Deadlock Ranked Guide: Ranks, Requirements & How It Works

Deadlock Ranked is the competitive mode where you earn Rank Points, climb through divisions, and face players of similar skill. Before you can enter, you must unlock Ranked and build a roster of eligible heroes.

This guide explains the current Ranked requirements, every rank, calibration matches, promotions, party rules, hero bans, and what happens when a player abandons a match.

Deadlock Standard vs. Ranked Mode

Deadlock has two main matchmaking queues. Standard Mode is for casual matches, larger parties, and learning new heroes. Ranked Mode tracks your competitive progress and comes with entry, hero, and party restrictions.

What Is Standard Mode in Deadlock?

Standard Mode is Deadlock's lower-stakes queue. It does not change your competitive rank, and there are no special limits on party size or skill differences between friends.

The matchmaker takes your experience with the selected hero into account. That makes Standard Mode useful for testing builds, practicing unfamiliar characters, and learning with friends.

It also matters for Ranked progression. You earn the 60 Standard Mode wins needed for Ranked access here, and qualifying matches help unlock individual heroes for Ranked through the 35-point system.

How to Unlock Deadlock Ranked Mode

Deadlock Ranked is not available to every new account immediately. You must complete the account-level Standard Mode requirement, prepare enough eligible heroes, and avoid active matchmaking restrictions.

• Win 60 Standard Mode matches on your account.
• Unlock at least 3 heroes for Ranked so your roster is large enough to queue.
• Earn 35 unlock points per hero you want to use in Ranked.
• Have no active sanctions, such as low-priority penalties or communication bans.

The 60 Standard wins and the hero unlock requirements are separate. You can meet the account-wide win requirement and still be unable to queue if fewer than three heroes are eligible.

How Does the 35-Point Ranked Hero Unlock Work?

Each hero needs 35 points to become eligible for Ranked. A win with that hero earns 2 points, while a loss earns 1 point. Losses still move you toward the unlock, even when your team does not win.


For a player with a 50% win rate, an unlock takes around 24 games. A player winning every match needs 18 games, while someone losing every match needs 35. Progress is tracked separately for each hero.

For example, if you have 60 Standard wins but only two heroes with 35 points each, you still need to unlock a third hero. You do not need 35 wins on each hero, only 35 points.

Note: Recently released heroes may have temporary eligibility exceptions while marked as new. Check each hero's status in the client; any temporary access does not necessarily count toward the three-hero requirement.

How Deadlock Ranked Seasons Work

Deadlock Ranked uses seasons, so players compete for a badge during each season rather than keeping one permanent visible position. The highest rank you earn is saved in your Ranked history at the end of the season.

A new season can adjust players' ranks through a soft reset and global redistribution. This is different from deleting all past skill information, and your new starting rank does not have to match the exact badge where you finished.

Returning Ranked players are not automatically required to recalibrate every season. For the current system, players who participated in the previous Ranked season receive an adjusted rank, while players without participation in that season must complete calibration.

For the detailed reset, rewards, and change history, see Valve's Ranked Beta Season 2 announcement.

Deadlock Calibration Matches Explained

If you are entering Ranked without participation in the previous season, you must complete 8 calibration matches before receiving your starting badge. Calibration uses your match results and available matchmaking history to decide where you belong.

Players who participated in the previous Ranked season do not need to play these eight matches again under the current rules. Their ranks are adjusted through the seasonal redistribution and soft reset instead.

Can You Play Calibration Matches With Friends?

No. Calibration games are solo-only. You can queue as a duo after calibration, provided both players meet the normal Ranked party and rank-distance rules.

What Is the Highest Placement Rank?

Valve raised the starting placement ceiling to Ascendant I, with possible placements up to Ascendant III based on performance in the previous season. This is a ceiling, not a guaranteed placement for winning all eight calibration matches.

Your initial rank depends on the information available to matchmaking, so the same number of calibration wins can produce different results for different players.

All Deadlock Ranks in Order

The Deadlock Ranked ladder contains 11 competitive ranks, plus Obscurus for players who have not finished calibration.

Each competitive Rank contains six Subranks, numbered from I to VI. Subrank I is the lowest stage of a Rank, while Subrank VI is the highest.


For example, a player progressing through Mystic will move from Mystic I to Mystic II, III, IV, V, and VI. After completing Mystic VI, the next promotion is Ritualist I.

How Deadlock Rank Points and Promotions Work

Each Ranked match changes your visible Rank Points. The baseline amount is 350 points per match, but the points you actually earn or lose may differ based on matchmaking expectations and win streaks.

You normally need 1,000 RP to move to the next subrank. Going from subrank VI into the next full rank requires 1,500 RP instead.


