Nina Forneloza 
Valorant patch 7.10 is finally introducing the much-anticipated Deadlock buff which could potentially make the agent more viable moving forward.
Deadlock has been around for months but hasn’t been able to find her place in the current meta. In Platinum ranks and up, the Norwegian Sentinel consistently boasts the lowest pick rate and she is the only agent who failed to make an appearance in the recent VCT.
Despite her struggles to keep up with her fellow sentinels, Deadlock has not seen any significant buffs to her kit. However, Deadlock may be able to get picked again even in high-stakes competitive play as she is finally receiving a much-needed buff to one of her abilities.
Valorant update brings buff to Deadlock’s Gravnet ability
Riot is finally updating Deadlock’s C ability, GravNet, making it more punishing and much harder for enemies to escape from it.
The new GravNet will force the enemy to crouch and their movement speed will be reduced for an indefinite duration. Failing to remove the net will cause them to remain attached to the ground until either the round ends or until they are eliminated. Additionally, the time required to remove the effect is increased from 0.85s to 1.5s.
This buff could potentially enhance her effectiveness against enemies rushing in. By keeping those enemies stuck in place, Deadlock’s team can easily eliminate them, or at least chip off a chunk of their health with a grenade or molotov. On the flip side, enemies attempting to break free from the gravitational net may find themselves in a vulnerable position as they will not be able to move or return fire while doing so.
Its increased gravity and reduced mobility will also prevent the more mobile agents, such as Raze and Jett, from using their abilities to get out of the net.
As a sentinel, this change can make her more viable in retake situations and when defending sites. But while this buff marks a positive development, some players argue that it may not be enough to make Deadlock truly effective.
In a tweet posted by pro Valorant player Tyson “TenZ” Ngo of Sentinels, TenZ mentioned that Deadlock’s Sonic Sensor, a tool that currently falls short for monitoring flanks, should be improved. He added that this ability is too small and takes too long to activate to actually counter agents with high mobility.
When is Valorant patch 7.10 releasing?
Valorant patch 7.10 is scheduled to hit live Valorant servers on November 15, 2023.
Alongside the Deadlock buff, the third-person animation while Jett’s Blade Storm is equipped is being adjusted. Two other agents, Reyna and Fade, will also have their abilities tweaked specifically for the Team Deathmatch game mode.
Players can look forward to experiencing these changes soon as the update goes live.
