Apollo

4:59 Apollo is a Deadlock assassin who duels single targets with a rapier: he times lunges for "perfect" hits with Flawless Advance, deflects incoming damage with Riposte, leaps away with Disengaging Sigil and ends a fight with Itani Lo Sahn, a dash-slash that freezes enemies in slow motion. Valve released him on Feb 12, 2026 as the sixth and last hero of the Old Gods New Blood Update, chosen in an order players voted on (the Hero Voting drew 60,776,963 votes). He is one of Deadlock's 44 Heroes, rated complexity 2 of 3 in Valve's game files, and outlets rate him low: D tier on Dexerto's Oct 9, 2026 list and on Mobalytics' Oct 22, 2026 expert list.

Quick facts

Source: the game files as of Oct 26, 2026 (deadlock-api), Valve's May 22, 2026 update for regen, deadlock-api's hero-stats measurement for the win rate.

Abilities

Source: the game files as of Oct 26, 2026 (deadlock-api).

Disengaging Sigil draws a sigil sphere in front of Apollo that explodes for 85 damage and a 24% slow for 4 seconds while he leaps backward, per the game files as of Oct 26, 2026. Valve's Jun 11, 2026 update made the leap 50% faster and steerable with the movement keys, and rewrote all three upgrades: T1 now gives +25% fire rate and bullet speed for 8s, T2 restores a stamina and resets the air jump and dash limit on a player hit, and T3 lets him recast it within 4 seconds.

Riposte is a 0.8-second deflect stance: if an enemy hero's damage lands on it, Apollo is invulnerable for 0.3s and picks a hero within 35 m to dash to, stunning for 0.8s and cutting melee resist by 25% for 3s, per the game files as of Oct 26, 2026. Since Valve's May 22, 2026 update the dash is a choice, not automatic, and it ignores trooper, neutral, aura and objective damage. T1 takes 8s off the cooldown, T2 adds another -25% melee resist and +0.4s of stun, and T3 gives 75% bullet, spirit and melee lifesteal against the target for 13s.

2:14 Flawless Advance gives Apollo up to three lunges in any direction over 8 seconds; holding the key charges a stab from 25 to 40 damage, and releasing it in a 0.25-second "perfect window" deals 65, per the game files as of Oct 26, 2026. T1 heals 35 on a perfect hit on a hero, T2 takes 12s off the cooldown and gives +60% bullet resist during a lunge, and T3 adds 65 perfect damage with longer, faster lunges. He can parry during it since the Jun 11, 2026 update.

3:58 Itani Lo Sahn is Apollo's ultimate: a charged 27 m dash-slash that freezes struck enemies in slow motion for 1.8 seconds, unable to act or heal, then hits them for 70 plus 200 delayed damage, 60% more against enemies under half health, on a 145-second cooldown, per the game files as of Oct 26, 2026. T1 adds 8 m of dash range, T2 takes 35s off the cooldown and T3 adds 50% bonus damage.

How to play

Apollo plays as a duelist who picks off one target at a time. Mobalytics' Apollo build by Rina (updated Jul 31, 2026) calls him "a unique, high-mobility character who excels at stylish single-target assassinations", strong at all stages of the game.

His gun has no damage falloff, so he can poke in lane from range, and Mobalytics' build opens with Headshot Booster for that reason. The Laning Guide covers the shared basics of trading and farming.

7:33 His fights hinge on timing. Flawless Advance closes the gap and rewards perfect releases, Riposte punishes an enemy who commits damage into him, and Disengaging Sigil is his way out; the guide points to his air stall as what gives him "a very distinctive and flashy playstyle". Itani Lo Sahn is the finisher: its bonus against targets under half health makes it a kill button rather than an opener.

14:29 He is weakest in large teamfights. Mobalytics' Apollo guide says he "struggles in large teamfights", and Rina's build calls him "very susceptible to crowd control", which is why it buys Reactive Barrier early.

Builds

16:52 Apollo is built mostly from Spirit Items, with a few defensive Vitality Items and early Weapon Items; Items and Shop explains the shop. In deadlock-api's measurement of his games from Oct 15 to 26, 2026, Mystic Burst was bought in 87%, Mystic Expansion in 81%, Improved Spirit in 79%, Tankbuster in 78%, Extra Spirit in 72%, Boundless Spirit in 67%, Superior Cooldown in 66% and Greater Expansion in 58%.

Source: Mobalytics (Rina), Build ID 467752, updated Jul 31, 2026.

Dispel Magic is there to clear slows, silences and targeted stuns such as Graves' Grasping Hands, the build explains. Builds and Itemization covers importing builds by ID.

Counters and matchups

Apollo is countered by crowd control and by fighting him as a team. Mobalytics' guide advises forcing objectives such as the Soul Urn or Mid-Boss, trading from long range or high ground, using an early Silence Wave to stop Disengaging Sigil and Riposte, and buying Counterspell to block Itani Lo Sahn.

The Counter Items most named against him are Slowing Hex, Cursed Relic and Focus Lens, per the same guide. Mobalytics' Street Brawl guide (Aug 27, 2026) also lists Slowing Hex against Apollo, and its Bruiser Billy build buys it against him.

The measured matchups from deadlock-api's hero-versus-hero data, Oct 15 to 26, 2026, show Apollo's lowest win rates against Graves (40.8%), Paige (43.4%), Rat King (43.8%), Victor (43.9%) and Baba (44.1%), and his highest against Pocket (54.7%), Mina (54.4%), Vyper (54.3%), Mirage (54.2%) and Rem (54.0%). These are raw rates, and Graves and Rat King win most of their games against everyone.

