In the val map designers' defence tho, peeps before (especially when val was still fresh and new) kept comparing val maps to cs maps - most criticisms stating that the val maps looked more like 'hallway simulators' than actual maps compared to cs maps. So perhaps, in an effort to make the succeeding maps look more 'organic' and like what you said more gimmicky, they designed maps that's stylistically well but functionally awful. And that just didn't solve the problem- and until now, riot is still struggling to find the right balance. Nonetheless it's just funny how players back then complain that the maps look dogshit and boring, but now players gripe on the newer maps because of the dogshit gameplays and tactics they propagate.

Im thinking about that too... and with that change to her wall mechanic, reworking it will become a prerequisite. The nodes should simply not be 'shoot and gone forever'. A change to ithe barrier that will make it viable to be turned on/off like viper's is to make the center orb the ONLY 'shootable and gone forever' thing- while the other nodes make them 100hp each but rebuilds 2-3s after being destroyed. To counterbalance this huge buff, the energy resource must not be rechargeable... and when deadlock turns her walls on, there must be a slight delay before the wall becomes uncrossable. A qol change to complement these changes would be allowing deadlock to see her barrier's health (only the center orb; the smaller orbs she doesn't have any info). Deadlock having a finally USEFUL BARRIER will be the solution to the pro play viper problem.

JETT:
(Q) Updraft - Height reached increased 5m >>>>> 7.5m

RAZE:
(C) Boombot - Deals 100 damage on targeted enemy. Health decreased: 60HP >>>>> 45HP
(E) Paintshells - Deals 70 damage max.
(Q) Blast Pack - Object weight increased. Displacement height/distance decreased. Satchel boost height only equates to Jett's new updraft height.

NEON:
(C) Fast Lane - Enemies passing through incurs 35 damage. Damage is not sustained when remained in contact with the wall.
(E) High Gear - Speed increases over time during undisrupted sprinting. Reaching maximum momentum then reequipping weapon would automatically trigger an electric slide free of charge.
(Q) Relay Bolt - Movement velocity imparted when casting. Windup time directly varies with projectile speed. Maximum windup time: 2s (when backward-sprinting); minimum 0.9s (when running forward).
(X) Overdrive - When ult active, maximum sprint momentum is reached faster.

YORU:
(C) Fakeout - Press C while aligning one's crosshair on a faked teleport to send out a Yoru clone from the teleport marker.
(E) Gatecrash - Movements done mid-teleport animation will be carried over to the exit through portal: jumping, crouching, strafing.
(Q) Blindside - Movement velocity imparted when casting similar to Neon's relay bolt.

PHOENIX:
(C) Blaze - Healing already takes place even amidst casting animation. Staying close to the wall, even when not touching it, now incurs healing due to its heat.
(E) Hot Hands - Fire zone radius begins off as 2.5m (roughly the size of a spike defuse zone), then spreads until 5.5m. Damage ticked decreases over time: from 90 dps max immediately after reaching the ground to 60 dps when fully formed. Duration decreased: 6s >>>>> 4s.

There are just so many cons to playing her: for deadlock's abilities to be effective, 1.) the enemy HAS TO BE IN A CERTAIN PLACE 2.) equipping and throwing abilities should be TIMED PERFECTLY at the RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES. 3.) you have to actively contest an area or peek after your util. Overall, she's a very situational agent unlike kj or cypher who gets passive info out of their utils whether an enemy is there or not. Deadlock can also do this with her sonic sensors, but the problem is it's also situational as it bases on sounds. This is what happena when you mish-mash 4 situational abilities to make an agent.

I see her as the Neon of sentinels. When teams do play her in the future, everyhing has to revolve around her with her team supporting her or else only the stall factor of her kit would be utilized, not the trap/lethal factor. Strict coordination is needed for an agent like her to work. Deadlock's strength is also her biggest weakness, which is functioning as a team agent: her gravnet comboes well with every other mollies/grenades in the game, but on it's own it has minimal impact. The same is with her sonic sensors, which should be paired with other sentinel utility to fortify defenses. Her barrier is by far the only consistent and least situational part of her kit, which is why pro teams won't pick her until they establish a strict set play for her.