The Rat King Covenant is dedicated to protecting the sanctity of the Grave of Saints and Doors of Pharros location. 
The scourge of human trespassers to this location is handled by Rats and honorary Rats (players who've joined the covenant). This covenant is PvP based but with an emphasis on protecting "your turf." This is accomplished through a summoning mechanic specific to this covenant. The player character, while in the covenant needs to wear the ring Crest of the Rat while in the Grave of Saints location (the bonfire near the boss fight, Royal Rat Vanguard room and Rat King room do not count as viable summoning areas) or the Doors of Pharros location (specific summoning areas when covenant symbol pulsates). If another player enters the summoning zones in THEIR world, they have a chance to be automatically summoned to the world of a covenant member for battle. What this means is that the trespasser (non covenant player) must do battle in the home turf of the covenant member. This yields numerous potential bonuses to covenant members. The covenant member can summon enemy players while they are hollow.
Covenant Leader: The Rat King
Where to Join: Grave of Saints, Doors of Pharros
How to Join Rat King Covenant
After defeating the boss Royal Rat Vanguard, the Rat King will be accessible directly after. Speaking to him (he looks like a normal rat on a pile of bones immediately after the fight) indicates that, although he hates humans, he has gained respect for you. Seemingly, murdering a large number of his followers is a good thing in his eyes. He can also be found at the end of the other dungeon in the Doors of Pharros area after defeating the boss there. You may also join the covenant just after killing the Royal Rat Authority inside of the Doors of Pharros
Firstly, covenant members benefit by all mobs (several hollows and numerous large rats) becoming allies at all times. A covenant member will NEVER be attacked by mobs while in the Grave of Saints. However, trespassers must face all mobs that aggro in addition to the covenant member. Mobs do still follow the respawn rules so covenant members can find themselves without backup if their buddies are killed too many times. Additionally, the Grave of Saints is littered with Pharros' Lockstone faces which may be used to alter the environment. Once placed, a stone cannot be removed, however placing stones allows the covenant member to alter their turf and lay traps for invaders. Two bridges for instance open a smaller secondary area that can be used to loop around the two primary walkways that make up the Grave of Saints. A group of additional rats can be a trap to lure trespassers to in this room. Rat statues with urns can be activated by Pharros' Lockstone as well on the upper walkway. They will pour acid on the floor which damages armor very quickly. The covenant member IS affected by this but they have the luxury of knowing which pools are active. Pools can be jumped over but this requires very precise timing. A ladder connecting the two walkways has a filthy looking waterfall when a Lockstone is used nearby. This does not appear to harm either party but can be used to hide behind and lure the trespasser into more rats unknowingly. If either party is using a torch it will be extinguished.
A trespasser will be summoned as a "Gray Spirit" and will always spawn at the entrance of the Grave of Saints. This means that they will encounter the large group of rats and several hollows at the beginning of the level (until they stop spawning) and of course the Rat King covenant member if they feel like being mean. If a trespasser kills mobs they remain dead until the covenant member rests at a bonfire (there are two easily accessed in this area). Trespassers CAN use a Black Separation Crystal to separate themselves from the world. This is dependent on being given enough time to use this however as the covenant member is given a warning that a trespasser is being summoned well before they arrive. In other words, there is no reason that the covenant member can't be waiting for the trespasser if they choose. If the covenant member wins they will gain a Rat Tail which can be offered to the Rat King to further one's devotion to the covenant. If the covenant member loses they must find their blood stain and suffer the normal penalties of dying. Recovering the stain is of course not an issue as nothing in this area will be hostile to the player.
- There is also a 10-minute time limit to killing the summoned player, if it runs out, they will return to their own world.
- In addition, there seems to be a three minute delay before another invader could be summoned. (This can be bypassed by quitting and re-launching the game, tested on PC 5/15/14. Simply exiting the invasion area and sitting at a bonfire does NOT work, the game must be restarted.)
- If you are in the Rat Covenant and win you will receive: 1 Pharros' Lockstone, 1 Smooth & Silky Stone (Patch 1.10) and 1 Rat Tail.
- If the 'trespasser' manages to make it to the end of the area they are given 1 Pharros' Lockstone, as well as returning to their world in front of the bonfire at the end of the labyrinth.
Rank
Rat King covenant members can also summon and engage in PvP in the Doors of Pharros area. Enemies beyond the Gyrm's Respite bonfire will not attack the player, and similarly to the Grave of Saints, traps can be created by placing Pharros' Lockstones. Upon defeating a summoned gray phantom, the covenant member is awarded with a Rat Tail and a Pharros' Lockstone, along with souls from the opposing player.
| Rank | Requirement | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Upon entering covenant | Crest of the Rat |
| 1 | 10 Rat Tails | 10 Small Smooth & Silky Stone |
| 2 | 20 Rat Tails | 10 Smooth & Silky Stone |
| 3 | 35 Rat Tails | Slumbering Dragoncrest Ring |
Notes, Hints, and Tips
- Rats can put poison on enemies with their attacks. Additionally the Crest of the Rat ring will increase your poison effect. So if you use poison-weapons you could put the status very fast on your target. Remember anyway that grey phantoms can use their estus flasks when summoned here.