For example, if every win gives exactly 350 RP and you start from zero at Mystic VI, five wins would earn 1,750 RP, enough to pass a 1,500-point boundary. Real progression may take more or fewer games because your actual match awards can vary and losses subtract points.

Can You Lose Rank Points?

Yes. Losing Ranked games can reduce your RP and eventually lead to demotion. Winning more games than you lose helps, but the exact progress depends on your results and the points awarded for each match.

How Eternus Rank Progression Works

Once you reach Eternus I, there is no fixed number of Rank Points required for each promotion.

Instead, Eternus Subrank thresholds are updated every day. Players are separated into Subranks based on their position compared with the rest of the Eternus player pool.

This percentile system means an Eternus threshold can move even when your own Rank Points remain unchanged. Your position depends both on your results and on the performance of other high-ranked players.

Deadlock Rank Loss Protection and Demotion Shields

Demotion shields provide a limited buffer when you sit at zero Rank Points on a rank or subrank boundary. Their amount depends on your badge, so high-ranked players face less protection.


For example, a player at Mystic I with zero RP has three shields at the full-rank boundary before they can fall to Sentinel. A player at Mystic III has only one subrank shield before a drop to Mystic II becomes possible.

Phantom, Ascendant, and Eternus players have no loss-protection shields. At those ranks, a bad run of matches can cause a demotion without the same buffer available lower on the ladder.

Can You Play Deadlock Ranked With Friends?

Deadlock Ranked currently supports solo and duo parties. Larger groups must play Standard Mode.

Calibration matches are solo-only. Duo parties become available after both players finish any calibration required for their accounts.

Normal duo partners can be no more than one full Rank apart. For example, a Mystic player can queue with a Ritualist player, but not with an Emissary player.

Eternus uses stricter party rules. An Eternus player can only queue with another Eternus player, and the two players must be within three Subranks of each other.

How Ranked Hero Selection Works

Deadlock still lets players select hero preferences before joining the matchmaking queue. The matchmaker then tries to give each player one of their preferred heroes while creating a balanced team composition.

Ranked includes a pre-game waiting area after the match has been formed. During this phase, players can review both teams' initial Ranks and make limited adjustments before the game begins.

You can switch from your assigned hero to another available hero, but several restrictions apply:

• The new hero must be eligible for Ranked under the 35-point unlock system.
• The hero cannot already be selected by another player.
• Each player can change heroes only once.
• Enemy hero changes are not shown live.

The feature is designed to improve your team's overall composition. It is not intended to be a full counter-pick system where both teams repeatedly react to each other's choices.

Pre-Game Lane Changes and Match Rules

The pre-game waiting area also allows teammates to adjust their starting lanes. This gives the team time to fix an uncomfortable lane setup before the match begins.

Once the pre-game phase ends, players cannot use the zipline to swap starting lanes. Any lane changes should therefore be agreed on before entering the live match.

Pausing is also disabled until two minutes after the game has fully started. Players should use the waiting area to finish hero, lane, and strategy discussions before play begins.

Deadlock Ranked Hero Bans

Ranked matches include four hero bans. Banned heroes cannot be picked in that game, so relying on only one favorite hero can leave you with a weak backup choice.

Unlocking and practicing several heroes in Standard Mode helps you prepare for bans. Your team composition also matters, because the matchmaker may assign you one of your other preferred eligible heroes.

Deadlock Ranked Abandon Rules

Abandons now have different outcomes depending on when the player leaves, whether the leaver is in a party, and whether the remaining team completes the match.

If a Player Abandons Before Five Minutes

When a player abandons before the five-minute mark, the match is marked as safe to leave and voided for most players.

• The abandoning player receives a loss.
• Members of the abandoning player's party also receive a loss.
• The abandoning player receives leaver penalties.
• Everyone else has the match voided and may safely leave.

If a Player Abandons After Five Minutes

An abandon after five minutes does not immediately remove the possibility of earning a win.

• The abandoning player receives leaver penalties.
• The abandoning player's party receives a loss.
• Other teammates have the match voided and may safely leave.
• Teammates who stay and win still receive a win.
• If the entire affected team leaves, the game ends and the opposing team receives a win.

What Happens If Both Teams Have a Leaver?

If someone on the opposing team later abandons as well, that player and their party are penalized under the same rules.

The remaining players on either team will not receive a loss. A team only receives a win if its remaining players stay, finish the match, and win.

Deadlock Ranked Penalties

You cannot enter Ranked Mode while your account has an active sanction. This includes low-priority status, communication bans, and other active matchmaking penalties.

Leaver penalties begin with temporary queue timeouts. Repeated abandons can lead to an increasing number of required low-priority games.

