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Deadman Danny portrait Venator portrait

Deadman Danny vs Venator

Low threat

Written for the Deadman Danny player. Playing Venator? See Venator vs Deadman Danny →

Deadman Danny is favoured. Deadman Danny wins 39.2% of 5,867 games against Venator (+2.9 points vs Deadman Danny’s usual 36.3%).

How to win as Deadman Danny

  1. RuleDo not commit before Hex-Lined Snap Trap Hex-Lined Snap Trap 28s Cooldown Kicks out a trap that arms after a short delay and then sits on the ground for up to 30 seconds. Crowd Control 1.25s immobilize (T2 pushes it to 2.25s) Damage 80 spirit (about 2.2x spirit scaling); Defensive Acts as a tripwire behind Venator so flankers cannot reach him unpunished 1 -11s cooldown (28s base) 2 +1s immobilize duration 5 +1 charge and +30% damage dealt to revealed targets is gone. Hex-Lined Snap Trap Hex-Lined Snap Trap 28s Cooldown Kicks out a trap that arms after a short delay and then sits on the ground for up to 30 seconds. Crowd Control 1.25s immobilize (T2 pushes it to 2.25s) Damage 80 spirit (about 2.2x spirit scaling); Defensive Acts as a tripwire behind Venator so flankers cannot reach him unpunished 1 -11s cooldown (28s base) 2 +1s immobilize duration 5 +1 charge and +30% damage dealt to revealed targets first — it is his only reliable hard lock and it has 2 charges on an 8s recharge, so trip both with a wave before rotating
  2. Watch out Consecrating Grenade Consecrating Grenade 25s Cooldown Lobs a grenade that bounces once or twice before detonating in a roughly 4.5m area. Damage 35 impact (about 1.0x weapon scaling) plus roughly 10 burn DPS (about 1.6x… 1 -5s cooldown (25s base) 2 +1.5m radius and +1s burn duration 5 an additional 20% healing reduction on top of the base 30%, and grants extra charges applies 30-50% healing reduction before his team commits, so your Restorative Shot Restorative Shot 800 souls Tier 1WeaponPassive +6s Cooldown +100% Proc Chance +50 Healing From Heroes +20 Healing From NPCs / Orbs +6% Weapon Damage , Healing Rite Healing Rite 800 souls Tier 1ArmorPress +70s Cooldown +0.2s Cast Delay +20s Regen Duration and Lifesteal all stop mattering for 3.5-4.5 seconds
  3. Your edgeYou choose the terms of engagement (Deadman Danny Deadman Danny New hero Released 13 October Released 13 October. A jetpack-flying rocketeer: Strix Salvo plants missiles that mark enemies for his charged rockets, Chimera Mk1 lets him fly until it overheats into a crash-landing explosion, Jettison Fuel sprays fire that strips bullet resist, and Close The Deal grabs an enemy, flies them up and drops them. 3/3 against Venator 1/3).
  4. Buy Majestic Leap Majestic Leap 3,200 souls · Tier 3 · Armor · InstantCast +45s Cooldown +5s Interrupt Cooldown +100% Air Control +50% Air Control +32% Move Speed +2.5s Slow Duration +8s Barrier Duration — Venator's Ira Domini Ira Domini 15s Duration160s Cooldown For a limited window Venator loads three heavy stakes instead of normal bolts. Damage 120 per stake (about 1.5x weapon scaling); Mobility T1 grants +1.2 m/s move speed while active 1 +1.2 m/s move speed while Ira Domini is active 2 -15s cooldown (160s base) and +65 bonus damage 5 all three stakes become blessed — that is the zoning and area denial this answers. Buy to escape ground-based lockdown and to rotate across the map quickly.
The numbers: lane, whole match and Oracle and above
GamesDeadman Danny winsvs Deadman Danny's usualSample
Whole match 39.2% +2.9 pts (36.3% overall) 5,867 games
Sharing a lane 39.0% +2.7 pts (36.3% overall) 1,950 games
Oracle and above 29.9% +1.1 pts (28.8% at Oracle+) 348 games

"Sharing a lane" counts only games where both were assigned the same lane — the laning matchup itself. "Oracle and above" counts only matches whose average rank was Oracle and above. Source: deadlock-api.com, refreshed daily.

Data-supported Measured: you win 39.2% of these, which is 2.9 points above your overall win rate (5,867 matches). The kit-based model agrees. Ranked against this hero's own baseline win rate, not raw win rate. Source: deadlock-api.com.

What should I do right now?

