Deadlock Adjusts Recently Launched Hero with Swift Nerfs

Mirage, the exciting new hero of Deadlock, was launched on September 26, 2024. However, less than 24 hours after his debut, the developers made adjustments to some of his abilities, potentially nerfing his overall effectiveness in the latest update. This decision was taken because the developers felt that Mirage was overperforming in numerous gameplay scenarios.

With this in mind, let’s delve into the specific modifications made by the developers to balance Mirage in Deadlock, ensuring an enjoyable experience for all players.

Deadlock’s latest hero, Mirage, experiences nerfs shortly after launch

It didn’t take long for Mirage to capture the hearts of players in Deadlock. His popularity surged, largely due to his novelty, which resulted in an impressive pick rate. One of the key factors contributing to his strength is his capability to dominate opponent tank units while maneuvering adroitly to evade their attacks. In addition, his remarkable crowd control ability—Tornado—establishes him as an essential choice for players looking to secure victories in matches.

Here’s a list of the nerfs Mirage received in the latest Deadlock patch notes:

Mirage: Tornado lift duration decreased from 1.5s to 1.2s
Mirage: Tornado Tier 1 bonus lift duration reduced from +0.5s to +0.4s
Mirage: Tornado base bullet evasion lowered from 30% to 25%
Mirage: Djinn’s Mark Tier 3 now also decreases Multiplier Cooldown by 0.5s

As a result of these nerfs, Mirage’s Tornado will have diminished effectiveness. Players will now need more support to lift enemies effectively and engage them in combat.

Additionally, when reverting to normal after using Tornado, Mirage will now have reduced bullet evasion. This change means players will find it easier to land hits on Mirage once he completes the Tornado casting.

Mirage’s third ability, Djinn’s Mark, allows him to stack and amplify the damage multiplier against the targeted enemy. The more he fires at this target, the greater the number of damage stacks he can build. With the ability maxed out, Mirage can apply four additional stacks without penalties. Consequently, the reduction in Djinn’s Mark multiplier cooldown encourages players to continuously target their opponent, as stacks will expire at a quicker pace than before.

Source