Valorant's Deadlock Set to Rise: Upcoming Buff to Elevate Her Sentinel Role

Valorant's 23rd agent, Deadlock, is about to undergo a significant buff as she grapples with challenges in establishing her presence in the game.

Since her introduction as a Sentinel agent in June 2023, Deadlock has wielded advanced nanowire technology aimed at disrupting enemy movements, blocking pathways, and detecting foes. Like her sentinel counterparts, Deadlock possesses the tools to fortify sites and thwart attackers' advances.

However, Deadlock's effectiveness as a solo sentinel has often been a subject of debate. Her Sonic Sensor, designed to monitor flanks, is frequently criticized for its unreliability, as opponents can simply remain silent to avoid detection. While this ability serves to deter pushes by applying an area-of-effect stun to anyone caught within its radius, it suffers from a slow trigger time, allowing agile agents like Jett and Raze to escape even after triggering it. Conversely, Deadlock's GravNet ability is situational and primarily useful when combined with other agents' abilities, such as Molly and Raze's Paint Shells.

In light of these concerns, players have questioned Deadlock's effectiveness, especially when compared to other sentinel agents like Killjoy and Cypher, prompting Riot Games to take action.

In a recent dev blog titled "State of the Agents," John Goscicki, Valorant's Character Producer, alluded to an impending buff for Deadlock. He acknowledged that Deadlock is currently underperforming and expressed a commitment to enhancing her kit to make her a more viable sentinel. Goscicki stated, "Although it can take months for a new Agent’s potential and contributions to be felt, we’ve heard that many of you are feeling that her addition to the Sentinel roster is a bit weak at the moment. We are keeping an eye on areas of her kit that we can improve that would help Deadlock become a Sentinel that can better react on the fly".

Currently, Deadlock continues to struggle for recognition, evident in her low pick and win rates. She boasts one of the lowest pick rates at a mere 1.6% and a 48.7% win rate in Valorant across all ranks, alongside Astra and Harbor, according to Tracker.gg. Moreover, Deadlock consistently maintains the lowest pick rate in Episode 7 and Act 2 from Diamond 1 to Radiant, based on statistics from Blitz.gg. Even in the professional scene, Deadlock failed to make an impact in the Valorant Champions Tour 2023, where she was the only agent not picked throughout the entire tournament.

While the specific changes to her kit remain undisclosed at the moment, players can anticipate adjustments aimed at aligning her with other sentinel agents, transforming her from a niche pick into a formidable choice for teams.