Deadlock Tier List for 10-02-2025 Update - Comprehensive Hero Rankings

Introduction

The October 2nd patch brought some major shifts to Deadlock's hero meta. Watch the video above for Metro Deadlock's comprehensive analysis of how every hero ranks after the latest changes. This tier list combines insights from multiple high-level players to give you a complete picture of where each hero stands.

The patch introduced significant item changes that affected certain heroes more than direct ability nerfs. Spirit resilience buffs made tanks harder to kill, while overall spirit character nerfs shifted the meta toward gun-focused builds. Some heroes like Calico saw huge improvements, while others like Lash and Seven got hit hard.

Let's break down where each hero lands in the current meta.

S Tier - The Meta Kings

Vindicta remains the best hero in the game even after taking some nerfs. Her damage output and mobility keep her at the top of every tier list.

Pocket sits comfortably at number two. The Divine Barrier buffs made him even stronger, and he somehow dodged the nerfs everyone expected.

Grey Talon has S+ potential in the right hands, especially at higher ranks. Pro players continue to dominate with him.

Kelvin is still the tankiest support in the game. His ice dome is borderline broken in team fights, and the spirit resilience buffs only made him harder to kill.

Abrams took minimal nerfs and continues to be a meta-defining pick. His damage output is still ridiculous.

Paradox didn't get touched this patch, which is wild considering how strong she already was. Her utility and disruption remain unmatched.

Bebop earned his spot in S tier, but only with gun builds. Spirit Bebop falls off significantly - stick to gun-focused itemization.

Calico is the biggest winner of this patch. She got buffed across the board and jumped multiple tiers. Everything about her kit improved.

Dynamo as a support build puts out insane damage while still fulfilling support duties. He's become a high-priority pick.

A Tier - Solid and Reliable

Lady Geist sits at the top of A tier and is considered the best "pick for any situation" character. She's versatile and consistently strong.

Mo & Krill got nerfed but they're still a solid A tier pick. The tank meta actually helps them stay relevant.

Shiv benefits massively from the tank meta buffs. With spirit resilience helping tanky builds, Shiv became more viable.

Ivy with gun builds has serious carry potential. Her scaling is strong and she transitions well into late game.

Mirage is moving up the ranks and is considered the best carry for competitive play. His passive stacking from anywhere lets him secure kills across the map.

Haze remains a reliable damage dealer. Not flashy, but she gets the job done consistently.

Wraith got a significant rework that made her much stronger. She's climbing back into relevance.

Yamato holds a spot in A tier with solid all-around performance.

B Tier - Situational Picks

Warden dropped to below average after taking nerfs this patch. Still playable in certain comps but not a priority pick.

Viper got a complete skill 1 rework which made him stronger, but he's still finding his place in the meta. The rework helped but didn't fix all his core issues.

Infernus sits in B tier. Decent in certain team compositions but struggles to find consistent value.

C Tier - Struggling

Lash got absolutely gutted this patch. He dropped from high A tier all the way down to C. The nerfs hit him hard and he's struggling to find a place in the current meta.

Seven took massive nerfs and is now considered one of the worst characters in the game. It's a rough time to be a Seven player.

Viscous got hot-fixed after they initially tried to buff him, sending him right back to being weak. He has survivability issues and his spirit resistance doesn't even affect his own kit properly.

McGinnis has severe kit limitations that hold her back. Poor farming, weak soul securing, and lack of true carry potential keep her in the bottom tiers.

Understanding the Meta Shifts

The October 2nd patch completely changed the game's balance landscape. Spirit resilience buffs made tanks way harder to kill, which pushed the entire meta toward tankier compositions. This change had a cascading effect on hero viability.

Spirit-focused heroes took nerfs across the board, making gun builds relatively stronger. What's interesting is that item changes ended up having a bigger impact than direct hero nerfs in many cases. For example, changes to Divine Barrier and other items affected hero power levels more than ability tweaks.

Natural Capacitor items became important counters to specific heroes, particularly affecting picks like Viscous who rely heavily on certain mechanics.

Biggest Winners and Losers

Calico won big - buffed across the board and jumped multiple tiers.

Lash got destroyed - dropped from high A tier straight to C tier.

Seven took the hardest hit and became one of the worst characters in the game.

Viper got his skill 1 completely reworked, which helped him climb a bit but he's still weak overall.

Shiv benefited from the tank meta even without direct buffs since his kit synergizes well with tankier builds.

Build Philosophy for the Current Meta

Gun builds are generally stronger after the spirit nerfs. The tank-dominated meta means you need to think about sustained damage and survivability rather than pure burst.

Key build priorities:

• Bebop: Gun-focused builds only - spirit builds fall off hard
• Vindicta: Spirit burst damage still works for her despite the nerfs
• Pocket: Stack Divine Barrier synergies
• Grey Talon: Gun build maximizes his impact
• Ivy: Gun carry build for scaling into late game
• Mirage: Focus on stacking his passive as fast as possible

Rank Differences Matter

Hero performance varies significantly across ranks. Hard carries like Viscous can do work in lower ranks where games go longer, but struggle in high-level play where teams end games faster. High skill cap heroes like Bebop and Viscous underperform in average games but shine in the right hands.

Pro play tier lists don't always translate to pub success. Competitive pick rates influence rankings but what works in organized play might not work in solo queue.

Additional Tier List Perspectives

Want more opinions? Check out these other tier list analyses from around the same time:

Wrapping Up

The October 2nd patch shifted the meta toward tanks and gun builds. If you want to climb, focus on the S tier picks: Vindicta, Pocket, Grey Talon, Kelvin, Abrams, Paradox, Bebop, Calico, and Dynamo. These heroes consistently deliver value in the current environment.

Build for the meta - prioritize spirit resilience and gun damage. Use items like Natural Capacitor to counter specific threats. And remember that your rank matters - some heroes perform very differently at low versus high MMR.

The meta will keep shifting with future patches, but understanding why these heroes are strong right now will help you adapt when changes come.