You'd have thought that Morrowind would have been the game to break the rpg tradition of fighting rats all the time on early levels. Were rats the only creature mammals on Vvardenfell? I hope Skyrim steps up to the plate and uses something else as the minor annoyance you practice your mace against. Is there anything from fantasy that would fill this role well?

I'd say use the Gremlins from Redguard. They were small and goofy, but they could make them mean for Skyrim. Or perhaps snotlings if there is a nordic type of goblin.

Gerbils.

Better idea... Lemmings!

Skyrim will have brown rats.

Death lemmings! :toughninja:

horkers!

I think they'll be in, considering horker meat is included in that concept art of the meat types.

I [censored] hate RPG rats, and think they should be banned from the genre forever.

Unless they look like http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/193115-ZpW7sq9hJNy6j763rIa2QXf3dZ1my5fF.jpg.

I wouldn't mind seeing something different from rats to break the trend, but you yourself said you'd think Morrowind would be the game to break this trend, if even the Nerevarine had to begin his journet fighting rodents of unusual size in a land where all other animals encountered are species that don't exist on Earth, I could hardly see a game set in a province where we can expect to see a fair amount of familiar creatures breaking this cliche. Of course, we haven't seen or heard anything of rats, but I see no reason to assume they're not in.

Now the question is, will there be a Fighter's Guild quest dealing with a rat problem? We've had to kill them and we've had to save them, what kind of rat quest could we expect in Skyrim?

If you get rid of the rat then what takes it's place and why would you hate it any less?

That's the problem, if you want to do away with rats, you need to think of something else to fulfill their role, and that would be preferable because we've already seen rats many times before, so seeing something different for a change would be refreshing, even if they'd eventually get annoying, the novelty of having something new fulfill a familiar role in the game would at least maker them seem less so at first.

ehm mudcraaabs?

Miniature giant spiders.

Horkers.

I don't find rats very threatening in real life (because I don't think most would try to maul you on site), so I think replacing them with a fictional creature of similar size and threat, but more aggressive and scary looking would be more believable and preferable. Maybe that's just me though. Well, clearly it isn't just me I guess.... :touched:

"It's always rats for the new associates. Is it some initiation test or something?"

Rats are a TES tradition. I expect they'll be in the first FG quest, though with some sort of (hopefully) amusing twist.

Kittens :toughninja:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhO-qMeMjtA

Many RPGs break with the tradition of making you fight as first monsters rats or slimes. For example there's that RPG I played recently where the first (weak) monsters I fought were giant chickens on fire.

Mice.

I thought this might be a thread started by a guy with ratophobia or something

I think the rats usually make sense when you start in prison. It did in Oblivion, anyway. If you are outside of prison when you gain control of the character, I suppose some wildlife like wolves or something will be the case.

Mice?

the creeper

Oh the epicness!!! YES!

:disguise:

But I do have to agree with OP.. rats in RPGs.. uh.. Not in Skyrim, thanks you.

I demand there to be giant rats. And one should be called Splinter. :whistling:

I noticed a lot more scribs and grub like things than rats for me to practive my low level character on in Morrowind.

This is one cliche I'd like to see discarded. Perhaps Lemmiwinks the gerbil king as a suitable replacement?