Deadlock: March 2026 Gameplay, Item, and Hero Balance Updates Detailed

Valve has rolled out a series of significant updates for Deadlock throughout March 2026, introducing sweeping changes to gameplay mechanics, item functionality, and hero balance. These patches aim to refine combat flow, adjust objective importance, and rebalance the meta.

General Gameplay Adjustments

Core movement mechanics have been enhanced, allowing players to jump during slides and gain increased air control after a dash jump. Objective play sees major reworks to Shrines, which are now easier to kill initially (5000 HP) but harder for the second one (10000 HP). Shrine attacks no longer hit heroes directly underneath them. Super troopers, spawned after a Shrine's demise, receive a +60% bonus DPS, up from +40%. Middle Lane troopers now upgrade after either Shrine dies, not just both. Killing base guardians now spawns a zipline-boosted trooper wave, reinforcing pushes. Various bounties for Guardians, Walkers, Shrines, and the Mid Boss have been increased, with Walkers and the Mid Boss also seeing health adjustments. The Mid Boss now has 35% Debuff Resistance.

Additional changes include:

• Rejuv drop duration reduced from 7s to 6s, and duration no longer refreshes on subsequent crystal hits.
• Minimap now indicates Urn status (favored, neutral, unfavored).
• Two new neutral camps added at Hidden King Park Walker and Archmother York Walker.
• Subsequent CC reduction increased from 8%/24% to 10%/30% (window from 7s to 8s).
• Move speed diminishing ramp now occurs around 11m rather than 10m.
• Fixed melee abilities not using conditional damage based on enemy state.
• Street Brawl mode removes item slot limits.

Item Overhauls

A new T1 Spirit Item, Golden Goose Egg, has been introduced, providing souls per minute. Numerous existing items have been rebalanced:

• Extended Magazine: Weapon Damage increased from +6% to +8%.
• High-Velocity Rounds: No longer grants +5% Fire Rate; now grants +8% Weapon Damage and +60% Bullet Velocity.
• Opening Rounds: Spirit Power increased from +8 to +10, Weapon Damage from +40% to +45%.
• Stalker (formerly Backstabber): Now procs based on bullet or melee damage within 8m, removing angle and overtime proximity requirements.
• Weighted Shots: Now builds from Slowing Bullets, grants -0.5m Move Speed, +18% Debuff Resist, and +40% Weapon Damage.
• Blood Tribute: No longer has healing reduction, self-damage increased from 40 to 50.
• Spiritual Overflow: Spirit Power increased from 30 to 40, now grants +20% Duration instead of +12% CD Reduction.
• Weapon Shielding: Damage threshold increased from 150 to 250, cooldown reduced from 45s to 35s.
• Cheat Death: No longer reduces movement speed during immunity.
• Colossus: Active now grants +30% Melee Damage.
• Siphon Bullets: Now steals 2.5% of enemy max HP per bullet.
• Slowing Hex: Now sets enemy gravity to +20%, projectile speed increased, cooldown reduced.
• Vortex Web: Now has a unit target option for vacuuming enemies.

Hero Balance Changes

Almost every hero has received adjustments to abilities, talents, and base stats. Key changes include:

