Deadlock is built so that a lead is never completely safe. The team that’s behind gets several boosts to help it catch up. If you’re ahead, you need to understand them so you don’t throw. If you’re behind, they’re your way back into the game.
The comeback systems
1. Bigger kill bounties on fed players
If the player you kill has a higher net worth than your team’s average, you get a bigger bounty: up to 126.8% more souls than normal.
Some of this extra bounty is shared out: 70% of excess comeback bounties earned by above-average players on the losing team goes to their two poorest teammates.
2. Income boost
The team that’s behind gets up to 26% more souls from troopers, jungle camps and Sinner’s Sacrifice. The bonus:
- ignores the first 3,000 souls of the gap, and
- reaches its maximum when the gap is 20% of net worth.
3. Passive income for the poorest players
After the 8-minute mark, the two lowest net-worth players on each team passively earn a small share of their team’s soul income: 2.5% and 1.5%.
4. Bigger Soul Urn rewards
The Urn pays more depending on how far behind the delivering team is and how long the game has gone on. Carriers on a losing team also get extra bullet, spirit and debuff resist, up to 40% at 30 minutes. See the Soul Urn.
5. Unstable Rift resistances
When the losing team contests the Unstable Rift, it gets resist bonuses that grow over the game: 10% plus 1% per minute, up to 40% at 30 minutes. It also gets bonus Rift Troopers when it wins the Rift.
6. Longer respawns for players who are ahead
After 10 minutes, if you’re killed while your net worth is 15% or more above the killing team’s average, your respawn takes 6 to 22 seconds longer, depending on the gap and the match time.
Patch note (September 16, 2026): Valve removed the flat bonuses for small net-worth gaps and made the Rift resistance grow with game time, so comebacks now depend more on real deficits and long games.
If you’re behind
- Hunt the fed enemy. Their bounty is huge. A coordinated pick on the enemy carry can swing thousands of souls.
- Run every Urn. You get bigger rewards and extra resists while carrying.
- Contest the Rift. Your resistance bonus makes fights there fairer.
- Farm safely. Your income boost means safe farming closes the gap even without fights.
- Defend at home. Fighting near your own Guardians and troopers is easier than chasing the enemy across the map.
- Don’t give up. These systems are designed so games turn around.
If you’re ahead
- Don’t die for nothing. Every death gives the enemy a boosted bounty and gives you a longer respawn.
- Turn kills into objectives. A soul lead is temporary; destroyed Walkers and Shrines aren’t.
- Protect your carry. The richest player is the enemy’s best target. Keep them with the team.
- Deny the Urn. Their Urn pays them more than yours pays you.
- Close the game. The longer it goes, the stronger some comeback systems get. See the Patron for how to finish.
Next: Farming routes →
Frequently asked questions
Does Deadlock have comeback mechanics?
Yes, several. Teams that are behind earn bigger bounties for killing players who are ahead, up to 26% more income from troopers and the jungle, bigger Soul Urn rewards, resistances when fighting for the Unstable Rift, and passive souls for their two poorest players.
Why did I get so few souls for a kill?
Kill bounties depend on the gap in net worth. Killing players who are behind your team pays less, while killing a fed enemy when you're behind can pay up to 126.8% more than the base bounty.
Why is my respawn timer so long?
After 10 minutes, if your net worth is at least 15% above the average of the team that killed you, your respawn timer gets 6 to 22 seconds longer, depending on how far ahead you are and the match time.
Numbers on this page are checked against the game and the community-run Deadlock Wiki. Spotted something a patch changed? Tell us.