Rats are pretty lackluster

[Angry Trash]

They can be great if you chain early on, but only if you're in a "safe" position. I had rooks at two health penalties, killed three pawns in front of one, all of those rats naturally should've killed it because it was the nearest and there was enough to finish it off.. But the time that it takes the rats to target is independent of a turn, which means that they either pick their target instantly and save you or they idle until your next turn which they really shouldn't and thus cost you a run.

[dinksmallwood1985]

I'm always happy to see rats as a choice. I like to pair them with Undead Armies, Blunderbuss and all those cards that add more pawns - this is so much fun :-)

Originally posted by Angry Trash:

or they idle until your next turn

I cannot remember anything like this happening during my plays.

[Angry Trash]

Originally posted by dinksmallwood1985:

I'm always happy to see rats as a choice. I like to pair them with Undead Armies, Blunderbuss and all those cards that add more pawns - this is so much fun :-)

Originally posted by Angry Trash:

or they idle until your next turn

I cannot remember anything like this happening during my plays.

Yeah, I was using a victoria (had an absolutely grotesque sniper build on it that oneshot everything but the king), died on 11/12 to a rook that was behind pawns. It had taken a stray hit from the excess piercing bullet, so the rats would've obliterated it with the two rook health penalty cards I had. Only they danced around in place as he jumped into orbit and demolished me. Felt like a really ♥♥♥♥♥♥ way to lose a run because the computer was too busy thinking. It wasn't consistent enough through the round, but I'd say maybe 1/3 turns they would do so, and I don't know if it was because of all of the pawns I stacked since yeah undead army is great

[Nico]

If you open yourself to a discovered check the rats will not save you. Nothing inconsistent about it.

[Sceaduwe Cwen]

I would love it if rats acted before discovered checks. It would make rats less susceptible to unhealthy doses of RNG

[dinksmallwood1985]

I believe this is more complex than it sounds. If discovered checks were to be taken into consideration after the rats I would have been dead and frustrated many times. Now at least if after the actions of rats I am technically in check the game does not count it (which was a very pleasant surprise when it happened for the first time) so I do not rage quit.

[zyffe]

Rats are a 100% pick for me. They destroy absolutely everything. Just stand on a square that can't be discovered-checked. If you get Crow and Plague it's GG. 1 dmg for every piece on every turn is insane!

[Himsl Games YT]

Rats are very powerful but they are annoying by wasting time I guess... and if you get black death it's even slower lol.
Rats don't instantly take effect after your turn, so they don't safe you from retaliation, but it has to be that way because otherwise they might trigger retaliation if they reveal an attack. With Rats you can reveal, but still not get hit.

[fractalgem]

rats+undead armies+anything adding lots of pawns is great. but a lot of time it does feel kinda lucklaster yeah...

[Necro]

I don't like rats cause they often randomly kill something that opens up a discovered check and I die.

[fractalgem]

Originally posted by Necro:

I don't like rats cause they often randomly kill something that opens up a discovered check and I die.

Rats happen after the check phase and cannot discover-check you.

[pingnpong]

Rats good cause they kill.

[Schraube]

Rats are great with blade builds! They put things into blade-range, which you then proceed to blade, which puts more things into blade-range.
Also, it's a fun card; I once bladed a queen, and a chain rataction wiped out half the board - a bunch of peasants, two rooks, and the king. Truly, my swordsmanship is peerless lol.

[a ham getting eaten by ants]

rats are literally the best card. just beat tier 15 for the first time with my rat army.

[lordatog]

Ever had Rats + Undead Armies + Undercover Mission (for the -1 HP)? Pawns effectively don't exist, and Undead Armies is basically 100% upside.

[i eat little ants]

if your playing SGK Extra or whatever the mod is, and use The Plauge Bringer, rats become your main source of damage, and they can really come in handy getting some of the upgrades that give more rats, ill link the mod (not my mod) https://discord.com/channels/535849677858275329/1041722681902518272/1115358963257585694 find the mod here