Strengths and weaknesses
Good at
- The fastest bullets in the game (1,590 m/s)
- Snap Traps immobilise, reveal and protect him from divers
- Consecrating Grenade gives anti-heal and pure-damage burn
- Ira Domini's blessed stakes deal pure damage and execute
Struggles with
- Slow move and sprint speed
- Traps are visible and can be avoided (or destroyed by Graves)
- Gutshot's stun needs a nearby wall
- Relies on gun items to scale
Abilities
Consecrating Grenade
25s cooldownThrow a bouncing grenade that deals 35 weapon damage in 4.5m and sets enemies alight. Burning enemies take 10 pure damage per second and receive 30% less healing for 3.5s.
| Tier 1 1 point | -5s cooldown |
|---|---|
| Tier 2 2 points | +1.5m radius and +1s burn |
| Tier 3 5 points | An extra -20% healing; adds charges |
Gutshot
23s cooldownFire a shotgun blast for 60 weapon damage that pushes enemies back. Enemies near a wall are stunned for 0.6s and take 30 bonus damage.
| Tier 1 1 point | +25 damage |
|---|---|
| Tier 2 2 points | -10s cooldown and +0.4s stun |
| Tier 3 5 points | After a wall stun, your next heavy melee is blessed |
Hex-Lined Snap Trap
28s cooldownKick out a trap (lasts 30s, 2 charges) that snaps on enemies for 80 spirit damage in 2m, immobilising them for 1.25s and revealing them for 6s.
| Tier 1 1 point | -11s cooldown |
|---|---|
| Tier 2 2 points | +1s immobilise |
| Tier 3 5 points | +1 charge; +30% damage against revealed enemies |
Ira Domini
160s cooldownDraw a crossbow for 15s with 3 stakes that deal 120 weapon damage each. The final stake is blessed, dealing +115 pure damage and executing targets below 8% health.
| Tier 1 1 point | +1.2 m/s move speed while active |
|---|---|
| Tier 2 2 points | -15s cooldown and +65 bonus damage |
| Tier 3 5 points | All stakes are blessed |
Ability order
Spend points in this order. Each ability's tiers cost 1, 2 and 5 points.
- Unlock Hex-Lined Snap Trap
- Unlock Gutshot
- Unlock Consecrating Grenade
- Hex-Lined Snap Trap T1
- Gutshot T1
- Unlock Ira Domini
- Gutshot T2
- Hex-Lined Snap Trap T2
- Ira Domini T1–T2
- Consecrating Grenade T1
- Ira Domini T3
- Hex-Lined Snap Trap T3
- Gutshot T3
- Consecrating Grenade T2–T3
Item build
A starting build that works in most games. Swap pieces based on the enemy team; the notes explain what each stage is for.
Checked against 29,623 Venator matches from October 6–7, 2026 (all ranks). It keeps the items most Venator players buy and fills the other slots with the items that won most often. See the item tier list for how we measure that.
WeaponVitalitySpirit
| Stage | Items |
|---|---|
| Laning (800-soul items)Restorative Shot and Close Quarters are the usual start. Sprint Boots and Extra Charge have the best results of his cheap items. | |
| Mid game core (1,600–3,200)Venator is a gun carry with a lot of Vitality: Battle Vest, Enduring Speed and Bullet Lifesteal, with Swift Striker and Titanic Magazine. Fleetfoot has the best mid-game results. | |
| Late game (6,400)Spellslinger has the best late-game results on Venator, then Silencer. Siphon Bullets is the most common Vitality finisher. | |
| SituationalBerserker and Recharging Rush both score well. Lucky Shot and Frenzy for a greedier damage build when you're ahead. |
Close Quarters
Extra Charge
Swift Striker
Battle Vest
Titanic Magazine
Enduring Speed
Bullet Lifesteal
Silencer
Berserker
Lucky Shot
FrenzyRate this build in the build rater → See its grade, and the heroes it does well and badly against.
How to play
Venator is a trapper and gun carry. His SMG fires the fastest bullets in the game, Hex-Lined Snap Traps lock enemies in place, Gutshot blasts them into walls for a stun, Consecrating Grenade burns them with pure damage and anti-heal, and Ira Domini finishes them with blessed crossbow stakes.
Laning phase (0–10 min)
- Traps protect you. Kick them where the enemy walks, especially behind you to stop ganks.
- Gutshot near walls. The stun only happens when the target is close to a wall.
- Your SMG hits instantly at range, since 1,590 m/s bullets need almost no leading.
Mid game (10–25 min)
- Trap objectives and choke points. Enemies are revealed and immobilised.
- Grenade healers. The burn cuts healing by 30% (50% with T3).
Late game and team fights (25+ min)
- Ira Domini on wounded targets. Blessed stakes deal pure damage and execute below 8% health.
- Ira Domini T3 blesses every stake.
Combos
- Trap and shoot: Snap Trap → enemy immobilised → SMG headshots → Consecrating Grenade.
- Wall stun: Gutshot into a wall → (T3) blessed heavy melee → shoot.
- Execute: Grenade (anti-heal) → shoot down → Ira Domini blessed stake.
Matchups
- Good against: healers and lifesteal builds (anti-heal), and divers who walk into traps.
- Hard against: bullet-resistant tanks, and Graves (who can destroy his traps).
Pro tips
- Snap Trap T3 adds 30% damage against revealed enemies, and traps reveal what they catch.
- Ira Domini’s cooldown starts the moment you activate it (since July 2026).
Lore
Father Quinn Rourke is a monster hunter sanctioned by the Vatican. He's in New York on a papal mission to wipe out the supernatural threats plaguing the city, and he works through them with methodical precision.
Frequently asked questions
How does Ira Domini work?
Venator draws a crossbow for 15 seconds with 3 stakes. Each deals heavy weapon damage, and the final stake is blessed, adding pure damage (which ignores resistances) and executing targets below 8% health. With T3, every stake is blessed.
Can Venator's traps be destroyed?
Graves can destroy Venator's traps with her gun (since September 29, 2026). Otherwise, traps last 30 seconds, so watch where you walk.
How do you counter Venator?
Watch for Snap Traps around his position and avoid fighting him near walls, where Gutshot stuns. Buy bullet resist, since most of his damage is weapon damage.
Ability numbers are checked against the game and the community-run Deadlock Wiki after every patch. Builds are our own recommendations, checked against public match data. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.