Deadlock Patch Notes (November 21): Matchmaking Rework, Buffs, Nerfs & Other Changes

We have got a new Deadlock update on our hands today, fixing the massive matchmaking issues. Along with that, more item changes including some T3 items make their way in the game. Read Deadlock patch notes for November 21 and find the major buffs, nerfs & other changes coming in the update today.

Deadlock November 21 Patch Notes

Matchmaking Rework

Matchmaker Update

This update introduces a significant overhaul to the matchmaking system. The traditional division between normal and ranked modes has been eliminated, resulting in a unified primary matchmaking mode without time restrictions. This change aims to provide a more consistent and flexible gaming experience for all players.

MMR and Rank Adjustments

One of the key improvements is the immediate update of player badges upon significant MMR changes. This eliminates the previous delay and provides a more accurate reflection of a player’s current skill level. Additionally, the global MMR curve will be periodically adjusted to accommodate changes in the player population, cheater bans, and recalculations.

Hero-Specific MMR and Leaderboards

To enhance matchmaking accuracy, the system now incorporates Hero MMR. Each player will have a core MMR, and their MMR for specific heroes will be calculated as offsets from this core. This ensures that players are matched with opponents of similar skill levels for each hero they play. Leaderboards have also been introduced for each region, providing a competitive platform for players to track their progress and compare their skills with others.

Party Play and Match Quality

The update also introduces changes to party play. While parties of any size are now allowed, the system will adjust the potential MMR gain or loss based on the skill disparity within the party. This ensures fair matches and prevents high-skill players from dominating lower-skilled teammates. Additionally, the limit on high-MMR players in a party has been increased to three.

To maintain match quality, the system will prioritize matches with balanced skill levels and avoid low-quality matches, such as those occurring during off-peak hours. Players who prefer solo play can also opt to queue as such.

Additional Features

To further enhance the gaming experience, the update includes several new features. Players can now request lane swaps during the initial phase of the game, providing more flexibility in team strategies. Additionally, players can choose to be notified of rank-up events and view the average badge level of each team after the match.

General Changes

• Added secondary key binds for actions
• You are now able to browse and favorite builds in the dashboard
• Sandbox mode now shows the souls value of the current items you have in your inventory
• Abilitiy tooltips now list exactly which items the ability has been imbued with rather than “Ability is imbued”
• Items in the shop that imbue abilities are tagged with a label with a similar styling to active items
• Commend toasts now stay on your screen until they are dismissed
• Commend toasts now have a button to return the commend to the player that commended you
• Adjusted the behavior of the Incoming Damage UI so that it can still be used in Sandbox mode
• There is now a Change Hero button in the Build Browser which brings up the hero picker to choose a different hero in both Sandbox and in the Dashboard

