Holliday vs Rat King
Written for the Holliday player. Playing Rat King? See Rat King vs Holliday →
Rat King is favoured. Holliday wins 41.1% of 93,161 games against Rat King (-7.2 points vs Holliday’s usual 48.3%).
How to win as Holliday
- RuleDo not commit before
Royal Pestments
Royal Pestments Rat King puts on scrap armour that gives him a barrier worth a share of his maximum health. Damage Reflected bullets return their full damage to the shooter. Defensive Barrier equal to 15% of his max health for 6s on a 22s cooldown. 1 +4s duration 2 -8s cooldown and +15% bullet return chance 5 +10% max health as barrier, and no single hit deals more than 250 while it holds is gone.
Royal Pestments
Royal Pestments Rat King puts on scrap armour that gives him a barrier worth a share of his maximum health. Damage Reflected bullets return their full damage to the shooter. Defensive Barrier equal to 15% of his max health for 6s on a 22s cooldown. 1 +4s duration 2 -8s cooldown and +15% bullet return chance 5 +10% max health as barrier, and no single hit deals more than 250 while it holds first — poke him until he armours up, then hold your gun until the 6 seconds are over; without it he has no defensive button left - Watch out
Rat Swarm
Rat Swarm Rat King calls a swarm of rats to a spot up to 50m away. Damage 8 spirit damage per bite (+0.08 Spirit scaling), one bite per attached rat… 1 +1 charge (8s between charges) 2 a larger swarm and +4s debuff duration 5 +8 damage and an extra -1% bullet resist per bite strips 1% Bullet Resist per bite and keeps biting faster as more rats land, so the longer you fight covered in rats, the harder every gun on his team hits you - Your edgeYou choose the terms of engagement (Holliday 3/3 against Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. 1/3).
- Buy
Alchemical Fire
Alchemical Fire +30s Cooldown +5s Duration +0.2s Cast Delay +10 Spirit Power — Buy for zone denial and faster objective damage, or to punish enemies who must hold a choke. Aimed at Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. 's
Rule, Ratannia!
Rule, Ratannia! Rat King raises the banner of Ratannia. Crowd Control Knockup and a 40% slow on the slam, plus Rat Swarm from the rats it… Damage 200 bullet damage on the slam (+1.2 weapon-damage scaling), 20m radius (cut… Mobility +3 m/s movement speed for him and nearby allies for up to 10s while the… 1 +2 m/s movement speed (no cooldown reduction since 5 October) 2 +5s banner duration and +8m radius 5 +150 slam damage and +10% damage reduction in this lineup.
The numbers: lane, whole match and Oracle and above
| Games | Holliday wins | vs Holliday's usual | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole match | 41.1% | -7.2 pts (48.3% overall) | 93,161 games |
| Sharing a lane | 40.6% | -7.7 pts (48.3% overall) | 31,476 games |
| Oracle and above | 45.7% | -5.3 pts (51.0% at Oracle+) | 7,049 games |
"Sharing a lane" counts only games where both were assigned the same lane — the laning matchup itself. "Oracle and above" counts only matches whose average rank was Oracle and above. Source: deadlock-api.com, refreshed daily.
Data-supported Measured: you win 41.1% of these, which is 7.2 points below your overall win rate (93,161 matches). The kit-based model reads this as low instead — treat the measured number as primary and the gap as a sign this matchup is more about execution than kit. Ranked against this hero's own baseline win rate, not raw win rate. Source: deadlock-api.com.
Why Rat King counters Holliday
Holliday's damage comes from a few heavy headshots, and while
Royal Pestments
Royal Pestments Rat King puts on scrap armour that gives him a barrier worth a share of his maximum health. Damage Reflected bullets return their full damage to the shooter. Defensive Barrier equal to 15% of his max health for 6s on a 22s cooldown. 1 +4s duration 2 -8s cooldown and +15% bullet return chance 5 +10% max health as barrier, and no single hit deals more than 250 while it holds holds, each bullet has a chance to be reflected straight back at her.
