HazeThreat · Teamfights
Watch for
Unsupported time in her firing line lets focused gun damage build.
Do this
Advance with protection and teammates ready rather than walking alone through sustained fire to chase her.
How to play
How to play Rat King in Deadlock
How to play Rat King in Deadlock
DifficultyHard
WeaponSpreadshot
RoleFrontline · Support
Quick answer
- Your job
- Help your team move into a close fight together, then keep pressure on enemies your allies can reach. Your barrier and banner support a coordinated advance rather than a long solo chase.
- Positioning
- Play near the front with teammates close behind or beside you.
- How to win fights
- Use Rat Swarm on a reachable target, then follow with gunfire while its effect helps your damage.
- When you’re in trouble
- Move back with your team and preserve useful protection.
Strong at
- Follow-up gun pressureSwarm improves a useful shooting exchange.
- Protected approachesBarrier helps take a meaningful close commitment.
- Group advanceBanner rewards teammates moving and fighting together.
Weak to
- Team spreadDistant allies cannot exploit a group-focused advance.
- Ranged separationDistant or elevated enemies can deny close contact.
- Open exposureBeing durable does not make crossing several guns free.
How to play Rat King
The full version of the quick answer.
Your goal
Help your team move into a close fight together, then keep pressure on enemies your allies can reach. Your barrier and banner support a coordinated advance rather than a long solo chase.
Positioning
Play near the front with teammates close behind or beside you. Use corners and covered routes to approach gun range instead of crossing long open sightlines. Before a committed advance, check that allies are ready to move rather than still collecting a distant wave.
How to fight
- Use Rat Swarm on a reachable target, then follow with gunfire while its effect helps your damage. Scrap Grenade can pressure grouped enemies or a route they need to cross. Keep Royal Pestments available for a meaningful exchange instead of wasting protection before you are threatened.
- Rule, Ratannia! is most useful when nearby allies can move and fight with you. Use it to help the team reach an objective fight or maintain pressure, then put the disruptive part where enemies are committed. Reassess if they scatter instead of following each one separately.
When an enemy threatens you
Move back with your team and preserve useful protection. Avoid chasing a flying or distant target away from allied damage; the enemy may be trying to separate you from the group your tools help.
Rat King Items & Ability Order
Popular Rat King Items
Compare common Rat King purchases throughout a match, following item trends for frontline presence, extended engagements and enabling teammates.
0–9 min
High-Velocity Rounds83%
Monster Rounds70%
Extra Health68%
Opening Rounds56%
9–20 min
Fortitude79%
Enduring Speed73%
Fleetfoot49%
Ballistic Enchantment43%
20–30 min
Berserker47%
Spirit Resilience33%
Siphon Bullets32%- Ballistic Enchantment30%
30+ min
Juggernaut21%- Siphon Bullets18%
Witchmail14%
Transcendent Cooldown12%
Rat King Ability Order
See how Rat King players distribute early upgrades, comparing paths that develop his lane contribution and presence in grouped fights.
| Ability point | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Scrap Grenade | 1 | 2 | – | – | 5 | – | – | – | – | – |
 Rat Swarm | – | – | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | 9 | 10 |
 Royal Pestments | – | – | – | 4 | – | 6 | – | 8 | – | – |
 Rule, Ratannia! | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7 | – | – | – |
| Ability point | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrap Grenade | 1 | 2 | – | – | 5 | – | – | – | 9 | – |
| Rat Swarm | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Royal Pestments | – | – | 3 | – | – | 6 | – | 8 | – | 10 |
| Rule, Ratannia! | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7 | – | – | – |
| Ability point | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrap Grenade | 1 | 2 | – | – | 5 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Rat Swarm | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | – | – | 9 | – |
| Royal Pestments | – | – | 3 | – | – | 6 | – | 8 | – | 10 |
| Rule, Ratannia! | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7 | – | – | – |
Rat King game plan
Timings are approximate. When teams start grouping and pushing objectives, use the next phase’s advice.
Early game
~0–10 minCollect souls and take close exchanges with protection ready. Use Swarm into shooting instead of crossing open gunfire to force a chase.
Mid game
~10–25 minMove with allies towards the next useful contest. Check that teammates are ready before beginning a committed advance.
Late game
~25+ minUse your banner and disruption to help the group move and fight together. Avoid separating from them to chase a distant or elevated enemy.
Tips
Good to know
- Enemies shake rats off with any ground or air dash — reapply Swarm after they dash, not before.
- Your grenade homes toward enemies within 50.8m, and one pellet of your gun is always perfectly accurate — trust the throw.
- You double-jump higher than other heroes and can use tunnel vents — take vertical angles nobody expects.
Avoid these mistakes
- Advancing while teammates are too far away.
- Chasing elevated or distant enemies across open gunfire.
If you’re struggling
Help a coordinated team push and protect nearby allies instead of chasing a distant gunner alone.
One useful tip
Your banner helps a group advance; using it far from teammates wastes much of its purpose.
Matchups to watch
Heroes that change how you play Rat King. Situational adjustments, not rankings.
VindictaThreat · Lane
Watch for
Elevated ranged pressure can deny your close gun and group-advance plan.
Do this
Use covered approaches and pressure a reachable fight instead of chasing her alone beneath an exposed flight angle.
AbramsOpportunity · Teamfights
Watch for
A grounded close fight can let nearby allies use your group advance.
Do this
Move together and keep Swarm pressure on a reachable target, while avoiding easy wall pins and predictable punches.