Quickbuy

• Decision dialogs for dealing with item limits, imbuing, and activation slots are now shown at queue time rather than purchase time whenever possible
• You can now queue items to sell. If you right click on items that you own it will add them to the front of your quickbuy queue, and they will be queued to sell. The sale price of these items will be added to your current souls to calculate when you can afford to purchase the next item in your quickbuy queue..
• Adjusted Powerup Runes’ design to look more visually breakable (due to melee change explained later in the gameplay section)
• Low priority games now require wins to count
• Gaining Rejuvenator buff now shows what stats have been improved on your hero (like powerups and other buffs)
• Fixed Abrams camera
• Added icon variants for high or low ground for small/medium/large camps
• Adding note below Cancel key in Settings explaining that “Abilities will be cancelled with the Cancel Key when possible”
• Purchase Log in the shop now shows enemy and ally purchases with different colors
• Fixed F1-F5 Keys not working (for moving camera to allies)
• Updated active items to have uniform sliding/cast delay behavior
• Curse: Cast delay changed from 0.0s to 0.1s, to match other similar actives
• Slowing Hex: No longer interrupts sliding, to match other similar actives
• Decay: Cast delay changed from 0.25s to 0.1s, to match other similar actives
• Decay: No longer interrupts sliding, to match other similar actives
• Withering Whip: No longer interrupts sliding, to match other similar actives
• Silence Glyph: Cast delay changed from 0.0s to 0.1s, to match other similar actives
• Knockdown: Cast delay changed from 0.25s to 0.1s, to match other similar actives
• Knockdown: No longer interrupts sliding, to match other similar actives
• The through-wall ally silhouette health bars are now more accurate
• Optimized lighting in the map for better rendering performance
• Fixed a bug where you would be prompted to sell an item if the component wasn’t in the same category as the component you were buying (i.e. you go to buy slowing hex with your item slots full and you already own the component)
• Removed redundant Replay keybinds (now shares with Spectating)
• Added Chat Wheel Options as keybinds so you can bind keys to certain responses
• Fixed not being able to ping enemy items
• Added music and ambient sounds to hotel
• Added new run animation for Seven
• Revised Mirage Fire Scarabs projectile and cast sounds
• Revised Casting bridge buff loop
• Remastered weapon fire for Seven
• Remastered weapon fire for Paradox
• Fixed a bug where nearly all sound stops and never returns
• Fixed respawn music cue failing to play with shop menu open
• Fixed music not playing while the player is outside their base and their base is under attack
• Fixed haze smoke bomb loop not playing for teammates
• Improved negative feedback sound effect timing
• Fixed some cases where some sounds could overpower everything else
• Added key and button name localization support for keybinds
• Visual update to Mirage Tornado bullet evasion buff
• Visual update to Medicinal Specter to improve visibility
• Visual update to turret tracers, muzzle flash and impacts
• Sand Blast revision to help user judge distance and AOE
• Added preview state to Flying Strike
• Added effect to when the zipline ability first starts
• Added an AOE landing indicator for where units will be thrown with Death Slam (only shows for allies)
• Fixed Ground Strike preview cone visual to be more accurate
• Updated Patron VO to give the Amber Hand more lines that are unique to him as opposed to having the identical script of the Sapphire Flame (for instance, while the Sapphire Flame might praise Haze by saying “you are perfection, Haze”, the Amber Hand would say “Haze will dance, and they will fall”)
• Related to the above, both patrons will now call out the Greenwich/Green Lane objectives specifically when they are destroyed
• Updated Bebop VO: remaster pass and added some content
• Updated Viscous VO: he now comments on a lot more interactions in the game (no longer a small pool of reused lines for Goo Punch)
• Updated Paradox VO: remaster pass and added some content
• Updated Kelvin VO: remaster pass and added some content
• Stubbed in first pass VO for Fathom, Magician, Trapper, and Viper – the primary goal for these is to give coverage for pings, but we also added lines for hero select and ability usage
• Updated Holliday VO: remaster pass and added some content
• Some rendering performance improvements
• Fixed some lightmap quality regressions
• Fixed textures being slightly too blurry in FSR2
• Fixed some rendering features (such as distance field shadows) running despite being disabled in UI
• Fixed right-clicking on an item in the shop in build editing mode causing it to be added to your Quickbuy queue
• Steam Game Recording no longer records kills/deaths if you’re dead and spectating another player
• Steam Game Recording timeline no longer records Shrine objectives as “The World”
• Fixed fps_max accidentally being changed to slider maximum value when out of slider range
• Video Settings slider for fps_max goes up to 400
• Fixing tooltips on keybind dropdowns not working correctly
• New sounds added to Yamato’s Flying Strike while aiming
• New sounds added to Mo & Krill’s Burrow and Sand Blast abilities
• Hit confirm sound added to Lash’s Flog ability
• Fixed a bug causing Mo & Krill’s Burrow emerge sound to double up when not cancelling the burrow early
• Fixed Mo & Krill’s Burrow traveling/underground sound not looping correctly
• Steam Input support
• Fixed Controller binds not working when the same Keyboard binds were empty
• Fixed Show Scoreboard glyph in Sandbox Mode UI

