In the world of Deadlock, excitement is growing around the unreleased heroes that Valve may introduce in future updates. We've broken down some of the new heroes that could significantly alter the meta, introducing fresh strategies and novel playstyles. Valve's innovative hero designs offer players a range of tactical possibilities, encouraging them to dive deep into the potential of these characters. In this guide, we explore how the upcoming Deadlock heroes may impact the battlefield and what strengths and weaknesses they could bring.
Astro (or Holliday) is a ranged shooter with a focus on high mobility and explosive abilities. Equipped with dynamite, jump pads, and a lasso that can grab enemies, she may be a versatile hero who excels at zoning enemy heroes and providing crowd control.
Holiday’s ability to control space with Powder Kegs and reposition with her Jump Pad may make her a highly mobile and elusive hero. Her Hat Trick ability could be particularly effective against stealthy or sneaky heroes like Slork or Lady Geist, giving her the upper hand in tracking down these slippery opponents. Holiday may also shine as a counter to ranged Deadlock heroes who rely on staying out of sight.
Despite her mobility, Holiday may struggle against tanky or melee-focused heroes like Wrecker or Abrams, who could close the distance and survive her burst damage. If Holiday gets caught by heroes who can rush her down, she might not have the sustained damage or health to win prolonged engagements.
Holiday could shift the world of Deadlock toward more zone control and mobility-focused gameplay. Teams may look to use her crowd control to keep their enemies in check, while her explosive kit could force opponents to play more cautiously. As a hybrid hero, Holiday might become a popular choice in third-person MOBA battles for players who enjoy fast-paced positioning play.
Wrecker is expected to be a chaotic brawler capable of dealing significant AOE damage and controlling the battlefield. With abilities like Wrecking Ball and Astral Walk, he could be a disruptive force in the hands of aggressive players.
Wrecker could excel at diving into groups of enemies and disrupting their formations with his stuns and AOE abilities. His Astral Walk ability may allow him to quickly reposition and catch enemies off-guard. Heroes like Grey Talon and McGinnis, who rely on precise positioning and range, may struggle against Wrecker’s aggressive playstyle.
While Wrecker may dominate in close-quarters teamfights, he might struggle against ranged burst heroes like Dynamo or Ivy, who can deal heavy damage from a distance. Additionally, his predictable movement during Astral Walk might make him vulnerable to counterattacks if timed poorly.
Wrecker could bring a new level of chaos to teamfights in Deadlock. His AOE stuns and ability to teleport into the middle of the action could force teams to play more carefully, making him a focal point in battles. Teams may need to adjust their positioning and coordination to counter his disruptive abilities, leading to more fast-paced and aggressive engagements.
Calico is an expected hybrid hero, combining support with burst damage through her playful but dangerous cat-themed abilities. Her turrets and Cat Bombs could give her both offensive and defensive utility, making her a versatile addition to any team.
Calico’s ability to deal AOE damage with her Cat Bomb could make her a strong pick against squishy heroes like Slork or Haze, who may struggle to avoid her traps. Her Leap ability could also allow her to quickly engage or disengage from fights, helping her outplay enemies in key moments. The combination of burst damage and sustain could make Calico a well-rounded hybrid hero.
Against tanky heroes like Wrecker or Grey Talon, Calico might struggle to deal enough burst damage to secure kills. Additionally, her reliance on her Statue turret for healing may make her vulnerable if she’s forced into fights away from her turrets, leaving her without a reliable sustain source.
Calico could bring a more playful but strategic dynamic to Deadlock. Her mix of damage and support abilities may encourage teams to focus on flexible compositions, where positioning and timing are key to maximizing her utility. She could also shift the meta towards more turret-based, defensive gameplay, especially in lane control.
Slork seems to be Inspired by Dota 2’s Slark, Deadlocks Slork may emerge as a highly mobile assassin with regenerative abilities, ideal for hit-and-run tactics. His kit could make him hard to pin down, making him a potential threat to any hero who can’t escape his grasp.
