Unlocking Victory: Your Complete Guide to Every Deadlock Character, Their Abilities, and the Definitive Hero Tier List

Who are the legendary heroes of Deadlock? Valve’s latest creation is a thrilling fusion, blending the tactical lane control and creep farming of a MOBA with intense hero shooter combat. Deadlock is constantly evolving, with new characters regularly joining its already vibrant and diverse roster. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll give you the complete breakdown of every Deadlock character and their unique in-game abilities. Whether you’re new to Valve’s captivating MOBA or a seasoned player looking for an edge, our definitive Deadlock tier list, located at the end of this guide, will help you decide which heroes are truly worth mastering. We also feature details on upcoming characters in our dedicated Deadlock release date guide.

Discover all the Deadlock characters and their full ability sets below:

Abrams

Abrams, the formidable gargoyle, is a true juggernaut whose incredible health regeneration and damage reduction make him nearly invulnerable. Equipped with a reliable gap-closer, he excels at compensating for his limited ranged capabilities, making him a terrifying force up close. Abrams can unleash immense damage while drain-tanking with Siphon Life (1) or smashing into opponents with Shoulder Charge (2). His ultimate, Seismic Impact (4), delivers a massive area-of-effect stun that can be upgraded to provide stats and crowd control immunity, creating devastating synergies with heroes like Dynamo and Seven. However, Abrams’ true power lies in Infernal Resilience (3), a passive ability that not only grants significant health regeneration but also boosts his overall health pool. Prioritize maxing this ability early to transform him into an unstoppable, immovable object.

Abrams abilities:

• Siphon Life (1) – Abrams drains health from enemies in front of him, within the ability radius.
• Shoulder Charge (2) – Abrams charges forward, colliding with and dragging along enemy heroes. Enemy heroes that hit a wall are stunned. Abrams’ speed increases after colliding with enemy heroes.
• Infernal Resilience (3) – Abrams regenerates a portion of incoming damage over time.
• Seismic Impact (4) – Abrams leaps into the air and crashes into a chosen ground location. Enemy heroes hit within the radius are damaged and stunned. Recast to crash down early.

Bebop

Much like Overwatch 2’s Roadhog or League of Legends’ Blitzcrank, Bebop is the ultimate character for isolating targets, expertly snatching foes into your team for a collective pummeling. But it’s not just Bebop’s Hook (3) that makes him a formidable hero; he’s equally adept at knocking enemies away with his Exploding Uppercut (1).

Bebop’s strategic depth intensifies with his final two abilities: Sticky Bomb (2) and Hyper Beam (4). With Sticky Bomb, Bebop can attach a timed explosive to any target—ally or enemy—leading to hilariously devastating outcomes when placed on a teammate. Imagine strapping a bomb to Lash just before he plunges into the enemy team! As for Hyper Beam, it does exactly what you’d expect. While it’s a bit of a meme beam, its raw DPS is no joke, and it even slows enemy movement. In practice, however, you’ll want to prioritize Bebop’s Hook. Its interrupt capability makes it the perfect counter for powerful ultimate abilities like Seven’s.

Bebop abilities:

• Exploding Uppercut (1) – Bebop deals light melee damage to nearby units and sends them flying back, dealing area damage where they land. Allies don’t take damage.
• Sticky Bomb (2) – Bebop attaches a Sticky Bomb to a target, dealing explosive damage after a short delay. Gain bonus bomb damage for each enemy hero hit. Can be self-cast.
• Hook (3) – Bebop hooks and reels in the first hero – ally or enemy – hit, dealing damage if it’s the latter. Bebop’s hook places the target where he’s facing.
• Hyper Beam (4) – Bebop charges a powerful laser that deals damage while slowing enemy movement and dashes. Bebop has slow movement and turn rate for the duration. Bebop will hover while firing if unleashed in the air.

Billy

Billy’s toolkit is deceptively straightforward yet remarkably versatile. You might initially assume this DPS/tank hybrid is only good for smashing enemies with his spiky bat, given his formidable close-range capabilities. However, the most effective Billy players strategically combine his powerful SMG—one of the game’s best-scaling weapons—to maintain damage output and unpredictability. The last thing you want is to be easily parried because you’re playing him too predictably.

Abilities like Bashdown (1) and Rising Ram (2) are simple enough: slam the bat, knock up an enemy. Blasted (3) is where things get a bit more complex, and it’s where we recommend investing your early points. This ability expertly synergizes Billy’s melee and ranged attacks, transforming him into a formidable duelist. While he may not be the strongest in the early game, he truly blossoms as the match progresses. His ultimate, Chain Gang (4), is a major factor in this growth, providing crucial setup for potential team wipes.

Billy abilities:

• Bashdown (1) – Billy slams his bat into the ground, pulling enemies down and dealing melee damage. Bashdown’s slam creates a shockwave, dealing spirit damage and applying knockup.
• Rising Ram (2) – Billy charges head-first into an enemy and sends both them and Billy himself into the air.
• Blasted (3) – Passive: Melee attacks restore ammo and inflict wrecked on the target. Active: Billy empowers his weapons. Melee boosts max health, while bullet damage is amplified against wrecked enemies. Dealing weapon damage keeps Billy in the Blasted state for longer.
• Chain Gang (4) – Billy chains enemies to himself. Chained enemies can’t use movement abilities and are heavily slowed when they pull on the chain. After a delay, Billy yanks everyone affected in, dealing spirit damage.

Calico

The irony of Calico having a sphinx as a companion isn’t lost on us, but this elusive agent can effortlessly vanish with Return to Shadows (4). Oh, and she can also possess and freely roam as her cat, Ava (3), which instantly elevates her to a top-tier character in our books! Elsewhere in her kit, Calico can unleash her sharp claws with Leaping Slash (2), while Gloom Bombs (1) provide some explosive utility to her arsenal.

Calico abilities:

• Gloom Bombs (1) – Calico throws a cluster bomb that detonates after a short delay, dealing damage. Enemies hit by multiple bombs take half damage.
• Leaping Slash (2) – Calico leaps forward, slashing enemies in a circle and dealing light melee damage. Heals a small amount of health for each foe hit.
• Ava (3) – Calico possesses Ava, granting movement speed and the ability to destroy breakables she runs through. Ava is hidden on the minimap but can’t attack or cast abilities. Ava can’t be used for a short period after being hit by an enemy hero.
• Return to Shadows (4) – Calico turns into shadows, granting her movement speed and untargetability while dealing damage. After a short cooldown, Calico returns from the shadows, dealing damage once more.

