Exploring Valorant's 23rd Agent: Deadlock And Her Unique Abilities

Valorant has been teasing players with a lot of hidden art for a possible new agent, be it two hands on a desk with nanowires art on Twitter or a battle pass card with an electric device. Another teaser of Sova’s drone approaching a snowy location to track down something was also shared online to build anticipation. And finally, on the night of the Valorant Masters Tokyo Grand finals, Riot Games showcased their 23rd agent Deadlock coming with Valorant’s Episode 7 Act 1 update. So, let’s discuss Deadlock and her abilities in detail.

Deadlock was added to Valorant with the Episode 7 Act 1 update, which went live at 2:00 PM PT (5:00 PM ET) on June 27. That said, here’s all you need to know about Deadlock’s abilities and gameplay:

Valorant Deadlock Abilities

Riot never disappoints with its unique approach to a new agent’s abilities and Deadlock in Valorant is no exception. Here is all you need to know about Deadlock’s abilities:

GravNet (C)

Deadlock can throw a grenade that detonates and turns into a circular netted trap. It makes enemies go into crouch mode. Along with it, movement speed slows down when the enemy walks while trapped. Combine it with any ability like Raze's paint shell, Viper's snake bite, or Gekko's moshpit for great damaging potential. Any movement ability like Dash, Teleport, or Gatecrash will negate the slow and crouch effect.

Sonic Sensor (Q)

Throw a sensor on a structure or surface, and it attaches to it. The sensor detects footsteps, gunfire, reloading, or any noise and applies a concussion in the nearby area. The sensor doesn’t trigger if the enemy walks using shift.

Place the sensor outside hookah on Bind drop in B-site or Fracture drop in A-site for the easy effect of the ability as the enemy must jump down in these places making a definite sound queue. This ability makes Deadlock a more fight-active sentinel on Valorant maps.

Barrier Mesh (E)

Deadlock’s signature ability is the Barrier Mesh. Throw a disc at a point where it creates a core. Around it becomes an X-shaped barrier that blocks enemies from moving through it. The barrier cannot block bullets, only enemies. It is created by destructible nanowire balls, which can be destroyed to break the barrier.

This barrier can be a crucial utility for spike plant situations. You can stop the enemy at the last second by blocking entries in the site or use it on a spike when they have to defuse. Enemies must destroy the barrier to be able to move forward in such time-crunching scenarios.

Annihilation (X)

Deadlock weaves a thread of nanowires in a structure or wall. The wires enclose an enemy into a cocoon once it comes in contact. The cocooned enemy is disarmed, cannot move, and is pulled toward the start point of the wires. Once Deadlock’s ultimate pulls the cocoon to its start point, it kills the affected enemy. The cocoon can be destroyed with gunfire to free a teammate.

If you use it wisely, you can make the whole team confused about their priority, and it can be super useful in clutch situations. Deadlock's Annihilation is one of the most precision-based skills in Valorant which requires proper timing and accuracy to hit an enemy.

Valorant Deadlock: Tips & Tricks

Ever since Deadlock joined the Valorant roster, she has been one of the least-picked agents after her debut. One of the main reasons for her lower pick rate is that Deadlock can be hard to adapt and master. So, if you have unlocked the agent already, we give you the tips and tricks that can make you play so well that your friends will also try to instantly lock Deadlock.

Deadlock Gameplay Role and Style

Deadlock is a Sentinel with a more utility-based approach. Where most of the Sentinels are primarily defense focused, except Chamber, Deadlock is more focused on ability usage and skill shots. So the objective to play as Deadlock will always be using utility first before going into a gunfight. Remember that you are not a traditional defensive Sentinel, and you have to swing and peek to take fights, unlike a Killjoy or Cypher.

Best Maps & Agents to Pair with Deadlock

Another major part of playing Deadlock is to pair her with the right agents, and of course, the Valorant maps that perfectly fit her gameplay style.

Starting it off with the maps. Deadlock has a solid utility skill set that can help her clutch any round or help teammates with early chain kills. The maps that have a lot of close corners or structures can benefit her well. With that being said, our tried and tested map picks for Deadlock will be Ascent, Fracture, Bind, and Haven.

All these maps in Valorant contain multiple spots where you can stick the enemy to the ground using the Gravnet or kill them with your teammates’ area damage abilities like Raze’s Paint Shell or Viper’s Snakebite. The maps also have a lot of structure and walls to perform your ultimate easily. But most importantly, as Deadlock, you can block off enemy movement in these close-end map sites for faster and easier plants.

Deadlock Ability Usage Tips & Tricks

You can be very creative with Deadlock and her abilities. A traditional Sentinel like Killjoy or Cypher needs to sit down at the site, throw her utilities early, and wait. However, Deadlock can absolutely shut down enemy movement right away. We have noted down our best findings on how to utilize Deadlock’s powers in the best way possible:

• Early Gravnet: Use the Gravnet early on in the round. For example, if you are in Ascent, throw the Gravnet from A main to A main entry point. This will help you get an early kill on anyone trying to get an early peek.
• Block the Movement: Throw the Barrier Mesh on the entry so that only the big nanowire ball is visible. In that scenario, the enemies must focus on the barrier first and will lose a lot of time on it.
• Best Placement for Sonic Sensors: Use Sonic Sensors right under the drop locations, as enemies cannot avoid making noise when jumping down.

Deadlock Weakness and Counters

As you can read above, Deadlock can be really useful for multiple team compositions, but there are restrictions and counters to the agent as well. You should always know your weakness before jumping into the arena.

• The most common counter for any utility-based agent is Kay/o, who can shut down Deadlock in any situation with the knife or his ultimate.
• Do not use Barrier Mesh to hold a backstab, as you might need to rotate if a site entry does not work out.
• Use abilities like Paint Shell to damage the Barrier Mesh to destroy it faster.

Deadlock (codenamed Cable) is originally from Norway. She lost her arm while on a mission while fighting a bear and rescuing a Kingdom scientist. She collapsed, and Sova saved her. In the game, Deadlock is a Sentinel agent with an aggressive gameplay approach, unlike other Sentinels.

In Valorant, understanding your agent's abilities and how to utilize them effectively can greatly enhance your gameplay experience. With Deadlock, you have a versatile agent that requires both strategy and teamwork. Are you ready to take on the challenge?