Right now, every set of Deadlock patch notes is of the utmost importance. Valve’s upcoming MOBA shooter isn’t even out yet, but thousands of players are testing each of the heroes and mechanics with every new match. Changes big and small keep rolling in, and the entire, 21-strong roster of heroes is in the firing line. So if you’ve been playing Viscous in Deadlock and noticed some dramatic changes over the last few days, you’re not alone – Valve made him a lot stronger, but now, it’s pulling Viscous back down to Earth.
With at least 50,000 people playing Valve’s next game on Steam at any given time, the Deadlock release date can’t come soon enough. That’s not to say it doesn’t already feel like a full game, but the early build is constantly being patched, heroes are being changed, and new mechanics are coming thick and fast. Deadlock is always shifting, and hero Viscous has been the same over the past few days.
So, what exactly happened to Viscous? Well, my favorite green amorphous blob was massively buffed on Friday August 29. In the same Deadlock patch that introduced the wall jump, Viscous also got some great bonuses. Valve redesigned his primary fire to make it “more usable and have improved damage and scaling” in the multiplayer game, while also giving him a new alt fire mode with AOE damage. Viscous can also sprint faster, do more splatter damage, and his Puddle Punch and Goo Ball abilities have been buffed all around, too.
But on Sunday September 1, Valve released another Deadlock patch, and while Viscious’ buffs remain intact, there have been some sizable nerfs, too. Puddle Punch’s range has dropped from 60 to 40 meters, the cooldown to use it has gone up to 28 seconds, and the attack now knocks enemies less high into the air. The biggest nerf however is to Viscous’ ammo count: his base clip goes from 24 to 20, while the alt fire now costs five bullets.
Keep in mind that Deadlock is still invite-only stage and technically not out yet, so changes to all heroes are going to be ongoing. Valve is also planning some Deadlock MMR changes, as it admits the hero-based matchmaking system “doesn’t work very well” right now.
If you’re still not in the Deadlock playtest don’t worry, as we’ve put together exactly how to gain entry to Valve’s new MOBA. While you wait to get in though, we’ve already brought together all the best MOBAs to keep you busy in the meantime.
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