Size isn't Everything! - A Complete Guide for Junglers and Solo Laners (S9, 9.7, Mid Season)

• Your job as solo is now to start fights, tank a little and help your team get kills. You are NOT supposed to be a total tank and frontline in a team fight.
  
  
• Help people whenever is possible. Remember you have Through the Cosmos, one of the best ultimates in the game, so USE IT.
  
  
• Hold your ultimate in case of ganks (if solo), or hotter situations, 'cause you can really save yourself. I strongly recommend you build some CDR.
  
  
• If solo, you can be aggressive and push your lane against your enemy tower and if you see yourself in trouble just retreat using your ultimate or Dart. By doing this, you will force your enemy solo to stay near the tower more than the normal, lowering the possibilities of the gank/help other lanes and making him lose some money.
  
  
• If you have ever played Ratatoskr solo you probably know that Evergreen Acorn is the best choice by far for early sustain. However, ratatoskr CAN SELL the acorn and buy another one, so if you are playing solo, maybe switching the evergreen for Thickbark Acorn (that's better late game on teamfights) is a good thing.
  
  
• No matter which acorn/build you have, it's part of ratatoskr gameplay:
  • Strong early-game (after level 2 or 3)
  • Very Strong mid-game
  • Okish (mediocre) late-game
  No matter the matchup or how good you are, you will always have a game like this. You start weak (lvl 1), then at mid-game you can one-shot people with a single combo, and at late-game, you suffer on a teamfight to get a kill or 2 without dying in the process. It is inherent of his kit this gameplay, of course, acorn may vary this a bit but in the end, it's always the same.

Before reading this section, remember that Solo and Jungle builds are completely different and your playstyle will also be completely different too, so, don't forget to click on the "Solo build" button on the top right near the "Newest gods part" ;).

Now I will talk about each rat acorn so you can understand each one and choose the best option for your match.

Acorns! Humm yummy

Evergreen Acorn

This acorn is made for sustain. Whenever you need to heal yourself a lot during fights this is the acorn. Due to the %HP healing it works better in a bruiser/tank build and can be combined with Soul Eater/ Bumba's Hammer for insane regen. You will like it whenever looking for sustain, in solo it is a very good way to compete with your enemy in sustain, especially if he doesn't have any sustain at all. However, it doesn't shine as much as the other options so it feels kinda meme sometimes.

Thickbark Acorn

This acorn is made for tank/bruiser builds. Can be used in jg as an anti burst option and works well ONLY with defenses in the build, so you rarely will see it out of solo (maybe sup?). If you want a bruiser oriented or a totaly full pen jg (which is not that useful rn) or even a full tank ratatoskr for solo (even sup :v), this is a great choice. Remember that you can always switch Evergreen Acorn into this one late game.

Bristlebush Acorn

This acorn is made for burst power. If you are facing multiple squishies or just want to blow the enemies, this is the acorn that you need. It provides a giant burst with crits and although rat is not a basic attacker he can use pretty well the crits with this one because Dart can crit doing massive damage with 1 button (almost an Anubis). However it's a totally mid-late game build, so early game you are throwing yourself in front of the enemy to kill or be killed and you literally can't count with the crit on Dart hit due the low crit chance and rush crits without power is also dumb because it wont do burst damage, so it is too risky and meme to be built sometimes, totally dependent of your luck. HOWEVER, now that games are longer, crits are op and everyone is tankier, if you manage pass the early game, with the example build, this can delete everything in your way, even tanks (due the regen + ability spam). You just need to survive until there.

Thistlethorn Acorn

This acorn is the most traditional ratatoskr (before this last rework). It allows rat deal good damage using only his skills and auto-resets. This falls a bit at late game but you may still capable of 100-0 a squishy target most of the time. This one is better early-mid game when compared with the crit one, exactly the opposite. So, very decent option for jungle and might be useful at solo since the stun is way easier to hit but I really don't think you will choose it over the first 2 for solo.

Now I will talk about how you should build Rat properly, what your build must have to be decent and viable on a Ratatoskr.

how to build

What a rat build must have?

Due the ratatoskr rework in 7.7 he can build almost any kind of item, except those listed below:

Items you shouldn't build:

• Pure AS items: like Hastened Katana, Golden Blade, Odysseus' Bow...For the same reason as above, he has progressions meaning his basic attacks won't apply all the damage possible and he also can't stick to the target to keep hitting basic attacks.
  