Patch history

Valve has changed Apollo in nearly every 2026 update, mostly rebuilding Riposte and Disengaging Sigil. Newest first:

• Aug 12, 2026: Riposte's melee resist reduction from -22% to -25%; T2 became -25% melee resist and +0.4s stun; T3 from 60% lifesteal for 7s to 75% for 13s; Itani Lo Sahn no longer canceled by movement abilities (Valve).
• Jul 28, 2026: Riposte stun from 0.6s to 0.8s; T3 changed from +1.6s stun to lifesteal against the target (Valve).
• Jun 30, 2026: Riposte T1 to -8s, cast range from 25 m to 35 m; Itani Lo Sahn T3 from +40% to +50% bonus damage; every ultimate's cooldown up 15% (Valve).
• Jun 11, 2026: Disengaging Sigil faster, steerable, with three new upgrades; Apollo can parry during Flawless Advance (Valve).
• May 31, 2026: Flawless Advance T2 to -12s; Itani Lo Sahn damage from 190 to 200 and spirit scaling from 2.3 to 2.6 (Valve).
• May 22, 2026: easier-to-hit hitboxes; base regen from 2 to 1; Riposte no longer dashes automatically (Valve).
• Apr 30, 2026: bullet damage growth up 10%; Disengaging Sigil damage from 100 to 85 (Valve).
• Mar 6, 2026: bullet damage from 17 to 18.5; Riposte no longer triggered by troopers or neutrals; Itani Lo Sahn damage from 225 to 190 with more spirit scaling; Flawless Advance interrupted by stun and sleep (Valve).

Patches and Updates lists every update.

Lore

9:44 Apollo is a young noble from North Ixia, sent to New York "for his own safety", where he captains the Blackmore Academy fencing team while he waits for his father to call him home to wield the family's ancestral blade, per the game files. Valve's reveal post says that for his final blow he dons his fencer's mask and channels Ixia's might. Mobalytics' guide gives his voice actor only as Chester. The setting is on Lore and Setting.

Frequently asked questions

Is Apollo good in Deadlock? Outlets rate Apollo low in Deadlock: D tier on Dexerto's Oct 9, 2026 list and on Mobalytics' Oct 22, 2026 expert list. deadlock-api measured a 49.42% win rate for him from Oct 15 to 26, 2026, rising to 51.87% in matches averaging Phantom or higher.

When was Apollo added to Deadlock? Valve released Apollo on Feb 12, 2026, the last of six heroes in Deadlock's Old Gods, New Blood update.

How does Flawless Advance work in Deadlock? Apollo's Flawless Advance gives up to three lunges in 8 seconds; holding the key charges each stab, and releasing it in a 0.25-second window deals a 65-damage perfect hit, per Deadlock's game files as of Oct 26, 2026.

What is the best Apollo build in Deadlock? Deadlock players build Apollo around spirit damage: in deadlock-api's Oct 15 to 26, 2026 measurement, Mystic Burst, Mystic Expansion, Improved Spirit and Tankbuster were each bought in over three quarters of his games. Mobalytics' Rina build adds Reactive Barrier early against crowd control.

How do you counter Apollo in Deadlock? In Deadlock, fight Apollo as a group, silence him before he can Riposte or escape, and buy Slowing Hex, Cursed Relic, Focus Lens or Counterspell, as Mobalytics advises.

What does Apollo's ultimate do in Deadlock? Itani Lo Sahn is a 27 m dash-slash that freezes enemies in slow motion for 1.8 seconds and then deals 70 plus 200 damage, 60% more to targets under half health, on a 145-second cooldown in Deadlock's game files as of Oct 26, 2026.

Sources

• Apollo - A Cut Above, Valve, Feb 12, 2026
• Deadlock Assets API: heroes, deadlock-api (game files), read Oct 26, 2026
• Deadlock Assets API: items, deadlock-api (game files), read Oct 26, 2026
• Hero stats, Oct 15 to Oct 26, 2026, deadlock-api (measured), Oct 26, 2026
• Hero counter stats, Oct 15 to Oct 26, 2026, deadlock-api (measured), Oct 26, 2026
• Item stats for Apollo, Oct 15 to Oct 26, 2026, deadlock-api (measured), Oct 26, 2026
• Minor Update - 08-12-2026, Valve, Aug 12, 2026
• Minor Update - 07-28-2026, Valve, Jul 28, 2026
• Minor Update - 06-30-2026, Valve, Jun 30, 2026
• Minor Update - 06-11-2026, Valve, Jun 12, 2026
• Minor Update - 05-31-2026, Valve, May 31, 2026
• Gameplay Update - 05-22-2026, Valve, May 22, 2026
• Gameplay Update - 04-30-2026, Valve, Apr 30, 2026
• Gameplay Update - 03-06-2026, Valve, Mar 6, 2026
• Deadlock Apollo Guide - Abilities, Overview & More, Mobalytics, undated, read Oct 26, 2026
• Apollo Build, Mobalytics (Rina), Jul 31, 2026
• Bruiser Billy by rina, Mobalytics (rina), Oct 22, 2026
• Deadlock Street Brawl Mode Explained, Mobalytics (dxvis), Aug 27, 2026
• Expert Deadlock Tier List, Mobalytics (RinaVX), Oct 22, 2026
• Deadlock Tier List: Best characters to pick in the 2026 meta, Dexerto, Oct 9, 2026
• How to ACTUALLY Play Apollo // Deadlock Guide, FredTheFinch, Mar 8, 2026 (video)
• The Complete Lore Of Valve's Next Game | Deadlock Story Explained, OhHeckItsTristan, Mar 28, 2026 (video)