New Patch in Deadlock: Changes, Additions, and Impact on Gameplay

During the night of October 10-11, a major patch for the popular game Deadlock was released, bringing numerous changes, additions, and balance updates. This patch turned out to be one of the most significant in recent times, fundamentally affecting gameplay and strategies for many players. Let’s take a closer look at the key aspects of the patch, including the introduction of ranked mode, hero and item balance adjustments, map changes, and other important updates.

Ranked Mode: A New Challenge for Competitive Players

One of the main new features of the patch is the addition of ranked mode. For many players, this was a highly anticipated update, as ranked matches allow them to showcase their skills and climb the competitive ranks. Ranked mode is intended for closed testing and requires players to have a certain level of preparation. To enter this mode, players must have played at least 50 regular matches and have no behavior-related restrictions, such as bans or abuse of the reporting system.

Ranked mode is available only for solo players and operates on a schedule: daily from 1 PM to 4 PM and from 7 PM to 10 PM. These times were chosen to ensure players can focus on their matches during convenient hours, avoiding long sessions that could lead to fatigue.

A unique feature of ranked mode is the ability to select a time zone that best suits players’ schedules, ensuring comfortable participation for players worldwide. However, changing the chosen time zone is only allowed once a week, encouraging players to carefully plan their time slots for ranked games.

Ranking System and Rating Calculation

The ranking system in Deadlock offers 11 different ranks, each divided into six tiers. This gives players a wide range of opportunities to climb the ladder, regardless of their skill level. Rankings are recalculated weekly based on match results, making the process dynamic and unpredictable.

To successfully calibrate, players must complete at least 7 ranked matches per week. The first ranking calculation will occur on October 15 at 8 PM GMT, and the initial results will be available on October 22. This system encourages regular participation, keeping players engaged and motivated.

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Key Gameplay Changes

The patch introduced numerous changes to game mechanics, enhancing both user experience and gameplay balance. One of the key additions is a third casting mode for abilities, called Quick Cast. This mode allows players to use abilities more quickly and intuitively, which could significantly impact battle outcomes. However, with this new feature came an input delay for using abilities—now, if abilities are cast rapidly, the first skill may be interrupted by the second. This requires players to exercise more control over their actions and choose the right moments for using abilities.

Another important change is the introduction of a unique build identifier, now displayed in the build browser description section. This update simplifies navigation and build management for more experienced players.

Hero Balance Adjustments

One of the most talked-about aspects of the new patch is the hero balance changes. Developers focused heavily on heroes like Ivy and Dynamo. These characters now have a higher priority for placement in dual lanes, making them key figures in team strategies. Other heroes, such as Yamato, received updated voice lines.

Additionally, new sound effects have been added, and older ones have been reworked. For example, if you’re playing as Dynamo or Krill, you can now ping while using ultimate abilities, alerting your teammates to planned actions. This improvement significantly enhances team communication and can influence battle outcomes.

Another new feature is the voice volume control for each player, allowing individual volume adjustments for teammates. This is especially useful in team matches where balancing game audio and voice chat is crucial.

Map Changes and Strategic Impact

The patch also included map changes that affect players’ tactical approaches. One major update is the reduction of creep attack range against towers from 13.5m to 12m. This change forces creeps to move closer to towers, complicating players’ efforts to maintain territorial control.

Additionally, mechanics for attacking towers were adjusted: players must now be within 19 meters above a ramp to attack Tier 1 towers. Furthermore, sentries now take 70% less damage from troops at the start of the game, but this reduction decreases by 10% per minute, reaching a maximum damage increase of 30% after 10 minutes.

Changes also affected spawn times for camps and other map objects. For example, the spawn time for medium camps has been changed from 7 to 5 minutes, while the spawn time for heavy camps has increased from 7 to 8 minutes. These adjustments require players to adapt to new timings and rethink their map control strategies.

Item Changes: Balancing and New Features

Item changes were another hot topic among players. One of the key updates was the reduction of weapon damage against NPCs from 35% to 30% for Monster rounds. This adjustment is intended to limit players’ ability to quickly clear NPCs, enhancing overall game balance.

Changes were also made to items like Restonative Shot, where weapon damage was reduced from 8% to 7%, and Basic Magazine, where ammo capacity was increased from 24% to 26%. These changes impact the overall pace of combat and require players to make more conscious item choices based on the situation.

Certain items, like Alchemical Fire, also received new characteristics. Now, this item behaves like other grenades and no longer bounces off walls. Its base damage per second has been increased from 45 to 55, making it a more powerful tool in players’ arsenals.

Hero Adjustments: Balance and Tweaks

Hero balancing is always a sensitive topic for the community, and this patch is no exception. Changes were made to heroes like Abrams, Bipop, and others. For example, Abrams’ base health was reduced from 600 to 570, but health per level was increased from 32 to 34, resulting in a slight adjustment to the hero’s overall durability.

Bipop, on the other hand, received buffs to his abilities, including an increase in Sticky Bomb scaling from 2.5% to 4% per stack. This makes Bipop more powerful in combat, especially with proper use of his skills.

Bug fixes also targeted various aspects of hero mechanics. For instance, issues with Bipop’s hook, which sometimes grabbed players through walls, were resolved, ensuring fairer gameplay. The slowdown from his hyperbeam was also reduced, making Bipop more mobile and less vulnerable.

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Conclusion: What Awaits Players After the Patch

The new patch in Deadlock has significantly altered the game’s balance and mechanics, requiring players to adapt to new conditions. The introduction of ranked mode opens new doors for competitive players, while changes in hero and item balance necessitate a rethinking of familiar strategies.

Despite some debates within the community, most of the changes aim to improve gameplay and ensure fairness for all participants. Ranked mode testing, the introduction of Quick Cast, and map adjustments make the game more dynamic and strategically deep. Going forward, we can expect developers to continue improving the game, listening to player feedback, and addressing emerging issues.