Drifter

The scaling stalker, Drifter, can absolutely dominate games if he’s allowed to isolate and eliminate individual targets throughout the match. His unparalleled ability to track and hunt down prey is unmatched, and his ultimate, Eternal Night (4), provides powerful utility that enables him to weave in and out of fights or set his team up for decisive plays.

Thanks to how Bloodscent (3) operates, Drifter excels at ambushing opponents mid-rotation, cutting off their escape while simultaneously boosting his own strength. Stalker’s Mark (2) is a critical ability to land, as it not only tags and applies a bleed to the target but also gives Drifter a crucial way to close the distance. Rend (1) is fairly self-explanatory, serving as a direct damage tool.

Drifter abilities:

• Rend (1) – Drifter swipes at enemies in a cone in front of him, dealing melee damage. If the enemy is close enough, Rend deals bonus spirit damage.
• Stalker’s Mark (2) – Drifter sends out a mark that bleeds the first target hit, dealing spirit damage over time. If an enemy is bleeding, Stalker’s Mark can be re-activated, making Drifter instantly appear behind them.
• Bloodscent (3) – Isolated heroes leave a trail as they move which Drifter can track. They also emit their heartbeat when afar. Drifter deals amplified damage against isolated heroes. Killing them grants him permanent weapon damage.
• Eternal Night (4) – Drifter envelops nearby enemy heroes in darkness, massively reducing their vision of other units. Enemies affected are briefly revealed. During Eternal Night, Drifter gains bonus sprint speed and his attacks proc spirit damage.

Dynamo

The undisputed king of crowd control, Dynamo is the quintessential support for any team composition. Boasting the ability to execute massive plays with relative ease, from knocking enemies airborne with his Kinetic Pulse (1) to creating devastating singularities with Singularity (4), chaining crowd control on enemy heroes is incredibly satisfying. However, you’ll need to time his Singularity precisely, as it can be interrupted by other crowd control abilities and items.

Dynamo also serves as the perfect partner for low-range or immobile carries. Thanks to his Quantum Entanglement (2), Dynamo can not only warp himself from one position to another but can also bring nearby allies with him. The most notorious combo currently involves Seven, who is immobile while channeling his Storm Cloud (4). By skillfully repositioning the lightning lord with him, Dynamo enables Seven to continue dishing out immense damage. To round out his impressive kit, Dynamo’s Rejuvenating Aurora (3) heals both himself and nearby allies, effectively turning him into a mobile support station.

Dynamo abilities:

• Kinetic Pulse (1) – Dynamo fires an energy pulse that knocks enemies into the air.
• Quantum Entanglement (2) – Dynamo slips into the void, reappearing a short distance away. Reloads your weapon and gives a fire rate bonus on reappearing. Can be alt-cast to bring nearby allies with Dynamo, giving them half the fire rate bonus.
• Rejuvenating Aurora (3) – Dynamo restores health to himself and nearby allies while channeling.
• Singularity (4) – Dynamo creates a singularity that pulls in nearby enemies, damaging them. Once the channel finishes, enemies are knocked into the air.

Grey Talon

For those who embrace the spirit of Robin Hood, Grey Talon delivers on your bow-wielding fantasies. Both Charged Shot (1) and Rain of Arrows (2) significantly boost Grey Talon’s already solid sustained damage output. He can also expertly control confined spaces with his Immobilizing Trap (3); with precise timing, you can even deploy it just as an enemy hero attempts to close the gap, providing excellent self-peel.

Grey Talon’s ultimate, Guided Owl (4), offers inherent scaling by generating permanent Spirit Power for each enemy it eliminates. This means that even if you find yourself falling behind in Souls, you can still scale effectively into the late game, provided your owl bomb deployments are executed flawlessly.

Grey Talon abilities:

• Charged Shot (1) – Grey Talon charges up a powerful shot that pierces through enemies. Hold the ability or fire button to hold the shot.
• Rain of Arrows (2) – Grey Talon launches into the air, allowing him to slowly glide. Grey Talon gains multishot and bonus weapon damage while airborne. Hit the jump key to cancel the glide.
• Immobilizing Trap (3) – Grey Talon throws out a trap that arms itself after a short delay. Enemies who enter its radius trigger it, immobilizing and subsequently slowing them.
• Guided Owl (4) – After a short cast, Grey Talon launches a spirit owl that he controls, which explodes on impact. Enemies hit are damaged and stunned. Each enemy killed gives permanent Spirit Power. Hold the fire button to speed the owl up. Press the jump key to release control.

Haze

Haze is a true force to be reckoned with—even more so if you can consistently land headshots. Thanks to the escalating damage buff she gains from Fixation (3), Haze can tear through even the most durable enemies if you can maintain consistent pressure on them (bonus stacks are accrued for precision headshots). Between Fixation and her Sleep Dagger (1), Haze stands out as one of the best 1v1 characters in the game, assuming you can keep pace with the lobby’s power curve.

However, if you find yourself surrounded by multiple enemies, you have two options: deploy a Smoke Bomb (2) and make a swift escape, or unleash a relentless assault with her Bullet Dance (4). If you choose the latter, you’ll enter a flurry reminiscent of Overwatch 2’s Reaper or League of Legends’ Samira—it’s absolutely devastating. During this flurry, Haze also gains bullet evasion, helping her survive the inevitable focus fire she’ll attract.

Haze abilities:

• Sleep Dagger (1) – Haze throws a dagger that damages and sleeps the enemy. Sleeping targets awaken just after they’re damaged. Throwing a Sleep Dagger doesn’t break Haze’s invisibility, nor does hitting an enemy with one interrupt their ability channels.
• Smoke Bomb (2) – Haze becomes invisible and gains sprint speed. Attacking removes invisibility. Nearby enemies can see through your stealth.
• Fixation (3) – Haze gains stacking damage for each bullet that hits the target. Each bullet hit grants one stack, while headshots grant two.
• Bullet Dance (4) – Haze fires her weapon at nearby enemies while flurrying, hitting them with perfect accuracy. During the flurry, Haze gains a fire rate bonus and bullet evasion chance.