  
• Lifesteal from Basic Attacks: For an obvious reason that you won't keep yourself hitting basic attacks on the target so items like Asi shouldn't be built. So get an entire lifesteal item exclusive to regen from basics is not worth.
  
  
• % Pen from basic attacks: Like The Executioner 'cause you won't keep hitting basic attacks on the target to proc in a decent way this item passive.

jungle

Powerful Chipmunk (Thistlethorn Build)

This is usually your standard way to go conquest as jungler. This build provides a very good amount of burst damage, excellent to melt squishies such as the ADC or MID. This also provides CDR so you can use and abuse your combos. Very good early game, good mid game but falls a bit late, so do your best to gain an advantage early/mid. If needed, consider building Brawler's Beat Stick if you are facing people with too much lifesteal or healing.

Nuke Bomb Chipmunk (Burst Build)

This is your kaboom build. You can really destroy quickly squishy targets with this build using auto-resets. It might not be the best build for the actual meta but it is fun af, so this build is all made around the concept of quickly burst a target using crits. REMEMBER this build sucks early game so you need to play carefully to not be stomped early and get into a snowball. If you manage to push the game to mid/late game you will be unstoppable.
You may get Heartseeker instead Serrated Edge if you feel you are not in need of more pen.
If needed, build Shadowsteel Shuriken, it is useful against huge lifesteals as Anubis or against healers as Aphrodite, Hel and others...

Anti-burst Build

This build is specifically for when you feel too squishy and can't focus anyone without dying, So if you are dying too fast, this might be a useful build. You might choose the Thickbark Acorn here if you want, or get it at late-game for more protections and "pen". If needed, build Brawler's Beat Stick, it is useful against huge lifesteals as Anubis or against healers as Aphrodite, Hel and others...

"There are more information on the notes of each build!!!
Don't forget to check it!!! It might be useful!!!"

solo

Tank Chipmunk (Bruiser Build)

If you are sure your opponent will be a magical just build the magical protection first and then the Gladiator's Shield. This is your standard way to go conquest as a solo (facing physical oponent). This build provides decent tank capabilities while also causing decent damage. Our traditional tank chipmunk build, a bruiser playstyle.
If you prefer, you may get Evergreen Acorn early game and sell it at late game, though if your enemy is physical, Thickbark Acorn can be more useful. Pestilence is a replacement for Bulwark of Hope if you are having troubles with enemy healing.

Ratatank (Defensive Build)

If you are sure your opponent will be a magical just build the magical protection first. If you do want to be a ratatank you can choose this build, being litteraly a walking meat shield. I recommend this one when your team is really relying on you to tank the stuffs and they don't need much more damage. If the enemy also has too much healing? then get Pestilence as magical defense.

"There are more information on the notes of each build!!!
Don't forget to check it!!! It might be useful!!!"

• Ratatoskr was released at SMITE Version 2.7.2766 (June 2, 2015) (Season 2)
  
  
• Ratatoskr had 4 different acorns at his launch, each one doing something different (opening a lot of possibilities of builds).
  
  
• All ratatoskr skills were balanced/modified when he was reworked at patch 3.9.3413 (Season 3) (May 24, 2016).
  
  
• Ratatoskr is mentioned in INCREDIBLE 24 different patches, where ONLY 2 WERE BUFFS. The rest of the patches were bug fixes, the rework, and nerfs after nerfs. (And yet he is NOT WEAK!)
  
  
• Ratatoskr used to be able to use, incredibly, 6 dashes of 35 unities when he was launch using dart Dart. Every dash could fire lightnings that were able to crit, allowing ratatoskr to deal almost 8k damage with this skill against squishy comps. That's 1 skill, you had other 3 :p.

Art by TheYaminoTenshi via FurAffinity

• Rat (along with Bellona, Baron Samedi and Guan Yu) is considered one of the most overpowered gods ever launched on this game.
  
  
• Ratatoskr first rework was a mistake because it removed his other acorns keeping only one as a single option and his kit became a " Thor but better", until Thor, at patch 6.8.5557.1 (July 24, 2019) received major buffs and a slight rework on his 3, then Thor became a " Ratatoskr but better". At least Rat was always more fun/funny than Thor.
  
  
• Ratatoskr received since his launch 35, I repeat, THIRTY FIVE nerfs and ONLY 4 buffs in all patches he is mentioned (not considering PTS changes). Ironically, 2 of these buffs were directly reverting previous nerfs.

