InDeadlock, a poor early game doesn’t mean the match is over. Yes, the laning phase is important, but if you’ve died a couple of times, it’s not the end of the world. Like in any other MOBA, there are plenty of ways to make a comeback. After all, it doesn’t matter which team has more kills when the Patron falls. What matters is who kills the opponent’s Patron first.
Understanding the different objectives scattered over the map and knowing when to go for them is one of the key things players will learn as they get better atDeadlock. The Mid Boss is one of these map objectives. Think of it as theRoshan inDota 2or, forLeague of Legendsplayers, the Baron Nashor.Once it’s slain, the team that kills it can claim a buff that makes their entire team stronger.This guide will help you learn everything aboutDeadlock’s Mid Boss, from how to beat it to what you get for slaying it.
What is the Mid Boss in Deadlock?
The Mid Boss is a gigantic neutral troop inDeadlocklocated in the basement of the white building (The Museum) at the center of the map. It has a huge HP pool, andspawns for the first time at the 10-minute mark.When it spawns, it lets out a loud roar that can be heard around the map. After a team kills it,it takes 7 minutes to respawn.In addition to its massive HP pool, the Mid Boss also has a damage-blocking shield that constantly regenerates, making it extremely difficult for a single hero to take it down. The Mid Boss' damage output is also quite high when it’s focusing on a single target.
To aggro the Mid Boss, players will need toget inside the pit(the lower section inside the building). If the player leaves the pit, the Mid Boss’s health will slowly regenerate, and it will stop hitting the player.
The Mid Boss can only hit one hero at a time.
When the Mid Boss' health drops to 60%, it lets out a roar that both teams can hear.This makes it impossible for one team to kill the Mid Boss without the opponent team knowing.If your team has enough damage and ahero that can healyour team, you can take the Mid Boss down before the enemy team has a chance to react. However, in most cases, you want to be prepared for a strong fight whenever you go in for the Mid Boss, as the opponent team will likely contest your claim.
You can trigger the roar from the Mid Boss to bait the enemy team to run towards the pit while your team sets up an ambush.
What Does the Mid Boss Drop in Deadlock?
When the Mid Boss is slain inDeadlock, it drops a powerful buff calledRejuvenator. It’s a green glowing crystal that descends slowly to the ground where the Mid Boss was before it was killed. This is one of the things that makes fighting the Mid Boss inDeadlocktricky. Simply killing the Mid Boss isn’t enough to grant you the buff.Only the team whose player hits the crystal gets the Rejuvenator buff.Once the Crystal drops to the ground,a player must use a Heavy Melee hit to activate the buff.The buff is granted to all players on the team of the one who got the hit.
If the enemy is contesting the Rejuvenator Buff, use Parry in front of the crystal to prevent them from stealing it.
The Rejuvenator Buff grants the following effects:
Apart from the shortened respawn timer, the effect from the Rejuvenator Buff lasts for three minutes. The respawn timer cooldown gets used up after the first death of the hero.
The boost from the Rejuvenator Buff can severely impact the flow of the match. The team that manages to claim it gets a massive edge in battle with stronger Troopers and more firepower. Even though the shortened respawn timer is in effect only once, it’s extremely powerful in the right situations.
When to Kill the Mid Boss in Deadlock
Although claiming the Rejuvenator Buff inDeadlockcan potentially win games, it doesn’t mean you should rush toward it as soon as the timer hits the 10-minute mark. Killing the Mid Boss isn’t easy, and you’ll need to build up enough damage to get through the regenerating shield to actually kill the Boss.
Even if you have enough damage, as soon as the enemy team hears the Mid Boss roar at 60% HP, they will likely contest you. If you’re not in an advantageous position at that point, they can easily win the team fight and claim the Buff for themselves. Fighting the Mid Boss requirescareful timing, coordination, and a clear-cut strategy.Having abit of Souls advantagealso doesn’t hurt.
As a rule of thumb, you’ll want to go for the Mid Boss after a big team fight when at least two or more heroes of the enemy team are dead. This means by the time they respawn, you’ll either have already claimed the Buff or be in a good position to fight them if the enemy team decides to show up.
Be aware of your opponent’smajor crowd control abilitieswhen you’re in the pit, as it can significantly impact the team fight in such a tight space.
How to Beat the Mid Boss in Deadlock
Beating the Mid Boss isn’t too difficult if you’ve gotenough weapon damage itemsand the enemy team isn’t challenging. But if your opponents know what they are doing, they will not let you get your hands on the powerful Rejuvenator Buff without a fight.
The best way to ensure you can take down the Mid Boss without getting challenged is towin a big team fight before heading into the pit.Even if you don’t manage to wipe out the entire team, taking down two or three key enemy heroes will ensure you can kill the Mid Boss before they have time to get to the pit. Also, think about the cooldown of your enemy team’s main fighting abilities. For example, the last thing you’d want is an enemyDynamo getting off a 5-man Singularityin the pit when you’re fighting the Mid Boss. Meanwhile, a Bebop firing his Hyper Beam from the floor above is enough to decimate your entire team if you’re not ready.
The Museum has several access points that lead into the Mid Boss pit. Understanding these access points can help you get into the pit more quickly or escape when things get tricky. You’ll also be able to challenge the enemy team when they are fighting the Mid Boss if you learn these access points. You can look directly into the pit from above by going up the stairs outside the Museum. In addition, there are four different entrances to the museum that you can use to flank the enemy team.
There is also a one-way vent that leads directly into the Pit from the underground level of the map.
Furthermore, even if you start hitting the Mid Boss, you are free to leave the pit without killing it. Remember, the Mid Boss' HP regenerates slowly, even when you leave the pit. So there’s no pressure to kill it in one swing. If the enemy team decides to show up to contest it, it’s better to walk out of the pit and position yourself in a way that helps you win the team fight. Once that’s done, you’re free to walk back into the pit and take the Mid Boss down inDeadlock.