- Unlock several traps with your Pharros' Lockstones, so your opponent will have to face more enemies, more traps, more difficulties. In Doors of Pharros for example, many doors will increase the number of enemies in the map, giving you a great help when fighting.
- The opponent will always spawn at the beginning of the dungeon, so you can use that advantage to ambush him as well as you can.
- If you hate to be summoned as Grey Phantom, you could play the game Offline while in this area.
- Bonfire Ascetics can be used to upgrade the NPC mobs to the next NG+ level.
- You have to go through water so it's recommended to use lightning and not to use fire. Also a shield with a high lightning defence can be a big help.
- Door of Pharros is a large open area. While Grave of Saints is a more closed in area.
- If you don't want to wait and fight other summoned players to get rat tails, you can always grind the 4 rats in the boss fight at Door of Pharros as they can drop Rat Tails, Pharros' Lockstones, and Old Radiant Lifegems.
Dialogue (Link videos, no embeds please
Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
Filthy Rat! You shall be exterminated! Adventure, Awaits! HUZZAHHH!
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
Clothes: Gone.
Weapons: broken
Lockstones: activated
Tools: filthy
friends: hungry
I am rat. Welcome to the warren.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
As of 2023, and as the online servers are up, I've been really liking playing with this covenant. Ds2 has gained a surprising amount of popularity after Elden Ring, and while it has less traffic then ds3, it has enough to be able to have fun with this coven and get semi regular invasions at various souls levels.
Plus it is the best way to farm Lockstones : )
- Anonymous
Well,
King Rat's got me on his list again
I can never be on the fence again
- Anonymous
Well,
King Ray's got me on his list again
I can never be on the fence again
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
It's crazy how much praise this covenant got on this page, it sounds like everybody talking it up were just imagining how good it could have been. Conceptually it's brilliant, it was just executed in a lame, unimaginative way. Rat King reminds me of DS3 covenants the most out of all of them, a tedious slog for both sides that ends up being a lot less fun than normal invasions.
- Anonymous
What? I drag you into my world and you just stand there waiting for a time-out? Ok, here's some acid for you.
- Anonymous
Ey yo if the baby back ***** named "aka" sees this, try actually fighting next time and maybe you'll actually get something instead of waiting for me (the prey) to simply time out back to my own world
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
A couple of months there was this free online weekend in PS and during that time i was farming mastodons in doors of Pharros. I got randomly summoned as a grey spirit. (Mind you i have absolutely NO knowledge about Dark Souls PVP because I don't pay 60 bucks so i Just Play offline) But surprisingly, i got the same host 2 times in a row. I don't know If He was the biggest coward or If the Covenant just works like this but he was just shooting Dark Arrows at me while i get ganked by the numerous enemies. Tho i am a very pacient player so i took them out with each opening i got until only the host was left. He buffed his warped Sword with crystal and tried to spam running attack. I eventually finished him but got summoned again immediately after returning to my farming route. He was even more annoying this time and i didn't had any opening which resulted in me running around for like 5 minutes, avoiding Gyrms, Mastodons and the Hosts Dark arrow spam. I then remembered I had toxic Mist equipped and just finished the enemies with that. The host then proceeded to simply not approach me again because I think He feared my Ivory King UGS with which i destroyed him the first time. It eventually broke and i switched to the Drakeblood Greatsword but nope. Running, shooting Arrows, trying Dash attack. I have to give him credit for His Patience He had with me tho because there appearently is a timeout when you get summoned. (Around 8-10 minutes i think) But yeah, that was my first ever experience with Dark Souls PVP and i Can't say that i'll miss it. But Please tell me If that Host was a coward or this is simply a valid "strategy" because it sure didn't felt like one.
- Anonymous
What a ****ing waste if time. Dude just sits next to the entrance and attacks me when I come out and get swarmed with rats. Offline mode here I come
- Anonymous
Couple months ago I tried this covenant. I played DS2 before, but my internet was too slow for online play. Now I have better one, but player count is much smaller - oh well might try anyway. Grave of Saints is optional location that takes like 20 minutes to finish. How much traffic can you get? Non-stop, that much. I was FLOORED by the amount of invasions I got. In one sunday afternoon (Central Europe), in like 3 hours I played I got about 30 players back to back. I barely managed to run back to bonfire and back to entrance before next invasion. Got 25 rat tails in one session. Super fun. One criticism: most of the "traps" are pointless. Falling water is useless, because in pvp nobody uses torches. Opening bridges doesn't benefit you in any way. Most of acid pools in second floor are in dead end, where nobody goes, making them pointless.