Scrap Grenade
Scrap Grenade Rat King throws a bouncing lump of scrap that goes off three times where it lands. Crowd Control 20% movement slow for 4s (scales slightly with Spirit). Damage 70 bullet damage per detonation (+0.6 weapon-damage scaling), three… Defensive The slow is his peel: thrown at his own feet it stops a diver from following… 1 -8s cooldown (26s to 18s) 2 +70 damage per detonation 5 one extra, bigger final detonation — 300 damage, 14m radius, 40% slow slows her so she cannot keep her preferred distance, and
Rat Swarm
Rat Swarm Rat King calls a swarm of rats to a spot up to 50m away. Damage 8 spirit damage per bite (+0.08 Spirit scaling), one bite per attached rat… 1 +1 charge (8s between charges) 2 a larger swarm and +4s debuff duration 5 +8 damage and an extra -1% bullet resist per bite 's bites wear down a hero with zero sustain.
Written from both heroes' ability data; the win rates above are the measured results.
What should I do right now?
Do
- Plan for
Alchemical Fire
Alchemical Fire +30s Cooldown +5s Duration +0.2s Cast Delay +10 Spirit Power — know which tier it sits in so you are not improvising at the shop. - Know what
Royal Pestments
Royal Pestments Rat King puts on scrap armour that gives him a barrier worth a share of his maximum health. Damage Reflected bullets return their full damage to the shooter. Defensive Barrier equal to 15% of his max health for 6s on a 22s cooldown. 1 +4s duration 2 -8s cooldown and +15% bullet return chance 5 +10% max health as barrier, and no single hit deals more than 250 while it holds looks like. It is the cooldown this lane revolves around.
Avoid
- Walking to lane on the same path every wave against a hero with Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. 's engage range.
Do
- No movement ability: once
Royal Pestments
Royal Pestments Rat King puts on scrap armour that gives him a barrier worth a share of his maximum health. Damage Reflected bullets return their full damage to the shooter. Defensive Barrier equal to 15% of his max health for 6s on a 22s cooldown. 1 +4s duration 2 -8s cooldown and +15% bullet return chance 5 +10% max health as barrier, and no single hit deals more than 250 while it holds is down he cannot escape a gank except on foot - His slow projectiles fall off from 20m, so a laner who stays at range and strafes out-trades his gun
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Powder Keg
Powder Keg Throws a barrel that detonates after a short delay for spirit damage, applies a burn, and launches anyone caught in the blast into the air. Crowd Control knockup on detonation — hard CC that removes the target's ability to strafe Damage about 80 spirit at base plus burn damage over time; Mobility self-launch: detonating it under her own feet is her primary traversal tool 1 +40 impact damage, about +13.3 burn damage per second, roughly -5s charge time and… clears the wave quickly and pokes the enemy laner in the same cast
Avoid
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Scrap Grenade
Scrap Grenade Rat King throws a bouncing lump of scrap that goes off three times where it lands. Crowd Control 20% movement slow for 4s (scales slightly with Spirit). Damage 70 bullet damage per detonation (+0.6 weapon-damage scaling), three… Defensive The slow is his peel: thrown at his own feet it stops a diver from following… 1 -8s cooldown (26s to 18s) 2 +70 damage per detonation 5 one extra, bigger final detonation — 300 damage, 14m radius, 40% slow clears a trooper wave in three hits and slows anyone farming in it, so he wins wave tempo early -
Royal Pestments
Royal Pestments Rat King puts on scrap armour that gives him a barrier worth a share of his maximum health. Damage Reflected bullets return their full damage to the shooter. Defensive Barrier equal to 15% of his max health for 6s on a 22s cooldown. 1 +4s duration 2 -8s cooldown and +15% bullet return chance 5 +10% max health as barrier, and no single hit deals more than 250 while it holds lets him take a trade or tower shots that other brawlers cannot, and reflects part of a long poke trade
Do
- Their first real spike is ult unlock — respect it from that point, not before.