Do

  • Plan for Majestic Leap Majestic Leap 3,200 souls Tier 3ArmorInstantCast +45s Cooldown +5s Interrupt Cooldown +100% Air Control +50% Air Control +32% Move Speed +2.5s Slow Duration +8s Barrier Duration — know which tier it sits in so you are not improvising at the shop.
  • Know what Hex-Lined Snap Trap Hex-Lined Snap Trap 28s Cooldown Kicks out a trap that arms after a short delay and then sits on the ground for up to 30 seconds. Crowd Control 1.25s immobilize (T2 pushes it to 2.25s) Damage 80 spirit (about 2.2x spirit scaling); Defensive Acts as a tripwire behind Venator so flankers cannot reach him unpunished 1 -11s cooldown (28s base) 2 +1s immobilize duration 5 +1 charge and +30% damage dealt to revealed targets looks like. It is the cooldown this lane revolves around.

Avoid

  • Walking to lane on the same path every wave against a hero with Venator's engage range.

Do

  • Below-average movement speed (6.4 m/s) means he cannot dodge-dance in lane or rotate away from a gank the way Vindicta or Yamato can
  • No self-heal or barrier at all, so once an enemy anti-heals him back he has no answer
  • Strix Salvo Strix Salvo 35m Range30s Cooldown Danny fires a salvo of spirit missiles that stick in the ground along a line he aims by holding and dragging. Crowd Control A 40% slow that fades over 1.5s each time a charged shot consumes a mark. Damage 27 spirit damage per missile (+0.74 per Spirit) in a 3.5m blast. Defensive A line of missiles across a street or a doorway punishes anyone who chases… 1 -12s cooldown 2 +20 damage and +35 marked damage 5 +2 missiles, longer range, and better Spirit scaling zones the lane and marks a laner for extra damage from his charged shots

Avoid

  • Consecrating Grenade Consecrating Grenade 25s Cooldown Lobs a grenade that bounces once or twice before detonating in a roughly 4.5m area. Damage 35 impact (about 1.0x weapon scaling) plus roughly 10 burn DPS (about 1.6x… 1 -5s cooldown (25s base) 2 +1.5m radius and +1s burn duration 5 an additional 20% healing reduction on top of the base 30%, and grants extra charges denies the enemy laner's Healing Rite Healing Rite 800 souls Tier 1ArmorPress +70s Cooldown +0.2s Cast Delay +20s Regen Duration and regen trades in a fixed 1v1 lane where the 4.5m burn is hard to fully avoid
  • Hex-Lined Snap Trap Hex-Lined Snap Trap 28s Cooldown Kicks out a trap that arms after a short delay and then sits on the ground for up to 30 seconds. Crowd Control 1.25s immobilize (T2 pushes it to 2.25s) Damage 80 spirit (about 2.2x spirit scaling); Defensive Acts as a tripwire behind Venator so flankers cannot reach him unpunished 1 -11s cooldown (28s base) 2 +1s immobilize duration 5 +1 charge and +30% damage dealt to revealed targets placed behind the enemy's own guardian or on their retreat path punishes any greedy last-hit push

Do

  • Their first real spike is laning 0-10min — respect it from that point, not before.
  • Your spike is ult unlock: Close The Deal Close The Deal 10m Range135s Cooldown Danny grabs a nearby enemy and flies them high into the air, then crashes back to the ground. Crowd Control The grab itself takes the target out of the fight, then a 0.5s stun on… Damage 70 spirit damage on impact (+1 per Spirit) plus 3 per metre fallen (+0.09… Mobility Flies Danny and the target high into the air and lands them nearby. 1 +50 damage 2 -35s cooldown 5 +0.5s stun and +8 damage per metre adds a grab that carries one enemy out of a fight and stuns them

Avoid

  • Taking an even fight against Venator on their spike timing when you could take the same fight ten minutes later on yours.

Do

  • Watch for Gutshot Gutshot 10m Range23s Cooldown A point-blank shotgun burst within about 10m that shoves everyone hit backwards. Crowd Control knockback on everyone hit; Damage 60 base (about 0.7x weapon scaling) plus 30 bonus (about 0.8x scaling) when… Mobility none for Venator himself 1 +25 damage 2 -10s cooldown (23s base) and +0.4s stun duration 5 after a wall stun, Venator's next heavy melee becomes blessed . Fight Venator away from walls and railings — in open ground Gutshot Gutshot 10m Range23s Cooldown A point-blank shotgun burst within about 10m that shoves everyone hit backwards. Crowd Control knockback on everyone hit; Damage 60 base (about 0.7x weapon scaling) plus 30 bonus (about 0.8x scaling) when… Mobility none for Venator himself 1 +25 damage 2 -10s cooldown (23s base) and +0.4s stun duration 5 after a wall stun, Venator's next heavy melee becomes blessed is a 10m nudge with no Stun attached
  • Bait the trap with a minion wave, a summon or a zipline arrival before you walk any choke he has been defending

Avoid

  • Spending your own escape before Hex-Lined Snap Trap Hex-Lined Snap Trap 28s Cooldown Kicks out a trap that arms after a short delay and then sits on the ground for up to 30 seconds. Crowd Control 1.25s immobilize (T2 pushes it to 2.25s) Damage 80 spirit (about 2.2x spirit scaling); Defensive Acts as a tripwire behind Venator so flankers cannot reach him unpunished 1 -11s cooldown (28s base) 2 +1s immobilize duration 5 +1 charge and +30% damage dealt to revealed targets is on cooldown.