Holliday

The rootin’, tootin’, lassoin’ Holliday is, to say the least, a crackshot. Marrying potent gunplay with incendiary capabilities, Holliday can make an explosive entrance into any engagement; she’s especially formidable at isolating 1v1 duels.

Holliday has a few impressive combo techniques, notably involving her dragging an enemy with Spirit Lasso (4) into multiple Powder Kegs (1), before finishing them off with an explosive stomp from her Bounce Pad (2). If you prefer a simpler approach and just want to shoot your target, then build to maximize the bonus damage and effective range of Crackshot (3).

Holliday abilities:

• Powder Keg (1) – Holliday throws an explosive barrel that arms itself after a short delay. Once primed, the barrel can be detonated, dealing damage. Shooting, meleeing, launching, and detonating another barrel within range will detonate the barrel.
• Bounce Pad (2) – Holliday drops a Bounce Pad that launches any hero. Holliday explodes on landing, dealing damage to nearby enemies. Holliday can only explode once per pad.
• Crackshot (3) – Holliday’s headshots deal bonus damage and apply a fading slow (this only applies when Crackshot’s off cooldown). Crackshot ignores ranged damage fall-off. Triggering Crackshot on non-hero units only uses half the cooldown.
• Spirit Lasso (4) – Holliday throws out her lasso, grabbing the first enemy hit and dealing damage. Lassoed foes are stunned and dragged behind her. Holliday can’t melee or shot while Spirit Lasso is active.

Infernus

Putting the ‘fire’ in ‘gunfire,’ Infernus is an incredibly mobile DPS character who excels at applying persistent burn damage over time with his Afterburn (3). Of course, if you prefer to go all-in, you can combine Flame Dash (2) and Concussive Combustion (4) to transform into a high-speed explosive force capable of delivering devastating ganks across lanes (or massive engagements in your current one).

Just as Infernus can boost his own speed, he can also slow enemies using his Catalyst (1), which further amplifies the damage he deals to them. He’s one of the more straightforward heroes to play on our Deadlock tier list, yet his power defies his relatively low skill ceiling.

Infernus abilities:

• Catalyst (1) – Infernus spews napalm that slows enemy movement and amplifies his damage dealt to them.
• Flame Dash (2) – Infernus sprints forward at high speed, leaving a trail of flame that burns enemies. Infernus gains slow resistance while dashing. Dash faster by holding the fire button.
• Afterburn (3) – Infernus’s bullets build up to apply a burning effect on enemies. Duration can be refreshed by bullets and abilities.
• Concussive Combustion (4) – Infernus turns himself into a living bomb that explodes after a short delay. Stuns all enemies caught up in the explosion radius.

Ivy

In a coordinated team, Ivy is an absolute menace—she currently boasts one of the most brutal combos with Seven, after all. In an ideal scenario, Ivy heavily leverages her Air Drop (4), which allows her to pick up an ally, carry them through the air, and then unleash them like a tactical nuke to deal devastating impact damage. As you can imagine, airlifting an ult-channeling Seven and taking him on a destructive adventure is pure evil.

However, for this strategy to consistently work, you’ll need to rely on your teammates, which isn’t always feasible in solo queue. Fortunately, Ivy is incredibly versatile and can be effectively played as a DPS, a supportive utility hero, or even a roaming ganker, thanks to her high stamina and mobility. Kudzu Bomb (1) can be used to set up plays or deter enemies, while Watcher’s Covenant (2) offers valuable buffs for both you and your allies. Meanwhile, Stone Form (3) provides a way to heal up while slamming into the ground, stunning nearby enemies—a solid, if sometimes inconsistent, form of crowd control.

Ivy abilities:

• Kudzu Bomb (1) – Ivy summons a patch of vines that damage and slow enemies within its radius.
• Watcher’s Covenant (2) – Ivy gains bonus stats that she automatically shares with a nearby ally, provided they’re in line of sight. Healing is replicated among connected allies. Reactivate to lock onto a target.
• Stone Form (3) – Ivy turns herself into an impervious stone, smashing into the ground. Nearby enemies are damaged and stunned. Stone Form heals Ivy for a percentage of her max health. While airborne, Stone Form grants limited air control.
• Air Drop (4) – Ivy picks up an ally or bomb and takes flight. The airlifted ally gains bullet resistance, but can’t attack while mid-air – abilities deal half damage. When Ivy drops the ally or bomb they cause a large explosion that slows impacted enemies. Ivy and her ally gain a bullet shield when Air Drop ends. Air Drop cast time is faster when targeting an ally.

Kelvin

Kelvin is a genuine nuisance to anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in his icy abilities. If you’ve ever been frozen by Mei from Overwatch 2, you’ll know exactly what this character brings to the table. Whether it’s his Frost Grenade (1), Arctic Beam (3), or Frozen Shelter (4), Kelvin possesses an undeniable talent for slowing you down with extreme prejudice.

Perhaps ironically, Kelvin’s greatest asset is his Ice Path (2), which provides him with a speed boost and vertical mobility rather than slowing enemies. This ability is incredibly useful for engaging or disengaging from Deadlock characters who often operate airborne, such as Vindicta.

Kelvin abilities:

• Frost Grenade (1) – Kelvin throws a Frost Grenade that damages and slows enemies.
• Ice Path (2) – Kelvin creates a floating trail of ice, granting himself and allies a movement speed bonus. Kelvin also gains slow resistance for the duration. Enemies can also walk on the trail.
• Arctic Beam (3) – Kelvin channels a beam of freezing energy, damaging targets while building up a movement and fire rate slow on them over time. Kelvin has reduced speed while channeling. The beam can also claim Souls.
• Frozen Shelter (4) – Kelvin freezes the air around him, creating an impenetrable dome. Allies inside the dome rapidly regenerate health, while enemies are slowed. Objectives under Frozen Shelter are frozen and become invulnerable.

