Packmaster

The Packmaster is a type of Skaven Special in Vermintide 2.

Also known as a "Hook Rat", the Packmaster carries a long pole-arm with metal pincers at the end and a skull bound to the shaft. It uses this pole to capture victims and drag them off, or incapacitate them by standing the pole-arm upwards, letting its victim hang above the ground.

Background
The Packmasters of Clan Moulder excel in driving packs of ravening beasts into battle, but in the crush of the swarm they favour other tactics. Clan Moulder is ever seeking new subjects to further its vile breeding experiments, and every Packmaster covets the bounty paid for a particularly noteworthy prize.

Thus lone Packmasters eschew their commonplace whip for a ‘things-catcher’– a barbed polearm, capable of strangling a foe into submission, and leaving them prone to later harvesting. Once caught in such a manner, the prey has no chance of escape, unless he or she has friends close by. Otherwise, the laboratories of Clan Moulder beckon…

Strategy

 * Packmasters pose as much of a threat as they did in the Vermintide 1, although tuned down a notch. Compared from the previous game, they seem to be appearing on their own more often or sometimes with another Special. Don't drop your guard however, as they can still appear during hordes.
 * Keep in mind that Packmasters have the highest health of all Specials in the game and are highly resistant to staggering (similar to Monsters). If a Hero is grabbed, the only way to release him is by killing the Packmaster or using Hero Abilities or Bombs to stagger it.
 * As Packmasters are as small as regular Skaven and have little distinguishing marks, keep an ear out for the sound of rattling skulls, wheezeful howling and ragged breathing. These can be signs of a Packmaster nearby.
 * The Packmaster's pole-arm hook can be avoided by dodging to the sides right before it tries to grab you. Dodging backwards is not advised, as the range of the pole-arm is hard to predict and enemies/objects behind the player might prevent you from getting enough distance.
 * Using a ranged weapon is often a preferred method when taking Packmasters out. Packmasters often walk straight towards their target, making shooting them an easy task.
 * Unlike most Specials, when downing a hero, they will raise their pole-arm up with the captured hero on it and stick it into the ground, holding their victim in a choke-hold above the ground. They then proceed to run off, while causing continuous damage and often certain death for the unfortunate Hero if not rescued immediately, especially in the middle of a horde of enemies. In order to get the Hero back up on their feet, they need to be rescued twice.
 * When approaching, Packmasters will make an audible clinking sound. Listen closely to which direction it is coming from as that can quickly give away the Packmaster's location.