and so on)

Just a quick one because I need that class for a player today. In other (short) news: I wrote some place that I aimed to publish Monkey Business before November. Well, what scatter-brained me actually had planned was publishing it IN November (sorry). That's still the plan and has a good chance of happening. I'm also still pretty busy with exams stuff, so no regular posting until mid-December, I'm afraid (I'll try, though). For now: enjoy a class of Ratpeople for your D&D games!

Ratpeople

No matter how you call them, they are around in most fantasy settings and about as popular as goblins. But they make good workers, passable shock troupes and better scouts. Their eyesight isn't the best (short sighted, color blind), but they make up for it with excellent hearing and smelling. They are good at hiding, sneaking around and squeezing through very small holes.

Skaven are, of course a prime example. Just not very cute ... [source]

Ratpeople are as fast as humans are, but a little smaller in general (reaching the height a dwarf would, but without the broad shoulders). Language doesn't come easy to them because of their snouts. They also have big ears, whiskers and, of course, a tail.

Prime Requisites: Dexterity and Constitution

Experience Bonus: 5% for DEX or CON higher than 12, 10% for DEX and CON higher than 12

Hit Dice: 1d6 per level up to 9th level.

Maximum Level: 12

Armor: No heavy armor, shields permitted

Weapon: Any (also has claws)

Combat Progression: like Fighter

Weapon Mastery (if you use that): normal

Saves as: Halfling

Special Abilities: SQUEEZE (if the head fits, the rat fits ... character can get through very small holes), SNEAKY RAT (character gets [(3 x DEX) + (2 x Level) %]-chance to be stealthy when sneaking around), HEIGHTENED SMELL AND HEARING (what it says on the tin, can only be surprised in smelly/noisy environments), HIDE INSIDE (like Halfling), HIDE OUTSIDE (like Halfling)

Ratpeople Experience Table (advances like Fighter/Thief)

Level     XP

1           0
2       1.400
3       2.800
4       5.600
5      10.000
6      20.000
7      40.000
8      80.000
9     160.000
10    280.000
11    400.000
12    520.000

And that's that. As far as origins go, the Crazy Wizard Experiment works best in my games. SCIENCE DID IT, that's how. Got out of hand during imperial times (because we have that, too) and they have been reproducing ever since. Their birth place is lost in obscurity, though, because we like to keep it interesting. Society pretty much accepts them as you'd expect ... so they don't. Elves in particular really don't like them. Rats go at length to assimilate, mostly just by wearing cloths but some going as far as cutting their tails off to seem more humanoid (although half the rat community frowns at such behavior).

I used Building the Perfect Class as a guide to make the Ratpeople. You should check that out, if you haven't already (and here is why).

Next up should be more Monkey Business!