Deadlock Rat King is a brawler hero who joined the game on October 2, 2026 as the first of six City Never Sleeps heroes. His kit combines Scrap Grenade, Rat Swarm, a bullet-deflecting armor called Royal Pestments, and the team-buffing ultimate Rule, Ratannia!. Valve nerfed that ultimate on October 5, raising its cooldown from 130 to 160 seconds and shrinking its radius from 24 to 20 meters. As of October 10, 2026, that patch is the latest set of official notes that touch him.
Rat King at a Glance
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Role | Frontline gun brawler (tagged Scrappy, Regal, Tenacious) |
| Health | 800 |
| Weapon | Sovereign’s Decree: 12 damage per shot, 300 shots per minute (60 base DPS) |
| Magazine and reload | 24 rounds, 2.8 second reload |
| Move speed | 6.8 m/s |
| Complexity | 3 out of 3 |
| Release | October 2, 2026, 2 PM PT (5 PM ET) |
In early live data, Rat King posted a 59.0% win rate over about 7,500 matches across all ranks. New heroes often start lower or higher than where they settle, so treat that number as a first impression, not a verdict.
Rat King Abilities Explained
Rat King has three regular abilities and an ultimate. Every ability has three upgrades. The numbers below are the launch values and can change in patches.
Scrap Grenade (Ability 1)
Rat King throws a grenade made of scrap that explodes three times. Each blast deals Bullet Damage and slows enemies. You can punch the grenade with a melee attack to knock it away, and so can your enemies.
- Damage: 65 per detonation
- Slow: 20% for 4 seconds
- Radius: 8 meters
- Cooldown: 26 seconds
- Upgrades: Tier 1 cuts 8 seconds of cooldown. Tier 2 adds 65 damage. Tier 3 adds a bigger final explosion.
Rat Swarm (Ability 2)
Rat King sends out a swarm of rats that leap onto enemies. Each bite deals Spirit Damage and lowers the target’s Bullet Resist. The more rats stuck on one enemy, the faster they bite.
- Damage: 8 per bite
- Bullet Resist: -1% per bite
- Duration: 4 seconds, with up to 5 rats attached
- Cooldown: 28 seconds
- Upgrades: Tier 1 adds a charge. Tier 2 makes the swarm bigger and adds 4 seconds of debuff time. Tier 3 adds 8 damage and an extra -1% Bullet Resist per bite.
Enemies can shake off a rat early with a ground dash or an air dash.
Royal Pestments (Ability 3)
Rat King puts on scrappy royal armor and gains a barrier based on his max health. While it holds, incoming bullets have a chance to bounce back at the attacker. The barrier does not benefit from resistances.
- Barrier: 15% of max health
- Bullet return chance: 15%
- Duration: 6 seconds
- Cooldown: 22 seconds
- Upgrades: Tier 1 adds 4 seconds of duration. Tier 2 cuts 8 seconds of cooldown and adds 15% return chance. Tier 3 caps any single hit at 250 damage and adds 10% max health as barrier.
Rule, Ratannia! (Ultimate)
Rat King charges up and slams down the banner of Ratannia. You will also see it spelled Rattania on some sites. Allies near the banner gain speed, slow immunity and damage reduction. The slam itself damages enemies, launches them into the air, slows them and applies Rat Swarm.
- Ally buff: +3 m/s move speed, slow immunity, 20% damage reduction
- Slam: 200 damage and a 40% slow
- Radius: 24 meters
- Flag duration: 12 seconds
- Cooldown: 130 seconds
- Upgrades: Tier 1 cuts 20 seconds of cooldown and adds 1 m/s speed. Tier 2 adds 8 seconds of charge and flag time, plus 8 meters of radius. Tier 3 adds 150 damage and 15% damage reduction.
Tunnel passive
Rat King can use the same tunnels under the map as Rem. Crouch and move into a tunnel entrance to jump in.
How Rat King’s Kit Works Together
The abilities feed each other, which is why he plays like a brawler instead of a pure tank. Here is the basic flow of a fight:
- Open with Scrap Grenade. The slow forces enemies to spend movement or take damage.
- Send Rat Swarm. Each bite lowers Bullet Resist, so your gun hits harder the longer the rats stay on.
- Shoot the same target. Keep your sights on the enemy carrying the rats while they are weakened.
- Pop Royal Pestments before damage lands. The barrier is short, so timing matters more than raw numbers.
