Valve just rolled out a focused but impactful November 28, 2025 patch for Deadlock that’s shaking up lane dynamics and objective value. Following the massive November 21 update that reworked trooper bounties, this latest patch fine-tunes those changes while making Walkers significantly more challenging to destroy. Here’s everything you need to know.
Table of Contents
What Changed in the November 28 Patch
This update primarily targets two critical gameplay systems: Medic Pack healing distribution and Walker scaling. While smaller in scope than the previous week’s massive overhaul, these adjustments directly impact laning phase strategy and mid-game objective prioritization.
Deadlock Key Changes Breakdown
| Feature | Previous State | New State | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medic Pack Healing | Fixed healing amount | Split evenly among nearby heroes | Rewards solo laners significantly |
| Walker Health | Constant 12,880 HP | 8,000/11,000/14,000 HP (escalating) | Each Walker kill makes others stronger |
| Medic Pack Range | Static 18m | Scales from 18m to 26m after 10 minutes | Better late-game sustain |
| Focus Lens | Previous stats | Balance adjustments | Meta normalization |
Medic Pack Healing Overhaul
The biggest change centers on how Medic Packs distribute healing. The healing now splits evenly based on the number of nearby heroes—100% for one hero, 50% for two heroes, 33% for three heroes, and so on. This fundamental shift effectively doubles healing output for solo laners while reducing the value of grouping early.
Why This Matters: Solo carry players can now sustain in lane far more effectively, collecting souls and scaling without constant support. This encourages more aggressive jungle invades and roaming from support players since carries can self-sustain through Medic Pack drops.
The pickup range also scales after 10 minutes, expanding from 18m gradually to 26m as matches progress. This quality-of-life improvement ensures late-game fights don’t force awkward positioning just to collect healing.
Walker Health Escalation System
Walkers now feature escalating health pools—starting at 8,000 HP for the first, jumping to 11,000 HP for the second, and reaching 14,000 HP for the final Walker. The model scales slightly smaller for the first and larger for the last, making the progression visually apparent.
This change accomplishes two critical objectives:
- Prevents backdooring strategies that let teams rush objectives without proper team coordination
- Extends mid-game phase by forcing strategic decisions about which objectives to prioritize
Each successful Walker takedown makes the remaining ones significantly tankier, rewarding teams that secure early objectives while punishing those who fall behind.
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Focus Lens Balance Adjustments
Following the surge in Focus Lens usage after the November 21 patch, Valve implemented balance tweaks to normalize the item’s power level. While specific stat changes weren’t detailed in the November 28 notes, the developers acknowledged the item’s overperformance and made targeted adjustments.
Strategic Implications
For Lane Phase:
- Solo laners gain massive sustain advantages through optimized Medic Pack healing
- Support players should roam more aggressively knowing carries can self-sustain
- Denying enemy Medic Packs becomes even more valuable
For Mid-Game:
- Teams must carefully plan Walker assault sequences
- First Walker kills become higher priority to avoid scaling health pools
- Objective trading becomes riskier as remaining Walkers gain strength
For Team Composition:
- Carry-focused lineups benefit significantly from solo lane sustain
- Objective-focused heroes gain value from Walker health scaling
- Early-game aggression pays bigger dividends before Walkers scale
Looking for official patch notes and updates? Visit the official Deadlock forums to stay current with every balance change.
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How These Changes Affect Your Games
The November 28 patch fundamentally shifts optimal strategies. Solo queue players will notice immediate lane phase differences—smart positioning around Medic Pack drops becomes crucial, and solo laners can now farm more aggressively.
For coordinated teams, Walker priority calculations change dramatically. The escalating health system means early Walker kills compound advantages, making map control and objective timing more important than ever.
Meta Predictions
Expect to see:
- Increased solo lane viability as carries can self-sustain effectively
- More jungle invasion strategies since supports aren’t required to babysit lanes
- Earlier Walker attempts before health pools escalate to maximum
- Carry-focused compositions taking advantage of improved lane sustain
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Should I change my laning strategy after this patch?
A: Absolutely. If you’re playing a carry hero, position yourself to consistently collect Medic Packs while denying enemy drops. The doubled healing for solo players makes aggressive farming much safer. Support players should look for roaming opportunities since carries can now sustain independently. Focus on jungle control and mid-lane pressure rather than babysitting side lanes.
Q: Which Walker should my team prioritize first after this update?
A: Always prioritize the first Walker kill, as it carries the lowest health pool at 8,000 HP. Once destroyed, the remaining Walkers jump to 11,000 and 14,000 HP respectively, making subsequent kills significantly harder. Teams that secure the first Walker gain a massive advantage, forcing enemies to overcome tankier objectives throughout the rest of the match. Coordinate early pushes to capitalize on this scaling system.
