Rat Breeding

In the frozen remnants of civilization, survival demands ingenuity. Rats, once a nuisance, are now a resource. If you can stomach it. Some have taken to breed them in pens for food, and in some circles, sport.

Food products sourced from rats are marked as Vermin, and characters with a high Eloquence skill may find such meals revolting—or even refuse to consume them altogether unless facing starvation.

The Rat Breeding system is designed primarily for roleplay immersion and world flavor. While it yields some edible and tradeable resources, these gains are modest by design.

Getting Started

Rats require a Rat Cage to live, breed, and be cared for. Woodworkers can craft these by hand or built through a woodworkers workbench at a discount.

• Each container can hold up to 12 rats at a time. This includes breeding adults and their offspring.
• If the container is at capacity, breeding will pause.
• Well-maintained containers support faster breeding and healthier rats.

Acquiring Rats

You can obtain rats through several means:

• Trapping: Craft or find small animal traps, bait with spoiled food or crumbs, and place in warm, dark areas
• Trade: Some NPCs or players may sell live rats

Feeding and Upkeep

To maintain health and production:

• Each rat must be fed regularly. Failing to feed your rats can result in cannibalization of their nest-mates or death.
• A hungry female will stop breeding, even if a male is present
  • When fed, a female rat can produce 1 unit of liquid per day (roughly 1oz)

In containment, female rats are considered constantly pregnant or nursing, provided conditions are suitable. However, no new rats will be born unless at least one male rat is present in the same container. This abstraction simplifies breeding logic while keeping numbers manageable.

Rats can be bred for traits, which are determined by their parents. Traits are used to determine their performance in Rat Fighting. Traits are weighted, and a rat can not have the best level of all three at once.

Rat Fighting

Rats have three traits that determine their ability in rat fights:

• Size - Hitpoints
• Speed - Attack Speed
• Aggression - Attack Damage

Fighting skills amongst rats are mechanically the same regardless of these traits.

To initiate a rat battle, use the [ratbattle command and target another player. If that player has a rat, you will both receive a prompt to set up the battle and choose your fighters. Once both players confirm, the rats will be spawned on the ground and fight to the death.

Disclaimer: Bloodsports such as rat-baiting were unfortunately real and widespread in the 19th century. Their inclusion in this game is meant to reflect the harshness and desperation of the setting. We do not condone animal cruelty or bloodsport of any kind.