Art by Andantonius via DeviantArt

• Ratatoskr is a Tree Squirrel. (I guess)
  
  
• The skin "Squirrel Squad" could have been based on the character Rocky the Flying Squirrel from the American cartoon The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends.
  
  
• The name "Ragnatoskr" is a mix between the word "Ragnarok" and "Ratatoskr". As you see, he wears a costume of Fenrir, the bringer of Ragnarok. Rat shouts a lot in this skin Voice Pack so it might be a bit annoying during a stressful game.
  
  
• On his festive Skin, Rat is dressed like Rudolph. He also seems to sing when saying his "Ultimate is ready/down" line. This skin has the calmest voice lines of all ratatoskr skins.
  
  
• Kitsune was the first skin where Rat is not a Squirrel, instead, he is a Fox. This is the first time a Ratatoskr skin with a custom VP doesn't mention nuts and it's also one of the few skins in the game to use cell shading (those black lines around the body) (which also made it kinda "ugly"). It also has 2 recolors, Kage (Shadow in Japanese) and Zenko. By having all the 3 you automatically unlock a 3rd recolor "Final Fusion" skin. Although they are all recolors of Kitsune, each skin has its own voice pack.

• This guide name is based on a Ratatoskr line when he destroys a Structure.
  
  
• The Curious Creature, his the best skin, is a reference to the Disney movie Zootopia. This skin was based on A Fanart made by Ena Lorenzo, who works at Alacrity Arthouse, and made a draw called "Smetitopia", honestly, best skin theme ever. Both this skin and Heavy Hitter Anubis are in the card art of Geek Beak Thoth skin, which shares its theme with both.
  
  
• Curious Creature used to be one of the banned skins of SPL along with Kitsune + its recolors, probably due to low sound on some abilities, especially the Ulti. However, at Season 7 HR fixed it and all these skins were allowed again.
  
  
• Rat also has one of the most annoying laughs in the game. His Standard VP is also pretty damn good, better than a lot of Standard VP and better than a lot of skins...Including Curious Creature.
  
  
• Ratatoskr dance is based on "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Born This Way" (At 0:53) from their 3rd movie (I do hate that movie, they should have made it based on "How we Roll" from the first movie. Even the music would fit him better).
  
  
• Ratatoskr received a second rework on patch 7.7 (July 14th, 2020) "bringing back" his acorns. They didn't come back as they were but after this patch, he was allowed to choose between 4 acorn options again, each one with a different passive and stats.

• Ratatoskr tail always glowed according to the color of the acorn he was holding. During his first rework, as he only had 1 blue acorn option, his tail remained blue. However, at launch/after his 2nd rework, with each acorn having 1 color, his tail changes the color according to the acorn you have.
  
  
• After 2nd rework, they added a acorn near ratatoskr for a dumb reason. In their words: "it should help people see which acorn ratatoskr has and find the best way to fight against him". Apparently, they think that we can't press the score button (TAB on PC) to see it :p
  
  
• Ratatoskr is one of the few characters in the game that ACTUALLY IS NOT A GOD. Other examples are Scylla, Medusa, King Arthur, Merlin...
  
  
• Ratatoskr is one of the few gods in the game that are complete animals (Egyptian gods are most part made by a head of an animal and a human (humanized) body). Other examples are Kukulkan, Camazotz, Jormungandr, Fenrir...
  
  
• Ratatoskr Raxolotl (that skin on the image) is the first skin where Ratatoskr is not a mammal. In April of 2020, the Smite main Twitter account conducted a poll to decide which species this skin would be based on. The choices were between a red panda, an otter, a cat, and an axolotl.
  
  
• Ratatoskr Deep Space skin is the first skin he is not an animal and one of the worst skins in the game.

Art by HiRez via Smitegame.com

• Ratatoskr Raxolotl on the full card art shows Kuzenbo and his kappas minions, Cove Queen Nu Wa and Poolseidon Poseidon in the background. This was the second skin of ratatoskr that is not a squirrel.

Remember what rat says!

Art by Conmanhyena

Ratatoskr just want to ask to hirez...

Art by karulox via DeviantArt


YOU ALREADY: REMOVED MY ACORNS, REWORKED ME TWICE, AND NOW KEEP NERFING ME PATCH AFTER PATCH, PLEASE STOP! ;-;

If you have any doubt that rat can do any role, watch this!

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