Rat King is the first new hero to be unlocked in the City Never Sleeps patch of Valve’s Deadlock.
Hero Overview
Slotted in a massive map overhaul, the hero debuted after a voting system selected him as the top choice among fans. Rat King functions as a versatile damage dealer, support, and front‑liner, and his new Palace of the Portal feature lets players slip into underground tunnels simply by crouching and moving through them.
Ability Breakdown
Scrap Grenade – Tosses a detonation‑towering grenade that explodes several times, inflicting bullet damage and slowing foes.
Swarm of Rats – Summons a cluster of rats that leap onto enemies, dealing spirit damage over time while steadily eroding bullet resistance. Additional rats accelerate the bite rate.
Royal Pestments – Equips scrappy armor that grants a health‑based barrier; bullets can reflect back when the barrier holds.
Banner of Rattania – Charges up before slamming a banner into the ground, creating a shrine that speeds nearby allies, removes slows, and reduces incoming damage. The banner blast ruptures sewers, dealing bullet damage, knocking up, and slowing enemies, then releases a fresh Swarm of Rats on impact.
Theoretical Impact
With its mix of crowd control, self‑sustain, and team buffs, Rat King is poised to shift frontline dynamics. Ships with his banner often dominate open zones, and the ability to infiltrate sewers gives him a unique map‑control edge. With the city’s margins expanding, analysts predict a forthcoming nerf once the next balance patch rolls out.
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