• Abrams: Siphon Life is now circular, range reduced but lifesteal increased. Seismic Impact damage increased, now allows item usage.
• Apollo: Riposte no longer triggers from trooper/neutral damage. Itani Lo Sahn base damage reduced, spirit scaling increased.
• Billy: Bashdown radius reduced, Rising Ram damage reduced but cooldown reduced by 50% on impact. Chain Gang cooldown increased, no longer grants resists by default.
• Calico: Bullets no longer have gravity, fires an additional center pellet. Ava melee attack delay reduced, speed now gradually recovers after damage. Return To Shadows allows vertical flight.
• Celeste: Gravity and air control reduced. Shining Wonder bounce range and linger duration reduced.
• Doorman: Gun now pierces. Call Bell explosion damage increased, no longer has impact damage by default. Hotel Guest now has a 100% time slow on return.
• Drifter: Rend damage range reduced, cooldown increased. Stalker's Mark duration reduced. Eternal Night no longer has spirit damage proc.
• Dynamo: Kinetic Pulse cooldown increased, range reduced. Quantum Entanglement no longer grants fire rate or reloads ammo, now restores stamina. Singularity DPS increased.
• Graves: Grasping Hands immobilize duration reduced, cooldown reduced. Borrowed Decree now summons 2 Ghouls on cast.
• Haze: Sleep Dagger cooldown increased, sleep duration reduced. Smoke Bomb cooldown increased, no longer has base invis sprint speed.
• Infernus: Napalm damage reduced, amplified damage taken reduced. Flame Dash DPS spirit scaling increased. Melee can now buildup afterburn.
• Ivy: Gravity reduced. Entangling Thorns recharge time reduced. Kudzu Connection Fire Rate/Lifesteal spirit scaling reduced. Air Drop cooldown reduced, now grants outgoing damage bonus.
• Kelvin: Frost Grenade now impacts on Ice Path, has 2 charges, and heals. Ice Path incline/decline speed increased. Arctic Beam max fire rate/slow reduced.
• Lady Geist: Essence Bomb self-damage changed to percentage of damage. Life Drain cooldown increased. Soul Exchange cast time reduced.
• Lash: Flog cooldown increased, heal vs heroes reduced. Death Slam throw distance no longer scales with Spirit Power.
• McGinnis: Mini Turret duration increased, health reduced, tracking improved. Medicinal Specter regen now scales with spirit power. Spectral Wall segments can be destroyed.
• Mina: Rake cooldown increased, hero hit missing health as damage increased. Sanguine Retreat cast range reduced. Love Bites cooldown increased.
• Mirage: Fire Scarabs no longer has limited duration, immediately steals health. Dust Devil lift duration reduced, now slows. Traveler no longer channels, has a delay before teleporting.
• Mo & Krill: Scorn damage reduced. Burrow now lets you enter tunnels. Sand Blast cooldown reduced. Combo cooldown increased.
• Paige: Bookwyrm cooldown increased. Plot Armor barrier spirit scaling reduced. Captivating Read immobilize duration reduced.
• Paradox: Pulse Grenade radius reduced, amp per stack reduced. Time Wall no longer damages enemies, now increases allied bullet speeds and weapon damage. Paradoxical Swap damage changed to current health.
• Pocket: Barrage projectile speed increased. Flying Cloak cooldown reduced. Affliction no longer applies current health damage, DPS increased.
• Rem: Lil Helpers trooper base healing reduced. Naptime sleep duration decreased.
• Seven: Sprint speed increased. Lightning Ball slows less vs non-heroes. Static Charge damage reduced. Power Surge max jumps increased.
• Shiv: Stamina reduced. Serrated Knives no longer has impact damage. Slice and Dice reduces Spirit Resistance. Killing Blow is no longer unit targeted.
• Silver: Mauling Leap damage scaling reduced. Tail Whack disarm duration reduced. Lycan Curse cooldown increased, no longer grants resists or move speed by default.
• Victor: Bullet damage increased. Pain Battery starts charged, range increased. Jumpstart cooldown increased. Aura of Suffering time to max DPS reduced. Shocking Reanimation rebirth health reduced.
• Vindicta: Bullet damage now scales with spirit power. Stake damage reduced. Flight now allows melee and parry. Crow Familiar now releases a swarm.
• Viscous: Splatter bounces once by default, ground effect increases slide distance. The Cube healing spirit scaling increased. Puddle Punch now grants air control. Goo Ball can now use abilities and items.
• Warden: Alchemical Flask weapon damage reduction reduced. Willpower duration reduced, barrier scales with spirit power. Binding Word cast range reduced. Last Stand channeling resist increased.
• Wraith: Card Trick now has specific suites with special bonuses (Spades, Diamond, Hearts, Clubs, Joker). Full Auto no longer affects allies. Telekinesis no longer has a projectile, instantly lifts target.
• Yamato: Power Slash can now be parried directly. Flying Slash is now light melee damage. Crimson Slash Fire Rate reduction increased.

