Deadlock’s Rat King: Full ability breakdown

The Rat King has claimed the top spot in Deadlock's community voting for the next hero to join the City Never Sleeps patch, and players can already take him into matches. The character centers on deploying rat swarms to weaken opponents while providing team-wide buffs through his ultimate ability.

The Rat King carries a ranged rifle as his primary weapon. His first ability, Scrap Grenade, launches a bouncing projectile that detonates multiple times, dealing bullet damage and slowing nearby enemies on impact. The grenade can be struck with a melee attack to redirect it.

His second ability unleashes a pack of smaller rats that latch onto enemies in their vicinity. These rats deal spirit damage over time and reduce the target's bullet resistance while attached. The effect intensifies when multiple rats cling to a single opponent, accelerating both damage and resistance reduction. Enemies can shake off the rats by dashing either on the ground or through the air.

For defense, the Rat King's third ability grants him a barrier proportional to his maximum health, improving survivability and providing a chance to reflect incoming bullets back at attackers. He also possesses a passive ability that allows him to access the same underground tunnels as another hero named Rem, enabling map mobility beneath the surface.

His ultimate, titled Ultimate Rule, Ratannia!, involves charging forward until the player activates it to plant a large flag. The flag grants nearby allies increased movement speed, reduced slow effects, and damage resistance. Upon impact, the flag triggers an eruption dealing bullet damage over time while knocking up and slowing all enemies in the area, with rats emerging from the sewers to assist in the assault.

The Rat King's victory in the voting process reflects strong community enthusiasm for both his mechanical design and thematic presentation. The character's popularity has overshadowed other candidates in both online discussion and general player sentiment. While the next hero to arrive alongside City Never Sleeps remains uncertain, candidates Baba and Solomon are considered frontrunners in the ongoing voting, though the competition remains open.