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Deadlock has released a significant update, introducing a variety of changes and updates to enhance the gaming experience for its players.
This latest patch notably features the addition of six new heroes, accessible exclusively in a newly introduced game mode called Hero Labs. If you’re eager to dive into the details of this thrilling Deadlock update before your next competitive match, keep reading.
New Heroes and Game Mode
Hero Labs marks the arrival of the game’s latest mode, but it’s worth noting that it will only be available for select periods throughout the day. This mode has been specifically designed to allow players to test out heroes that are still in development.
Currently, you can only utilize the six new heroes within Hero Labs. These characters may feature incomplete visual designs and borrowed abilities from existing heroes, as they undergo ongoing refinement. Thus, players can expect further adjustments to their abilities in subsequent updates.
Here is a brief overview of the six new heroes introduced in Hero Labs:
Calico
Calico emerges as a stealthy assassin, adept at waiting for the perfect moment to strike. She possesses the unique ability to send her cat into battle to apply crowd control, deploy cat turrets that inflict damage and reduce healing for nearby foes, and execute powerful melee attacks on her opponents.
Her ultimate enables her to retreat into the shadows, rendering her invisible until she chooses to deal damage.
Fathom
A lover of all things aquatic, Fathom combines a shotgun and harpoon in his arsenal. He adeptly navigates combat, unleashing scalding water in a cone or jumping into the fray to deal area-of-effect damage.
His ultimate fires a harpoon that allows him to adhere to walls and become invisible, perfect for ambush tactics as he releases his area-of-effect attacks.
Holliday
Holliday, an explosive-themed gunsmith from the wild west, brings an exciting element to the battlefield. She sets down launchpads to propel her teammates into the air and deploys rolling explosive barrels that can deal a substantial amount of damage when activated. Additionally, Holliday has the capacity to augment headshot damage through a passive ability.
For a dramatic flair, her ultimate ability allows her to lasso an opponent, dragging them around the map momentarily.
Magician
As a character still undergoing substantial development, Magician’s design and abilities are subject to change. He utilizes playing cards and magical blasts to inflict area damage, and has the ability to polymorph enemies into rabbits temporarily. However, as of now, Magician lacks a dedicated ultimate ability and instead makes use of Paradox’s ultimate power.
Viper
Viper is characterized by enhanced mobility, allowing for impressive slide maneuvers around enemies. He is equipped with two distinct poison toxins that inflict more damage on opponents with higher health pools. His ultimate creates a ground zone that petrifies any units within it for three seconds after a brief delay.
Wrecker
Wrecker features a design reminiscent of an action figure and emphasizes minion destruction with his Consume ability, generating stacks of Bio Blast that he can unleash in a damage-dealing cone. Additionally, he can summon a large Wrecking Ball to throw at enemies.
His ultimate ability creates a projectile that travels around the battlefield and detonates for area damage, after which Wrecker teleports to the explosion’s location.
Map Changes
In addition to new characters, developers have made crucial adjustments to one of the game’s key objectives. The Soul Urn has undergone a complete redesign to prevent players from holding onto it for extended periods.
Now, if players carry the Soul Urn for over 90 seconds, they will cease to regenerate health and begin taking increasing damage. This effect will stop if they successfully deliver the Urn or drop it. However, if dropped, it will become inaccessible to the player’s team for 12 seconds and will start moving back to its original spawn point.
Moreover, the delivery locations for the Soul Urn have been repositioned. Teams with a notable Soul lead must deliver the Urn closer to the enemy’s territory, whereas opponents trying to score with a lead must venture into the enemy’s base. If the Soul counts are close, the Urn can be delivered at conventional locations on either side of the map.
Biggest Hero Buffs and Nerfs
As seen in every patch, numerous heroes and items have received adjustments. While it’s not feasible to cover every change, several significant buffs and nerfs stand out.
Shiv underwent substantial nerfs, which significantly reduced the effectiveness of his Bloodletting ability. His cooldown has risen from 21 seconds to 50, and the percentage of damage negated has dropped from 30% to 22%. This change notably weakens Shiv’s capacity to absorb damage for his team. Additional nerfs also included reductions to the radius of his ultimate and Serrated Knives.
Lady Geist also faced notable reductions, as the slow and debuff duration of her Malice ability has been decreased. Furthermore, the damage increase has been adjusted from 15% to 8%, and the stacking modifier has also been diminished. In a similar fashion, Abrams has seen cuts to his melee range, hindering his damage output.
On the other hand, some heroes received welcome buffs. The aerial assassin Vindicta has benefited from a boost in attack speed that now correlates with her total Spirit Power, eliminating the need to pick between playstyles. She can also float longer and her ultimate ability, Assassinate, no longer distributes souls among players, allowing Vindicta to retain the full benefits.
Grey Talon, another flying sniper, also received enhancements as his aerial speed now correlates with his movement speed, enabling him to dodge and target enemies effectively while in flight. Lastly, Paradox saw an increase in damage for her Kinetic Carbine and Pulse Grenade abilities.
For those seeking a complete overview of all buffs and nerfs, a detailed list can be found in the official patch notes.
Source
dotesports.com