I farmed the rest of the Rat Tails in Doors of Pharros. Traps are much better there, so much so that i basically run around with torch not fighting invaders and still won half the time.
And apologies to everyone I killed in Grave of Saints. Two Lingering Flames by the entrance is cheap move, I know. If I knew how populated it will be I wouldn't do that.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
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So if i am understanding this right, you basically can be boss of the area. Nice.. "they told me i could be anything so i decided to be mini boss in dark souls.." XD
- Anonymous
Most rats seem to be very unimaginative with this covenant, which is a shame. You have this entire area with traps, mobs and ledges; give the grey a chance to get through the gauntlet and harass him with occasional arrow, urn or spell. Hell, if they're struggling, pop them a warmth to encourage them to keep going; maybe skip enemies' lockstones in favor of hit&run from yourself; turn yourself into a PvP boss at the end etc. Make it an interesting zone run.
If all you do is just crystal spear the grey as soon as he engages the rat and mastodon to insta kill him, you're not creating a memorable experience. You're not even creating salt, since greys don't lose anything on death - you're just wasting the zone and the covenant.
- Anonymous
Just standing nearby trespassers whilst they fight your monsters actually yields more than half wins :shrug:
My indisputable champion is the first rat in the water at the entrance. His toxic is devastating you can give him that. Called him Marshal.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
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You will not lose with this covenant. I've had no one make it past the first island.
- Anonymous
It'd be fun to exchange rat tails to place rats where you wanted.
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
I like how every time I get summoned as a grey spirit I wreck the host. Are all the members this bad.
- Anonymous
Shitty rewards, most likely waiting over an hour, and is really only good for players with no. Brotherhood of blood is where it’s at *****es.
- Anonymous
Best covenant in all of DS. Soooo satisfying. Pour up a drink or pack a bowl while the next victim is bring found and then proceed to annihilate them with magic while they desperately roll around in the speed reducing water. <33
- Anonymous
They should call this the "poison rats" covenant, just because of how useful the ring is for people who like inflicting status effect on people... tho "hate-mail bait" maybe better name, because I swear I get hate-mail just for trying to get their items to hand to the crows early on in the game. (and yes, it did get annoying fast...)
- Anonymous
- Anonymous
You get a small aura after a successful invasion(?), and you are at least rank 1 within the covenant. It looks like the petrification effect surrounding the rats.
- Anonymous
Apparently, and I don't think this is mentioned or I missed it. But if you're in the Rat King Covenant none of the enemies will attack you or allow you to attack them in the Doors of Pharros. I had just reached rank 3 with the Rat King, and went to the Doors of Pharros to farm Titanite Chunks, and all my attacks just go through the enemies, and none of them even move. Now I checked to make sure this wasn't a glitch or that I was offline but restarting the game online. Same result.
- Anonymous
The rat covenant is not different than any of the other pvp covenants. And to all the people complaining, just play offline while you are in these areas.
- Anonymous
Oh and BTW if the guy in covenant is being wimp and running you can use separation crystal or 10 time limit to leave/win (I think) I hear so yeah there's that. I just think its perfect for honing skills without having d bags dancing on your corpse fifty times over when your trying to advance.
- Anonymous
I saw it as a place to practice pvp. It's perfect place to pvp where you have time to recover and unlike elsewhere the creeps are on your side not invaders.
- Anonymous
they could at least add a higher cooldown for this invades. Just piss me off if you get summed by the same person in less then 30 sek and have fight over 10 mins. I wish i had not killed the boss... so i could spare me this*****.
Overall my tactic was always to run over the water left to the first exit and run up. Mobs could not reach you here and the invader was always a pussy to come up. Never had one who goes here up for some reasons, also he never tries to catch me before. (maybe bad?)
Did this 14 times so it was pretty fun.
- Anonymous
This covenant has the*****tiest rewards. Its really just for people who want to annoy anf troll others
- Anonymous
That's actually a very accurate name for a covenant. When being in Doors of Pharros, you get summoned to the location, where you are forced to fight a Mastadon and a poison rat, while you're being shot from a second floor. If you try to run away, you can't, the water is deep, so you walk very slowly and will run into 3 more poison rats, making this fight nearly impossible. This covenant is only for annoying other people.
- Anonymous
so i went back, how likely is it that if i was at the furnace demon, that i can get invasions in here?
- Anonymous
I joined the covenant and been waiting 15minutes now and nothing yet. Am i missing something og is ds2 just dead?
- Anonymous
<--iiRainy
I joined thinking i could get some GOOD items but after seeing this this covenant is only for invasions devoting yourself to it is stupid, i already have slumbering dragoncrest ring from sens fortress how did it get here like boi, also the rat kings hairline hella *****ed up
- Anonymous
I killed the rat king bc he was pissing me off, any consequences? Not in the covenant obviously
- Anonymous
YES YES GREAT HORNED RAT
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