- Your spike is ult unlock:
Spirit Lasso
Spirit Lasso Throws a lasso that deals spirit damage, pulls the target toward her, and stuns them. Crowd Control pull (displacement) plus stun (hard CC) Damage about 80 spirit at base (deadlock.one) Mobility she can relocate while lassoing, dragging the victim with her 1 Bounce Pad interaction extends lasso duration; gives her a guaranteed pick and the ability to remove one enemy from a fight entirely
Avoid
- Taking an even fight against Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. on their spike timing when you could take the same fight ten minutes later on yours.
Do
- Watch for
Rule, Ratannia!
Rule, Ratannia! Rat King raises the banner of Ratannia. Crowd Control Knockup and a 40% slow on the slam, plus Rat Swarm from the rats it… Damage 200 bullet damage on the slam (+1.2 weapon-damage scaling), 20m radius (cut… Mobility +3 m/s movement speed for him and nearby allies for up to 10s while the… 1 +2 m/s movement speed (no cooldown reduction since 5 October) 2 +5s banner duration and +8m radius 5 +150 slam damage and +10% damage reduction . Back out of the 20m circle when the banner is planted and re-engage when it falls, 12 seconds later - Dash as soon as the rats land — every ground or air dash shakes one off, and the bullet-resist shred falls off 4 seconds after the last bite
Avoid
- Spending your own escape before
Royal Pestments
Royal Pestments Rat King puts on scrap armour that gives him a barrier worth a share of his maximum health. Damage Reflected bullets return their full damage to the shooter. Defensive Barrier equal to 15% of his max health for 6s on a 22s cooldown. 1 +4s duration 2 -8s cooldown and +15% bullet return chance 5 +10% max health as barrier, and no single hit deals more than 250 while it holds is on cooldown.
Rat King’s abilities
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Rule, Ratannia!
Rule, Ratannia! Rat King raises the banner of Ratannia. Crowd Control Knockup and a 40% slow on the slam, plus Rat Swarm from the rats it… Damage 200 bullet damage on the slam (+1.2 weapon-damage scaling), 20m radius (cut… Mobility +3 m/s movement speed for him and nearby allies for up to 10s while the… 1 +2 m/s movement speed (no cooldown reduction since 5 October) 2 +5s banner duration and +8m radius 5 +150 slam damage and +10% damage reduction Ultimate Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. 's fight-ender: Knockup and a 40% slow on the slam, plus
Rat Swarm
Rat Swarm Rat King calls a swarm of rats to a spot up to 50m away. Damage 8 spirit damage per bite (+0.08 Spirit scaling), one bite per attached rat… 1 +1 charge (8s between charges) 2 a larger swarm and +4s debuff duration 5 +8 damage and an extra -1% bullet resist per bite from the rats it releases.- Back out of the 20m circle when the banner is planted and re-engage when it falls, 12 seconds later
- Spread out as he approaches with the banner raised — the slam hits everyone in 20m
- Save your slows for after the banner; use knockdowns, stuns or disarms against his team while it is up
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Scrap Grenade
Scrap Grenade Rat King throws a bouncing lump of scrap that goes off three times where it lands. Crowd Control 20% movement slow for 4s (scales slightly with Spirit). Damage 70 bullet damage per detonation (+0.6 weapon-damage scaling), three… Defensive The slow is his peel: thrown at his own feet it stops a diver from following… 1 -8s cooldown (26s to 18s) 2 +70 damage per detonation 5 one extra, bigger final detonation — 300 damage, 14m radius, 40% slow Ability 1 This will not kill you on its own — it makes sure you cannot leave while the rest of Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. 's kit does. 20% movement slow for 4s (scales slightly with Spirit).
- Walk out of the 8m circle after the first detonation instead of trading inside it — staying costs you all three hits
- Melee the grenade away when it lands next to you
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Debuff Reducer
Debuff Reducer +25% Debuff Resist +90 Bonus Health or a dispel shortens the slow, which is what turns the grenade into a kill
-
Royal Pestments
Royal Pestments Rat King puts on scrap armour that gives him a barrier worth a share of his maximum health. Damage Reflected bullets return their full damage to the shooter. Defensive Barrier equal to 15% of his max health for 6s on a 22s cooldown. 1 +4s duration 2 -8s cooldown and +15% bullet return chance 5 +10% max health as barrier, and no single hit deals more than 250 while it holds Ability 3 His survival button and the reason he can walk into a fight first. It also makes gun trades into him expensive for as long as it is up.