Venator’s abilities

  • Gutshot Gutshot 10m Range23s Cooldown A point-blank shotgun burst within about 10m that shoves everyone hit backwards. Crowd Control knockback on everyone hit; Damage 60 base (about 0.7x weapon scaling) plus 30 bonus (about 0.8x scaling) when… Mobility none for Venator himself 1 +25 damage 2 -10s cooldown (23s base) and +0.4s stun duration 5 after a wall stun, Venator's next heavy melee becomes blessed Ability 2

    Being moved is the damage here, because of what follows it: knockback on everyone hit; 0.6s Stun on targets driven into a wall (T2 adds +0.4s, so up to 1.0s).

    • Fight Venator away from walls and railings — in open ground Gutshot is a 10m nudge with no Stun attached
    • Divers with Unstoppable Unstoppable 6,400 souls Tier 4ArmorInstantCast +60s Cooldown +5.5s Duration +125 Bonus Health +25% Debuff Resist Builds from Debuff Reducer (Warden's T3 Last Stand Last Stand 6s Duration180s Cooldown After a two-second charge-up, Warden pulses damage in a wide radius around himself twice a second, healing for a large share of the damage he deals. Crowd Control none directly — its power comes from being paired with Binding Word Damage 70 DPS base (about 1.3x spirit scaling) over 6s in a 12m radius; Mobility none, and he is channelling 1 +4m radius (12m base up to 16m) 2 +40.5 DPS and -30s cooldown (180s base) 5 +4s duration and Unstoppable plus +30% resists while channelling , Abrams' Siege, Yamato's Shadow Transformation Shadow Transformation 5s Duration150s Cooldown Yamato transforms with an initial invincible window, refreshes her ability cooldowns, and for the duration casts them much faster while immune to negative status effects and heavily… Damage No direct damage; the power is in refreshed abilities cast 60% faster Mobility T2 adds +4 m/s move speed during the transformation, on top of her already… Defensive Initial invincibility during the 1.5s transformation channel, immunity to… 1 +7 weapon damage 2 +4 m/s move speed and -20s cooldown (150s base) 5 +3s duration (5s base up to 8s) and +30% bullet resist and +30% spirit resist status immunity) walk through the shove and the Stun
    • Do not back yourself into a corner while pressuring him; the shove has no value if there is nothing behind you
  • Hex-Lined Snap Trap Hex-Lined Snap Trap 28s Cooldown Kicks out a trap that arms after a short delay and then sits on the ground for up to 30 seconds. Crowd Control 1.25s immobilize (T2 pushes it to 2.25s) Damage 80 spirit (about 2.2x spirit scaling); Defensive Acts as a tripwire behind Venator so flankers cannot reach him unpunished 1 -11s cooldown (28s base) 2 +1s immobilize duration 5 +1 charge and +30% damage dealt to revealed targets Ability 3

    A second source of hard control: 1.25s immobilize (T2 pushes it to 2.25s).

    • Push a minion wave, a Seven stormcloud drone, an Ivy ally or any summon down a choke first — the trap springs on the first thing through
    • Vary your rotation path; traps cover fixed geometry, so take the zipline or the roof instead of the same Haunt Haunts Neutral camps Lanes and Districts across the map Haunts replace the old neutral camps. They are not a reskin: each type behaves differently, and the health bar now shows a camp's soul value and how hard it is, so you can decide whether a camp is worth your time before you start shooting. Three eye colours mark the tier — teal for tier I, yellow for tier II, red for tier III. Souls 4168181 souls tier I / II / III a creep +0.44 / +0.73 / +1.95 a minute -camp door twice
    • On Graves, shoot the trap: since the 09-29-2026 patch her gun destroys it outright
  • Ira Domini Ira Domini 15s Duration160s Cooldown For a limited window Venator loads three heavy stakes instead of normal bolts. Damage 120 per stake (about 1.5x weapon scaling); Mobility T1 grants +1.2 m/s move speed while active 1 +1.2 m/s move speed while Ira Domini is active 2 -15s cooldown (160s base) and +65 bonus damage 5 all three stakes become blessed Ultimate

    His kill-confirm. After a Root, a wall Stun or an anti-heal burn he loads up and converts, and the blessed final stake takes a target that thinks it has escaped at low HP.

