Deadlock Guide: Mid Boss and Rejuvenator Buff Explained

The Mid-Boss in Deadlock is a powerful neutral objective. Defeating it grants permanent stat buffs and the Rejuvenator buff, allowing heroes to revive upon death. It is similar to DOTA 2's Roshan and League of Legends' Baron Nashor.

The Mid-Boss is a difficult objective to take, as it has a large amount of HP, usually requiring multiple people to take it down.

In this guide, you'll learn everything you need about the Deadlock Mid-Boss: The strategy around when and how to take it, securing the Rejuvenator buff, and how to use it to win your games.

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When the Mid-Boss is slain, each player on the killing team that killed it receives Souls equal to 3000 + 50/minute and two permanent Stat buffs.

A Rejuvenator Crystal then descends onto the center of the pit. Hitting the crystal with a heavy melee attack grants one Rejuvenator Credit to the entire team. Up to three Rejuvenator Credits can be claimed. Both teams can claim Rejuvenator Credits, making it possible to steal them after the Mid-Boss dies.

Having a Rejuvenator Credit grants the whole team the ability to revive after 3 seconds, with full HP. Reviving consumes 1 Rejuvenator Credit, and a player can only revive once. The Rejuvenator Credit lasts for 3 minutes.

Stealing the Rejuvenator Buff

The Rejuvenator Buff is the key reward for the Mid-Boss fight, and most players will try to steal it. The safest place for stealers to hide is on top of the pit, where they aren't seen and can drop down to the Crystal's location. If your team is uncontested on the Mid-Boss pit, an ally player can scout the rooms above the pit and look for enemy stealers.

The team that kills the Mid-Boss should have at least two players in the pit: One should hold Parry directly under the Crystal, while the other(s) quickly do a melee attack to grab the buff. This safely prevents enemy steals.

While the Mid-Boss is the best objective on the map, there are several variables that you must account for before rushing to take it. The tips below cover essential strategies that you must account for when trying to take the Mid-Boss.

Note that the Mid-Boss will not take damage from enemies outside the bottom pit in the room.

Don't Fight the Mid-Boss in Early Game

The Mid-Boss is especially strong during the Early Game, and players must acquire several level-ups and items before being able to secure it safely. The Mid-Boss has a regenerating Shield. This effectively nullifies any attempts to rush the Mid-Boss early in the match.

When the Mid-Boss falls below 50% HP, a global roar sound can be heard throughout the whole map, letting the enemy team know you are fighting it. In the early game, this usually means death since your team's HP will be low from fighting it, and you won't be able to finish it off before the enemy team arrives.

Get Picks Before Fighting the Mid-Boss

A 6v6 team fight in the Mid-Boss team can turn south in an instant due to the added pressure of securing the Mid-Boss and the Rejuvenator Credits.

The best way to secure a safe Mid-Boss kill is by picking out enemy players who are out of position. The enemy team won't be able to contest a 6v5 or 6v4 Mid-Boss in most cases, and even if they try to contest, your team will be in a better position to win the fight.

Remember to keep track of enemy death timers so you don't have to deal with unexpected enemies showing up mid-fight.

Use the Mid-Boss to Force Fights

If your team is ahead, getting the Mid-Boss and the Rejuvenator buff means a win in most games. Enemy teams will rush to contest you, and you can use that to your advantage: You can wait for them to come close and engage inside the close Pit.

The Mid-Boss Does Not Heal

If neither team can kill the Mid-Boss, its HP will remain the same - It will not heal back up. This can allow your team to go back to the Mid-Boss and quickly end it later, especially in lower Ranks where enemies won't scout the Mid-Boss pit often.

Push Lanes Before the Mid Boss

The Mid Boss is not the only objective in the map. If you try to take it when the lanes are pushing against your base, the enemy team could ignore you and destroy your Walkers, Base Guardians, or Shriners, potentially turning the game against you.

Some Deadlock heroes have Skills that make them a menace in Mid-Boss fights and allow them to steal the Rejuvenator buff easily. You should keep an eye out for these heroes if you try to take the Mid-Boss while they are alive:

• Abrams: His Seismic Impact allows him an easy engage from the ceiling window, and can stun the entire team and take the Rejuvenator Crystal.
• Dynamo: The Skill Singularity can displace entire teams away from the Rejuvenator Crystal.
• Kelvin: Can create an impenetrable Frozen Shelter around the Rejuvenator Crystal, allowing him to take it uncontested.
• Lash: His Ground Strike provides an instant knock-up, allowing him a sufficient window to take the Rejuvenation buff.
• McGinnis: Her Spectral Wall divides the pit in two, and stuns enemies that go through the wall.
• Pocket: Excels in dragged-out fights where he can make the most out of his Affliction debuff.
• Wraith: Can use an upgraded Telekinesis to lift up a whole team away from the Crystal.

Fights in the enemy base can take a long time, and dragged-out fights can allow the enemy team to bounce back into the game. The Rejuvenator buff allows your team to bypass the death timer and finish the enemy Patron quickly.

Trade Kills With the Enemy Team

You should not be afraid to trade kills when your team has the Rejuvenator buff, as your allies will spawn in the same position after a few seconds. This allows your team to keep up the pressure even while deep in the enemy base.

Reset and Push Lanes

If you're left with low HP after getting the Rejuvenator buff, it is safest to go back to base, use the 3,000+ Souls to buy items, and go back into action with full HP, more items, and the Rejuvenator buff. Avoid staying on low HP, since it will allow enemies to finish you off, reducing your team's Rejuvenation Credits.

Take Down Enemy Structures

Having the Rejuvenator buff means you can easily pressure the enemy side of the map and take down their structures, as you don't need to worry about dying. You should use the 3-minute buff window to secure as many objectives and structures as possible.

The Mid-Boss Rejuvenator buff is the single strongest buff in the game, and it creates a game cycle once either team is in a position to take it. As a Deadlock player, it is important to understand the game state around the Mid-Boss and the Rejuvenator buff, as it will let you follow the pace of the game and secure wins more often:

1. When one team is in the lead, or someone gets a pick on the enemy team, it creates a window for their team to start the Mid-Boss objective.
2. Once the Mid-Boss is taken down, the team that ends up having the Rejuvenator buff pushes the map and takes down Walkers, Base Guardians, and Shrines within the 3-minute Rejuvenation window.
3. When the Rejuvenation buff runs out, the team that had it resets and farms the map normally. During this phase, it is safest to siege the enemy base and farm the map without taking risks, stalling time until the next Mid-Boss spawn.

Understanding this game flow and knowing when to force team fights and get picks on enemy players will allow you to win more games. Ultimately, your ability to evaluate the game state will improve as you play more and get better at the game.