- Pop the barrier with Spirit Damage, or stop shooting and wait out the 6 seconds before you commit your gun
- Bait it with poke first; with it down he is an 800-health brawler with no movement ability
- Against Tier 3, spread your damage over several hits — one huge hit gets capped at 250
- 1
Royal Pestments
Royal Pestments Rat King puts on scrap armour that gives him a barrier worth a share of his maximum health. Damage Reflected bullets return their full damage to the shooter. Defensive Barrier equal to 15% of his max health for 6s on a 22s cooldown. 1 +4s duration 2 -8s cooldown and +15% bullet return chance 5 +10% max health as barrier, and no single hit deals more than 250 while it holds Royal Pestments first — poke him until he armours up, then hold your gun until the 6 seconds are over; without it he has no defensive button left
- 2
Rat Swarm
Rat Swarm Rat King calls a swarm of rats to a spot up to 50m away. Damage 8 spirit damage per bite (+0.08 Spirit scaling), one bite per attached rat… 1 +1 charge (8s between charges) 2 a larger swarm and +4s debuff duration 5 +8 damage and an extra -1% bullet resist per bite Rat Swarm second — once it is on cooldown (24s since 5 October) your dashes are free for positioning instead of shaking rats
- 3
Scrap Grenade
Scrap Grenade Rat King throws a bouncing lump of scrap that goes off three times where it lands. Crowd Control 20% movement slow for 4s (scales slightly with Spirit). Damage 70 bullet damage per detonation (+0.6 weapon-damage scaling), three… Defensive The slow is his peel: thrown at his own feet it stops a diver from following… 1 -8s cooldown (26s to 18s) 2 +70 damage per detonation 5 one extra, bigger final detonation — 300 damage, 14m radius, 40% slow Scrap Grenade last — it is the easiest to sidestep or melee away, and it is his only slow outside the ultimate
The matchup in detail
- No dash, leap or blink — once his barrier is gone he is easy to catch and kite Strategic
- Slow projectile spreadshot with falloff from 20m; long-range heroes can stay out of his damage Strategic
- Most of his kit is Bullet Damage, so one bullet-resist item answers most of it Strategic
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Rat Swarm
Rat Swarm Rat King calls a swarm of rats to a spot up to 50m away. Damage 8 spirit damage per bite (+0.08 Spirit scaling), one bite per attached rat… 1 +1 charge (8s between charges) 2 a larger swarm and +4s debuff duration 5 +8 damage and an extra -1% bullet resist per bite strips 1% Bullet Resist per bite and keeps biting faster as more rats land, so the longer you fight covered in rats, the harder every gun on his team hits you Strategic -
Scrap Grenade
Scrap Grenade Rat King throws a bouncing lump of scrap that goes off three times where it lands. Crowd Control 20% movement slow for 4s (scales slightly with Spirit). Damage 70 bullet damage per detonation (+0.6 weapon-damage scaling), three… Defensive The slow is his peel: thrown at his own feet it stops a diver from following… 1 -8s cooldown (26s to 18s) 2 +70 damage per detonation 5 one extra, bigger final detonation — 300 damage, 14m radius, 40% slow goes off three times in an 8m circle with a slow on each hit — standing in it to trade costs you all three detonations Strategic -
Royal Pestments
Royal Pestments Rat King puts on scrap armour that gives him a barrier worth a share of his maximum health. Damage Reflected bullets return their full damage to the shooter. Defensive Barrier equal to 15% of his max health for 6s on a 22s cooldown. 1 +4s duration 2 -8s cooldown and +15% bullet return chance 5 +10% max health as barrier, and no single hit deals more than 250 while it holds sends a share of your bullets back at you, and at Tier 3 caps any single hit at 250 while it holds Strategic -
Rule, Ratannia!
