Deadlock receives major buffs, Reyna and Fade adjusted in Team Deathmatch with comprehensive patch 7.10 changes
Introduction and Patch Overview
Valorant’s latest update 7.10 arrives as the first significant patch following Episode 7 Act 3’s launch, bringing crucial agent balancing that addresses community feedback and meta concerns.
This comprehensive update focuses heavily on agent balancing, with Deadlock receiving much-needed enhancements while Reyna and Fade get mode-specific adjustments for Team Deathmatch.
The timing of patch 7.10 comes shortly after Iso’s introduction in the previous update, signaling Riot’s commitment to continuous agent refinement. Community demands for Deadlock improvements have been particularly vocal, with many players considering her underpowered compared to other Sentinels.
Beyond the headline agent changes, this patch introduces subtle but impactful adjustments that will affect gameplay flow and strategic decision-making across multiple game modes.
Deadlock Major Buffs and Gameplay Impact
Deadlock’s overhaul represents the centerpiece of patch 7.10, addressing her perceived weakness as a Sentinel agent. The changes fundamentally alter how her GravNet ability functions, transforming it from a temporary inconvenience to a serious threat.
The most significant change involves GravNet’s new permanent debuff mechanic. Previously, caught enemies could simply wait out the effect or move beyond its radius. Now, targets must actively remove the net, creating vulnerable moments that skilled Deadlock players can exploit.
Riot’s design philosophy here emphasizes creating meaningful interactions: “This adjustment unlocks a distinctive power dynamic where enemies must holster their weapon and generate audible cues to counter the debuff,” explained the development team.
The enhanced reliability comes from both the expanded area of effect and mobility countermeasures that prevent agents like Jett and Raze from easily escaping the ability’s impact.
Strategic Tip: Use GravNet in choke points or during post-plant situations where enemies have limited escape options. The extended removal time creates perfect opportunities for coordinated team attacks.
Common Mistake: Avoid wasting GravNet in open areas where enemies can easily take cover during the removal process. Instead, deploy it where visual obstruction forces them to remove it in exposed positions.
Team Deathmatch Agent Adjustments
Team Deathmatch receives targeted balancing to address specific agent performance issues in the faster-paced environment. Reyna’s dominance and Fade’s underutilization prompted these mode-exclusive changes.
Reyna’s Leer ability has demonstrated exceptional strength in Team Deathmatch’s confined spaces, particularly because it doesn’t impair allies. Combined with Empress’s unlimited duration during kill chains, she could maintain excessive pressure without sufficient counterplay windows.
These adjustments create necessary downtime between powerful moments and encourage Reyna players to prioritize soul orb collection if they intend to dominate with Empress active.
- Leer cooldown extended from 44 seconds to 51 seconds
- Empress ultimate charge rate decreased by 14%
Conversely, Fade’s utility often felt difficult to leverage effectively in Team Deathmatch’s chaotic engagements. The cooldown reductions aim to enhance her tracking capabilities and closing potential against scattered enemies.
- Prowler cooldown reduced from 44 seconds to 36 seconds
- Seize cooldown decreased from 51 seconds to 48 seconds
Advanced Tip: With Fade’s reduced cooldowns, use Prowler more aggressively for information gathering rather than saving it exclusively for confirmed kills. The shorter timers enable frequent reconnaissance.
Optimization: Reyna players should now focus on securing early kills to build ultimate charge, as the slower accumulation makes each soul orb more valuable for maintaining Empress uptime.
Bug Fixes and Quality Improvements
Beyond agent balancing, patch 7.10 addresses several technical issues that have affected gameplay consistency and user experience across multiple systems.
- Resolved audio reverb application inconsistencies affecting weapon sounds and footstep audio cues
- Corrected Viper’s Ultimate vision blocking behavior on minimap and megamap displays
- Fixed collision detection issues with Fade’s Prowler passing through specific map geometry
- Addressed text truncation in Arabic language reporting interface menus
The audio reverb fix particularly impacts gameplay awareness, as consistent sound propagation helps players better judge enemy positions and distances based on auditory cues.
Viper’s Ultimate correction ensures her smoke properly obscures enemy vision on all map interfaces, maintaining consistency between what players see on screen and what appears on tactical displays.
Strategic Implementation Guide
Successfully adapting to patch 7.10 requires understanding not just what changed, but how these adjustments affect overall gameplay strategy and agent selection priorities.
Deadlock Viability: With her significantly improved GravNet, Deadlock now functions as a legitimate area denial specialist. Pair her with controllers who can funnel enemies into choke points where her enhanced abilities shine. The increased radius makes her particularly effective on maps with narrow corridors like Split and Bind.
Team Deathmatch Adaptation: Reyna players must adjust their playstyle to account for longer ability downtime. Focus on positioning that allows safe soul orb collection rather than aggressive peeks during Leer cooldowns. Fade enthusiasts can now play more proactively with frequent ability usage for constant enemy tracking.
Counterplay Development: Against the buffed Deadlock, teams should prioritize utility that can safely clear GravNet areas or abilities that allow quick disengagement. Agents with mobility tools need to be particularly cautious about engagement timing when facing her.
Common Pitfall: Avoid underestimating the new GravNet removal time. The extended 1.5-second duration creates substantial vulnerability windows that coordinated teams will exploit. Always ensure cover is available before attempting removal.
Advanced Strategy: Use Deadlock’s Sonic Sensor in combination with GravNet to create layered defense setups. The audio cue from sensor triggers can signal perfect timing for GravNet deployment on pushing enemies.
No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » Valorant update 7.10 patch notes: Deadlock buffed, Deathmatch changes & more Deadlock receives major buffs, Reyna and Fade adjusted in Team Deathmatch with comprehensive patch 7.10 changes