A slugcat stands with a spear at the ready to defend against an approaching lizard

Rain World is full of remarkable creatures - deadly lizards, giant vultures, crafty scavengers, and more! But none are quite so unique as the player’s character, the slugcat. To first appearances, this creature seems rather meek and fragile, however the player will quickly learn that the slugcat can be a force to contend with in the hands of a skilled gamer.

The slugcats are the protagonists of Rain World, with there being three kings of slugcat in the vanilla game, representing different styles and difficulties of gameplay. In the DLC Downpour, five new slugcats were added (though one other also exists), with each of these 8 different slugcats presenting special abilities and changes to how the player must traverse the game.

How to Unlock Slugcats?

In vanilla game, both the Survivor or the Monk slugcats are available from the get-go. Completing a playthrough of the game will then unlock the next slugcat called the Hunter. These are the only slugcats that are available for play without the DLC Downpour.

If Downpour is enabled, then completing a passthrough as the Monk or the Survivor will also unlock the new slugcats called the Artificer and the Gourmand. Then, once a playthrough is completed as the Hunter, the Artificer, or the Gourmand, then these slugcats become available: the Rivulet and the Spearmaster. Finally, one must beat the game as both the Rivulet and the Spearmaster in order to unlock the final slugcat: the Saint.

Beyond these, there is one other special bonus slugcat that can be played (which is talked about in the list below).

1. The Survivor (Best)

The Survivor slugcat looking around apprehensively

The Survivor is the first slugcat that a player is likely to use, though a player could also start with the Monk. The Survivor is much more common starting choice though, and so it is the most well-rounded slugcat out there, designed to get a new player acclimated  to Rain World. All its movements, attacks, and other stats are considered as standard; the baseline to which other slugcats are compared.

Though the Survivor doesn’t have any tremendous strengths, it also doesn’t have any significant weaknesses or debilities. It is designed, as the name suggests, to simply survive and get through the game. The Survivor can eat both plants and meat, allowing it to thrive in almost any region. Additionally, it is reasonably nimble in avoiding predators, and doesn’t require as much food as other species of slugcat when  hibernating to  save progress.

The Survivor’s strengths:

• Excellent initial choice, very versatile and well-rounded
• Good predator avoidance, as nimble and quick
• Fast progress, able to   eat almost anything to hibernate/save

The Survivor’s Stats:

• Mobility: Good
• Combat: Average
• Food collection ability: Very Good
• Hibernation ability: Standard
• Additional talents: Weak

2. The Hunter (Excellent)

The Hunter slugcat vaulting a chasm

The Hunter is considered the hard mode of vanilla Rain World, unlockable by beating the game as the Survivor or the Monk. The Hunter promotes a much more combative playstyle than the other vanilla slugcats, which can be very enjoyable as the player takes revenge on many predators that plagued them throughout the initial playthrough. Make no mistake, however, there are significant challenges to overcome when playing as this character. 

The Hunter has several unique abilities that orient it towards this  more aggressive style, with one being its capacity to carry a spear on its back. Furthermore, it can eat any creature in the game! Though, smaller creatures and fruits (batflies, blue fruit, etc.) do not provide as much nourishment; further, the Hunter requires 6 food pips instead of 4 in order to hibernate. As well, there is a demanding challenge in that the Hunter starts on cycle 19 and counts downwards, with any death after cycle 0 being game-ending.

The Hunter’s strengths:

• Strong combatant, can carry additional spears and does extra damage
• Good predator avoidance, as jump and speed increased
• Food sources expanded, can eat any dead creature

The Hunter's Stats:

• Mobility: Very Good
• Combat: Strong
• Food collection ability: Good
• Hibernation ability: Weak
• Additional talents: Good

3. The Spearmaster (Excellent)

The Spearmaster slugcat ready for battle

The Spearmaster is an incredibly capable warrior slugcat, making for an extremely fun gamemode, though also presenting many additional challenges. This slugcat is one of the later ones to be unlocked, and can hold two spears - one in each hand. , It  also can create its own spears, called needles (which are required to siphon energy from opponents instead of eating) that do more base damage to enemies too.

Several difficulties confront the Spearmaster, one being a greater quantity of predators in the world, each being more aggressive. Another is that the Spearmaster has much lower stealth ability, and certain foods provide much less nourishment to it (smaller creatures and plants). Fortunately, only 5 food pips are required to hibernate and 5 additional food pips can also be saved.

The Spearmaster’s strengths:

• Strong combatant, can carry additional spears and create needles
• Good predator avoidance, as jump and speed increased
• Food sources expanded, able to siphon energy from many places

The Spearmaster’s Stats:

• Mobility: Very Good
• Combat: Very Strong
• Food collection ability: Good
• Hibernation ability: Average
• Additional talents: Very Good

4. The Artificer (Good)

The Artificer slugcat balancing on a pole, alert for danger

The Artificer is a master of explosives, able to create deadly weapons and use detonations as a mobility booster. This slugcat can be unlocked after beating the game as the Survivor or the Monk, making it available relatively early in the game. The most notable skill this slugcat wields is its ability to create explosives at the cost of food pips.

Another amazing ability in its arsenal  is  Artificer’s  immunity to explosion damage - a considerably handy skill considering its aptitude to blow things up. There are some unique challenges to this gamemode too, however, with one being that scavengers are actively  aggressive towards the player, frequently sending out attack squads. Another two challenges  are the Artificer’s very low lung capacity which makes water regions formidable and that it requires 6 food pips to hibernate.

