New Agent Deadlock Challenges Fan Perception of Sentinel Strength in VALORANT
The recent addition of Deadlock as a new agent in VALORANT has sparked discussions among fans about the strength of her abilities. One of her signature abilities, Barrier Mesh, has become a hot topic of debate. However, VCT EMEA analyst Jakub “Lothar” Szygulski disagrees with the popular opinion and believes that fans are overlooking certain facts about the ability’s power.
Debunking Misconceptions
Lothar took to Twitter to share his perspective on the matter, responding to a Reddit thread that gained significant attention. He argued that Barrier Mesh is not as overpowered as fans claim and suggested that Deadlock might actually receive a buff in the future, rather than a nerf.
The main point of contention revolves around the usefulness and durability of Barrier Mesh. It requires a significant amount of ammunition to destroy the barrier completely by shooting the middle, making it nearly impossible to break during pistol rounds. However, the ability maintains balance by allowing shots to penetrate it and making its four corners vulnerable. These corners correspond to the four edges of the wall’s plus sign structure and have less health if only one edge is broken.
Countering the Arguments
Various arguments were presented in the Reddit thread to support nerfing Barrier Mesh. Critics claimed that the ability is too powerful, free to use, and quickly deployable for its duration. Lothar countered these points by highlighting that the ability takes two seconds to activate and lasts for only 30 seconds, which is 10 seconds less than Sage’s Barrier Orb.
Lothar directly addressed the Reddit post, accusing it of attempting to alter the narrative to gain upvotes. He was not alone in disagreeing with the arguments. Other commenters pointed out that without the wall, Deadlock’s kit as a Sentinel agent would be too weak. Additionally, it was mentioned that unlike Brimstone’s smokes, Deadlock’s signature ability does not recharge within a round, making her kit comparatively weaker than other alternatives.
Lothar conducted a quick poll on Twitter, asking his followers how long they believed it would be until Deadlock receives a buff, expressing his confidence that she won’t be nerfed. Only time will tell, but one thing is for certain—the addition of Deadlock to VALORANT has sparked passionate debates among players.