    • Ira Domini is a loud, visible transformation — the moment you see him load stakes, break line of sight for the 15s window instead of trading
    • Bullet Resist items ( Enduring Speed Enduring Speed 1,600 souls Tier 2ArmorPassive +25% Slow Resist +2 Out of Combat Regen Builds from Sprint Boots line, Metal Skin Metal Skin 3,200 souls Tier 3ArmorInstantCast +24s Cooldown +5s Duration +12% Bullet Resist -20% Dash Distance , Bullet Armor) cut the 120-per-stake body damage, though not the blessed pure-damage portion
    • At low HP, the 8% execute means a Restorative Shot Restorative Shot 800 souls Tier 1WeaponPassive +6s Cooldown +100% Proc Chance +50 Healing From Heroes +20 Healing From NPCs / Orbs +6% Weapon Damage or Colossus Colossus 6,400 souls Tier 4ArmorInstantCast +37s Cooldown +7s Duration +25% Base Health +15% Weapon Damage +35% Bullet Resist +35% Spirit Resist +24% Move Speed -22% Dash Distance +20% Model Scale +30% Melee Damage Builds from Extra Health that puts you over the threshold is worth more than a damage item
  1. 1 Hex-Lined Snap Trap Hex-Lined Snap Trap 28s Cooldown Kicks out a trap that arms after a short delay and then sits on the ground for up to 30 seconds. Crowd Control 1.25s immobilize (T2 pushes it to 2.25s) Damage 80 spirit (about 2.2x spirit scaling); Defensive Acts as a tripwire behind Venator so flankers cannot reach him unpunished 1 -11s cooldown (28s base) 2 +1s immobilize duration 5 +1 charge and +30% damage dealt to revealed targets

    Hex-Lined Snap Trap first — it is his only reliable hard lock and it has 2 charges on an 8s recharge, so trip both with a wave before rotating

  2. 2 Gutshot Gutshot 10m Range23s Cooldown A point-blank shotgun burst within about 10m that shoves everyone hit backwards. Crowd Control knockback on everyone hit; Damage 60 base (about 0.7x weapon scaling) plus 30 bonus (about 0.8x scaling) when… Mobility none for Venator himself 1 +25 damage 2 -10s cooldown (23s base) and +0.4s stun duration 5 after a wall stun, Venator's next heavy melee becomes blessed

    Gutshot second — it is his self-peel; once it is on a 13-23s cooldown a melee diver can sit on him with impunity

  3. 3 Consecrating Grenade Consecrating Grenade 25s Cooldown Lobs a grenade that bounces once or twice before detonating in a roughly 4.5m area. Damage 35 impact (about 1.0x weapon scaling) plus roughly 10 burn DPS (about 1.6x… 1 -5s cooldown (25s base) 2 +1.5m radius and +1s burn duration 5 an additional 20% healing reduction on top of the base 30%, and grants extra charges

    Consecrating Grenade third — force it out on a frontliner so your support can heal freely for the next 20-25s

