How to counter Grey Talon in Deadlock
Gun hero. Counter items for lane, mid and late game, and tips for the hero you play.
Updated for patch 10-05-2026. Counter profile from 2026-10-06.
Threat profile
Long range bow hero. Charged Shot hits hard, Rain of Arrows slows an area, Spirit Snare roots you, and Guided Owl is a steerable ult that stuns.
Key principle
You won't win at range. Close the gap with an item, and keep a parry for the Owl.
Lane phase items≈ 0-10 min
- Battle Vest most of his damage is bullets.
- Weapon Shielding barrier against his burst.
- Rusted Barrel cuts his fire rate and bullet resist.
- Return Fire sends part of his bullet damage back at him.
- Reactive Barrier gives you a barrier the moment Spirit Snare or the Owl hits you, and later upgrades into Indomitable.
Mid game items≈ 10-25 min
- Warp Stone closes the distance and gives bullet resist.
- Counterspell How to use: parry right before Guided Owl hits you and you take no damage and no stun. It also works on a Charged Shot if you time it to the release. Don't spend it on Rain of Arrows.
- Metal Skin ignore his bullets while you close in.
- Disarming Hex disarm his bow when you engage.
- Dispel Magic removes Spirit Snare and the arrow slow.
- Bullet Resilience core bullet armor.
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Late game items≈ 25 min +
- Phantom Strike teleport to him, pull him down and disarm him. Perfect for this matchup.
- Indomitable cleanses Spirit Snare or the Owl stun.
- Plated Armor deflects part of his shots.
- Juggernaut slows his fire rate when he shoots you.
- Ethereal Shift dodge a Guided Owl or a charged combo.
Patch note
10-05-2026: no direct Grey Talon change, but Rain of Arrows spam applies its slow more than it used to, so Dispel earns its slot vs ground bound comps. Slows now drag air movement, which slightly helps if he's using aerial angles. Lean hard on Warp Stone / Phantom Strike to close.
Tips for your hero against Grey Talon
Abrams
- Shoulder Charge the gap and brawl him; bait Charged Shot behind cover, then dive during its windup.
Apollo
- Riposte the Charged Shot; close with Flawless Advance and don't duel him at range.
Bebop
- Hook him across the gap during a Charged Shot windup; don't group vs Rain of Arrows.
Billy
- Rising Ram the distance, then silence him; bait Charged Shot behind cover first.
Calico
- Leaping Slash the gap after a Gloom Bombs whiff; use cover, don't sit in his sightlines.
Celeste
- Close behind cover; drop his Charged Shot with LoS and Light Eater burst him up close.
Drifter
- Stalker's Mark him to erase the range gap; Eternal Night blinds his aim.
Dynamo
- Quantum teleport the gap; Singularity him if he's perched with his team.
Graves
- Grasping Hands roots him out of a Charged Shot windup; Deadheads pressure his perch while you close the gap.
Haze
- Close under Smoke Bomb; Sleep Dagger him and don't trade at his range.
Holliday
- Bounce Pad the distance; Spirit Lasso him out of a Charged Shot windup.
Infernus
- Flame Dash the gap and Afterburn him; use cover vs Charged Shot.
Ivy
- Air Drop your carry onto him; Entangling Thorns his perch and break his sightline.
Kelvin
- Ice Path the gap; Frozen Shelter eats his burst, Frost Grenade slows his kite.
Lady Geist
- Close behind cover; Essence Bomb him after a Charged Shot whiff.
Lash
- Grapple Death Slam him from above; his Charged Shot can't track your air.
McGinnis
- Wall his sightline; turrets zone his perch and force him off the angle.
Mina
- Burst and retreat after closing; don't sit in his Charged Shot line.
Mirage
- Traveler closes the gap instantly; strike him after a Charged Shot whiff.
Mo & Krill
- Burrow the gap; surface stun him and Combo ult at melee.
Paige
- Bookwyrm pressures his perch; Captivating Read locks him during a windup.
Paradox
- Time Wall his sightline; Swap the gap, Kinetic Carbine him post whiff.
- Flying Cloak the distance; Affliction sticks as you close, use cover vs Charged Shot.
Rat King
- He out ranges your slow bullets. Use the sewer tunnels to get close, then swarm and shoot.
Rem
- Naptime him after a Charged Shot; Tag Along to a frontliner to close.
Seven
- Lightning Ball him across the gap; Storm Cloud his perch.
Shiv
- Slice and Dice the gap; bleed him at melee where his bow is weak.
Silver
- Wolf leap the distance and burst him; use cover vs Charged Shot windups.
The Doorman
- Door his sightline; Luggage Cart him off the perch after closing.
The Magnificent Sinclair
- Illusions eat his Charged Shots; Rabbit Hex him once you close.
Open The Magnificent Sinclair against Grey Talon in the web app
Venator
- Out range trade with stakes and dual guns; Snap Trap his kite path.
Victor
- You lose at range. Use Jumpstart speed to close in, then turn on Aura.
Vindicta
- Out snipe him or Stake Hook the gap; Crow stun his windup.
Viscous
- Puddle Punch the gap; Cube your ally through the Charged Shot burst.
Vyper
- Slither close under fire; ammo burst him, don't stand in his line.
Warden
- Hard matchup, build a gap closer early and bait his Charged Shot (long windup) before you engage.
- Last Stand if you get on top of him, he's squishy with no escape ult.
- Willpower absorbs a fully charged combo, but it won't save you from range, closing distance is the real answer.
Wraith
- Card Trick pressures his perch; Telekinesis lift him after closing.
Yamato
- Flying Slash the gap; Shadow Transformation eats his burst, then Power Slash.