Subsequent Patches (March 7th, 10th, 21st)

Further adjustments were made to refine the initial changes:

• Golden Goose Egg: Souls Per Minute increased from 75 to 90 (March 7th), then improved from every 200 souls to every 150 (March 10th).
• Torment Pulse: Pulse Damage reduced (March 7th).
• Doorman: Hotel Guest T3 late checkout cooldown increased (March 7th).
• Ivy: Entangling Thorns spirit scaling reduced (March 7th).
• Paradox: Pulse Grenade spirit scaling reduced. Time Wall slow duration increased, T1 now increases duration, T2 silences enemies. Paradoxical Swap damage and T3 changed (March 7th).
• Silver: Lycan Curse base health bonus increased (March 7th).
• Viscous: Splatter T3 spirit scaling reduced. Puddle Punch scaling reduced (March 7th).
• Wraith: Card Trick Spade bonus reduced, Heart scaling reduced, fixed non-hero heal. Telekinesis debuff duration reduced (March 7th).
• Base Guardians: HP reduced from 5500 to 4000 (March 10th).
• Hero Health: Base health increased by 40, growth by +4 and 8% (March 10th), then growth by +3 and 4% (March 21st).
• Vitality Investment: Bonuses increased by 12% (March 10th), then reverted to % base HP increase (March 21st).
• Spirit Investment: Rescaled (March 21st).
• Small Neutrals: Spirit resist increased from 35% to 45% (March 21st).
• Numerous item range bonuses were reduced (March 21st).
• Abrams: Melee damage per boon increased. Siphon Life range increased. Seismic Impact impact height increased, T2 stun duration increased, T3 Unstoppable duration increased (March 21st).
• Apollo: Bullet damage increased. Riposte T2 melee resist reduction increased, T3 stun increased (March 21st).
• Calico: Move speed reduced. Leaping Slash scaling reduced, cooldown increased. Ava no longer disabled by DOTs. Return to Shadows move speed reduced, cooldown increased (March 21st).
• Celeste: Bullet/Melee resistance reduced. Gun now has falloff. Bullet damage increased. Light Eater spirit scaling increased. Dazzling Trick no longer grants move speed. Radiant Daggers spirit scaling increased. Shining Wonder range reduced (March 21st).
• Doorman: Call Bell continuously emits slow, spirit scaling reduced, T1 changed to +1 Charge, T3 no longer grants +1 Charge but increases radius and duration. Doorway T3 distance spirit scaling reduced (March 21st).
• Dynamo: Ammo increased. Kinetic Pulse spirit scaling reduced. Quantum Entanglement T3 now replenishes 1 charge for charged abilities. Singularity T3 Max health as damage increased (March 21st).
• Graves: Jar of Dead spirit scaling increased. Grasping Hands deploy time reduced, T3 changed to summon +2 Ghouls. Borrowed Decree now summons 2 Ghouls on cast (March 21st).
• Infernus: Reload time reduced. Flame Dash speed moves faster. Concussive Combustion T2 explosion lifesteal increased (March 21st).
• Ivy: Stone Form spirit scaling reduced. Air Drop ally cast range increased, no longer disabled by DOTs, cooldown increased but reduced by 25% when used on allies (March 21st).
• Kelvin: Frost Grenade radius increased, damage spirit scaling reduced. Ice Path T2 cooldown increased, T3 grants +20 Spirit Power. Frozen Shelter T3 health regen increased (March 21st).
• McGinnis: Bullet damage increased. Mini Turret attack range increased. Medicinal Specter radius increased. Spectral Wall duration increased. Heavy Barrage cooldown increased, spirit scaling reduced (March 21st).
• Mina: Fixed Rake bug. Float time with umbrella increased. Fixed Nox Nostra bats not hitting properly (March 21st).
• Mirage: Fire Scarabs no longer does max health steal, now drains life and reduces enemy damage output. Dust Devil radius increased. Traveler no longer interrupted by non-hero/DOT, wait time reduced, interrupt cooldown reduced, cooldown reduced, can be manually canceled and target units (March 21st).
• Mo & Krill: Combo range reduced, DPS reduced, spirit scaling reduced, cooldown reduced (March 21st).
• Shiv: Stamina increased, cooldown increased. Bloodletting no longer interrupts sliding, affected by healing modifiers. Fixed Killing Blow T3 bug, now continues forward until kill or out of range (March 21st).
• Silver: Slam Fire Weapon Accuracy reduced. Go For The Throat, Boot Kick, Mauling Leap benefit from range increases. Boot Kick uses break-off angle. Tail Whack spirit scaling increased. Lycan Curse grants move speed, T1 resists increased, T2 bonus health increased, T3 has kill credit buffer (March 21st).
• Victor: Health per boon increased. Now has 30% less effectiveness from lifesteal. Shocking Reanimation radius increased, cooldown increased, T3 no longer increases radius but reduces cooldown and deals damage (March 21st).
• Viscous: Puddle Punch scaling reduced, +20 bonus damage, wind up time increased, displacement duration reduced. Goo Ball stun duration reduced, lockout period increased, duration increased (March 21st).
• Wraith: Card Trick heart heals half for secondary targets, now randomly pulls cards from a 2-deck stack. Project Mind cooldown increased. Full Auto T3 interrupts reload. Telekinesis cast time increased, debuff duration reduced, cast range reduced, cooldown increased (March 21st).
• Yamato: Fixed Flying Strike triggering heavy melee procs (March 21st).