The matchup in detail

  • Currently the weakest hero in this group by win rate (roughly 45% as of the 09-09 to 09-20 2026 sample on deadlock.io) Strong evidence
  • Zero sustain, zero barrier and no escape ability — the entire kit is offense and control Strong evidence
  • 6.4 m/s base speed makes him the slowest of this group and an easy gank target Strong evidence
  • Consecrating Grenade Consecrating Grenade 25s Cooldown Lobs a grenade that bounces once or twice before detonating in a roughly 4.5m area. Damage 35 impact (about 1.0x weapon scaling) plus roughly 10 burn DPS (about 1.6x… 1 -5s cooldown (25s base) 2 +1.5m radius and +1s burn duration 5 an additional 20% healing reduction on top of the base 30%, and grants extra charges applies 30-50% healing reduction before his team commits, so your Restorative Shot Restorative Shot 800 souls Tier 1WeaponPassive +6s Cooldown +100% Proc Chance +50 Healing From Heroes +20 Healing From NPCs / Orbs +6% Weapon Damage , Healing Rite Healing Rite 800 souls Tier 1ArmorPress +70s Cooldown +0.2s Cast Delay +20s Regen Duration and Lifesteal all stop mattering for 3.5-4.5 seconds Strong evidence
  • Hex-Lined Snap Trap Hex-Lined Snap Trap 28s Cooldown Kicks out a trap that arms after a short delay and then sits on the ground for up to 30 seconds. Crowd Control 1.25s immobilize (T2 pushes it to 2.25s) Damage 80 spirit (about 2.2x spirit scaling); Defensive Acts as a tripwire behind Venator so flankers cannot reach him unpunished 1 -11s cooldown (28s base) 2 +1s immobilize duration 5 +1 charge and +30% damage dealt to revealed targets sitting invisible-until-triggered on your flank route roots you for 1.25-2.25s and reveals you for 6s, which is almost always a 5-on-4 for his team Strong evidence
  • Gutshot Gutshot 10m Range23s Cooldown A point-blank shotgun burst within about 10m that shoves everyone hit backwards. Crowd Control knockback on everyone hit; Damage 60 base (about 0.7x weapon scaling) plus 30 bonus (about 0.8x scaling) when… Mobility none for Venator himself 1 +25 damage 2 -10s cooldown (23s base) and +0.4s stun duration 5 after a wall stun, Venator's next heavy melee becomes blessed into a wall is a 0.6-1.0s Stun plus 90 damage, and in corridors or around the Patron that is a free chain into his whole kit Strong evidence
  • Ira Domini Ira Domini 15s Duration160s Cooldown For a limited window Venator loads three heavy stakes instead of normal bolts. Damage 120 per stake (about 1.5x weapon scaling); Mobility T1 grants +1.2 m/s move speed while active 1 +1.2 m/s move speed while Ira Domini is active 2 -15s cooldown (160s base) and +65 bonus damage 5 all three stakes become blessed stakes hit for 120 each with a blessed stake adding 115 pure damage and executing anyone under 8% max health — running away at low HP does not work Strong evidence
  • Since the 09-16-2026 patch his stakes Ricochet Ricochet 6,400 souls Tier 4WeaponPassive +65% Ricochet Damage +18% Fire Rate and split, so standing in a line behind a focused ally now shares the ultimate damage across your team Strong evidence
  • Your mobility is a real advantage here, and Venator's slows exist to delete it. Note that Debuff Resist barely helps against short hard slows because it only trims duration — spacing and cover do more than an item will. Strong evidence
  • Bait the trap with a minion wave, a summon or a zipline arrival before you walk any choke he has been defending Strong evidence
  • Fight him in open ground — away from walls, Gutshot Gutshot 10m Range23s Cooldown A point-blank shotgun burst within about 10m that shoves everyone hit backwards. Crowd Control knockback on everyone hit; Damage 60 base (about 0.7x weapon scaling) plus 30 bonus (about 0.8x scaling) when… Mobility none for Venator himself 1 +25 damage 2 -10s cooldown (23s base) and +0.4s stun duration 5 after a wall stun, Venator's next heavy melee becomes blessed is only a knockback and he has no Hard CC left Strong evidence
  • Punish his 6.4 m/s speed: he cannot disengage, so gap-closers (Yamato's Flying Slash Flying Slash 26m Range36s Cooldown Throws a grappling hook at an enemy and pulls herself to them, landing a light melee hit and leaving them significantly slowed on arrival. Crowd Control -40% movement slow for 2.5s on the target Damage 66 melee damage Mobility Pulls her to the target from 26m base (T3 adds +15m, up to 41m) 1 -18s cooldown (36s base down to 18s) 2 gain +35 Spirit Power for 6s 5 alt-cast to grapple allies, +15m cast range, and +1 charge , Abrams' Shoulder Charge Shoulder Charge 1.4s Duration33s Cooldown Abrams barrels forward, scooping up any hero he contacts and carrying them along. Crowd Control Stun on wall impact only. Damage 30 base impact damage (deadlock.one). Mobility Forward charge with a speed bonus after connecting with a hero. 1 applies a 32% move-speed slow for 3s, giving the ability value even when no wall is… 2 +0.8s wall-slam stun duration 5 roughly -18s cooldown and +1.5 weapon damage for 6s after hitting a hero , Wraith's Project Mind Project Mind 25m Range46s Cooldown After a brief channel, Wraith teleports to a chosen location at range. Mobility Teleport up to 25m (T1 adds +15m, so up to 40m) after a 0.75-0.8s… Defensive T2 grants a 300 barrier for 5s on arrival, scaling with Spirit Power, which… 1 +15m cast range (25m base up to 40m) 2 300 barrier for 5s on arrival, scaling with Spirit Power 5 -32s cooldown (46s base down to 14s) ) reach him and he cannot leave Strong evidence
