Tier List Deadlock: How to Rank Heroes Smarter

A useful Deadlock tier list is a dated, criteria-based ranking of heroes—not an official or permanent verdict. Because balance changes, new releases, team needs, and player experience can alter the result, use an editable S/A/B/C/D board instead of treating an undated “current” list as final.

What Should a Deadlock Tier List Measure?

A good tier list answers a specific question. “Which heroes are strongest?” is different from “Which heroes should I choose in my next match?” A general ranking may favor versatility and consistency, while a personal list can reflect your ability, preferred playstyle, and usual teammates.

Before ranking heroes, choose one of these lenses:

Overall strength: Heroes that perform well across a broad range of situations.
Personal priority: Heroes you understand and can play effectively.
Team-value ranking: Heroes that fill common needs or strengthen a particular lineup.
Matchup ranking: Heroes that perform especially well against certain opponents.
Beginner-friendly ranking: Heroes with straightforward mechanics and dependable value.
Current-pool ranking: Only the heroes available to you now.

Do not mix these purposes on one board. A strong all-hero ranking and a ranked list of your own six favorite heroes answer different questions.

What Do S, A, B, C, and D Mean?

The exact placements should follow your chosen criteria, but the tier labels need consistent definitions.

Tier	Meaning in a community tier list
S	Excels across the situations covered by the list and has few meaningful weaknesses.
A	Strong and dependable, although it may have noticeable conditions or matchup limits.
B	Viable and useful, but without the same consistency, impact, or flexibility as the higher tiers.
C	Situational or less reliable, requiring a particular setup or favorable matchup.
D	Lowest priority under the list’s criteria, even if the hero can work in a narrow situation.

An S-tier placement does not mean a hero wins every match. It means the hero earns a high priority under the conditions named at the top of the board.

Which Heroes Are in Deadlock Right Now?

As of October 2026, Deadlock has 44 heroes once the City Never Sleeps rollout is complete. That number covers the 38 heroes available before the update and six new ones.

The six newest heroes (City Never Sleeps, released September 29, 2026): Rat King, Baba, Deadman Danny, Nurse Harrow, Solomon and Violet. Rat King unlocked first on October 2. Players vote in the pre-game lobby to decide the order of the rest, and two heroes unlock each week until October 20.

The previous wave (Old Gods, New Blood, early 2026): Rem, Graves, Silver, Venator, Celeste and Apollo.

The rest of the roster: Abrams, Bebop, Billy, Calico, Drifter, Dynamo, Grey Talon, Haze, Holliday, Infernus, Ivy, Kelvin, Lady Geist, Lash, McGinnis, Mina, Mirage, Mo & Krill, Paige, Paradox, Pocket, Seven, Shiv, Sinclair, The Doorman, Victor, Vindicta, Viscous, Vyper, Warden, Wraith and Yamato.

Valve does not publish an official tier list, and the game is still in early development, so every ranking is a community opinion tied to a moment in time. City Never Sleeps also overhauled the map and added Corrupted items from the Broker, so placements from before the update, and early placements for the six new heroes, should be treated as provisional.

How to Make a Deadlock Tier List

Use JoltArcade’s editable Deadlock Tier List Maker to turn your research into a clear visual ranking.

1. Define the scope

Write the purpose directly on the board. For example:

Deadlock Hero Tier List — All-Round Strength
Deadlock Personal Priority List
Deadlock Tier List for My Current Hero Pool
Deadlock Matchup Rankings

Also add the date and the update you ranked, for example “City Never Sleeps, October 2026”, so readers know which version of the game the list reflects.

2. Add the full hero pool

The Deadlock Tier List Maker starts with all 44 heroes already in the pool, so nothing is missing. Do not leave out a hero simply because you dislike it; place it temporarily in C or D, then review the evidence.

Keeping the complete pool makes it easier to see whether your list favors one role, damage style, or narrow situation without realizing it.

3. Make a fast first pass

Move each hero into a tier based on your current understanding. This first pass should be fast. Its purpose is to reveal the overall shape of the list, not settle every close comparison.

A useful starting point is:

Put broadly dependable choices in S or A.
Put useful but less consistent choices in B.
Put setup-dependent choices in C.
Put the lowest-priority options under your criteria in D.

