Deadlock Tier List: Rat King and Paige Dominate After the City Never Sleeps Update
Deadlock Tier List: Rat King and Paige Dominate After the City Never Sleeps Update
Deadlock’s City Never Sleeps update didn’t just add content — it reshuffled the entire hero pool. Valve’s multiplayer shooter-MOBA hybrid picked up six new heroes in one patch, and a week of ranked play plus a follow-up balance pass on October 6 has already produced a clear picture of who’s dominating lobbies and who’s struggling. Here’s the full tier list, pulled from ranked matches played between September 23 and October 7, 2026, along with early build guidance for each of the new additions.
What Changed in City Never Sleeps
The patch’s six new heroes are Calico, Fathom, Holliday, Magician, Viper, and Wrecker, with Rat King unlocked first as part of the update’s own marketing push. Valve has flagged all six as still being tested in ‘Hero Labs,’ meaning their numbers and even their kits could shift in the next few patches. That instability hasn’t stopped Rat King from immediately becoming the best hero in the game, and it’s a big part of why the tier list below looks different from anything City Never Sleeps players saw a month ago.
Full Deadlock Tier List (Ranked, Oct 6 Patch)
Based on win rate across ranked games, weighted slightly toward pick rate when win rates are close:
- S+ (strongest): Rat King (59.0% win rate), Paige (55.0%)
- S (meta-defining): Graves (54.6%), Victor (54.1%), Seven (53.8%), Haze (52.8%)
- A (strong picks): Kelvin (53.7%), Ivy (52.9%), Apollo (52.4%), Dynamo (52.6%), Abrams (51.7%), Mo & Krill (51.4%), Lash (50.4%), Drifter (49.9%)
- B (viable): Calico (51.0%), Vyper (50.9%), Vindicta (50.7%), Wraith (50.3%), Yamato (50.1%), Lady Geist (50.0%), Celeste (50.0%), Billy (49.0%), Mina (47.6%), Infernus (47.5%)
- C (situational): Holliday, McGinnis, Silver, Sinclair, Venator, Rem, Bebop, Paradox, Pocket, Shiv
- D (weakest right now): Grey Talon, Viscous, The Doorman, Warden, Mirage, Baba
Why Rat King and Paige Are Running the Meta
Rat King’s 59% win rate isn’t a fluke of a small sample size — he’s also the most-picked hero in the S+ bracket, at a 42.9% pick rate, which means players are finding him both strong and genuinely easy to lean on game after game. Paige isn’t far behind, and both heroes reward players who can play aggressively around objectives rather than sitting back and farming.
Best Builds for the Six New Heroes
Early build consensus for each of the six new heroes, still evolving as more games are played:
- Calico: a stealthy diver who wants close-range fights set up with wards; run a Spirit build or a melee-leaning build similar to Abrams.
- Fathom: a close-range diver whose 4 ability and passive out-of-combat healing make him a strong jungle pick; a Weapon and Vitality build is the current standard.
- Holliday: flexible with two paths — a weapon and headshot build scaled through her 3 ability, or a full Spirit build that turns her Powder Keg (1 ability) into a serious explosive.
- Magician: his card-throw weapon takes time to land, so a Weapon build only works if you can hit consistently; most players are seeing more success with a Spirit build that scales his 1 and 2 abilities to summon a damaging copy of himself.
- Viper: built around sliding and keeping a full magazine, with Weapon-focused, utility-heavy builds. One of the most unique kits in the game, and not recommended for beginners.
- Wrecker: a hybrid hero whose Spirit-scaled ultimate hits hard, with a 1 ability that adds close-range stuns. She has a real learning curve.
Who to Avoid Right Now
At the bottom of the list, Grey Talon, Viscous, The Doorman, Warden, Mirage, and Baba are all underperforming in the current meta. That doesn’t mean they’re unplayable — Deadlock’s balance shifts quickly, and Hero Labs heroes especially could jump several tiers in the next patch — but right now, they’re a tougher way to climb.
Play Deadlock
Deadlock is a free Valve multiplayer game, playable on Steam; cosmetics and other in-game purchases can be funded with a Steam Wallet Code (US) or Steam Wallet Code (EU) from Dragon4Deals. For the full breakdown behind this list, see SeeMeta’s Deadlock tier list and esports.gg’s beginner guide to the new heroes.
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