Lady Geist

The vampiric Lady Geist operates much like any other blood-sucking character who trades health for devastating damage. Both her Essence Bomb (1) and Malice (3) sacrifice her own vitality to unleash area-of-effect damage and apply potent debuffs, respectively. But fear not, as Life Drain (2) allows you to tether to an enemy hero and feast upon their life force—a truly delicious prospect.

While her base kit alone might not elevate her to a top-tier hero, Lady Geist’s Soul Exchange (4) is absurdly powerful, especially in bruiser or tank-centric metas. When activated, Soul Exchange lets Lady Geist swap health levels with a chosen target—and you know exactly where this is going. After allowing formidable heroes like Abrams or Warden to chip away at your health, simply activate your ultimate and swiftly eliminate them. As Deadlock currently stands, we highly recommend prioritizing upgrades for Soul Exchange as much as possible. While it might turn Lady Geist into an “ult bot,” it’s hard to find a more consistent tank buster, especially if you find yourself falling behind in Souls.

Lady Geist abilities:

• Essence Bomb (1) – Lady Geist sacrifices some of her health to launch a damage-dealing bomb after briefly arming it. Self-sacrifice damage is Spirit, and can be mitigated.
• Life Drain (2) – Lady Geist tethers to an enemy, draining their health and healing her over time. Target must be within range and line of sight. Lady Geist can use other abilities while draining, but her movement speed is halved. Recast to cancel.
• Malice (3) – Lady Geist sacrifices some of her health to launch blood shards that apply a stack of Malice. Each stack slows the enemy while increasing the damage they take from Lady Geist. The slow degrades over time.
• Soul Exchange (4) – Lady Geist swaps health with an enemy target. There are minimum health percentages for both the health enemies can be brought down to and how much health Lady Geist receives, based on the enemy’s current health.

Lash

If mastering intricate combos is your specialty, then Lash is the perfect Deadlock character for you. Combining complex ability sequences with exceptional hypermobility and crowd control, a skilled Lash player can completely dominate the game. By expertly wielding his whip, Lash can force any opponent to dance to his rhythm—whether through his Flog (3) or the devastating Death Slam (4). Verticality is Lash’s greatest asset, so make sure to use his Grapple (2) to propel yourself high into the air before ensnaring the enemy team with Death Slam.

Grapple is also incredibly effective for countering Warden, as it not only allows you to swiftly escape his Binding Word (3) but also restores a stamina charge, effectively mitigating the effects of Alchemical Flask (1). Lastly, Lash’s Ground Strike (1) increases in power the further away from the ground you activate it. If you haven’t realized it already, mastering Lash’s Grapple is the ultimate key to unlocking his full potential.

Lash abilities:

• Ground Strike (1) – Lash stomps the ground, damaging enemies in front of him. If performed while airborne, Lash quickly dives toward the ground. Ground Strike deals more damage per meter traveled.
• Grapple (2) – Lash grapples through the air towards a target. Grapple restores all air jumps and dashes.
• Flog (3) – Lash strikes with his whip, stealing life from enemies hit.
• Death Slam (4) – Lash focuses on enemies, connecting whips to them. Once channeled, connected enemies are lifted and stunned, before being slammed into the ground. Both connected enemies and those in the landing radius will be damaged and slowed. Connected enemies can be thrown early with the fire button.

McGinnis

If you’re a fan of characters like Heimerdinger (League of Legends) and Torbjorn (Overwatch 2), then McGinnis will be right up your alley. Deadlock’s resident turret specialist is a versatile hero capable of dishing out consistent DPS using her Mini Turrets (1), while simultaneously controlling the map with her Spectral Wall (3)—we’d argue this is actually the strongest aspect of her kit.

McGinnis’s playstyle dynamically evolves throughout the game, as her DPS naturally tapers off in the late stages. Therefore, her powerful early-game laning phase should be leveraged to secure an advantage for your team, before transitioning her into a map controller who can also sustain her allies with Medicinal Specter (2). Of course, her Heavy Barrage (4) will still deliver a significant burst of damage, but McGinnis is unlikely to solo formidable late-game tanks like Abrams or Warden.

McGinnis abilities:

• Mini Turret (1) – McGinnis deploys a Mini Turret that automatically shoots enemies. The turret expires after a set time. Turrets gain a percentage of McGinnis’s max health and spirit resistance. Troopers and objectives take reduced damage from turrets.
• Medicinal Specter (2) – McGinnis deploys a spirit that heals nearby units.
• Spectral Wall (3) – McGinnis creates a large wall that springs forward. The wall deals damage and slows nearby enemies. Recast to spring the wall early.
• Heavy Barrage (4) – McGinnish unleashes a volley of homing rockets.

Mina

Death by a thousand bites may not sound appealing, but for Mina, we’ll make an exception. Mina is a potent short-range DPS character who thrives on quick, aggressive trades, reliably proccing her Love Bites (3) before utilizing Sanguine Retreat (2) to safely disengage from combat. Once her target has been sufficiently weakened, Nox Nostra (4) can be deployed to remove them from the field entirely, permanently boosting the ultimate skill’s power.

Mina demands patience and strategic play to truly master, as she requires time to scale into her full potential. Using Rake (1) to clear creeps and chunk assailants who get too close, in conjunction with Love Bites’ burst damage, is fundamental to her laning phase. Hold onto Sanguine Retreat for as long as possible, potentially baiting enemies into overextending so your lane partner can help secure eliminations. Beyond that, don’t expect to rack up many kills in the early game.

Mina abilities:

• Rake (1) – Mina slashes with her umbrella, dealing spirit damage that increases with missing health.
• Sanguine Retreat (2) – Mina briefly disperses, becoming untargetable as she flies to a target location. Sanguine Retreat can be recasted within a brief window.
• Love Bites (3) – Mina’s bullets and abilities apply spirit damage, building up to a burst of bonus spirit damage.
• Nox Nostra (4) – Active: Mina unleashes a cloud of flying bats that seek targets, dealing spirit damage and silencing those hit. Passive: Triggering Love Bites against heroes permanently increases the number of bats Mina releases.

Mirage

Mirage is expertly crafted for players who relish the thrill of the hunt—especially if taking down tanks brings you joy. He’s also remarkably effective in lanes where he faces a numerical disadvantage, thanks to his exceptional mobility and sustain capabilities.