  • Delay big heals until his grenade burn expires rather than healing into 30-50% reduction Strong evidence
  • Bullet-resist items blunt his weapon-scaling kit far more than Spirit Resist does, since Consecrating Grenade Consecrating Grenade 25s Cooldown Lobs a grenade that bounces once or twice before detonating in a roughly 4.5m area. Damage 35 impact (about 1.0x weapon scaling) plus roughly 10 burn DPS (about 1.6x… 1 -5s cooldown (25s base) 2 +1.5m radius and +1s burn duration 5 an additional 20% healing reduction on top of the base 30%, and grants extra charges , Gutshot Gutshot 10m Range23s Cooldown A point-blank shotgun burst within about 10m that shoves everyone hit backwards. Crowd Control knockback on everyone hit; Damage 60 base (about 0.7x weapon scaling) plus 30 bonus (about 0.8x scaling) when… Mobility none for Venator himself 1 +25 damage 2 -10s cooldown (23s base) and +0.4s stun duration 5 after a wall stun, Venator's next heavy melee becomes blessed and Ira Domini Ira Domini 15s Duration160s Cooldown For a limited window Venator loads three heavy stakes instead of normal bolts. Damage 120 per stake (about 1.5x weapon scaling); Mobility T1 grants +1.2 m/s move speed while active 1 +1.2 m/s move speed while Ira Domini is active 2 -15s cooldown (160s base) and +65 bonus damage 5 all three stakes become blessed all scale off weapon damage Strong evidence
  • The moment Gutshot Gutshot 10m Range23s Cooldown A point-blank shotgun burst within about 10m that shoves everyone hit backwards. Crowd Control knockback on everyone hit; Damage 60 base (about 0.7x weapon scaling) plus 30 bonus (about 0.8x scaling) when… Mobility none for Venator himself 1 +25 damage 2 -10s cooldown (23s base) and +0.4s stun duration 5 after a wall stun, Venator's next heavy melee becomes blessed and both Snap Trap charges are on cooldown, he has no CC and no escape — that is the all-in window Strong evidence
  • During the 2.8s weapon reload (33-round magazine at nearly 8 shots/sec empties fast) Strong evidence
  • The arming delay on a freshly kicked trap: the trap does nothing for that brief period, so pushing through immediately after you watch him kick it is safe Strong evidence
  • After all three Ira Domini Ira Domini 15s Duration160s Cooldown For a limited window Venator loads three heavy stakes instead of normal bolts. Damage 120 per stake (about 1.5x weapon scaling); Mobility T1 grants +1.2 m/s move speed while active 1 +1.2 m/s move speed while Ira Domini is active 2 -15s cooldown (160s base) and +65 bonus damage 5 all three stakes become blessed stakes are spent, his damage collapses back to a 63.5 DPS bolt gun for the next ~145 seconds Strong evidence
  • Any moment he is in open ground away from walls: his Hard CC is trap-only and traps must be pre-placed Strong evidence
  • Being stunned by Venator now pauses your reload rather than restarting it, as of 09-16-2026. That quietly changes when it is safe to reload in this matchup: a reload caught by their Stun resumes where it left off instead of costing you the whole cycle, so the old rule of never reloading inside their engagement range is too conservative now. The compensating change is that parrying also pauses your reload, so a defensive parry no longer buys you free reload time. Documented
  • Your escape route is vertical and the 09-16-2026 patch aimed at exactly that: slows now affect air drag at 35% of their value, where previously they mostly did not bite in the air. Going airborne to break Venator's slow no longer restores your full movement — you carry a fraction of it into the air with you, at the moment you are also a stationary silhouette. The slow cut of ~20% partly offsets it, but the net is that air-escaping a slow is worse this patch than last. Documented
  • Consecrating Grenade Consecrating Grenade 25s Cooldown Lobs a grenade that bounces once or twice before detonating in a roughly 4.5m area. Damage 35 impact (about 1.0x weapon scaling) plus roughly 10 burn DPS (about 1.6x… 1 -5s cooldown (25s base) 2 +1.5m radius and +1s burn duration 5 an additional 20% healing reduction on top of the base 30%, and grants extra charges denies the enemy laner's Healing Rite Healing Rite 800 souls Tier 1ArmorPress +70s Cooldown +0.2s Cast Delay +20s Regen Duration and regen trades in a fixed 1v1 lane where the 4.5m burn is hard to fully avoid Strong evidence
