Rat King · Brawler
Rat King guide
More Rat King guides
This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.
Overview
Rat King is a brawler in Deadlock. Over the last two weeks it is A tier: 59.2% win rate in 24,929 games, picked in 3.9% of matches.
Strengths
- A strong pusher: 8,934 objective damage per game on average (median 6,152).
- Strong right now: 59.2% win rate over 24,929 games of the last two weeks.
- Wins the lane against Pocket: 67.2% of 1,166 games with both in the same lane.
Weaknesses
- Low base gun damage (40 DPS, #33 of 39): most of the damage has to come from abilities and items.
- Valve rates Rat King as hard to play: expect a learning curve.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
- Rat King: most played buildBalancedRecommendedThe items Rat King players buy most in each phase of the game over the last two weeks (24,929 games measured), with how many buy them and how they do. Skill points in the most played order (972 games, 62.9% win rate).
- Rat King: “RAT KING GUN BUILD!!!” (in-game build)UtilityAdvancedThe most favorited Rat King build published in the game this patch: saved 0 times, last updated on 2026-10-01. Find it in-game in the Hero Builds browser by its ID: 833037. Its own categories are kept as notes on each item.
- Rat King: highest win rate itemsOffensiveSituationalItems with the highest win rate when bought on Rat King, among those bought in a meaningful share of games, placed by when they are bought on average. Win rate on items bought late is inflated by games that were already going well: read it as “what winning Rat Kings end up buying”.
- Rat King: vitality buildDefensiveSituationalThe vitality items Rat King players buy most, for games where you get focused or need to survive fights longer. Cheapest first.
Builds
Rat King: most played build
When to use it
The items Rat King players buy most in each phase of the game over the last two weeks (24,929 games measured), with how many buy them and how they do. Skill points in the most played order (972 games, 62.9% win rate).
Laning phase
Mid game
- 1Enduring SpeedBought by 50.0% of players in this phase · 60.9% win rate
- 2Extra ChargeBought by 45.6% of players in this phase · 52.4% win rate
- 3Sprint BootsBought by 39.1% of players in this phase · 55.6% win rate
- 4Extra HealthBought by 32.6% of players in this phase · 53.3% win rate
- 5Rapid RechargeBought by 32.6% of players in this phase · 60.0% win rate
- 6Battle VestBought by 32.6% of players in this phase · 60.0% win rate
Late game
Skill order
Max order:3›1›2
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 1 | · | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | · |
 2 | · | · | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | · | · | 2 |
 3 | 3 | 3 | · | · | · | 3 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 3 | · | · |
 4 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 4 | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | · | · | · |
Rat King: “RAT KING GUN BUILD!!!” (in-game build)
When to use it
The most favorited Rat King build published in the game this patch: saved 0 times, last updated on 2026-10-01. Find it in-game in the Hero Builds browser by its ID: 833037. Its own categories are kept as notes on each item.
This build is published in the game: copy its ID and search it in the Hero Builds browser to load it.
833037Laning phase
Mid game
- 1Extra Regen
- 2Sprint Boots
- 3Bullet Lifesteal
- 4Counterspell
- 5Cheat Death
- 6Juggernaut
- 7Leech
- 8Veil Walker
Skill order
Max order:1›2›3
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 2 | · | · | · | 2 | · | 2 | · | · | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | 2 | · |
| 3 | · | · | 3 | · | · | · | · | · | 3 | · | · | · | · | 3 | · | 3 |
| 4 | · | · | · | · | 4 | · | 4 | · | · | · | · | 4 | 4 | · | · | · |
Rat King: highest win rate items
When to use it
Items with the highest win rate when bought on Rat King, among those bought in a meaningful share of games, placed by when they are bought on average. Win rate on items bought late is inflated by games that were already going well: read it as “what winning Rat Kings end up buying”.