Mirage’s Tornado (1) is straightforward: transform into a tornado, zoom forward, hit an enemy, and launch them into the air. It’s both an excellent engagement tool and a disengage option that helps him rapidly reposition. The core of Mirage’s kit lies in the combination of Fire Scarabs (2) and Djinn’s Mark (3), granting him immense 1v1 power. This strength is further amplified by the bonus stats he receives when teleporting directly onto targets with Traveler (4).

Mirage abilities:

• Tornado (1) – Mirage transforms into a Tornado that travels in a straight line forward, damaging and lifting enemies hit into the air. Mirage gains bullet evasion after emerging from the tornado.
• Fire Scarabs (2) – Mirage launches Fire Scarabs that steal max health from enemies and apply bullet resist reduction. Mirage can’t apply multiple scarabs to the same enemy. Mirage gains three times as much health from heroes hit with scarabs than non-heroes.
• Djinn’s Mark (3) – Mirage’s shots passively apply an increasing multiplayer on the target. When the multiplier expires, Mirage reaches the maximum stacks, or Mirage uses the active portion of this ability to expunge the stacks, the target is briefly revealed on the map and takes spirit damage. The total damage dealt is the base damage times the multiplier.
• Traveler (4) – Mirage can teleport to an ally or enemy hero on the minimap, taking him to where they were when the channel started. Once teleported, Mirage gains bonus movement speed and fire rate until his next reload.

Mo & Krill

While Mo & Krill are currently among the most effective disruptors in the game, this dynamic duo demands a higher level of execution than other tanks to truly make an impact. Nevertheless, if burrowing around as a colossal mole, sowing chaos, and being nearly unkillable sounds like your kind of fun, then you absolutely must give them a try.

Mo & Krill excel as gankers, effortlessly clearing neutral camps with Scorn (1) while en route to engage in dastardly deeds. Although Burrow (2) is the highlight of their kit, you won’t be able to spam it, so ensure you’re flanking enemies while underground rather than attempting a frontal assault—you’ll get focused down despite the bullet resistance gained in your burrowed state. When combined with Combo (4), Mo & Krill can lock down a target for several crucial seconds, setting your DPS up for guaranteed success. Meanwhile, Sand Blast (3) is a fantastic disarming skill that should be liberally applied to high-damage dealers like Haze; she will undoubtedly despise you for it.

Mo & Krill abilities:

• Scorn (1) – Mo & Krill deal damage to nearby enemies and heal themselves based on damage dealt. Hitting enemy heroes heals more.
• Burrow (2) – Mo & Krill burrow underground, graining speed as well as spirit and bullet armor. Being damaged by enemy heroes reduces the speed bonus. When Mo & Krill jump out they knock enemies into the air before performing a spin attack that damages and slows.
• Sand Blast (3) – Mo & Krill spray sand that disarms enemies in front of them, dealing damage.
• Combo (4) – Mo & Krill hold a target in place, dealing damage and stunning them during the channel. If the enemy dies during Combo, Mo & Krill gain permanent max health.

Paige

If you’re aiming to stack up wins as a supportive player, taking a leaf out of Paige’s book is highly recommended. She’s a powerful support hero who, when built for mobility, can absolutely command the map, dishing out crucial shields for her allies and creating all sorts of headaches for her adversaries.

During the laning phase, Defend and Fight! (2) grants Paige’s lane partner both a protective shield and bonus damage, transforming them into a formidable force. Captivating Read (3) may not have the largest area-of-effect, but if you can accurately predict your target’s movements and use it for zoning or snaring, it becomes incredibly potent. Conjure Dragon (1) and Rallying Charge (4) are strong damaging abilities that enable Paige to effectively duel; yes, she can also contribute to DPS, though don’t expect to consistently top the damage charts.

Paige abilities:

• Conjure Dragon (1) – Paige conjures a dragon at the target location that flies forward, dealing spirit damge and leaving a burning path in its wake.
• Defend and Fight! (2) – Paige provides a barrier for an ally, granting bonus weapon damage while it holds.
• Captivating Read (3) – Paige targets an area with latent magic, slowing enemies inside. After a delay, the magic detonates, dealing spirit damage and applying immobilize to those hit.
• Rallying Charge (4) – Paige releases a wave of spectral knights upon steeds that charge across the entire map, healing allies and dealing spirit damage to enemies.

Paradox

Paradox is a coordinated team’s ultimate fantasy, thanks to her ability to secure game-changing eliminations with Paradoxical Swap (4). Of course, teleporting yourself directly into the enemy team is usually a catastrophic error, but Paradox’s Time Wall (2) can be deployed instantly, helping her retreat to safety while silencing foes who dare to pass through it. You absolutely need your team to capitalize on your picks, however, and assist in escorting you back to a secure position. For this reason, Paradox remains a risky, albeit highly rewarding, choice in solo queue.

If Paradox’s initial two abilities weren’t unique enough, the rest of her kit follows suit. Pulse Grenade (1) becomes increasingly powerful with each wave that strikes enemy targets—if you can coordinate with other crowd control abilities to keep enemies within its radius, it becomes ridiculously strong. Meanwhile, Kinetic Carbine (3) grants Paradox a bit more autonomy, delivering substantial poke damage and debuffs should she land a charged shot.

Paradox abilities:

• Pulse Grenade (1) – Paradox throws a grenade that begins pulsing on landing. Each pulse deals damage, slows, and applies stacking damage amplification for Paradox against the enemies hit.
• Time Wall (2) – Paradox creates a wall that stops time for all enemy projectiles and bullets that touch it. Enemies that touch the wall take max health damage and are briefly slowed.
• Kinetic Carbine (3) – Paradox starts charging his weapon, gaining movement speed at full charge. Paradox’s next shot releases the energy, dealing spirit damage and applying a time stop to the enemy hit. Damage dealt is your current weapon damage amplified. Alt-firing slows time on yourself when a charged shot is available.
• Paradoxical Swap (4) – Paradox fires a projectile that swaps his position with the target enemy hero. While under the effect, Paradox gains spirit lifestyle while the enemy hero takes damage over time.

