update · May 31, 2026
Deadlock Balance Update: May 31, 2026
Deadlock's May 31 update targets top performers like Graves and Silver with direct damage and cooldown reductions while giving Apollo broad numerical buffs.
A balance patch for Deadlock landed on May 31, 2026, targeting outlier heroes across the roster. Apollo receives widespread improvements to combat effectiveness, while characters such as Graves, McGinnis, Pocket, Silver, Victor, and Yamato face downward adjustments to damage outputs, scaling, and utility timers.
Apollo Receives Direct Buffs
Apollo stands out as the primary beneficiary of this update, receiving improvements to multiple abilities. Disengaging Sigil T2 increases from 20% to 30% Fire Rate. Flawless Advance sees its T1 heal adjusted from 30 plus 0.75 scaling to 35 plus 1.0, while its T2 cooldown reduction shifts from 10 seconds to 12 seconds. Additionally, Itani Lo Sahn base damage rises from 190 to 200, paired with an increased spirit scaling of 2.6, up from 2.3.
Nerfs Hit Graves and Silver
Graves and Silver take notable hits to their damage profiles. Graves' Jar of Dead base damage drops from 20 to 17, and spirit scaling decreases from 0.31 to 0.27. Ghouls damage drops by 15%, and their bounty increases to 35 plus 2 per minute, up from 25 plus 1. Silver's Slam Fire current health damage drops from 3% to 2.5%, with its T3 node reduced from 8% to 7%. Silver's Entangling Bola cooldown lengthens from 20 seconds to 23 seconds, though its T2 cooldown reduction improves from 5 seconds to 8 seconds. Finally, Silver's Lycan Curse fire rate bonus drops from 65% to 60%.
McGinnis, Pocket, Victor, and Yamato Adjustments
McGinnis sees range and crowd control reductions on Heavy Barrage, dropping its range from 50m to 36m, lowering the T1 dash slow from 30% to 18%, and reducing T3 damage per rocket from +18 to +15. Pocket's Flying Cloak T3 cooldown reduction drops from 14 seconds to 13 seconds, and Affliction T3 DPS drops from 18 to 14. Victor's Shocking Reanimation T3 cooldown reduction shrinks from 130 seconds to 120 seconds. Yamato rounds out the changes with power slash spirit scaling reduced from 2.1 to 1.85, alongside a flying slash cast range reduction from 30m to 28m.
Why this patch matters
This patch reins in dominant duelists and summoners like Graves and Silver while giving Apollo the necessary numbers to compete more effectively in matches.