Party members should also be careful when queueing together. If someone in your party abandons, the game can count as a loss for the entire party even when the other party member stays.

The Deadlock Ranked Hub

The hideout now includes a dedicated Ranked Hub. It acts as the main location for information about current and previous seasons.

The Ranked Hub includes:

• Current Ranked season information
• Past seasonal results
• Global leaderboards
• Your personal Rank history
• Your highest achieved seasonal Rank
• Seasonal commemorative items

At the end of each season, your highest achieved Rank remains permanently visible in your history. This records your best result even if you lost Rank Points before the season ended.

Deadlock Ranked Leaderboard Requirements

Deadlock has separate leaderboards for each Ranked season. To appear, you need enough recent Ranked activity in that season, and your position then depends on your competitive results.


These are participation requirements, not promises of a particular leaderboard position. Playing 50 Ranked games makes you eligible for the global leaderboard, but your results determine where you stand.

Lifetime hero wins: An older Ranked update also mentioned a 100-lifetime-win requirement for hero leaderboards. Valve's newer leaderboard announcement does not clarify whether this additional condition remains, so check your current in-game eligibility rather than assuming it has been removed.

How to Prepare for Deadlock Ranked

The easiest way to make Ranked less frustrating is to meet the entry requirements before you start worrying about your badge. Build a pool of heroes you can play well, not just the minimum three that you can select.

• Finish 60 Standard wins. Account-level access still depends on Standard victories.
• Unlock backup heroes. Aim for 35 points on several heroes so bans do not limit your options.
• Know your party restrictions. Only solo and duo Ranked parties are allowed, and skill distance matters.
• Protect your progress. You can lose RP, and higher ranks have fewer demotion protections.
• Use the pre-game waiting area. Confirm your hero and lanes before the match starts.

If you already have a rank, focus on your best heroes and match consistency. If you are entering Ranked for the first time, complete calibration before planning a longer rank climb.

Deadlock Rank Boosting and Placement Matches

There are two different stages of competitive progress: getting your first rank and improving a rank you already have. Players who must calibrate need placement matches; returning players who have a current badge can focus directly on climbing.


The Deadlock Calibration Games Boost is for players who still need placement matches. The Deadlock Rank Boost is for normal Ranked progression after placement.

Deadlock Ranked FAQ

How many wins do you need to unlock Deadlock Ranked?

You need 60 Standard Mode wins, at least three eligible heroes, and no active restrictions that block Ranked matchmaking.

How do you unlock a hero for Deadlock Ranked?

Earn 35 unlock points on that hero. A win gives two points and a loss gives one, so losses also make progress toward Ranked hero eligibility.

How many heroes do you need to play Ranked?

You need at least three Ranked-eligible heroes to queue. Each additional hero must meet its own unlock requirement before you can select it.

How many Deadlock calibration matches are there?

Players who need to calibrate complete eight solo matches. Under the current seasonal rules, returning Ranked players who participated in the previous season do not have to recalibrate.

Can you play calibration games with a friend?

No. Calibration matches must be played solo. After calibration, Ranked supports duo parties that meet the rank-distance rules.

What is the highest placement rank in Deadlock?

The announced placement ceiling is Ascendant I, with potential for Ascendant III based on previous-season performance. Your actual placement may be lower.

How many Rank Points do you get per match?

The current baseline is 350 RP per match. Actual point changes can vary based on matchmaking expectations and other progression factors.

How many Rank Points are needed to rank up?

Normal subrank promotions require 1,000 RP. Moving from subrank VI into the next full badge requires 1,500 RP.

Can you duo in Deadlock Ranked?

Yes. Ranked allows solo or duo queues. Most duo partners must be within one full rank, while Eternus players can only queue together within three subranks.

Can you change heroes before a Ranked match?

Yes. You can swap once to another eligible, unselected hero in the pre-game waiting area. Enemy hero swaps are not shown live.

How many heroes are banned in Deadlock Ranked?

Four heroes are banned per Ranked match.

Does an abandoned match count as a loss?

The leaver and their party normally receive a loss, while other players may have the match voided. Teammates who stay and win after an abandon can still earn a victory under the stated rules.

How many demotion shields do you get?

Below Phantom, players receive three shields at a full-rank boundary and one at a subrank boundary. Phantom, Ascendant, and Eternus have no demotion shields.

What is the difference between calibration and Rank Boosting?

Calibration determines your starting rank through placement matches when required. Rank Boosting helps you climb from an existing rank to a target badge.

Final Thoughts on Deadlock Ranked

Deadlock Ranked rewards players who understand their heroes and perform consistently. Learn the 35-point hero unlock rules, build a flexible roster, and know how Rank Points, shields, and placement matches work before starting your climb.