Pocket

The quintessential heist character, Pocket always has a cunning trick up his sleeve when it comes to making a clean getaway after unleashing a staggering amount of area-of-effect damage on the enemy team. However, there are a few key considerations to bear in mind if you want to extract the maximum value from him. Firstly, his Barrage (1) is best cast mid-air, as Pocket retains any forward momentum he started with, making him a much harder target to hit while he unleashes his projectiles.

Additionally, his two escape abilities—Flying Cloak (2) and Enchanter’s Satchel (3)—can also be creatively used offensively to deal significant area-of-effect damage when combined. Next time you’re playing as Pocket, throw out the initial part of your Flying Cloak, hop into your Enchanter’s Satchel, then reactivate the cloak at your target location to teleport in just in time to pop out. Pocket’s Affliction (4) may not deliver lethal blows to its targets, but it will inflict massive damage over time while drastically reducing healing effectiveness—a crucial tool when dealing with formidable tanks like Abrams and Lady Geist.

Pocket abilities:

• Barrage (1) – Pocket begins channeling, launching projectiles that deal damage and slows enemies in their impact area. Each projectile that hits an enemy hero grants Pocket a stacking damage amp buff. If cast while airborne, Pocket floats and maintains any horizontal momentum he started with.
• Flying Cloak (2) – Pocket launches a cloak that travels forward and damages enemies. Recast to teleport to its location.
• Enchanter’s Satchel (3) – Pocket escapes into his suitcase. After a delay, Pocket pops out, dealing damage to nearby enemies. Perform any action to exist the suitcase early.
• Affliction (4) – Pocket applies non-lethal damage over time to all nearby enemies. Affliction’s damage does not apply item procs.

Seven

We’re not sure why he’s called Seven when he’s a perfect ten at zapping the life out of enemy heroes with his lightning-focused kit. Not only is Seven easy to pick up and play, but he also deals an absurd amount of damage. Between his Static Charge (2) and Power Surge (3), Seven can lock down a target and spread his damage to nearby enemies, electrifying them. Throw in a Lightning Ball (1) for even more burst, and you’ve got a recipe for destruction.

The true masterpiece of Seven’s kit, however, is undoubtedly his Storm Cloud (4)—an expanding storm that strikes all enemies within its radius and line of sight. Unleashed at the perfect moment, from the ideal position (especially when airborne), you can absolutely decimate an entire lane. With impressive DPS and a forgiving playstyle, there’s no reason not to make Seven one of your go-to heroes right now.

Seven abilities:

• Lightning Ball (1) – Seven shoots a ball of lightning in a straight line, dealing damage to all targets in its radius. The ball slows when damaging enemies and stops completely if it hits terrain.
• Static Charge (2) – Seven applies a static charge to an enemy that stuns and damages enemies within their radius after a short duration. Alt-cast to apply on self.
• Power Surge (3) – Seven powers up his weapon, applying shock damage to his bullets that can bounce to enemies near your target. Shock damage chain occurs once per burst shot.
• Storm Cloud (4) – Seven channels an expanding storm cloud around him that damages all enemies within its radius and line of sight. Seven has increased bullet resistance during the channel.

Shiv

Shiv must meticulously choose his moments to shine, but if you can patiently bide your time, manage your aggression, and successfully navigate his weak early laning phase, he can utterly devastate lobbies with his potent Slice and Dice (2) and game-ending Killing Blow (4). Furthermore, he can effectively function as a pseudo-tank, thanks to the immense amount of damage deferral he gains from Bloodletting (3).

Shiv’s playstyle has undergone significant changes due to substantial nerfs to his Serrated Knives (1). To maximize his potential, prioritize upgrading Slice and Dice and Bloodletting, transforming him into an ultra-mobile ganker who can shrug off damage for fun. You’re likely to face a challenging time in lane, but once you break free, you’re empowered to unleash havoc.

Shiv abilities:

• Serrated Knives (1) – Shiv throws a knife that damages and slows an enemy. Each additional hit adds a stack and refreshes the debuff. Damage increases per stack.
• Slice and Dice (2) – Shiv dashes forward, damaging enemies along his path. After unlocking Killing Blow (4), an echo of Shiv retraces the dash path after a short delay, damaging enemies again – Shiv’s rage has to be full for this to proc.
• Bloodletting (3) – Shiv passively defers a portion of his damage taken over time. Activate Bloodletting to clear a portion of the deferred damage, regaining it as health.
• Killing Blow (4) – Shiv leaps towards an enemy hero, instantly killing them if their health is below the execute threshold. If it isn’t, deal a large chunk of damage to them.

The Doorman

The Doorman is a master of controlled chaos, and you’ll definitely want the most creative Doorman players on your team. His primary weapon can feel awkward to use despite its raw power, owing to its incredibly low velocity. However, The Doorman’s consistent damage comes from his Call Bell (1), which, when combined with his slippery movements and combo potential, transforms him into a formidable threat.

The primary combo you should aim to master with The Doorman involves setting your first Doorway (2) towards your allies, sending your target to the Baroness Hotel with Hotel Guest (4), opening the second doorway during their desperate escape attempt, and then knocking them through it with Luggage Cart (3) once they return to the map. This sequence all but guarantees an elimination.

• Call Bell (1) – The Doorman throws out a call bell that deals spirit damage on impact. It explodes after a short delay, dealing additional spirit damage and causing enemies affected to suffer reduced weapon accuracy and slowed movement.
• Doorway (2) – The Doorman places two connected doors on the map. Heroes and most projectiles entering one door will exit from the other. The doors are closed either at the end of Doorway’s duration, or when re-activated.
• Luggage Cart (3) – The Doorman sends out a luggage cart that deals spirit damage and pulls enemy heroes along its path. Alt cast to target friendly heroes instead.
• Hotel Guest (4) – The Doorman sends the target’s physical body to the Baroness Hotel. The guest must quickly make their way to the exit elevator to escape. The target takes spirit damage during their stay, and take additional spirit damage should they fail to get out.

The Magnificent Sinclair

If you’re seeking a more enchanting in-game experience, then the mystifying, majestic Magnificent Sinclair offers a repertoire of tricks beyond anything you can shake a wand at. A master of mind-bending skills, The Magnificent Sinclair liberally uses his Spectral Assistant (2) to dish out damage with Vexing Bolt (1) before making a spectacular escape.

