Deadlock Rat King Abilities & Upgrades Guide

This guide explains the Rat King’s abilities in Deadlock and recommends upgrade paths for the “City Never Sleeps” build, which focuses on sustained lane presence and objective pressure. You’ll learn what each ability does, how to prioritize upgrades, and how to adapt your build based on the match.

Background: Who Is the Rat King?

The Rat King is a playable hero in Deadlock, Valve’s multiplayer shooter-MOBA hybrid. He is a melee-focused brawler who excels at close-range combat and objective control. His kit revolves around summoning rats, applying bleed, and using his ultimate to turn team fights. The “City Never Sleeps” build is a popular community build that emphasizes aggression and sustained fighting, making it ideal for players who want to pressure the map and take objectives.

Ability Breakdown

The Rat King has four abilities, each with a distinct role in his kit. Here’s what each one does and how it scales with ability points.

• Swarm (1): Summons a swarm of rats that chase the nearest enemy, dealing damage over time. Upgrading increases the number of rats and the damage per rat. This is your primary wave-clear and poke tool.
• Gnaw (2): A targeted bite that applies a bleed effect, slowing the target and dealing damage over time. Upgrading increases the bleed damage and slow percentage. This is your main single-target damage and chase tool.
• Burrow (3): The Rat King burrows underground, becoming untargetable and moving faster. When he emerges, he deals damage and knocks up nearby enemies. Upgrading reduces the cooldown and increases the damage. This is your engage and escape tool.
• Plague (4, Ultimate): The Rat King unleashes a plague that spreads to nearby enemies, dealing damage and reducing their healing. Upgrading increases the damage and the healing reduction. This is your team-fight ultimate.

How the “City Never Sleeps” Build Works

The “City Never Sleeps” build focuses on maximizing the Rat King’s sustained damage and survivability in extended fights. The core idea is to use Swarm and Gnaw to whittle down enemies from a safe distance, then use Burrow to engage or disengage when needed. The build prioritizes ability cooldown reduction and spirit power to increase the frequency and potency of your abilities.

Key stats for this build are:

• Spirit Power: Increases the damage of all abilities.
• Cooldown Reduction: Allows you to use abilities more often, especially Burrow for mobility.
• Max Health: Helps you survive longer in fights, as you’ll be in melee range.

Upgrade Priority and Order

When playing the “City Never Sleeps” build, you should upgrade your abilities in a specific order to maximize early-game pressure. Here’s a recommended priority:

1. Swarm (1): Max this first. It’s your wave-clear and poke tool, and the damage increase is significant. Put points here at levels 1, 3, 5, and 7.
2. Gnaw (2): Max this second. The bleed damage and slow are crucial for chasing and securing kills. Put points here at levels 2, 4, 8, and 10.
3. Burrow (3): Take one point at level 6 for the mobility, then max it after Gnaw. The cooldown reduction is valuable, but the damage is less important than your other abilities. Put points here at levels 6, 11, 13, and 15.
4. Plague (4): Take your ultimate at levels 6, 12, and 18. The healing reduction is game-changing in team fights, but it’s not needed early.

Itemization for the Build

Items are crucial to making the “City Never Sleeps” build work. You’ll want to prioritize items that give spirit power, cooldown reduction, and survivability. Here are some examples (note that item names may change between patches):

• Early Game: Start with a basic spirit item like Mystic Burst or Extra Charge to boost your damage. Also grab a Healing Rite or Extra Stamina for sustain and mobility.
• Mid Game: Build into Improved Burst or Spirit Lifesteal to increase your damage and sustain. Consider Cooldown Reduction items like Improved Cooldown to get your abilities up more often.
• Late Game: Pick up Superior Cooldown and Spirit Armor for maximum uptime and survivability. If the enemy has heavy healing, consider Healing Booster or Silencer to counter it.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many players make mistakes when playing the Rat King, especially with this build. Here are the most common ones and how to fix them:

• Overextending: The Rat King is melee, so it’s easy to get caught out. Always keep an eye on your minimap and don’t push too far without vision.
• Wasting Burrow: Burrow is your only escape tool. Don’t use it to engage unless you’re sure you can secure a kill or you have backup.
• Ignoring Swarm: Swarm is your primary damage tool. Use it to poke enemies and clear waves. Don’t save it for the perfect moment—use it on cooldown.
• Not adapting: The “City Never Sleeps” build is a guideline, not a rule. If the enemy team is tanky, build more penetration. If they have high burst, build more health or resistance.

Comparing with Other Builds

The “City Never Sleeps” build is one of several popular builds for the Rat King. Here’s how it compares to others:

• vs. Burst Build: A burst build focuses on maximizing the damage of Gnaw and Plague to delete single targets. This build is better for pick-offs, but it’s less effective in sustained fights.
• vs. Tank Build: A tank build focuses on survivability and utility, using the Rat King’s natural tankiness to absorb damage. This build is better for frontlining, but it sacrifices damage.
• vs. Hybrid Build: A hybrid build mixes damage and survivability, similar to “City Never Sleeps” but with more emphasis on items that provide both. This is often considered the most versatile option.

The “City Never Sleeps” build is a good middle ground—it provides solid damage while still allowing you to survive in fights. However, if you prefer a more extreme playstyle, you might prefer a burst or tank build.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best ability to max first for the Rat King?

For the “City Never Sleeps” build, max Swarm (1) first. It provides the most consistent damage and wave clear, which helps you win your lane and rotate to objectives. The damage increase per level is substantial, and it’s your main tool for poking enemies from a safe distance.

Should I always take Burrow at level 6?

Yes, taking one point in Burrow at level 6 is almost always correct. It gives you a much-needed escape tool and allows you to reposition in fights. Without it, you’re very vulnerable to ganks and crowd control. You can delay maxing it, but the initial point is essential.

How do I counter healing-heavy teams with this build?

Your ultimate, Plague, reduces healing, so use it in team fights. Additionally, consider buying an item that reduces healing, such as Healing Booster or Silencer. These items stack with your ultimate to make enemy healing almost useless.

Is the “City Never Sleeps” build good for beginners?

It’s a decent build for beginners because it’s straightforward—you use your abilities on cooldown and stay in fights. However, it requires good positioning and map awareness, as you’re melee. If you’re new to the Rat King, start with a tankier build to learn the ropes, then switch to this one.

What should I do if I fall behind in the early game?

If you fall behind, focus on farming and avoiding fights. Use Swarm to clear waves quickly and stay near your towers. Don’t force engagements—wait for your team to group and use your ultimate to turn fights. Your build scales well into the late game, so you can come back if you play safe.

Can this build work in all game modes?

Yes, the “City Never Sleeps” build works in all game modes, but it’s best in the standard 5v5 mode where you have a team to support you. In solo modes, you might want to adjust your itemization to be more self-sufficient, but the ability order remains the same.

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in t | Ability Power | - | 0 | 0 | 100
in d | Duration (s) | s | 10 | 0.1 | 60
in c | Cooldown (s) | s | 30 | 1 | 120
out dps | Burst DPS | dmg/s | (t * 10) / d | 2
out total | Total Damage | dmg | t * 10 | 0