New Deadlock patch nerfs fan-favorite hero Ivy, but Valve says think of it as a buff: "More chance for you to pick the hero"

Deadlock's latest update has nerfed everyone's favorite gargoyle-turned-vigilante Ivy, but Valve is looking on the bright side. The hero may be weaker than they once were, but that can only mean less competition when picking them in the future, right?

Not long after the new patch dropped, one fan took to the game's Discord to share their disbelief, only to be met with a rather optimistic Valve employee. "Think of it as a buff, more chance for you to pick the hero."

So what's the damage? As per Deadlock Intel, it mainly concerns the gargoyle's 'Kadzu' bomb, which summons a raft of vines that damages and slows enemies who get caught up in them. You're still getting all that goodness, though damage has been reined in, and the vertical radius is now fixed to a two-meter pancake shape. Additionally, Ivy's Air Drop explosion now respects line of sight, which isn't out of step with changes we've seen elsewhere in Deadlock for heroes like Haze and Pocket.

Elsewhere in the patch, you've got some meaty changes to another hero called Mirage. His bullet radius has been reduced to six from eight, so it won't be quite as easy to land your shots as it once was. His Tornado ability has also been reined in alongside Djinn's Mark.

Finally, there are more general updates, like reductions to respawn times, zipline boost cooldowns, and more.

We'll need to wait and see if the update affects Ivy's popularity, though fans seem pretty on board with the changes Valve has made so far. This is probably because their kit is still really strong, but also, perhaps, because they may have an easier time picking them.

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