- Slam the banner in the middle of the fight. It buffs your team and puts Rat Swarm on everyone it hits.
Best Rat King Build in Deadlock
The build leans on Weapon and Vitality items. Rat King’s gun does most of the work once Scrap Grenade and Rat Swarm create an opening, and Royal Pestments scales with max health, so extra health helps twice.
Popular item picks so far:
| Stage | Items | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Early | High-Velocity Rounds, Extra Regen or Extra Health, Sprint Boots, Opening Rounds | Reliable gun pressure, lane sustain and movement |
| Mid | Titanic Magazine, Enduring Speed, Fleetfoot, Fortitude | Bigger magazine, mobility and health for longer fights |
| Late | Berserker, Siphon Bullets, Juggernaut, Mercurial Magnum | More damage and staying power |
| Situational | Metal Skin, Counterspell, Dispel Magic, Plated Armor, Spellbreaker | Answer the enemy team’s actual threat |
Build data is only a day or two old, so treat this as a strong starting route, not a solved item list.
Note on lifesteal: early reports say Rat King’s Bullet and Spirit Lifesteal only work at 75% effectiveness. Do not count on one healing item to fix bad positioning. Build real health and movement too.
Ability Priority
Put your early points into Scrap Grenade and Rat Swarm. They give you lane pressure, and they make your gun items matter right away.
Do not leave Royal Pestments behind. Its cooldown and return-chance upgrades are often worth more than a small damage boost once enemy burst becomes a problem.
Take Rule, Ratannia! upgrades whenever you are ready for teamfights. The bigger radius and longer flag help your whole team, not just you.
Tips for Playing Rat King
- Start fights with control. A grenade that cuts off an exit makes Rat Swarm much more dangerous.
- Use the tunnels. Crouching into a tunnel gives you a flanking route and a quick rotation.
- Stay near your team. The banner buffs only allies close to it, so plant it where several teammates can fight inside the zone.
- Hold your barrier for the right moment. It lasts 6 seconds and has a 22 second cooldown at base.
- Keep your gun on one target. Rat Swarm only pays off if you shoot while Bullet Resist is lowered.
Common Mistakes
- Stacking Spirit items just because Rat Swarm deals Spirit Damage. A full Spirit build gives up too much of what makes his gun and frontline style strong.
- Buying only damage. He is large and expected to hold dangerous space, so health and movement matter.
- Casting Royal Pestments too late. The barrier does not benefit from resistances, so use it before the burst, not after.
- Using the ultimate alone. The banner is team utility. Use it where allies can benefit.
How to Counter Rat King
If you are playing against him, a few simple habits help:
- Dash to remove rats. A ground dash or air dash shakes a rat off early.
- Melee the grenade. Punching Scrap Grenade knocks it away.
- Do not fight inside the banner. Allies near it get speed, slow immunity and damage reduction.
- Wait out the barrier. Royal Pestments lasts 6 seconds at base and then goes on cooldown.
What Could Change Next
Rat King is brand new, and Valve can adjust numbers quickly after launch. Everything here is accurate as of October 3, 2026. The next City Never Sleeps hero is scheduled to unlock on Tuesday, October 6 at 2 PM PT, so patch notes and balance changes may follow soon.
Conclusion
Rat King is a tough, flexible frontliner who wins fights by combining slows, Bullet Resist shredding and a strong team banner. Build Weapon and Vitality items, keep your gun on rat-covered targets and save Royal Pestments for the right moment. Recheck your build after each patch while his numbers settle.
FAQs
When did Rat King come out in Deadlock?
Rat King unlocked on October 2, 2026 at 2 PM PT as the first hero from the City Never Sleeps update.
What are Rat King’s abilities?
Scrap Grenade, Rat Swarm, Royal Pestments and the ultimate Rule, Ratannia!.
Should I build Spirit or Weapon on Rat King?
Weapon and Vitality is the current recommended route. Rat Swarm deals Spirit Damage, but stacking Spirit gives up most of his gun and frontline strength.
How do you counter Rat Swarm?
Dash. A ground dash or an air dash removes a rat early.
What does Rat King’s ultimate do?
It buffs nearby allies with speed, slow immunity and damage reduction, and the slam damages, launches and slows enemies while applying Rat Swarm.
Is Rat King good in Deadlock?
Early data shows a strong win rate, but the sample is small and new heroes often change as players learn them. Check back after the first balance patch.
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