Rule, Ratannia! Rat King raises the banner of Ratannia. Crowd Control Knockup and a 40% slow on the slam, plus Rat Swarm from the rats it… Damage 200 bullet damage on the slam (+1.2 weapon-damage scaling), 20m radius (cut… Mobility +3 m/s movement speed for him and nearby allies for up to 10s while the… 1 +2 m/s movement speed (no cooldown reduction since 5 October) 2 +5s banner duration and +8m radius 5 +150 slam damage and +10% damage reduction makes his team immune to slows and faster on the way in, knocks up everyone in 20m, then gives his side 15–25% damage reduction near the banner Strategic - He can come out of a vent: the tunnels let him rotate between lanes without being seen Strategic
- Your mobility is a real advantage here, and Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. 's slows exist to delete it. Note that Debuff Resist barely helps against short hard slows because it only trims duration — spacing and cover do more than an item will. Strong evidence
- Dash as soon as the rats land — every ground or air dash shakes one off, and the bullet-resist shred falls off 4 seconds after the last bite Strategic
- Step out of the 8m grenade circle after the first detonation, or melee the grenade away from you Strategic
- Break
Royal Pestments
Royal Pestments Rat King puts on scrap armour that gives him a barrier worth a share of his maximum health. Damage Reflected bullets return their full damage to the shooter. Defensive Barrier equal to 15% of his max health for 6s on a 22s cooldown. 1 +4s duration 2 -8s cooldown and +15% bullet return chance 5 +10% max health as barrier, and no single hit deals more than 250 while it holds with Spirit Damage, which is never reflected, or wait out its 6 seconds before you commit your gun Strategic - When the banner is planted, leave the 20m circle and come back when it falls 12 seconds later rather than fighting into the damage reduction Strategic
- Buy Bullet Resist: his gun, the grenade and the banner slam are all Bullet Damage — only the rat bites are spirit Strategic
- Fight him from range; his pellets are slow and fall off from 20m, and he has no ability to close distance Strategic
- Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. adds barrier, not health, and barriers behave differently enough to change how you spend your combo. Resists apply before the barrier depletes, so a barrier multiplies with their resist rather than bypassing it — and it decays on its own. Overflow damage carries straight through to health, so one large hit does not stop at the barrier boundary. That argues for landing your whole burst in one window rather than chipping: chip is exactly what a decaying pool is designed to absorb. Strong evidence
- The 22 seconds after
Royal Pestments
Royal Pestments Rat King puts on scrap armour that gives him a barrier worth a share of his maximum health. Damage Reflected bullets return their full damage to the shooter. Defensive Barrier equal to 15% of his max health for 6s on a 22s cooldown. 1 +4s duration 2 -8s cooldown and +15% bullet return chance 5 +10% max health as barrier, and no single hit deals more than 250 while it holds ends (14 at Tier 2): an 800-health brawler with no escape ability Strategic - Right after he throws
Scrap Grenade
Scrap Grenade Rat King throws a bouncing lump of scrap that goes off three times where it lands. Crowd Control 20% movement slow for 4s (scales slightly with Spirit). Damage 70 bullet damage per detonation (+0.6 weapon-damage scaling), three… Defensive The slow is his peel: thrown at his own feet it stops a diver from following… 1 -8s cooldown (26s to 18s) 2 +70 damage per detonation 5 one extra, bigger final detonation — 300 damage, 14m radius, 40% slow : his only slow is spent, so you can walk away from him or kite him Strategic - While he is carrying the banner he cannot slide or crouch, which makes him an easier target for skillshots Strategic
- In a fight he cannot reach the tunnels — keep him in combat and he has to walk out Strategic
- Your headshots already carry the trade, so the shred rider is where the value compounds against a target like Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. .
