Rat-King Oni

Street urchins call it the Rat-King and leave offerings so their families are not eaten. City watch rumors say a red giant made a bargain with vermin to survive a famine and now demands tribute. A few cultists worship it as an avatar of urban hunger.

LargeGiant(Giant (oni-wererat hybrid))CR 6Lawful Evil

Rat-King Oni

urbanratlordgiantelitecontrollerswarm-master
HP102AC15SPD30 ft., Climb 20 ft., Sewer Glide (can move through spaces occupied by rats and squeeze through gaps 1 foot wide)CR6 (2,300 XP)IntimidationPerceptionStealth
STR
19
save
DEX
12
CON
16
save
INT
14
WIS
12
CHA
16
save
Gnaw. The Rat-King can use a bonus action to gnaw with its bite. If it does, its next Bite attack before the end of its turn deals an extra 7 () poison damage.
Rat Swarm Form. The Rat-King can attempt to assume a writhing mass of rats. As an action, it can transform into a swarm of rats approximately the size of a Large creature for up to 1 minute. While transformed it has the statistics of a swarm of rats (use generic swarm rules), retains its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, and cannot wield its glaive or rod. The Rat-King reappears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of where the swarm was when the effect ends. Recharge 5-6.
Giant Resilience. The Rat-King is a giant and has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened by normal animals. Magical charms still affect it normally unless otherwise stated.
Rodent Tongue. The Rat-King's voice carries a subtle compulsion when it speaks in the language understood by rodents. Nonmagical rats and similar vermin hearing it have disadvantage on saves against its rat-control effects.
Multiattack. The Rat-King Oni makes two glaive attacks. It can replace one attack with a Bite or with a Command Rod strike.
Glaive. Melee Weapon Attack: to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 13 () slashing damage plus 5 () necrotic damage as the Rat-King draws dark, rat-tinged hunger into the blade. If the target is Medium or smaller, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be Frightened of the Rat-King until the end of the Rat-King's next turn.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 () piercing damage. On a hit, the target takes an additional 7 () poison damage if the Rat-King spends a bonus action to gnaw (see Rat Bite).
Command Rod Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 () bludgeoning damage. If the target is wearing light or no armor, the strike deals an additional 5 () crushing damage as the rod's crude head crushes ribs and harnesses rat-magic. On hit the target must make a Wisdom saving throw or have its movement reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn.
Ratlord Command. The Rat-King Oni emits a high, chittering command and compels rodents within range to attack. Each creature of the Rat-King's choice that is a rat, dire rat, or swarm of rats within 120 feet and that can hear the Rat-King must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature is charmed by the Rat-King for 1 minute and obeys simple commands to harry and attack the Rat-King's foes. The charm ends early if the charmed creature is attacked by the Rat-King or if it is more than 500 feet away from the Rat-King when it tries to obey an order. The Rat-King can maintain control of up to 30 individual rats or one swarm of rats at a time. This is a magical compulsion.
Filth Breath (Recharge 5-6). The Rat-King exudes a choking cloud of refuse and sewer stench in a 15-foot cone. Creatures in the cone must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute and blinded until the end of their next turn. A poisoned creature may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. The Rat-King can use this ability once and regains the use on a short or long rest.
Rat Shield. When a creature the Rat-King can see hits it with a melee attack, the Rat-King can use its reaction to invoke Rat Shield. A swarm of rats surges to interpose. The attacker must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or have its attack rerolled at disadvantage. Usable 3 times, regains uses on a long rest.
Skitter Step. The Rat-King moves up to half its movement without provoking opportunity attacks.
Direct Swarm. Command a single swarm of rats within 60 feet to move up to its speed and make one attack or shove, if applicable.
Cantrips
At WillDivination/Enchantment The Rat-King can cast the following spells innately, requiring no material components. Charisma is its spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15, +6 to hit with spell attacks).
1st level
Daily TricksIllusion/Enchantment 1/day each. Fog cloud creates obscuring mist; cause fear casts fear on a group of creatures; speak with animals lets it command nonmagical animals more easily.
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