Internal namesCodenames used for this hero in the game files:
Priest
Venator is a Hero in Deadlock. He doesn't walk the righteous path, he blazes the trail so that others may do so safely. His biggest challenge is knowing which weapon to use first. Firing a Consecrating Grenade into the fray softens up his enemies and keeps them from restoring health, and his Hex-Lined Snap Trap scatters across the ground to lock them in place. A Gutshot from his shotgun will knock back enemies who get too close, and when the time is right, Ira Domini will rid the world of evil once and for all.
The Venators of St. Benedict are a Vatican-sanctioned order whose members are deployed to regions with a high concentration of supernatural predators. Few in number, their modus operandi is to observe, identify, and exterminate. They are methodical, they are precise, and once they identify a threat to the flock they are relentless.
But even amongst those who are called The Sword Of St. Benedict, one stands apart from the others. A man whose hardened heart has allowed him to pay terrible prices in the name of the greater good... and he has once again been dispatched to New York.
Lore
Venator's real name is Father Quinn Rourke.[1][2][3]
Venator's mission and motivation in the ritual is to kill the Patrons.[4][5] He's willing to die to achieve his mission.[6]
There are less than 24 active Venators,[7] though more have been killed in the past.[8] The Roman numeral 48 under his name may indicate that he is the 48th Venator.
Venator is described as "unhinged" and "angry",[9][10] although some characters do show respect to Venator (notably Grey Talon and Vindicta).[11][12]
The Venators of St. Benedict have a friendly rivalry with the Baxter Society.[13] Venator respects the Baxter Society, though he doesn't always agree with them.[14]
Venator refers to himself as a Carnifex, a Latin word for executioner.[15]
Character interactions
The Archmother and The Hidden King know Venator sees them as his enemy, but each try to convince Venator to work with them to kill the other Patron.[16][17]
Drifter has killed other Venators before,[8] though he had higher expectations for this Venator.[19]
Paradox was expecting Venator to come after her at some point, implying the Paradox Organisation has robbed the Vatican before.[20]
Akin to Silver, Venator doesn't believe in Shiv's change of heart, waiting for him to slip and ruin his "charade"[21][22]. He expresses surprise with Grey Talon's choice of replacement for the head of the Baxter Society, trusting that Shiv should be dead and warning that when he slips the Venators will come for him.[23]
When killing Calico, Venator references the 30 pieces of silver that Judas received for betraying Jesus, presumably referring to Calico leaving the Baxter Society.[25]
"Vote for Venator" poster/spray from the 1/23/26 major update.
Damaged "Vote Venator" poster.
Venator splash art from the vote screen.
Venator voter sticker.
Venator's censer hint at the hideout.
Venator's shadow in the hideout.
Leaked Venator portrait.
Leaked work-in-progress Venator model.
Gloat portrait for Venator.
Critical health portrait for Venator.
Thanks for voting Venator!
Veni, vidi, vici.
Trivia
"Venator" means "hunter" in Latin.
Venator's weapon is named after the Bible passage Jeremiah 51:20: "You are my war club, my weapon for battle - with you I shatter nations, with you I destroy kingdoms".
His ultimate ability, "Ira Domini", translates to "Wrath of the Lord" in Latin.
Venator was one of the heroes in a private build who was accidently leaked on stream in May 2025.[26] A playable version of Venator was added to the files in the Shop Rework Update. A new Venator portrait was leaked in a work-in-progress hero select screen posted on 4chan in July 2025. On 20th January 2026, Venator was teased in the Hideout with a thurible on a bookshelf.
Before he was named "Quinn", Venator was named "Rourke" and "Cain" during development before his release.[27][28][29]
Venator originally had the Shopkeeper voice actor as a temp VO, who made self-aware jokes about his role.The female temp voice (currently on Boho) called him "the bodega guy".[30]
Prior to the Six New Heroes Update, Venator had an ability called "Potent Vapors", a channel which would heal Venator and grant him movement slow resist at the cost of him being unable to attack throughout its channel. This ability was replaced with "Flashbang AOE".
"Blessing Ammunition in the Hideout" is displayed as one's status in the in-game Friends List when playing as Venator in the Hideout.
Venator's selection voice line "Ours is not to question what is necessary. Ours is to have the will to do whatever it takes" is likely a reference to Alfred Tennyson's poem The Charge of the Light Brigade: "Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die".
References
↑His signature is viewable on his thanks for voting poster.
↑The Archmother's in-game voice line (Venator start): "Father Quinn, I know you question if this is the right course of action, but it is! The Hidden King threatens us all."
↑The Archmother's in-game voice line (Venator start): "You have slain the things of people's nightmares, but you have never faced someone like the Hidden King. Together, with the Archmother, you have a way to end his reign!"
↑The Hidden King's in-game voice line (Venator start): "Venator, your faith is like iron, your fury righteous, and both will be needed to stop the Archmother!"
↑The Doorman's in-game voice line (Venator trapped in Baroness): "I know you're prepared to die here, Venator, which is good, because you shall."
↑Venator's in-game voice line - "Less than two dozen men and women have the honor of being called Venator."
↑ 8.08.1Drifter's in-game voice line (Killed Venator): "How many of your order do I gotta kill before you realize you can't stop me?"
↑Paige's in-game voice line (Killed Venator): "That guy is unhinged!"
↑Grey Talon's in-game voice line (Killed Venator): "I've seen a few Venators in my time. That one was angrier than most."
↑Grey Talon's in-game voice line (Killed Venator): "So much for a friendly rivalry..."
↑Venator's in-game voice line (killed Grey Talon) - "I don't always agree with the Baxter Society, but I've always respected them."
↑Venator's in-game voice line - "The Carnifex Right is not somethin' to be taken lightly."
↑The Hidden King's in-game voice line (Venator start): "Venator, I know you have no love for the Hidden King, but the Archmother is a tyrant! And together, we can usurp her!"
↑The Archmother's in-game voice line (Venator start): "Thank you for realising that the Archmother is not your enemy today. May your hunt be successful, Father."
↑Bebop's in-game voice line (Killed Venator): "Nothing personal, Venator!"
↑Drifter's in-game voice line - "I expected more from the Sword of Saint Benedict."
↑Paradox's in-game voice line (Killed Venator): "Was wondering when they'd send you after me."
↑Venator's in-game voice line (killed Shiv) - "There is no redeeming you, Shiv."
↑The Doorman's in-game voice line (Venator trapped in Baroness): "You know, Cain, one day you will actually believe the legend you sell to people, and on that day you will die screaming."
↑Paige's in-game voice line - "If you thought the bodega guy was a good temp voice, wait 'til you hear me."
Consecrating Grenade
4.5m
25s
weapon damage and setting enemies on fire. 
pure damage to enemies in the area and suffer from reduced healing.
x1
35
-30%
x1.6
3.5s
Burn Duration
4.5m
Burn Radius
1