Mid game
- 1Compress Cooldown63.7% win rate over 3,547 games · bought at 22:02 on average
- 2Duration Extender63.4% win rate over 1,913 games · bought at 21:11 on average
- 3Heroic Aura63.2% win rate over 4,042 games · bought at 24:45 on average
Late game
Skill order
Max order:3›1›2
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | · | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | · |
| 2 | · | · | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | · | · | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | · | · | · | 3 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 3 | · | · | · |
| 4 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 4 | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | · | · | · | · |
Rat King: vitality build
When to use it
The vitality items Rat King players buy most, for games where you get focused or need to survive fights longer. Cheapest first.
Laning phase
Mid game
- 1Spirit ResilienceBought by 34.8% of players in this phase · 31.3% win rate
- 2FortitudeBought by 30.4% of players in this phase · 42.9% win rate
- 3Fury TranceBought by 8.7% of players in this phase · 50.0% win rate
- 4LifestrikeBought by 6.5% of players in this phase · 33.3% win rate
- 5Dispel MagicBought by 6.5% of players in this phase · 100.0% win rate
Late game
Skill order
Max order:3›1›2
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | · | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | · |
| 2 | · | · | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | · | · | 2 |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | · | · | · | 3 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 3 | · | · |
| 4 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 4 | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | · | · | · |
Abilities
- 1Scrap Grenade26sThrow a grenade of scrap that detonates multiple times, dealing bullet damage and applying slow. The grenade can be meleed to knock it away.
- Detonation Damage
- 65
- Move Speed
- -20%
- Detonations
- 3
- Detonation Radius
- 8m
- Slow Duration
- 4s
- 2Rat Swarm28sCall forth a swarm of rats that leap onto enemies, dealing spirit damage over time and reducing their bullet resist with every bite. The more rats are attached, the faster they will bite the target. Enemies can have multiple rats attached, but can shake off a rat early by performing a ground or air dash.
- Damage per Bite
- 8
- Bullet Resist per Bite
- -1%
- Bite Interval per Rat
- 1s
- Debuff Duration
- 4s
- Max Attached Rats
- 5
- 3Royal Pestments22sAdorn scrappy armor, gaining barrier based on your max health. As long as the armor holds, bullets have a chance to be deflected back towards the attacker. The barrier does not benefit from resists.
- Max Health as Barrier
- 15%
- Bullet Return Chance
- 15%
- 4Rule, Ratannia!Ultimate130sCharge up and summon the banner of Ratannia, granting all nearby allies increased move speed, immunity from slows, and reduced incoming damage while near the banner.
- Move Speed
- +3m m
- Damage Reduction
- 20%
- Radius
- 24m
- Damage
- 200
- Move Speed
- -40%
Most played skill order
The most played order in the last 972 professional matches with this hero. Highlighted levels are the points spent on talents.
Max order:3›1›2
| Ability | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | · | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | · |
| 2 | · | · | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | · | · | 2 |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | · | · | · | 3 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 3 | · | · |
| 4 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 4 | · | · | 4 | 4 | 4 | · | · | · |
Strategy
1Abilities
What each of Rat King's abilities does, as the game describes it:
- 1 · Scrap Grenade — 26s cooldown: Throw a grenade of scrap that detonates multiple times, dealing bullet damage and applying slow. The grenade can be meleed to knock it away.
- 2 · Rat Swarm — 28s cooldown: Call forth a swarm of rats that leap onto enemies, dealing spirit damage over time and reducing their bullet resist with every bite. The more rats are attached, the faster they will bite the target. Enemies can have multiple rats attached, but can shake off a rat early by performing a ground or air dash.
- 3 · Royal Pestments — 22s cooldown: Adorn scrappy armor, gaining barrier based on your max health. As long as the armor holds, bullets have a chance to be deflected back towards the attacker. The barrier does not benefit from resists.
- 4 · Rule, Ratannia! (ultimate) — 130s cooldown: Charge up and summon the banner of Ratannia, granting all nearby allies increased move speed, immunity from slows, and reduced incoming damage while near the banner.