Weakening Headshot
Weakening Headshot -12% Bullet Resist +12s Debuff Duration +60 Bonus Health applies −12% Bullet Resist as of 09-16-2026, down from −13% — and because shred is subtracted from their total resist after all their resist sources multiply together, that 12% is worth more against a stacked target than a flat damage item would be. Land the first headshot to set it up, then the rest of your team's bullets benefit too. Documented - When Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. puts up a barrier, do not reset the trade and wait for it to drop. Overflow damage carries through to health, so a single large hit spends the barrier and keeps going in one action — there is no wasted remainder. What does get wasted is chip, because barriers decay on their own and small hits are exactly what a temporary pool absorbs for free. Either commit your burst through it or disengage entirely; the middle option gives them a free absorb. Strong evidence
- Your escape route is vertical and the 09-16-2026 patch aimed at exactly that: slows now affect air drag at 35% of their value, where previously they mostly did not bite in the air. Going airborne to break Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. 's slow no longer restores your full movement — you carry a fraction of it into the air with you, at the moment you are also a stationary silhouette. The slow cut of ~20% partly offsets it, but the net is that air-escaping a slow is worse this patch than last. Documented
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Scrap Grenade
Scrap Grenade Rat King throws a bouncing lump of scrap that goes off three times where it lands. Crowd Control 20% movement slow for 4s (scales slightly with Spirit). Damage 70 bullet damage per detonation (+0.6 weapon-damage scaling), three… Defensive The slow is his peel: thrown at his own feet it stops a diver from following… 1 -8s cooldown (26s to 18s) 2 +70 damage per detonation 5 one extra, bigger final detonation — 300 damage, 14m radius, 40% slow clears a trooper wave in three hits and slows anyone farming in it, so he wins wave tempo early Strategic -
Royal Pestments
Royal Pestments Rat King puts on scrap armour that gives him a barrier worth a share of his maximum health. Damage Reflected bullets return their full damage to the shooter. Defensive Barrier equal to 15% of his max health for 6s on a 22s cooldown. 1 +4s duration 2 -8s cooldown and +15% bullet return chance 5 +10% max health as barrier, and no single hit deals more than 250 while it holds lets him take a trade or tower shots that other brawlers cannot, and reflects part of a long poke trade Strategic - No movement ability: once
Royal Pestments
Royal Pestments Rat King puts on scrap armour that gives him a barrier worth a share of his maximum health. Damage Reflected bullets return their full damage to the shooter. Defensive Barrier equal to 15% of his max health for 6s on a 22s cooldown. 1 +4s duration 2 -8s cooldown and +15% bullet return chance 5 +10% max health as barrier, and no single hit deals more than 250 while it holds is down he cannot escape a gank except on foot Strategic - His slow projectiles fall off from 20m, so a laner who stays at range and strafes out-trades his gun Strategic
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Powder Keg
Powder Keg Throws a barrel that detonates after a short delay for spirit damage, applies a burn, and launches anyone caught in the blast into the air. Crowd Control knockup on detonation — hard CC that removes the target's ability to strafe Damage about 80 spirit at base plus burn damage over time; Mobility self-launch: detonating it under her own feet is her primary traversal tool 1 +40 impact damage, about +13.3 burn damage per second, roughly -5s charge time and… clears the wave quickly and pokes the enemy laner in the same cast Strong evidence
- The first Unstable Rift lands around 11:00 and then every 7 minutes, and Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. beats you in exactly the fight it creates. Use the telegraph: a world-only visual appears on a random side-lane bridge roughly 60 seconds before the global announcement and map marker, which is the single biggest piece of free information in the mid game. Spend those 60 seconds either grouping or deliberately taking something elsewhere — the one thing you cannot afford is arriving at a Rift bridge late and alone. Strong evidence
- Urn spawns at 10, 15, 20 and 25 minutes, and you are the correct carrier in this matchup. Two changes make that stronger than old guides suggest: the runner is no longer revealed, and is no longer disarmed or silenced — you keep your whole kit while carrying. Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. cannot match your speed, so the only way they take it off you is melee, a Stun, or a kill. Route around their Stun range, not around their vision, and remember the bounty starts decaying after 45 seconds of carry. Documented
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Rule, Ratannia!
