V Rising: How To Kill The Putrid Rat Boss

"V Rising" has been taking Steam by storm, surprising even its creators with how fast it is gaining popularity. Resting somewhere between an action RPG ala "Diablo" and a hardcore crafting game like last year's ultra-popular "Valheim," players quickly fell in love with the gothic setting and the chance to become the ultimate creature of the night. Like many of its gaming contemporaries, "V Rising" may look simple at first glance, but between surprisingly complex boss fights and a power grind that's completely dependent on crafting new gear, players will quickly recognize that there's a lot of moving parts to the title.

While starting out by dispatching the Alpha Wolf and worrying about a few Whetstones feels simple at first, players will need to gather more resources to make the contraptions needed to progress further in the title. In some cases, the path forward can be a mystery in itself, with some bosses only appearing after certain conditions are met or after they're "crafted," much like a new weapon or piece of gear. This is the case for the Putrid Rat in "V Rising," which won't be patrolling around the game world as many other adversaries do. Instead, players will need to invest time and resources into attracting the beast to their castle before they can take it down and obtain a new vampiric power. 

While players will go out in search of the majority of bosses in "V Rising," the Putrid Rat is one enemy that can't be encountered in the game world naturally. It'll take a bit of crafting and planning before players are able to go toe to paw with the vile rodent. To lure a Putrid Rat out into the open, players will first need to craft a Vermin Nest in their castle.

As noted by IGN, the Vermin Nest can be built with 360 Stone and 120 Bone, both easily obtainable in the wild — but the recipe for the Putrid Rat itself will require a little more hunting. Players can create a Putrid Rat with six Grave Dust, three Fish Bones, and one Twilight Snapper. All three of these ingredients can technically be found out in the world with a bit of luck, but players will have a much easier time locating the resources with the right tools. 

Grave Dust can be created by dumping excess Bones into the Grinder, while Fish Bones can be harvested from any fish using the Devourer (craftable after defeating Lidia the Chaos Archer). That said, finding the fish can be a bit of a hassle unless players craft a Fishing Pole from the Woodworking Bench. Luckily, both recipes are rewarded after defeating Rufus the Foreman.

Once players have gathered all the resources they need to create the Putrid Rat, they'll want to ensure they're ready to actually take it on — especially since it'll appear almost immediately after the resources are placed in the Vermin Nest. As demonstrated by Kibbles on YouTube, the fight against the rodent boss isn't too demanding itself, but players can quickly find themselves outnumbered when the Putrid Rat begins summoning other rats to defend it. All in all, players with a full set of Merciless Nightstalker armor and Merciless Copper weapons shouldn't have too much trouble against the boss, but if it's causing problems, a Sword or Spear's special attacks should eliminate any pesky lesser rats and allow players to focus on their main target.

After defeating the Putrid Rat and draining its V Blood, players will be rewarded with a new vampiric power: Rat Form. With this new ability, aspiring vampires will be able to shrink down into rodent form and go largely unnoticed by enemies. This will be an invaluable tool while hunting and stalking the other foes in "V Rising," and it'll even help players get through enemy-congested areas without attracting unwanted attention.