2Skill order
The most played skill order (972 games, 62.9% win rate) goes 3 · 3 · 1 · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 1 · 2 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 3 · 1 · 2. The one that wins most among the common ones (593 games) reaches 70.5%: 3 · 3 · 1 · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 1 · 2 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 3 · 1 · 2 · 2.
3Items by phase
What Rat King players buy most in the laning phase, mid game and late game:
- High-Velocity Rounds — 78.3% buy it · 47.2% win rate
- Extra Regen — 54.4% buy it · 44.0% win rate
- Opening Rounds — 45.6% buy it · 52.4% win rate
- Enduring Speed — 50.0% buy it · 60.9% win rate
- Extra Charge — 45.6% buy it · 52.4% win rate
- Sprint Boots — 39.1% buy it · 55.6% win rate
- Spirit Resilience — 34.8% buy it · 31.3% win rate
- Rapid Recharge — 32.6% buy it · 46.7% win rate
- Siphon Bullets — 32.6% buy it · 53.3% win rate
4A typical game
An average Rat King game over the last two weeks: 5.3 kills, 6.7 deaths and 15.3 assists, 39,437 hero damage, 8,934 objective damage and 43,819 souls.
5Win rate by rank
By the average badge of the game:
- Seeker: 56.5% (441 games)
- Acolyte: 49.5% (392 games)
- Sentinel: 60.0% (345 games)
- Mystic: 58.1% (313 games)
- Ritualist: 60.0% (370 games)
- Emissary: 57.2% (428 games)
- Oracle: 60.2% (533 games)
- Phantom: 56.1% (497 games)
Tips
- Unlock order most players use: Royal Pestments (3) → Scrap Grenade (1) → Rat Swarm (2) → Rule, Ratannia! (4).
- Upgrade Royal Pestments first, then Scrap Grenade; put points in the ultimate when you can.
- First buys: High-Velocity Rounds, Extra Regen and Opening Rounds.
- Your gun hits hardest within 20 m; past 50 m it deals minimum damage.
- Last-hit troopers and shoot the soul orbs they drop: souls are your gold and your level.
- Deny the enemy's orbs when you can: every denied orb is souls they don't get.
Matchups
Strong against
- Pocket65.2%win rate in the matchup
Rat King wins 65.2% of the 3,401 games measured against Pocket in the last two weeks.
3.4K matches
- Paradox64.9%win rate in the matchup
Rat King wins 64.9% of the 3,603 games measured against Paradox in the last two weeks.
3.6K matches
- Mirage64.6%win rate in the matchup
Rat King wins 64.6% of the 1,842 games measured against Mirage in the last two weeks.
1.8K matches
- Viscous64.5%win rate in the matchup
Rat King wins 64.5% of the 2,277 games measured against Viscous in the last two weeks.
2.3K matches
- Venator64.0%win rate in the matchup
Rat King wins 64.0% of the 5,679 games measured against Venator in the last two weeks.
5.7K matches
Works well with
- Victor68.8%win rate in the matchup
Rat King and Victor on the same team win 68.8% of 394 games measured in the last two weeks.
394 matches
- Graves65.1%win rate in the matchup
Rat King and Graves on the same team win 65.1% of 1,156 games measured in the last two weeks.
1.2K matches
- Kelvin64.9%win rate in the matchup
Rat King and Kelvin on the same team win 64.9% of 348 games measured in the last two weeks.
348 matches
- Mo & Krill64.2%win rate in the matchup
Rat King and Mo & Krill on the same team win 64.2% of 458 games measured in the last two weeks.
458 matches
- Ivy64.1%win rate in the matchup
Rat King and Ivy on the same team win 64.1% of 755 games measured in the last two weeks.
755 matches
Changelog
- Guide created for patch 2026-09-16.
Was this helpful?
Your vote helps other players find the best guides.