  • Hex-Lined Snap Trap Hex-Lined Snap Trap 28s Cooldown Kicks out a trap that arms after a short delay and then sits on the ground for up to 30 seconds. Crowd Control 1.25s immobilize (T2 pushes it to 2.25s) Damage 80 spirit (about 2.2x spirit scaling); Defensive Acts as a tripwire behind Venator so flankers cannot reach him unpunished 1 -11s cooldown (28s base) 2 +1s immobilize duration 5 +1 charge and +30% damage dealt to revealed targets placed behind the enemy's own guardian or on their retreat path punishes any greedy last-hit push Strong evidence
  • Below-average movement speed (6.4 m/s) means he cannot dodge-dance in lane or rotate away from a gank the way Vindicta or Yamato can Strong evidence
  • No self-heal or barrier at all, so once an enemy anti-heals him back he has no answer Strong evidence
  • Strix Salvo Strix Salvo 35m Range30s Cooldown Danny fires a salvo of spirit missiles that stick in the ground along a line he aims by holding and dragging. Crowd Control A 40% slow that fades over 1.5s each time a charged shot consumes a mark. Damage 27 spirit damage per missile (+0.74 per Spirit) in a 3.5m blast. Defensive A line of missiles across a street or a doorway punishes anyone who chases… 1 -12s cooldown 2 +20 damage and +35 marked damage 5 +2 missiles, longer range, and better Spirit scaling zones the lane and marks a laner for extra damage from his charged shots Strategic
  • Urn spawns at 10, 15, 20 and 25 minutes, and you are the correct carrier in this matchup. Two changes make that stronger than old guides suggest: the runner is no longer revealed, and is no longer disarmed or silenced — you keep your whole kit while carrying. Venator cannot match your speed, so the only way they take it off you is melee, a Stun, or a kill. Route around their Stun range, not around their vision, and remember the bounty starts decaying after 45 seconds of carry. Documented
  • Laning 0-10min — Consecrating Grenade Consecrating Grenade 25s Cooldown Lobs a grenade that bounces once or twice before detonating in a roughly 4.5m area. Damage 35 impact (about 1.0x weapon scaling) plus roughly 10 burn DPS (about 1.6x… 1 -5s cooldown (25s base) 2 +1.5m radius and +1s burn duration 5 an additional 20% healing reduction on top of the base 30%, and grants extra charges 's 30% healing reduction makes him a strong counter-laner against any regen-based opponent Strong evidence
  • Hex-Lined Snap Trap Hex-Lined Snap Trap 28s Cooldown Kicks out a trap that arms after a short delay and then sits on the ground for up to 30 seconds. Crowd Control 1.25s immobilize (T2 pushes it to 2.25s) Damage 80 spirit (about 2.2x spirit scaling); Defensive Acts as a tripwire behind Venator so flankers cannot reach him unpunished 1 -11s cooldown (28s base) 2 +1s immobilize duration 5 +1 charge and +30% damage dealt to revealed targets T2 (+1s immobilize) — A 2.25s Root is long enough to chain a full Gutshot Gutshot 10m Range23s Cooldown A point-blank shotgun burst within about 10m that shoves everyone hit backwards. Crowd Control knockback on everyone hit; Damage 60 base (about 0.7x weapon scaling) plus 30 bonus (about 0.8x scaling) when… Mobility none for Venator himself 1 +25 damage 2 -10s cooldown (23s base) and +0.4s stun duration 5 after a wall stun, Venator's next heavy melee becomes blessed plus weapon burst without help Strong evidence
  • Ira Domini Ira Domini 15s Duration160s Cooldown For a limited window Venator loads three heavy stakes instead of normal bolts. Damage 120 per stake (about 1.5x weapon scaling); Mobility T1 grants +1.2 m/s move speed while active 1 +1.2 m/s move speed while Ira Domini is active 2 -15s cooldown (160s base) and +65 bonus damage 5 all three stakes become blessed unlock — Gives him an execute for the first time, converting his CC chain into confirmed kills Strong evidence
  • Late 35min+ with Ricochet Ricochet 6,400 souls Tier 4WeaponPassive +65% Ricochet Damage +18% Fire Rate — Post 09-16-2026 Ira Domini Ira Domini 15s Duration160s Cooldown For a limited window Venator loads three heavy stakes instead of normal bolts. Damage 120 per stake (about 1.5x weapon scaling); Mobility T1 grants +1.2 m/s move speed while active 1 +1.2 m/s move speed while Ira Domini is active 2 -15s cooldown (160s base) and +65 bonus damage 5 all three stakes become blessed bounces and splits, turning the ultimate from a single-target execute into a teamfight nuke Strong evidence
  • Close The Deal Close The Deal 10m Range135s Cooldown Danny grabs a nearby enemy and flies them high into the air, then crashes back to the ground. Crowd Control The grab itself takes the target out of the fight, then a 0.5s stun on… Damage 70 spirit damage on impact (+1 per Spirit) plus 3 per metre fallen (+0.09… Mobility Flies Danny and the target high into the air and lands them nearby. 1 +50 damage 2 -35s cooldown 5 +0.5s stun and +8 damage per metre unlock — Adds a grab that carries one enemy out of a fight and stuns them Strategic
  • Chimera Mk1 Chimera Mk1 21s Cooldown Danny holds the jump key to fly on his jetpack, building heat as he goes. Crowd Control The landing launches nearby enemies into the air. Damage The landing explosion deals 70 spirit damage (+1.5 per Spirit) plus 70… Mobility Sustained flight for as long as his heat allows, and air dashes cost heat… 1 heat vents faster while grounded 2 on hero hit, heal and take no self-damage 5 on hero hit, -40% cooldown and +120 spirit damage T2 — A dive that lands heals him and costs no health, so he can dive again and again Strategic