Forget pulling a rabbit out of a hat; with Rabbit Hex (3), Sinclair can transform everyone into a delightfully hopping little bunny, setting up easy eliminations—devious, dare we say dastardly. For his grand finale, Sinclair can copy enemies’ ultimate abilities, effectively making him a Sinclair of all trades.

The Magnificent Sinclair abilities:

• Vexing Bolt (1) – Sinclair fires a bolt of damaging magic that increases in potency as it travels. Your assistant will also cast a weaker version of it if you have one summoned.
• Spectral Assistant (2) – Sinclair summons an assistant at the target location who attacks when he does. Recast to swap positions with the assistant. Casting Spectral Assistant reloads Sinclair’s weapon.
• Rabbit Hex (3) – Sinclair hexes a target area, dealing damage and turning all enemies into rabbits for a set time. Rabbits move faster but take increased damage. They also can’t perform most actions. Rabbit Hex does not interrupt abilities.
• Audience Participation (4) – Sinclair copies the ultimate of a hero he deals spirit damage to. Recast to use the copied ultimate. Copied ultimates inherit Audience Participation’s upgrade points. Audience Participation also copies the ultimate’s cooldown.

Victor

Deadlock’s premier regeneration tank, Victor, shares a thematic kinship with League of Legends’ Dr. Mundo, embodying a similar Frankenstein’s monster-esque persona. Being in Victor’s vicinity is generally bad news, and it somehow manages to get even worse after he falls in battle.

Jumpstart (2) is a critically important tool in lane, as while Victor damages himself with it, this ability simultaneously grants him his innate health regeneration. This, in conjunction with Aura of Suffering (3), works synergistically to charge up his Pain Battery (1), culminating in a devastating burst of damage. Should Victor be defeated, he can activate Shocking Reanimation to not only revive himself but also deal damage and stun nearby enemies—so steer well clear after you think you’ve ‘killed’ him.

Victor abilities:

• Pain Battery (1) – Taking damage charges Victor’s Pain Battery. This zaps targets in front of Victor once full, dealing spirit damage.
• Jumpstart (2) – Victor deals spirit damage to himself, gaining bonus health regeneration and bonus movement speed that decays over time.
• Aura of Suffering (3) – Victor unleashes pain, dealing spirit damage over time to both himself and enemies. The longer Aura of Suffering is channeled for, the more damage it deals up to a maximum amount.
• Shocking Reanimation (4) – Victor revives after taking lethal damage, dealing spirit damage and stunning nearby enemies.

Vindicta

Vindicta is tailor-made for the 360 no-scope sharpshooters who prefer to inflict their damage from a distance. As Deadlock’s dedicated sniper, Vindicta operates at her peak when she activates Flight (2), significantly boosting her damage output while airborne. She is incredibly vulnerable when grounded, so strategize around her Flight duration as much as possible. Vindicta’s other pivotal ability is, predictably, her ultimate, Assassinate (4). At maximum rank, this powerful shot grants bonus Souls for each assassination, allowing Vindicta to scale much like Grey Talon. Its cooldown is remarkably low even with a single point invested, so don’t hesitate to use it for crucial chip damage.

Before you start eliminating enemy heroes, however, ensure you lead with your Crow Familiar (3) whenever possible. It deals percentage health damage based on the enemy’s current health, making it most effective against healthier targets. Finally, catching an opponent with your Stake (1) sets you up for effortless headshots, so do not underestimate its utility.

Vindicta abilities:

• Stake (1) – Vindicta throws a stake, tethering enemies to where it lands. Enemies can’t move past the length of the tether.
• Flight (2) – Vindicta takes flight, dealing bonus spirit damage while airborne.
• Crow Familiar (3) – Vindicta’s crow familiar deals impact damage and applies a bleed that deals damage based on the enemy’s current health.
• Assassinate (4) – Vindicta’s scoped rifle fires a powerful long-distance shot. The shot only deals partial damage until it’s fully charged. Assassinate deals bonus damage to enemies with less than 50% health. Landing a killing blow with Assassinate gives bonus Souls.

Viscous

The green crewmate from Among Us evidently hit the gym after their most recent ejection from the popular party game, evolving into Viscous in the process—at least, that’s our delightful headcanon. Viscous is a master of crowd control with an incredibly high skill ceiling, capable of generating substantial lane pressure by swiftly clearing waves with his Splatter (1) before making a slick escape with his Goo Ball (4). He can also leverage his ultimate’s mobility to fluidly shift between lanes and disrupt the enemy’s status quo with Puddle Punch (3), which is, by itself, one of the most challenging abilities in the game to use effectively.

Of course, you can directly use Goo Ball to engage and stun enemies, but that leaves you extremely exposed to being focused down once the crowd control wears off—Viscous lacks any other direct escape mechanism. Fortunately, The Cube (2) can serve as a potent stasis tool, granting ample resistances and healing until your team can follow up—if they follow up, that is. Indeed, for Viscous to be most effective, you must both master his intricate kit and flawlessly coordinate with your team.

Viscous abilities:

• Splatter (1) – Viscous throws a ball of goo that deals damage, leaving behind goo puddles that slow enemies in their radius.
• The Cube (2) – Viscous encases an ally in a cube of restorative goo that removes debuffs, increases health regen, and protects from damage. The target is unable to take any new actions until freed. Viscous can cube himself. Press the jump key to escape early.
• Puddle Punch (3) – Viscous materializes a fist that punches nearby units, sending them flying. Enemies hit have damage dealt, their dash distance reduced briefly, and their movement slowed. Puddle Punch is classed as a light melee attack.
• Goo Ball (4) – Viscous morphs into a large goo ball that deals damage and stuns enemies hit. While in this form, Viscous gains large amounts of bullet and spirit resistance, bounces off walls, and can double jump.

Vyper

Vyper truly puts the ‘V’ in ‘Velocity’—she’s so blazingly fast we had to coin a whole new term for her. Thanks to Slither (3), Vyper can glide across the map at incredible, almost illegal speeds. This, combined with her smaller character model, makes her a nightmare to lock onto. Slowing or even petrifying foes with Petrifying Bola (4) turns them into easy targets for her Lethal Venom (2), setting up massive damage after a short delay—damage that scales based on the target’s missing health. Just to ensure they’re truly finished, make sure to toss your Screwjab Dagger (1) at them.

