Rat King is now playable in Deadlock. Valve announced the character on October 2 as the first hero released from the six-player roster introduced with the City Never Sleeps update.
The announcement names four abilities but does not provide damage figures, cooldowns or upgrade paths. That distinction matters for anyone assessing the character before playing: Valve has confirmed the kit’s functions, not a complete set of balance data.
A kit built around pressure and protection
Scrap Grenade gives Rat King a thrown explosive, while Swarm of Rats sends his rodents after opponents. These are the two clearly offensive tools in Valve’s description. The announcement does not say how long the swarm lasts or quantify the grenade’s impact.
Royal Pestments fills a defensive role. Valve says the ability lets Rat King shake off incoming damage, positioning him to lead an advance rather than remain behind teammates. Banner of Rattania supplies the support component: the banner inspires nearby allies and threatens opponents in its area.
Together, those descriptions point to a front-line hero who can initiate a fight, absorb pressure and provide team support. That is an interpretation of the published kit, not a claim about the strongest build or Rat King’s place in the competitive roster. Those judgments require the numerical details and live-match evidence that the announcement does not include.
The release continues a staggered rollout
City Never Sleeps presented six new heroes for Deadlock, but Valve is releasing them separately. Rat King’s arrival starts that sequence rather than making all six available at once.
Valve also attached a specific time to the next step. The studio said another hero will join the game on Tuesday at 2 p.m. PDT, while asking players to continue voting. It did not identify that character in the Rat King notice, so any name circulating before a separate official reveal remains unconfirmed.
What is confirmed now
Rat King can be selected in the current build, his announced kit contains four named abilities, and another hero is scheduled for Tuesday. Cooldowns, damage values and detailed interactions were not published in the notice. Players looking for those figures should rely on the live client and subsequent Valve notes rather than estimates based on the brief reveal.
Sources
- Reporting source: GamerHeadlines
- Primary source: Valve’s Deadlock announcement
- Official media source: Valve’s Deadlock announcement