  • Your habit of taking the fight vertical to reset spacing against Venator is weaker on 09-16-2026 than it was. Slows now apply to air drag at 35% of their value, so the air is no longer a slow-free zone, and 2026 has been a steady closing of exactly these loopholes — wall jumping costs 25% stamina regeneration for 5 seconds, and knockups came under debuff reduction in May. Going up is still correct against their ground CC; it is no longer a way to ignore their slows. Documented
  • Venator decides where you stand, not you. The practical rule is to never hold a position whose failure case is being moved — stand so that being yanked or knocked puts you somewhere survivable rather than inside their whole team. Cover at your back is worth more than cover in front. Strong evidence
  • Riding a zipline in Venator's line of sight is worse than walking. Enemy hero damage while you are riding knocks you off for 15% of your max health, a 2.5-second Stun and a fall — for a hero with your health pool that is most of a death handed over for free. You gain knockoff immunity only after 3 consecutive seconds of riding, signalled by a blue particle effect, so the dangerous part is the first three seconds. Mount out of their sight line, not near it. Documented
  • Venator wins by choosing where the fight happens. Take your position before the zoning goes down, not after — once the area is committed you are fighting on their terms, and walking in to contest it is exactly the mistake the kit is built to farm. Strategic
  • Majestic Leap Majestic Leap 3,200 souls Tier 3ArmorInstantCast +45s Cooldown +5s Interrupt Cooldown +100% Air Control +50% Air Control +32% Move Speed +2.5s Slow Duration +8s Barrier Duration (vitality T3) — Venator's Ira Domini Ira Domini 15s Duration160s Cooldown For a limited window Venator loads three heavy stakes instead of normal bolts. Damage 120 per stake (about 1.5x weapon scaling); Mobility T1 grants +1.2 m/s move speed while active 1 +1.2 m/s move speed while Ira Domini is active 2 -15s cooldown (160s base) and +65 bonus damage 5 all three stakes become blessed — that is the zoning and area denial this answers. Buy to escape ground-based lockdown and to rotate across the map quickly. Documented
  • Stamina Mastery Stamina Mastery 3,200 souls Tier 3ArmorPassive +2 Stamina +18% Stamina Recovery +23% Air Jump/Dash Distance Builds from Extra Stamina (vitality T3) — Venator's Gutshot Gutshot 10m Range23s Cooldown A point-blank shotgun burst within about 10m that shoves everyone hit backwards. Crowd Control knockback on everyone hit; Damage 60 base (about 0.7x weapon scaling) plus 30 bonus (about 0.8x scaling) when… Mobility none for Venator himself 1 +25 damage 2 -10s cooldown (23s base) and +0.4s stun duration 5 after a wall stun, Venator's next heavy melee becomes blessed — that is the stuns and Hard CC this answers. Buy when dodging telegraphed abilities and disengaging is how you survive. Strong evidence
  • Warp Stone Warp Stone 3,200 souls Tier 3ArmorInstantCast +16s Cooldown +30% Bullet Resist +6s Buff Duration (vitality T3) — Venator's Gutshot Gutshot 10m Range23s Cooldown A point-blank shotgun burst within about 10m that shoves everyone hit backwards. Crowd Control knockback on everyone hit; Damage 60 base (about 0.7x weapon scaling) plus 30 bonus (about 0.8x scaling) when… Mobility none for Venator himself 1 +25 damage 2 -10s cooldown (23s base) and +0.4s stun duration 5 after a wall stun, Venator's next heavy melee becomes blessed is what you are buying against here. Buy when you are repeatedly getting caught and killed out of position, or to close a gap onto a fleeing target. Documented
  • Your instinct is to jump on Venator's backline the moment you see an opening, and the mistake is not checking what is above you. A Walker's Stomp is 350 damage + 15% of your max health inside 15m with a 2-second Stun on a 7-second cooldown — a 2-second Stun handed to a team with peel is a death. Dive under their Walker only with Unstoppable Unstoppable 6,400 souls Tier 4ArmorInstantCast +60s Cooldown +5.5s Duration +125 Bonus Health +25% Debuff Resist Builds from Debuff Reducer pre-cast or after the Stomp has just gone off. Strong evidence

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Sources and method for this page

Everything on this page is generated for Deadlock patch 09-29-2026 from Venator's current kit, measured match results and a mechanics rule base. Each line carries its own confidence label.

Venator's kit and counterplay were compiled from 6 sources, cross-checked for patch 09-29-2026. Threat ratings compare this pairing against Deadman Danny's own baseline win rate rather than a flat 50%, because ranking by raw win rate produces the wrong answer for heroes whose overall win rate is not 50%.

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