Street Brawl Enhancements

Numerous Enhanced Items in Street Brawl have been improved, including Blood Tribute, Shadow Weave, Cultist Sacrifice, Magic Carpet, Healing Rite, Majestic Leap, Metal Skin, Monster Rounds, Veil Walker, Fury Trance, Return Fire, Restorative Locket, Rebuttal, Disarming Hex, Split Shot, Rescue Beam, Spirit Sap, Cursed Relic, Heroic Aura, Rusted Barrel, Weapon Shielding, Nullification Blast, Cloak of Opportunity.

Specific Street Brawl item changes:

• Unstable Concoction: Grants unstoppable during pre-explosion, radius increased from 18m to 22m.
• Shadow Strike: Stamina increased, +350 Health, DPS increased from 75 to 125, invis duration increased.
• Electric Slippers: Damage radius increased from 8m to 12m, Slide Fire Rate increased from 50% to 60%.
• Nullification Burst: Radius increased from 12m to 20m, now grants +40% Debuff Resistance.
• Celestial Blessing: Cooldown reduced from 50s to 30s, heal increased up to 60% of HP, min heal increased from 300 to 400.
• Runed Gauntlet: Melee distance increased, cooldown on hit reduced.
• Seraphim Wings: In Air Damage Reduction increased from -40% to -60%, additional air dash/jump increased to unlimited.
• Cloak of Opportunity: Barrier increased from 300 to 500, cooldown reduced.
• Infinite Rounds: Fire Rate increased from 30% to 35%.
• Mystical Piano: Radius increased from 11m to 12m.
• Shrink Ray: Now grants +20% Fire Rate while shrunk.
• Brawl Victor: Aura of Suffering aura radius reduced by 2m.
• Brawl Bebop: Hyper Beam duration from -4s to -5s.

These extensive updates aim to create a more dynamic and balanced gameplay experience across all modes.