The Artificer’s strengths:

• Strong combatant, able to fabricate explosives
• Very agile, as able to use explosives for midair propulsion
• Food sources expanded, able to eat any dead creatures

The Artificer’s Stats:

• Mobility: Good
• Combat: Very Strong
• Food collection ability: Average
• Hibernation ability: Poor
• Additional talents: Very Good

5. The Rivulet (Good)

The Rivulet slugcat in its element - water

The Rivulet slugcat is all about aquatics, able to swim quickly, hold its breath for long periods, and pop bubble fruit without a water source. This slugcat is unlockable upon completing the game as the Hunter, the Gourmand, or the Artificer. While this character doesn’t excel at fighting like many of the previous ones, it does do very well  at moving quickly, not only in the water, but also on land with  its increased  movement speed and jump height.

The Rivulet requires 5 food pips to hibernate, but can eat bubble fruits without putting it in water first, which can save essential time. This is critical, seeing as how floods come twice as quickly in this gamemode. Aquatic predators also spawn in much greater numbers, making the water a perilous place, despite the Rivulet’s strong swimming. Avoiding fights is definitely what this slugcat was intended for, considering as its combat skills are very paltry.

The Rivulet’s strengths:

• Very fast, water and land movement speed increased
• Very agile, as able to jump higher and hold its breath longer
• Food sources expanded, able to eat bubble fruits without water

The Rivulet’s Stats:

• Mobility: Excellent
• Combat: Weak
• Food collection ability: Good
• Hibernation ability: Average
• Additional talents: Good

6. The Gourmand (OK)

The Gourmand slugcat atop a fallen enemy

The Gourmand slugcat loves food, with all its abilities being centered around this theme, and is unlocked after beating the game as the Survivor or the Monk. It can eat from virtually any source in the game, though meat satisfies it less than for some of the other more fighting-oriented  slugcats. Also, due to the plump roundness of this slugcat’s body, the Gourmand can roll for much further distances than any other character.

The Gourmand needs a colossal 7 food pips to hibernate, but considering its size and aptitude, nothing less can really be expected. The Gourmand also has a unique challenge - the game mechanic of exhaustion, which slows and limits all its movements.This isn't the only added difficulty, with sneaking also being much worse due to the large body size.

The Gourmand’s strengths:

• Special combat skill, landing on enemies and using body weight to land crushing damage
• Unique movements, with sliding and rolling being more effective
• Food sources expanded, able to almost anything

The Gourmand’s Stats:

• Mobility: Average
• Combat: Average
• Food collection ability: Good
• Hibernation ability: Weak
• Additional talents: Average

7. The Monk (OK)

The Monk slugcat standing resolutely despite the perilous world around

The Monk is available from the very start of Rain World, and serves as an easy mode. This slugcat is one of the least combat able, and also possesses very few talents. However, for those looking for an easier time when starting the game, the Monk would be a very good candidate.

The Monk needs a mere 3 food pips to hibernate, and is able to store only two additional food pips. This makes the game easier, as food becomes less of a hindrance to game progress. Also, predators do not spawn as often and are less aggressive in nature. However, this slugcat has a weak throw when it comes to spears, doing less damage and throwing items with less velocity.

The Monk’s strengths:

• Good learning mode, easiest gamemode
• Hibernates easily, as requires less food pips
• Befriends creatures more easily, due to high reputation

The Monk’s Stats:

• Mobility: Average
• Combat: Poor
• Food collection ability: Average
• Hibernation ability: Strong
• Additional talents: Weak

8. The Saint (OK)

The Saint slugcat deep underground

The Saint is the last available slugcat, requiring the game to be beaten as both the Rivulet and the Spearmaster. This slugcat is a very hard gamemode, presenting some unique mechanics, but also many challenges. For starters, meat cannot be eaten, spears cannot be thrown (making popcorn plants uneatable too), and the Saint is very susceptible to any damage (dies instantly).

The Saint requires 4 food pips to hibernate, but can only store a single extra, which when combined with the scarcity of suitable food sources, adds great hardship to the game. Another new mechanic of the world it inhabits is that snow has replaced rain, and now the slugcat must find sources of warmth when blizzards come. Overall, this character is not for the faint-hearted and is unlocked last for a reason - it is the final boss.

The Saint’s strengths:

• Very challenging, for those who wish it

The Saint ’s Stats:

• Mobility: Average
• Combat: Poor
• Food collection ability: Poor
• Hibernation ability: Poor
• Additional talents: Poor

9. ??? (Unrankable)

The ??? slugcat leaping a chasm, spear in hand

??? slugcat is a bonus slugcat only unlockable by solving a riddle on the Rain World Discord. ??? shares many of the other slugcats abilities and attributes. For example, it has the stats of the Survivor, but the spear-throwing and damage of the Monk. However, it also has the meat-eating ability of the Gourmand and the maul-ability of the Artificer.

This slugcat requires a staggering 12 food pips to hibernate and cannot store any excess. To make matters more difficult, greater quantities of  enemies spawn and the world is more challenging to navigate in general. Despite this, there are quite a few jokes inside this gameplay, so is it worth unlocking ??? and trying it out if a player has the chance.

???’s strengths:

• Good combat, with maul ability
• Fun and unique

???’s Stats:

• Mobility: Average
• Combat: Average
• Food collection ability: Good
• Hibernation ability: Poor
• Additional talents: Average

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