Misc Gameplay

• Soul Sharing ratios post-lane reduced from 100/70/45/33/25/20% to 100/60/35/25/20/16% (for 1/2/3/4/5/6 players, original was 100/50/33/25/20/16%)
• Hero Kill souls decreased from 175->2000 to 175->1600 (from 0 min to 45 min)
• Walkers Stomp now also deals 10% Max HP as damage
• Walkers Laser now also deals 2% Max HP DPS
• Walkers now provide nearby allied heroes 25% Bullet and Spirit Resistance
• Walkers now have Resistance based on how many nearby enemies there are (0/8/16/24/32/40% for 1/2/3/4/5/6 players; they are more tanky against a large attacking team)
• Middle Lane Walkers HP increased from 5800 to 8000 (side walkers HP is 5175)
• Patron Laser now also deals 3% Max HP DPS
• Flex Slot changed from All Shrines to 1 Shrine and 2 Base Guardians
• Mid Boss trooper health for first spawn reduced from 95% to 70%
• Trooper Spirit Resist at 25 minutes reduced from 30% to 20% (still scales to 70% at 50 minutes)
• Respawn time curves changed from happening at 17/30 minutes for 40s/70s respawn to 20/40 minutes
• Trooper soul changed from 60/40% in the kill/orb to 65/35%
• Medic Trooper now has 3 charges of heal rather than 2
• Falloff min range reduced from 22m to 20m
• Air Drag when getting off the zipline increased from 20% to 25% (default in general is 20%)
• Improved various issues with Heavy Melee vs Dash/Parry when there is latency
• Killing the first Patron now causes any existing enemy hero respawns to be reduced by 20 seconds. However, it does not reduce remaining respawn time lower than 10s.
• Powerups now require a heavy melee to claim (art visuals updated)
• Powerups now start weaker and grow stronger (from 10 minutes to 40 minutes)
• Gun Powerup:
• Previously was +20% Fire Rate and +40% Ammo for 160s.
• Now starts at “+10% Fire Rate and +30% Ammo” and ends at “30% Fire Rate and +60% Ammo”
• Survival Powerup:
• Previously was +400 Health and +1% Max Health Regen for 160s.
• Now starts at “+250 Health and 1% Max Health Regen” and ends at “+700 Health and 1.5% Max Health Regen”
• Casting Powerup:
• Previously was +25 Spirit Power and +20% Cooldown Reduction for 160s.
• Now starts at “+20 Spirit Power and +15% Cooldown Reduction” and ends at “+40 Spirit Power and +25% Cooldown Reduction”
• Movement Powerup:
• Previously was +2 Stamina, +3 Sprint, +30% Stamina Regen and +50% Zipline Boost for 160s.
• Now starts at “+1 Stamina, +2 Sprint, +20% Stamina Regen and +40% Zipline Boost” and ends at “+4 Stamina, +4 Sprint, +50% Stamina Regen and +80% Zipline Boost”
• Urn time to reveal increased from 20s to 25s
• Initial Urn bounty reduced from 4050 to 3000 (changed from 1750 + 230Min to 700 + 230Min)
• Adding an alternate Urn mechanic as an experiment for 2 days. This will be enabled this weekend only and Monday will be back to normal. Urn pickup location is the same, but drop-off location is now always at the top of mid temple. The bonus souls the team gets is reduced by 60% (the delivering player reward is unchanged). The reveal time is now 40s.

Map Changes

Along with the gameplay changes, many map changes were added in the November 21 patch notes in Deadlock. Here is a list of all the changes with their images:

• Moved rooftop neutral camps on Amber Yellow and Sapphire Purple to rooftops closer to the Guardian

• Added a truck to climb up into the interior bridge area at the Port Authority and Jazz Club buildings
• Moved stairs up from the central canal to the Radio Station interior closer to the inner lanes
• Removed stairs up to the Radio Station interior from the underground Teleport Station
• Redesigned Radio Station interior to be more open

• Moved connection corridor between Inner and Outer lanes (Amber Yellow and Sapphire Purple) to be farther from the base entrances
• Removed the cosmic veils from the entrances of the connection corridor
• Changed entrance to the Armory/Warehouse from the inner lane to be more direct (not a hallway)

• Moved the side lane teleporters to the crawl space under the Hard camp
• Removed bookshelf model inside the upper floor of the Police Station/Garment Building to see the corridor behind it
• Removed Rope inside the Police Station/Garment Building

• Added interior stair connection in Factory/Mansion to stay inside from lower to upper areas

• Added a fence guard beside the stairs inside the Garage/Night Club

• Added zapper effect to the antenna models on rooftops
• New building facade art in Amber Blue and Purple lanes