Rule, Ratannia! Rat King raises the banner of Ratannia. Crowd Control Knockup and a 40% slow on the slam, plus Rat Swarm from the rats it… Damage 200 bullet damage on the slam (+1.2 weapon-damage scaling), 20m radius (cut… Mobility +3 m/s movement speed for him and nearby allies for up to 10s while the… 1 +2 m/s movement speed (no cooldown reduction since 5 October) 2 +5s banner duration and +8m radius 5 +150 slam damage and +10% damage reduction unlock —
Rule, Ratannia!
Rule, Ratannia! Rat King raises the banner of Ratannia. Crowd Control Knockup and a 40% slow on the slam, plus Rat Swarm from the rats it… Damage 200 bullet damage on the slam (+1.2 weapon-damage scaling), 20m radius (cut… Mobility +3 m/s movement speed for him and nearby allies for up to 10s while the… 1 +2 m/s movement speed (no cooldown reduction since 5 October) 2 +5s banner duration and +8m radius 5 +150 slam damage and +10% damage reduction turns him into the team's fight-starter: slow immunity and speed on the way in, a 20m Knockup on arrival Strategic -
Scrap Grenade
Scrap Grenade Rat King throws a bouncing lump of scrap that goes off three times where it lands. Crowd Control 20% movement slow for 4s (scales slightly with Spirit). Damage 70 bullet damage per detonation (+0.6 weapon-damage scaling), three… Defensive The slow is his peel: thrown at his own feet it stops a diver from following… 1 -8s cooldown (26s to 18s) 2 +70 damage per detonation 5 one extra, bigger final detonation — 300 damage, 14m radius, 40% slow T2 — 140 damage per detonation turns the grenade from wave clear into a real trade — three hits for 420 before weapon scaling Strategic -
Royal Pestments
Royal Pestments Rat King puts on scrap armour that gives him a barrier worth a share of his maximum health. Damage Reflected bullets return their full damage to the shooter. Defensive Barrier equal to 15% of his max health for 6s on a 22s cooldown. 1 +4s duration 2 -8s cooldown and +15% bullet return chance 5 +10% max health as barrier, and no single hit deals more than 250 while it holds T2 — The barrier comes back every 14 seconds with a 30% reflect chance, so gun trades into him stop being free Strategic -
Royal Pestments
Royal Pestments Rat King puts on scrap armour that gives him a barrier worth a share of his maximum health. Damage Reflected bullets return their full damage to the shooter. Defensive Barrier equal to 15% of his max health for 6s on a 22s cooldown. 1 +4s duration 2 -8s cooldown and +15% bullet return chance 5 +10% max health as barrier, and no single hit deals more than 250 while it holds T3 (late game) — The 250-per-hit cap makes him very hard to burst while the armour holds Strategic
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Spirit Lasso
Spirit Lasso Throws a lasso that deals spirit damage, pulls the target toward her, and stuns them. Crowd Control pull (displacement) plus stun (hard CC) Damage about 80 spirit at base (deadlock.one) Mobility she can relocate while lassoing, dragging the victim with her 1 Bounce Pad interaction extends lasso duration; unlock — Gives her a guaranteed pick and the ability to remove one enemy from a fight entirely Strong evidence -
Bounce Pad
Bounce Pad Drops a pad that launches any hero who touches it high into the air. Crowd Control tier 3 adds about +0.7s stun to the landing stomp Damage about 60 stomp damage on landing (deadlock.one) Mobility very large vertical launch for Holliday and all allies who step on it 1 about -10s cooldown 2 she and allies gain roughly +4 m/s movement speed for 4 seconds on landing 5 about +0.7s stun on the landing stomp tier 3 — The roughly +0.7s landing Stun turns her mobility tool into a genuine engage Strong evidence
- Your habit of taking the fight vertical to reset spacing against Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. is weaker on 09-16-2026 than it was. Slows now apply to air drag at 35% of their value, so the air is no longer a slow-free zone, and 2026 has been a steady closing of exactly these loopholes — wall jumping costs 25% stamina regeneration for 5 seconds, and knockups came under debuff reduction in May. Going up is still correct against their ground CC; it is no longer a way to ignore their slows. Documented
- Riding a zipline in Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. 's line of sight is worse than walking. Enemy hero damage while you are riding knocks you off for 15% of your max health, a 2.5-second Stun and a fall — for a hero with your health pool that is most of a death handed over for free. You gain knockoff immunity only after 3 consecutive seconds of riding, signalled by a blue particle effect, so the dangerous part is the first three seconds. Mount out of their sight line, not near it. Documented
- Being knocked up against Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. is worse than being slowed because it removes your inputs and, since 09-16-2026, slows now bite in the air at 35% value so even the landing is compromised. Your mobility is your defence, so position with the airborne failure case in mind: stand where being launched leaves you above your own team rather than above theirs, and keep a dash in reserve for the landing rather than spending both on the approach. Strategic
- Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. wins by choosing where the fight happens. Take your position before the zoning goes down, not after — once the area is committed you are fighting on their terms, and walking in to contest it is exactly the mistake the kit is built to farm. Strategic
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Alchemical Fire
Alchemical Fire +30s Cooldown +5s Duration +0.2s Cast Delay +10 Spirit Power (weapon T3) — Buy for zone denial and faster objective damage, or to punish enemies who must hold a choke. Aimed at Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. 's
Rule, Ratannia!