4. Score the same criteria for every hero

Use a simple rubric so a memorable match does not determine the ranking.

Criterion	Strong result	Weak result
Consistency	Performs well in common situations	Relies on an unusual setup
Impact	Frequently changes the result	Adds only a small advantage
Flexibility	Fits several plans	Works in one narrow situation
Matchup coverage	Remains useful against different opponents	Loses value when its favored conditions disappear
Ease of use	Can be played effectively with consistent execution	Requires highly specific play
Investment	Repays the time or resources spent on it	Needs too much support to become valuable

Choose the criteria that matter to your list before moving heroes again. If ease of use matters more to you than theoretical ceiling, say so. A beginner-friendly ranking is not weaker merely because it uses a different standard.

5. Resolve close comparisons side by side

When two heroes are close, compare them under the same conditions. Ask:

Which one remains useful in more matchups?
Which one has fewer demanding requirements?
Which one performs better when the match does not go as planned?
Which one better fits the role your team needs?
Which placement reflects actual play rather than one memorable result?

Move the hero higher if it creates more value across the situations you expect to play.

6. Add a reason to every important placement

A short note prevents the list from becoming an unexplained opinion. Use tags such as:

Versatile
Strong early
Needs team setup
Difficult matchup
Great personal pick
Untested at this rank

A hero in C tier because of personal experience should not appear to be objectively weak. Labeling the reason keeps your community ranking separate from a general strength ranking.

7. Review and save the snapshot

Check the entire roster one last time. Make sure similar heroes have been compared consistently and that the board has a visible date. Save or share the finished version with its criteria intact.

Reopen the board after a balance patch, new hero release, major strategy shift, or meaningful change in your own play. Until then, it remains a snapshot rather than a permanent ranking.

Should You Publish More Than One Deadlock Tier List?

Yes. Separate boards are often more useful than one compromised ranking.

A publisher might maintain:

A broad community S/A/B/C/D ranking
A current patch ranking
A best-heroes-for-beginners list
A role or team-composition ranking
A personal pick list for each author
A narrow matchup or counter list

Give each board a distinct title and purpose. This prevents a general power ranking from being mistaken for personal advice or a counter list.

Common Tier List Mistakes

Using an undated list: Old placements may no longer match current play.
Calling a personal list objective: Your experience and favorite heroes affect the result.
Ranking only familiar heroes: Put unfamiliar choices in an “Untested” area until you can evaluate them.
Mixing criteria: Do not judge every hero by ease while judging damage heroes only by maximum impact.
Overvaluing one match: A single strong performance is less useful than repeated evidence.
Ignoring team needs: A hero can be strong overall but less valuable when your team already covers the same need.

FAQ

What is the current Deadlock hero tier list?

There is no official one: Valve does not publish hero rankings, and the City Never Sleeps update (September 29, 2026) added six heroes and reworked the map, so the meta is still settling. Use a dated community ranking whose author explains the update and criteria, or build your own.

What belongs in S tier in Deadlock?

S-tier heroes should perform reliably across the situations covered by the list and offer strong impact or flexibility with few major conditions. A hero belongs there only under the ranking’s stated standard.

Is a Deadlock tier list the same as a player rank?

No. A hero tier evaluates a playable character under defined criteria, while a player rank evaluates the person’s skill rating. A strong player can perform well with heroes outside S tier, and an S-tier hero can be ineffective when used by someone who does not understand it.

How often should I update my Deadlock tier list?

Review it after a balance patch, new release, major strategy change, or meaningful shift in your own results. If none of those occur, keep the existing snapshot and its original date instead of changing placements without a reason.

How many heroes are in Deadlock?

44 after the City Never Sleeps update: 38 earlier heroes plus Rat King, Baba, Deadman Danny, Nurse Harrow, Solomon and Violet, which unlock in a player-voted order between October 2 and October 20, 2026.

How do I make my own Deadlock tier list?

Open the Deadlock Tier List Maker, define the list’s scope, add the hero pool, compare heroes with a consistent rubric, and add short reasons for important placements. Saving the criteria and date makes the result easier to understand and update.