Ice Rats are enemies in Dark Souls II: Crown of the Ivory King.
Description[]
Ice Rats are overgrown white rodents with sharp crystal shards growing out of their backs, giving them an appearance similar to that of a porcupine, and inflict damage simply by touching them.
They mainly attack by rolling toward their enemies, dealing medium but constant damage and Bleed build-up while locking them in place at the same time. This attack is similar to those performed by Bonewheel Skeletons, although with much better tracking. Being caught by the full attack can be potentially fatal.
They can also perform headbutts, bites, or roll in short bursts while in close combat. Additionally, they have very good sight and can detect the player from long distances.
They are often encountered in packs, which makes them even more dangerous.
Location[]
Ice Rats are mainly encountered in the lower levels of Frozen Eleum Loyce, all along the path that leads to a shrine on top of a mountain, where a Knight of Eleum Loyce dwells.
Strategy[]
While not having much health and most of the times they can be defeated with only one or two attacks, Ice Rats are very dangerous enemies and should not be underestimated. They can spot the player from far away and close the gap quickly by rolling toward them. They deal damage just by touching them, which makes it not advisable to confront them in melee combat, as even if they are dispatched quickly, the player will run the risk of sustaining damage even if they did not get hit once.
It is recommended to always try to deal with them with ranged attacks first (bows or spells). If close combat is inevitable, the player should be especially aware of evading their rolling attacks, preferably by dodging out of their way at the last moment and then quickly counterattacking as they are recovering.