• Added a street gate structure between the Garage and the Record Shop

Heal / Anti-Heal Rebalance

Below is a group of changes bundled together that pairs reducing sustain abilities/items as well as anti-heal mechanics by some percentage (some things less than others depending on the specific circumstances of the ability):

• Abrams: Infernal Resilience reduced from 14% to 11% and T3 from 7% to 5.5%
• Abrams: Siphon Life Heal vs Heroes reduced from 100% to 75%
• Abrams: Siphon Life Heal vs Non-Heroes reduced from 50% to 40%
• Bebop: Hyper Beam T3 reduced from 100/33% for Heroes/Creeps to 80%/25%
• Dynamo: Rejuvenating Aurora regen reduced from 32 to 30
• Dynamo: Rejuvenating Aurora Spirit Power scaling reduced from 0.5 to 0.45
• Dynamo: Rejuvenating Aurora T3 reduced from 3.8% to 3.4%
• Grey Talon: Rain of Arrows T3 reduced from 50% Lifesteal to 40%
• Infernus: Catalyst T2 reduced from 15% Lifesteal to 12%
• Infernus: Catalyst T3 reduced from -40% Heal Degen to -33%
• Infernus: Concussive Combustion T3 reduced from 100% to 85%
• Ivy: Watcher’s Covenant Bullet Lifesteal reduced from 15% to 12%
• Ivy: Stone Form Max Health Heal reduced from 10% to 8%
• Ivy: Stone Form T3 Max Health Heal reduced from +20% to +16%
• Kelvin: Frost Grenade T2 reduced from +125 Heal to +100
• Kelvin: Frozen Shelter regen reduced from 120 to 110
• Kelvin: Frozen Shelter T3 reduced from +70 (1.6 Spirit Power) to +60 ( 1.4 Spirit Power)
• Lash: Flog heal vs heroes reduced from 70% to 65%
• Lash: Flog heal vs creeps reduced from 25% to 20%
• McGinnis: Medicinal Specter T3 reduced from 5% to 4.5%
• Mo & Krill: Scorn heal vs heroes reduced from 2x to 1.6x
• Mo & Krill: Scorn heal vs creeps reduced from 0.7x to 0.6x
• Pocket: Affliction T2 Healing Reduction reduced from 60% to 50%
• Warden: Last Stand non-hero lifesteal reduced from 50% to 20%
• Warden: Last Stand hero lifesteal reduced from 100% to 80%
• Wraith: Full Auto T3 lifesteal reduced from 35% to 30%
• Viscous: The Cube regen reduced from 40 to 35
• Viscous: The Cube T2 regen reduced from +35 to +30
• Viscous: The Cube regen spirit power scaling reduced from 0.2 to 0.18
• Shiv: Bloodletting reduced from 22% to 20%
• Shiv: Bloodletting T1 reduced from +8% to +6%
• Shiv: Bloodletting rage bonus reduced from +15% to 14%
• Soul Shredder Bullets: Spirit Lifesteal reduced from 20% to 18%
• Active Reload: Bullet Lifesteal reduced from 20% to 18%
• Headhunter: Heal per Headshot reduced from 8% to 7%
• Heroic Aura: Bullet Lifesteal reduced from 20% to 18%
• Toxic Bullets: Healing Reduction reduced from 65% to 50%
• Vampiric Burst: Bullet Lifesteal reduced from 100% to 80%
• Melee Lifesteal: Lifesteal reduced from 20% to 18%
• Bullet Lifesteal: Lifesteal reduced from 28% to 26%
• Restorative Locket: Regen per stack reduced from 35 to 32
• Spirit Lifesteal: Lifesteal reduced from 23% to 22%
• Healbane: Healing Reduction reduced from 45% to 40%
• Lifestrike: Lifesteal reduced from 65% to 55%
• Decay: Healing Reduction reduced from 70% to 55%
• Leech: Bullet Lifesteal reduced from 35% to 32%
• Leech: Spirit Lifesteal reduced from 35% to 32%

Deadlock Patch Notes: Item Buffs and Nerfs

Here are all the item changes from the latest Deadlock patch notes for November 21. This includes all the buffs and nerfs:

Weapon Items