To counter Rat King in Deadlock, melee Scrap Grenade away when it is safe, dash to remove attached Rat Swarm rats, and avoid committing to a group fight inside his banner’s support area. If you are choosing a matchup, current Deadlock Labs data points to Sinclair, Haze, and Vindicta as unfavorable opponents for Rat King—but treat that as an early, patch-sensitive signal rather than a guaranteed counter.
What to do against each Rat King ability
Rat King only became playable in the Oct. 3, 2026 patch record, so this is early advice based on the abilities described there. Mechanics and balance can change; check the in-game ability text after updates. The patch record is an unofficial data mirror: Oct. 3, 2026 Rat King patch record.
Scrap Grenade: knock it away
Scrap Grenade detonates multiple times, deals bullet damage, and slows. The patch notes say, “The grenade can be meleed to knock it away.” Melee it away if you can do so safely instead of standing beside it through the detonations. At its highest listed upgrade tier, the final blast is larger, making it especially important not to wait next to the grenade.
Rat Swarm: dash to clear the rats
Rat Swarm’s rats attach to enemies, deal spirit damage over time, and reduce bullet resistance with each bite. Use a ground or air dash to shake them off early. Staying in a trade while the rats remain attached means taking the damage-over-time effect and the resistance reduction.
Royal Pestments: account for the barrier
Royal Pestments creates a barrier based on Rat King’s maximum health, and bullets have a chance to be deflected while it holds. The patch record says the barrier does not benefit from resists; its highest listed upgrade also caps damage taken per hit. Do not assume that sustained bullet focus will be efficient while the barrier is active.
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Rule, Ratannia!: respect the banner’s team buff
Rat King’s banner attack can damage, knock up, and slow enemies. While the banner is active, nearby allies gain movement speed, slow immunity, and reduced incoming damage. Avoid forcing a clustered fight in its area without a plan: disengage or reposition for a better angle rather than trading into the group’s advantage.
Which heroes are current matchup signals?
Deadlock Labs currently lists Sinclair, Haze, and Vindicta among Rat King’s worst matchups. Its reported matchup deltas are relative matchup signals, not guarantees that one hero will win every lane or duel:
| Hero | Reported matchup delta for Rat King |
|---|---|
| Sinclair | -8.1 percentage points |
| Haze | -3.6 percentage points |
| Vindicta | -2.3 percentage points |
Deadlock Labs says these matchup deltas draw on ranked matches with at least 50 head-to-head samples. That threshold is modest, and the page is a live third-party snapshot; values can shift as Rat King gets more games or after balance changes. Use the names as a draft or lane-assignment clue, not a promise of a favorable result. See Deadlock Labs’ Rat King statistics and matchups.
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Should you pressure him before a team fight?
A Reddit discussion suggests denying Rat King room in lane and coordinating to catch him before a larger fight. The original poster frames this as a hypothesis, not established gameplay evidence. If your team has a safe opportunity to pressure him while isolated, coordinated pressure is a reasonable option; the available discussion does not show that it works across all ranks, lanes, or compositions. Read the community discussion, “Countering Rat King”.
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