Rule, Ratannia! Rat King raises the banner of Ratannia. Crowd Control Knockup and a 40% slow on the slam, plus Rat Swarm from the rats it… Damage 200 bullet damage on the slam (+1.2 weapon-damage scaling), 20m radius (cut… Mobility +3 m/s movement speed for him and nearby allies for up to 10s while the… 1 +2 m/s movement speed (no cooldown reduction since 5 October) 2 +5s banner duration and +8m radius 5 +150 slam damage and +10% damage reduction in this lineup. Strong evidence -
Scourge
Scourge +35s Cooldown +10s Duration +0.25s Cast Delay +40% Spirit Resist +100 Bonus Health +20% Debuff Resist (spirit T4) — This lineup gets its unkillable frontline from Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. . Buy on supports to harden a focused ally against a caster team while adding pressure damage. Documented -
Enduring Speed
Enduring Speed +25% Slow Resist +2 Out of Combat Regen Builds from Sprint Boots (vitality T2) — Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. 's
Rule, Ratannia!
Rule, Ratannia! Rat King raises the banner of Ratannia. Crowd Control Knockup and a 40% slow on the slam, plus Rat Swarm from the rats it… Damage 200 bullet damage on the slam (+1.2 weapon-damage scaling), 20m radius (cut… Mobility +3 m/s movement speed for him and nearby allies for up to 10s while the… 1 +2 m/s movement speed (no cooldown reduction since 5 October) 2 +5s banner duration and +8m radius 5 +150 slam damage and +10% damage reduction is what you are buying against here. Buy when enemy slows are what is killing you — it is the dedicated answer, separate from generic debuff resist. Documented
- The Unstable Rift capture point is a 20m circle on a bridge, capture only progresses when no enemy is inside it, and everyone standing in it is revealed on the minimap. That is a purpose-built trap for Rat King Rat King Released 2 October Released 2 October. A gun-scaling brawler and team buffer: a three-blast slowing grenade, rats that strip bullet resist with every bite, a reflecting barrier, and a banner that makes his team slow-immune. . The mistake is treating the circle as the objective: you do not need to stand in it, you need them not to. Contest from outside the radius, deny with a single body at the edge, and let their Area Damage land on empty bridge. Strategic
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Holliday’s other hard matchups
All of Rat King
Who beats Rat King, the items that shut Rat King down, and every ability.
Facing more than Rat King?
Add the other five enemies: who to focus first and what to buy against the whole team.
Sources and method for this page
Everything on this page is generated for Deadlock patch 09-29-2026 from Rat King's current kit, measured match results and a mechanics rule base. Each line carries its own confidence label.
Rat King's kit and counterplay were compiled from 6 sources, cross-checked for patch 09-29-2026. Threat ratings compare this pairing against Holliday's own baseline win rate rather than a flat 50%, because ranking by raw win rate produces the wrong answer for heroes whose overall win rate is not 50%.