Slork could be highly effective at picking off low-health heroes like Ivy or Lady Geist. His high mobility and regeneration could make him difficult to kill, allowing him to weave in and out of fights without being locked down. Slork may excel in skirmishes where quick attacks and swift escapes are necessary to secure victory.
Though Slork may be hard to catch, heroes with strong crowd control or teleport abilities like Warden or Wrecker may pose a significant challenge. If caught, Slork could struggle to survive against burst damage, especially in extended teamfights where his invisibility won’t last forever.
Slork’s hit-and-run playstyle could force teams to focus more on mobility and vision control in Deadlock. His ability to evade and heal could challenge even the best heroes, as players would need to adapt their positioning to prevent him from picking off their weaker members. Slork’s arrival could shift the focus toward stealth and high-speed engagements in the Deadlock meta.
Yakuza may introduce a unique playstyle to Deadlock as the first Deadlock hero to summon minions to fight alongside him. He could control the battlefield through his summoned bodyguards, using them to harass enemies, soak up damage, and apply pressure in teamfights.
Yakuza may be strong in longer fights where his bodyguards can deal sustained damage while absorbing attacks. His Shakedown could serve as a strong initiation tool, particularly when combined with his summoned minions, who may follow up with rapid strikes. Yakuza may counter heroes who rely on single-target burst damage, as his bodyguards could serve as distractions or shields.
Although Yakuza can summon bodyguards, he may be vulnerable to AOE damage or heavy crowd control, which could wipe out his minions quickly. Heroes like Mirage or Wrecker, who specialize in crowd control or large AOE damage, could severely limit his effectiveness in teamfights.
Yakuza could shift the meta toward a more minion-based style of play, where players must manage both their own positioning and that of their summoned units. Teams that can maximize his Protection Racket buffs and keep his bodyguards alive could create formidable sustained damage in teamfights. Yakuza may also encourage teams to pick more AOE-focused heroes to counter his minion-based strategy.
Rutger could emerge as a hulking tank hero, armed with defensive abilities and a powerful rocket launcher. His ability to cheat death and control space with his force fields might make him a significant threat in the late game, especially when properly built.
Rutger’s ability to cheat death and gain movement speed while low on health could make him a formidable tank in teamfights. His Force Field could trap key enemies, forcing them to stay in range of his team’s damage output. He may counter squishy or low-mobility heroes like Ivy or Slork, preventing them from escaping.
Though Rutger is tanky, he may struggle against heroes with high burst damage or sustain, like Calico, whose turrets can continuously chip away at his health. Additionally, heroes with high mobility, such as Holiday, may be able to avoid Rutger’s force fields and engage from a distance.
Rutger could bring a more defensive playstyle to Deadlock, where teams rely on him to trap key enemies and provide space for his allies to deal damage. His Cheat Death ability may allow him to survive longer in fights than most tanks, making him a late-game powerhouse.
Cadence is a music-based support hero who provides buffs and debuffs to her team. With abilities like Anthem for increasing fire rates and Lullaby for healing and crowd control, she may play a bard-like role similar to support characters in other MOBAs like League of Legends. Cadence could be a valuable asset in longer fights, supporting her team’s DPS while disrupting the enemy.
If Cadence are added to the game, they could a unique playstyles, Cadence’s supportive role. Cadence’s buffs and debuffs could bring more strategic depth to team compositions, particularly for teams focused on coordinated attacks.
As these new heroes make their way into Deadlock, they could drastically alter the dynamics of the game. From Astro explosive mobility to Slork’s stealthy assassinations, each new hero may bring unique strengths and challenges to the battlefield. Their release could mark a shift in how teams strategize, offering fresh opportunities for both veterans and new players to experiment with different styles and compositions.
As Deadlock evolves, keep an eye on how these characters shape the future of this third-person MOBA and prepare to adapt to the new ways teams will engage, control, and dominate the arena. We'll be sure to cover more of the up and coming heroes soon so keep an eye out on this article as we update it.