Vyper abilities:

• Screwjab Dagger (1) – Vyper throws a dagger, dealing spirit damage and applying a fading slow.
• Lethal Venom (2) – Vyper injects a target with venom, which triggers and deals spirit damage after a short delay. Damage is increased by the target’s missing health.
• Slither (3) – Vyper can slide further, up hills, and she can turn faster while sliding.
• Petrifying Bola (4) – Vyper throws an explosive bola that slows and damages enemies in an area when it explodes. Direct hits deal additional damage and petrify instead of slowing. Petrified enemies can’t take actions, but block all damage.

Warden

Warden’s primary weakness is his limited range. Fortunately, this law enforcer is adept at pursuing and pinning down adversaries with his incredibly oppressive kit. Warden’s Willpower (2) provides him with a crucial speed boost, while Binding Word (3) will immobilize the target if they fail to escape in time. While enemies can typically escape using stamina, Warden’s Alchemical Flask (1) can strip them of this resource, rendering them helpless. If you find yourself snared by Binding Word, consider yourself as good as eliminated. Due to all these factors, Warden functions as a roaming death ball, so make sure to frequently rotate between lanes.

Adding to his formidable presence, Warden is an absolute nightmare to try and take down due to his freakishly massive health bar. A true blue bruiser, Warden is an unstoppable force on the frontlines. What’s more, Warden’s Last Stand (4) can unleash a colossal amount of area-of-effect damage after charging it, healing him based on the damage dealt. Absolutely devastating!

Warden abilities:

• Alchemical Flask (1) – Warden throws a flash that damages, slows, and reduces both the weapon damage and stamina of enemies hit.
• Willpower (2) – Warden gains a spirit shield and bonus movement speed.
• Binding Word (3) – Warden curses an enemy hero. If they don’t escape from their initial position quickly enough they will be damaged and immobilized.
• Last Stand (4) – Warden charges up before releasing pulses that damage enemies and heal him based on the damage dealt. Warden has greatly increased bullet and spirit resist while channeling.

Wraith

If you’re looking to make a name for yourself in Deadlock, meet Wraith. This magic card-manipulating hero poses a serious split-pushing threat, capable of mowing down everything in her path at a breakneck pace. If you aim to take control of a lane single-handedly, Wraith is our top recommendation, as she can not only obliterate structures with her Full Auto (3) fire rate bonus but also escape danger just as quickly with her teleport, Project Mind (2). Full Auto also affects nearby allies and Troopers, naturally ensuring your lane will always push harder than your opponent’s.

Wraith is also a formidable duelist, thanks to her steroid-like buffs and Card Trick (1). As most enemies would rather avoid the full brunt of Full Auto, it’s common for them to duck behind cover to wait it out. However, Card Trick actually deals splash damage, ensuring Wraith’s relentless assault can continue unperturbed by terrain. Absolutely nasty! And before they can retreat to safety, Wraith can lift and stun them using Telekinesis (4), leaving them completely vulnerable to her full wrath. If you can skillfully play the map and remain aware of enemy hero positions, Wraith can generate an absurd amount of pressure.

Wraith abilities:

• Card Trick (1) – Wraith summons cards by dealing weapon damage. Activate the skill to throw a card that flies towards the enemy or point under the crosshair.
• Project Mind (2) – Wraith teleports to the target location.
• Full Auto (3) – Wraith temporarily boosts her fire rate. Nearby allies receive half the bonus.
• Telekinesis (4) – Wraith lifts an enemy hero into the air, stunning them briefly. The target takes damage when Telekinesis ends.

Yamato

Yamato is one of those Deadlock characters who can single-handedly clean house if she gains an early advantage, but her notoriously high skill ceiling makes her a risky pick. As a 1v1 duelist, few can truly compete with Yamato, thanks to her Power Slash (1) and Crimson Slash (3) quickly dishing out burst damage. Those who attempt to flee from Yamato do so in vain, as her Flying Strike (2) can swiftly close any gap.

The true genius in Yamato’s kit is undoubtedly her Shadow Transformation (4), which not only renders her invincible during the cast animation but also makes her unkillable while active. On top of this, ability cooldowns are drastically reduced, her weapon gains infinite ammo, and she becomes completely impervious to negative status effects. Oh, and she takes less damage! A true one-woman-army, Yamato’s potential to go nuclear is undeniable, though she can become a complete dead weight if she falls too far behind. It’s a feast or famine playstyle in its truest sense.

Yamato abilities:

• Power Slash (1) – Yamato channels, increasing her damage before letting loose a fully-charged sword strike. Reactivate or press the fire button to trigger the strike early, dealing partial damage.
• Flying Strike (2) – Yamato throws a grappling hook, reeling herself towards an enemy. Yamato damages and slows the target upon arrival.
• Crimson Slash (3) – Yamato slashes enemies in front of her, damaging them and slowing their fire rate. Yamato heals off of enemy heroes hit.
• Shadow Transformation (4) – Yamato becomes infused with her shadow soul, transforming. Yamato is invincible during the transformation. While transformed, Yamato’s abilities are refreshed and are much faster, her weapon has infinite ammo, and she gains both damage resistance and immunity to negative status effects. Shadow Transformation’s duration is extended on hero kill.

Deadlock tier list

Here are the best Deadlock characters to play right now:

After a brief dip in the rankings, Haze and Warden have reclaimed their spots at the top of our tier list. While players have become more adept at countering them, their inherent power often proves too overwhelming. Abrams, meanwhile, remains a consistently formidable tank, comfortably holding his S-tier position. Vyper has repeatedly demonstrated her lethal potential, as has Seven. However, many other heroes are also fully capable of carrying a game.

For instance, Lash and Calico stand out as powerful DPS picks, while Dynamo consistently shines as the game’s top supportive option. As you delve further down the list, hero viability becomes increasingly situational.

And that wraps up everything you need to know about the Deadlock characters, along with the most current iteration of our Deadlock tier list. Be sure to revisit this guide frequently, as the free PC game’s meta is constantly shifting and Valve continues to introduce new characters. For more granular statistics, our sister site, Deadlock Rank, provides the latest win rates for agents, their builds, and much more.